Navigating the Mediterranean: Understanding North African Irregular Migration to Europe
This event examined the key drivers behind migration across the Mediterranean—ranging from socioeconomic and political instability to environmental stressors and transnational crime—while exploring the human stories behind the statistics. The program included a short documentary. Speakers assessed current legal frameworks, the role of sanctions and state fragility, and offered concrete policy recommendations to address the […]
Cold War II, World War III, or Grand Bargain? The Future of US-Russia-China Relations
The 2022 National Security Strategy listed Russia and China as the greatest threats to the US-led Liberal Order. The new Trump administration has shifted the focus of American foreign policy away from liberal internationalism toward a narrower conception of the national interest. How will a new US approach affect American relations with Russia and China? […]
World to Come: The Return of Trump and the End of the Old Order
With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, authors Mathew Burrows and Josef Braml argue that the U.S.-led liberal international order that defined global politics since WWII is coming to a close. From rising authoritarianism and regional conflicts to climate change, AI disruption, and economic malaise, their new book explores how today’s overlapping crises are reshaping the international landscape […]
Tech Cold War: The Geopolitics of Technology
Developing new technologies used to be primarily an economic and commercial issue, but it is increasingly also about foreign and security policy. Emerging technologies in particular have become both an object and a driver of international cooperation and competition, shaping the global landscape in different and sometimes unexpected ways. To put it simple, high tech […]
Navigating Mainland Southeast Asia: Mekong Governance, Cyber Scams, and Regional Flashpoints
Mainland Southeast Asia and the Mekong Region sit at the heart of the Indo-Pacific and are key focal areas for US foreign policy. The region is home to America’s strategic partners like Vietnam and Thailand, which is also a treaty ally of the United States. A prosperous and secure mainland Southeast Asia can lead to […]
COVID and Border Policies
Professors Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman of Western Washington University will walk us through the key findings of their fascinating new book, ‘When the World Closed Its Doors; The COVID-19 Tragedy and The Future of Borders’. Refugees International’s Hardin Lang will offer some thoughts about how evolving immigration policies are impacting refugees at home and […]
U.S.-Japan Alliance in 2025: Toward a Deeper Alliance
U.S.-Japan relations seem to be off to a good start following Prime Minister Ishiba’s successful visit to the White House on February 7. With U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth anticipated visit to Japan for a defense ministerial meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, the two countries will devise plans to uphold […]
Diplomacy Wins: How US Diplomacy Prevents Conflicts
The United States has been involved in numerous high-profile conflicts in the 21st century, demonstrating an over-reliance on military power as the foremost tool of U.S. foreign policy. What receives less attention are the U.S. diplomatic interventions that prevent conflicts from occurring or escalating into larger wars. This event will explore these under-appreciated successes of U.S. […]