Facilitator: Matthew Murray, Dutchess Community College Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia is projecting an autocratic model of governance abroad and working to undermine the influence of liberal democracies, namely along Russia’s historical borderlands. Russia caused an international uproar in 2016 when it interfered in the U.S. presidential contest. But Putin’s foreign policy toolkit includes other […]
Eighteen area high school teams compete in this international affairs quiz bowl. The winner will travel to Washington DC in April 2019 to participate in the World Affairs Council of America national AWQ championship event. Thank you to our sponsors, including IBM. UPDATE -- Our 2019 regional winner - The Mount Academy team - traveled […]
Sponsored by The World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley and the Richard Reitano Endowed Chair in Social Sciences (DCC) The Student World Affairs Conference (SWAC) is an annual academic event. It is an opportunity for undergraduate students to realize a research conference experience and meet student colleagues at colleges and universities across the Mid-Hudson region. […]
Facilitator: Martin Charwat. Mass migration, and the problems associated with it, have directly abetted the rise of populist parties in Europe. Opposition to immigration was the prime driver of support for Brexit, it brought a far-right party to the German Bundestag for the first time since the 1950s and propelled Marine Le Pen to win […]
Facilitator: Michael O'Sullivan, Professor of History at Marist College Today, no countries have open borders. Every state in today’s global system has its laws and policies about who is permitted to cross its borders, and how they will do so. Who determines whether someone is a refugee or a migrant? How have different countries, including […]
Facilitator: Malia Du Mont, Bard College. During the Trump administration, the usual ways of conducting diplomacy have been upended. Many positions in the State Department have never been filled, and meetings with foreign leaders such as Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin have been undertaken with little planning. What effect are these changes having now, and […]
Facilitator: Jean-Claude Fouere. Though arguably the most advanced economy in the world, the United States still uses centuries-old numbers to measure trade. These antique numbers mangle understanding of the U.S.-China trade relationship, shrinking America’s true economic size and competitiveness, while swelling China’s. Bad numbers give rise to bad policies that ultimately kill U.S. jobs and […]
October 30, 2019, at Marist College - HC2023 at 7 pm. Talk co-sponsored by Marist College and WAC-MHV. Dr. Gerasimos Tsourapas, Lecturer in Middle East Politics at the University of Birmingham in the Department of Political Science and International Studies will speak about Authoritarianism in the Middle East with a focus on the politics of […]
Facilitator: Matt Murray, Dutchess Community College. As the presidency of Donald J. Trump passes the halfway point, the Middle East remains a region in turmoil. The Trump administration has aligned itself with strongmen in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, which along with Israel have a common goal of frustrating Iranian expansion. What […]
Dear WAC-MHV member: The Fall 2019 Annual Meeting Members Dinner will be held on Monday, December 2nd at 6 pm at Cosimo's Poughkeepsie (Delafield Street) in their second-floor Wine Room. You will be able to select from a menu on the night of the event. This is our Annual Meeting in which members vote for […]
Dr. Robert. K. Brigham, Shirley Ecker Boskey Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College will speak on Tuesday, February 11th at 7:00 pm. Location: James and Betty Hall Theater, Dutchess Community College. Dr. Brigham specializes in US foreign policy, particularly the Vietnam War. His recent research provides insights into the Battle of Hue […]
Facilitator: Malia Du Mont, Bard College As the Trump administration continues to withdraw from the world stage, China is looking to fill the void. How does Latin America fit into China’s “One Belt, One Road” plan? How will the relationship with China affect the region? Should the U.S. be concerned about China’s growing “sphere of […]