Great Decisions: The Quad Alliance

Woodstock Public Library District 5 Library Ln, Woodstock, NY, United States

Facilitator: Malia DuMont As part of the U.S. pivot to Asia, the United States has been in dialogue with Japan, Australia, and India to contain China. Recently, the Quad countries held joint naval exercises in the South Pacific. How effective will the actions of this alliance be?

Great Decisions: Industrial Policy

Woodstock Public Library District 5 Library Ln, Woodstock, NY, United States

Facilitator: Matthew Murray The current discussion of industrial policy in the United States is not simply about whether or not to support specific companies or industries, but about trust or mistrust of the government and its ability to manage the economy and deal with a rising China. The upheaval in supply chains during the pandemic […]

Academic WorldQuest 2023

Dutchess Community College 53 Pendell Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, United States

The World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley hosts a regional trivia competition for high school students that is based on international affairs. WACMHV volunteers develop the questions, recruit and coordinate with the local high school teams, staff and run the regional competition, WACMHV supports the winning team, which represents our area at the national […]

Dr. Peter Jones, University of Ottawa “Track Two Diplomacy”

Bard College 30 Campus Rd, Annandale-On-Hudson, NY, United States

Peter Jones holds a Ph.D. in War Studies from Kings' College, London, and an MA in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. Before joining the University of Ottawa, he served as a senior analyst for the Security and Intelligence Secretariat of the Privy Council of Canada. Previously, he held various positions related […]

“A Tale of Two Churches” – Rwanda: Timothy P. Longman

Marist College 3399 North Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, United States

Lecture: “A Tale of Two Churches: The Catholic Church and Violence in Rwanda and the Congo.” by Timothy P. Longman, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of International Relations and Political Science, and Director of the Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs (CURA) at Boston University This event will be co-hosted with The […]

Great Decisions: China and the US

Woodstock Public Library District 5 Library Ln, Woodstock, NY, United States

Facilitated by Jean-Claude Fouere For the past ten years, the United States and China have been locked in a competition for who has the greatest global influence. One major point of contention is the status of Taiwanese sovereignty, which has become even more relevant recently with the possibility that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may prompt […]

Great Decisions: Economic Warfare

Woodstock Public Library District 5 Library Ln, Woodstock, NY, United States

Facilitated by Rick Levitt Waging economic warfare consists of a variety of measures from implementing sanctions to fomenting labor strikes. Such tools are utilized by states to hinder their enemies, and in the case of the United States have been used as far back as the early 19th century. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February […]

Great Decisions: Politics in Latin America

Woodstock Public Library District 5 Library Ln, Woodstock, NY, United States

Facilitated by Martin Charwat Electoral results in Latin America over the past four years have led many observers of the regional/political scene to discern a left-wing surge in the hemisphere, reminiscent of the so-called “Pink Tide” that swept the area some 20 years ago. But how much do these politicians have in common? What implication […]

Great Decisions: Iran at the Crossroads

Woodstock Public Library District 5 Library Ln, Woodstock, NY, United States

Facilitated by Matt Murray By the fall of 2022, Iran was in a state of turmoil due to widespread protests against the government-enforced wearing of the hijab, a failing economy, an ineffective new president, and the looming succession of the country’s leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Abroad, renewal of the Iran nuclear deal seemed doubtful and tensions […]

Great Decisions: Energy Geopolitics

Woodstock Public Library District 5 Library Ln, Woodstock, NY, United States

Facilitated by Karen Nichols. Access to oil and gas has long influenced the politics of individual nations and their relations with others. But as more countries move toward sustainable energy, and supply chain shortages affect the availability of oil and gas, how will this change how the United States interacts with the outside world?

Great Decisions: Climate Migration

Woodstock Public Library District 5 Library Ln, Woodstock, NY, United States

Facilitated by Dr. Charlotte Hulme, Assistant Professor of International Affairs and Deputy-Director of the Grand Strategy Program at West Point Military Academy. As climate change accelerates and drought and rising sea levels become more common, millions of people in affected regions must uproot themselves and seek safety elsewhere. Who are these affected individuals, and how […]

Student World Affairs Conference 2024

Marist College 3399 North Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, United States

Join us on Friday, March 1, 2024, for the annual Student World Affairs Conference, to be held from 9:15 to 5:30 at Marist College. The Keynote Address at 3:30 will be followed by a reception. Keynote: "Strongmen and How to Defeat Them" - Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, to be introduced by Dean Jacqueline Reich (Marist), is […]