Great Decisions is the largest nonpartisan public education program on international affairs in the world. Created in the 1950s by the Foreign Policy Association, a sister World Affairs Council, Great Decisions engages citizens in learning about critical global issues and U.S. foreign policy.
Based on the Foreign Policy Association’s annual briefing book on eight critical foreign policy topics, WorldBoston’s Great Decisions Discussion Series presents analysis by leading experts in eight sessions throughout the year at the Boston Public Library. The series is free and open to the public thanks to the generous support of the Lowell Institute.
Every Great Decisions event is filmed and can be viewed at the WGBH Forum Network.
Learn more about the Great Decisions annual briefing book and DVD resources here, and take a look at recent Great Decisions events below.
Thank you to our sponsors, Boston Public Library and the Lowell Institute, who make this special program possible.
Vivien Schmidt / the rise of populism in europe
September 2019
Dr. Peter Petri / Decoding U.S.-China trade
June 2019
Dr. Roberto Dominguez / The United states & mexico: Partnership tested
May 2019
Dr. karen jacobsen / refugees and global migration
April 2019
Jeffrey thielman / refugees and global migration
April 2019
Mary truong / refugees and global migration
April 2019
Ambassador Nicholas burns / the state of the state department & Diplomacy
March 2019
ambassador linda thomas-greenfield / state of the state department & diplomacy
March 2019
Gus coldebella / cyber conflicts & Geopolitics
February 2019
Dr. Evan Lieberman/South Africa’s Fragile Democracy
December 2018
ambassador ivo daalder / waning of pax americana?
November 2018
Dr. james lindsay / waning of pax americana?
November 2018
Dr. alexandra vacroux / Russia’s foreign policy
September 2018
dr. soner Cagaptay / turkey: a partner in crisis
June 2018
dan blumenthal / chinese Grand strategy
May 2018
Dr. susan moeller /
Media and foreign policy
April 2018
Major general (ret.) william rapp / U.S. global engagement and the military
March 2018
Dr. Jonathan Quick /
Global Health: Will the U.S. Continue to Lead?
January 2018
Erik Jones /
The Future of Europe
December 2017
Michael Shifter /
Latin America's Political Pendulum
November 2017
Karen Elliott House /
Saudi Arabia in Transition
September 2017
Husain Haqqani /
Pakistan and the UNited States
June 2017
Marty Durbin /
Petroleum and Foreign POlicy
May 2017
Gary Samore /
Nuclear Security: The Enduring Challenge of Nuclear WEapons
April 2017
Jeremy Haft /
Trade, Jobs and CHina
March 2017