International Politics

In this session, “Where is Europe’s Power? Transnational Standards and Diplomatic Expertise in Brussels”, we hear from University of British Columbia’s Dr. Merje Kuus.

How do European diplomats know what they know and how have they come to know what they know? By considering the social lives of diplomatic expertise, a ‘peopled’ and ‘experience-­near’ account of how Brussels works is offered. Beyond Europe, the infamously opaque horse-­trading in Brussels can tell us a great deal about the transformations of state power today.

[Read more…] about Where is Europe’s Power? Transnational Standards and Diplomatic Expertise in Brussels

In this session, “What Happened to Cooperative Security? The Rise and Fall of the Post-­Cold War Security Regime”, we hear from Johns Hopkins University’s Dr. Terrence Hopmann.

With the end of the Cold War, hope dawned that a new era of cooperative security might arise in the trans-­Atlantic region, replacing the competitive alliances of the preceding 40 years. Why have the hopes of international cooperation that emerged in 1990 been dashed by the realities of the 21st century? What, if anything, can be done to pull back from an increasingly nationalistic and competitive international order and from the decline in democratic values and procedures?

[Read more…] about What Happened to Cooperative Security? The Rise and Fall of the Post-­Cold War Security Regime

In this session, “Europe, Russia, and the Transatlantic Divide: Security Relations in Turbulent Times”, we hear from Northeastern University’s Dr. Mai’a Cross.

The European Union has recently made many advancements in consolidating its common approach to foreign policy and security, from the 2016 Global Strategy to the launch of a European defense union. After many decades of attempting to achieve integration in the security and defense realm, following Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, the EU is on the cusp of creating a true European defense capability.

[Read more…] about Europe, Russia, and the Transatlantic Divide: Security Relations in Turbulent Times

In this session, “Making America Normal Again-­-­With a Little Help from Europe.”, we hear from Willamette University’s Professor James Nafziger.
How can the U.S., working with our European allies, get back on track to ensure fulfillment of our international obligations and, perhaps more importantly, to restart suspended initiatives and consider new ones to improve international legal cooperation in various sectors, including trade, the environment, defense, migration, and the Middle East imbroglio. Bottom line: the U.S. and Europe need each other.

[Read more…] about Making America Normal Again-­-­With a Little Help from Europe

In this session, “US-­German Relationships: Why They’re Grim and How We Can Make Them Worse.”, we hear from Brigham Young University’s Dr. Wade Jacoby.

One year on, how can we understand the Trump Administration and Transatlantic Relations? Spoiler alert: they’re not great, but they do have the potential to get much worse. This talk covers a range of transatlantic issues, including the durability of the liberal international order, the US burden-­sharing debate, and the global economy.

[Read more…] about US-­German Relationships: Why They’re Grim and How We Can Make Them Worse.

In this session, “Changes in the World Order: From ‘Embedded Liberalism’ to ‘Hyper Globalization’ to  ‘Economic Nationalism’”, we hear from University of British Columbia’s Dr. Kurt Huebner.

After WWII, we saw the establishment of an international order under the hegemony of the US. This order started to collapse during the 1970s and was followed by a period of global liberalization and deregulation which was furthered by the collapse of communism. The financial crisis of 2008 then brought a new turn towards economic nationalism in combination with a rise of forms of authoritarian capitalism. Where will all this lead us to?

[Read more…] about Changes in the World Order: From ‘Embedded Liberalism’ to ‘Hyper Globalization’ to ‘Economic Nationalism