Great Decisions, the foreign policy discussion group sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association and hosted by the Vineyard Haven Public Library, is back for 2024! The 8-week program will meet every Thursday, from 6 to 7 pm, in a hybrid format (on Zoom and in person at the Library) starting Thursday February 1st.
The program consists of topical discussions with pre-assigned reading from the Great Decisions Briefing Book, available for purchase at the library for $25 made out to the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library (or you can purchase directly from the Foreign Policy Association by clicking here.) There are also half hour videos each watch to watch in advance. The weekly topics are outlined below and we often seek "hosts" from the participants for a topic that is of interest to them.
To register, please click here. Registering for the first session will register you for the entire 8-week course. Participation is limited to 25 people. If you have any questions, you can contact Ruth Konigsberg at rkonigsberg@clamsnet.org or 508-696-4211, x. 115.
Session One, February 1st, 6 pm: Mideast Realignment
The United States and Middle
East are at a crossroads. In spite of a reduced presence in the Middle East,
the U.S. still has significant national interests there and the area is a key
arena for global power politics. Can the U.S. continue to defend its interests
in the Middle East and globally with a lower level of military and political involvement,
or should it recommit to a leading role in the region?
Session Two, February 8, 6 pm: Climate Technology and Competition
Will the United States and
China, with other powerful countries following suit, approach current and
future climate initiatives with an increased commitment to trade protectionism
and nationalism, by various measures including trade restrictions? Or could a
growing spirit of international accord develop to confront the “common enemy”
of climate change?
Session Three, February 15, 6 pm: Science Across Borders
Scientific advances benefit
from collaboration between researchers, but what happens when material, such as
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is controversial and important to a nation’s
national security? Is there a middle ground between sharing information and
denying access? How can we regulate cooperation?
Session Four, February 22, 6 pm: US-China Trade Rivalry
China’s economic rise and
its current policies of increasing the role of the state in the economy have
led some U.S. policymakers to seek to deny China access to U.S. technology and
investment. This is seen as a necessary corrective to decades of predatory
Chinese economic policies. Is this a wise strategy, and how effective can it
be?
Session Five, February 29, 6 pm: NATO’s Future
Since the Russian invasion
of Ukraine in February 2022, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has
come under increased scrutiny, not because NATO troops are involved in the
conflict, but because of its role in relations between Russia and its
neighbors. Will expanding membership in NATO protect countries, or will it
further provoke Russia?
Session Six, March 7, 6 pm: Understanding Indonesia
Despite its large size,
Indonesia remains virtually invisible to most Americans. But as one of the
world’s largest democracies, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, and as
an economic driver of ASEAN, why does it fly below the radar? What are current
issues in U.S.-Indonesian relations, and what role can the country play in
Asia?
Session Seven, March 14, 6 pm: The High Seas Treaty
Areas of the seas beyond
national jurisdiction comprise the high seas, which are facing a degradation of
ecosystems due to climate change and the increase in human activities, such as
shipping, overfishing, pollution, and deep-sea mining. The recently negotiated
High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction
treaty, will attempt to address these issues. How difficult will it be to
convince nations to participate?
Session Eight, March 21, 6 pm: Pandemic Preparedness
Looking back at the covid-19
pandemic, there are many lessons to take away in terms of domestic and
international policies. Although this pandemic seems to have waned, how can we
apply these lessons to future pandemics? Will countries cooperate, and will a
consensus emerge on how to manage global health challenges?
