The Great Powers, and Iran’s Social and Political Evolution

Monday, June 30th

12:00 – 1:00 PM ET

Iran is again in the headlines. Under attack, but still mysterious – it continues to be misrepresented, misunderstood, and regarded in the West as a pariah and a threat. But is it? In this her 20th and newest book, The Great Powers, and Iran’s Social and Political Evolution, scholar and author Shireen T. Hunter delves into the nuances of Iran’s past and present, offering a deeply personal analysis – part autobiography, part history – of how the country of her birth became the nation it is today, how it was torn by great power machinations, and how the currents of international politics swept through society and affected the lives of ordinary people in Iran. In conversation with Roxane Farmanfarmaian, Quincy Institute, this talk will explore the major themes that Hunter identifies as critical for understanding the character, motivations, and international politics of Iran. 

Steven Cook: Iran & the U.S.—Diplomacy or War in the Middle East?

Monday, June 30th

3:00 – 4:15 PM ET

Join Steven Cook, senior fellow for Council on Foreign Relations and Foreign Policy columnist, for this virtual, rapid-response program delving into the recent dramatic developments in the Middle East and the complex (and swiftly evolving) geopolitical dynamics between the U.S., Iran, and Israel. In the wake of strikes by the U.S. on Iran’s nuclear program sites, how will Washington and Tehran balance new incentives to negotiate? What steps might be taken by the U.S., Iran, and Israel to avoid miscalculation and the chance of regional escalation? What is the new red line — diplomacy, deterrence and containment, or regime change? How could this effect global response to continuing military action and humanitarian crisis in Gaza? And what will the next move mean for the security and stability of the region and U.S. engagement in the near future?

The State Department-USAID merger is official. Now what?

Tuesday, July 1st

10:00 – 11:00 AM ET

July 1 is the formal date that the Trump administration set for the U.S. State Department to absorb what’s left of USAID programming. Reorganization plans are currently being floated that would see major changes in the department’s bureaus and mission. Join us for this program as Susan Reichle of the International Youth Foundation and James Kunder of Kunder/Reali Associates take a temperature check of the State Department-USAID merger — where does it stand? Where is it headed? And what are the implications?

“How Diplomats and Governments Build Trust in AI”

Tuesday, July 1st

3:00 – 3:45 PM ET

Join Fletcher for an exclusive webinar on “artificial inequality,” trust gaps, sovereign AI movements, disinformation, and multilateral governance in the age of machine learning. Artificial intelligence is more than a new technology. It is transforming our systems of access, knowledge, and trade relations in an already changing world order. How do diplomats and governments adapt to these challenges and opportunities to lead on the global stage? And how do they navigate AI’s trust problem? Join Bhaskar Chakravorti, Dean of Global Business at The Fletcher School, who will explore the impact of AI on society, the global economy, and geopolitics.

Can Multinationals Win in China? Lessons from Apple’s Experience

Wednesday, July 2nd

9:00 – 10:00 AM ET

The world’s largest multinationals are all in China, and when surveyed, a majority report that they are making a profit there. Yet there is a widespread view that China’s business landscape is heavily tilted in favor of domestic firms and that in strategic industries, foreign companies are primarily helping their Chinese competitors to catch up and displace them rather than helping themselves grow and maintain their advantages. There is a parallel debate about whether multinationals operating in China have helped to marketize the economy and made society more open, or whether these investors have instead become complicit in supporting the illiberal foundations of Chinese Communist Party rule. Join the Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics for this online event as we discuss these and other critical issues with leading experts on doing business in China and China’s tech sector. We will begin by hearing from Patrick McGee, author of the recently published book, Apple in China: The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company. CSIS’s Scott Kennedy will then moderate a discussion with James McGregor, Greater China, APCO, Meg Rithmire, Harvard Business School, and Jeffrey Ding, George Washington University.

How should Britain build influence and impact on the Korean Peninsula?

Wednesday, July 2nd

1:00 – 2:00 PM ET

Amid a delicate geopolitical environment, the Korean Peninsula remains one of the world’s most strategically sensitive regions. Nuclear tensions, the threat of military escalation, geoeconomic turbulence and domestic political volatility continue to shape regional stability. North Korea continues to maintain its isolationist posture alongside a foreign policy aimed at disruption. South Korea, despite recent political upheaval, has taken on a growing global role as a diplomatic, economic and security actor. The UK’s role is somewhat limited, however it has signalled greater ambition in its Indo-Pacific strategy. The question remains about how Britain’s role on the Peninsula should evolve. This panel brings together senior policymakers and experts to evaluate whether the UK’s current policy tools and partnerships are fit for purpose. Key questions include: What are the main security, economic and diplomatic challenges facing the Korean Peninsula today—and how are they evolving? How can the UK contribute more meaningfully to peace and stability on the Peninsula? What opportunities exist for deepening engagement with South Korea—and navigating the complexities of North Korea? And how does the Korean Peninsula fit into the UK’s broader Indo-Pacific tilt?

Refugee World(s): A Twentieth-Century Retrospective

Wednesday, July 2nd

1:30 – 3:00 PM ET

In 1973 Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, the high commissioner of UNHCR, the UN Office for Refugees, declared to the UN General Assembly: ‘The facts point to the existence of what is, virtually, a Fourth World. A world without representation in this or any other Assembly, yet peopled by millions: refugees, the displaced and often stateless, and others in similar circumstances’. In this lecture Peter Gatrell will suggest that we can write refugees into modern global history only by taking account of other worlds as well. By drawing on the letters and petitions that refugees sent to UNHCR in the post-1945 era, this lecture examines what refugees vouchsafed about their situation and what response they received. By considering not only this unparalleled source material but also the methods and approaches that can be applied, this lecture contributes to the growing field of refugee history.