Past Events
The Rise and Decline of the American "Empire": Power and its Limits in Comparative Perspective
March 12, 2013 // 3:30pm — 5:00pm
History and Public Policy Program
Geir Lundestad's latest book explores the rapidly growing literature on the rise and fall of the United States. Lundestad argues that after 1945 the US has definitely been the most dominant power the world has seen and that it has successfully met the challenges from, first, the Soviet Union and, then, Japan, and the European Union. Now, however, the United States is in decline: its vast military power is being challenged by asymmetrical wars, its economic growth is slow and its debt is rising rapidly, the political system is proving unable to meet these challenges in a satisfactory way. While the US is still likely to remain the world's leading power for the foreseeable future, it is being challenged by China, particularly economically, and also by several other regional Great Powers.
Locating Social Entrepreneurship in the Global South: Innovations in Development Aid
March 12, 2013 // 9:00am — 5:00pm
Comparative Urban Studies Project
Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Public Policy and Director of the Center for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford, will provide a keynote address on development aid and social entrepreneurship. Elizabeth L. Littlefield, President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), will discuss leveraging the private sector's pivotal role in development. Leading scholars and practitioners will examine the role that social entrepreneurship can play in empowering the poor.
The End of the Historical Enterprise
March 11, 2013 // 4:00pm — 5:30pm
History and Public Policy Program
Robert Townsend will speak on the findings of his recent book, History's Babel, which looks back to the early decades of the historical enterprise to show how efforts to professionalize pushed history specialists (in archives, historical societies, and teaching) away from each other. This seminar presentation will offer a wide-ranging discussion of the many different professions of history and what they mean for the discipline.
Russian Politics: The Paradox of a Weak State
March 11, 2013 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
Kennan Institute
Since the public dissention after the presidential “swap” announcement and rigged elections of last year, Putin and those who rule with him are resisting change and are even less willing than before to engage in reforms and economic “modernization.” Marie Mendras, Professor at the School of International Affairs, Sciences Po University, Paris examines Putinism as a system of rule in crisis—struggling against the tide, but still with considerable resources and instruments at hand.
The Arab Awakening: Lessons Learned and Challenges Ahead
March 08, 2013 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
Middle East Program
Rami Khouri and Robin Wright assess the past three years of political and economic flux in the Arab world, providing their insights on what they believe will be the challenges to political development moving forward.
Why is Women's Leadership Critical? Addressing and Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls
March 07, 2013 // 3:00pm — 4:00pm
Global Women's Leadership Initiative
Speakers will discuss the global imperative of addressing the issue of violence against women and girls, highlighting the important theme of the Fifty-Seventh UN Commission on the Status of Women.
2013 Stanford-MIT Game-Changers: Energy on the Move Workshop
March 07, 2013 // 12:30pm — 6:00pm
Program on America and the Global Economy
Innovators at MIT and Stanford have been working together for the last two years to identify "game-changing" energy technologies with the greatest potential to both boost America's long-term economic growth and address our most serious energy challenges: meeting the imperatives and urgency of climate change while transforming today's global energy enterprises into tomorrow's low-carbon alternatives, and enhancing energy reliability, affordability, and security.
Meeting the North American Energy Infrastructure Challenge
March 07, 2013 // 9:00am — 12:00pm
Canada Institute
Our distinguished panel discussed the various methods for energy transportation, the regulatory and legal issues involved in building energy infrastructure, and the environmental and safety risks associated with these projects.
Challenges to Women’s Security in the MENA Region
March 07, 2013 // 9:00am — 11:00am
Middle East Program
The Middle East Program and the Global Women’s Leadership Initiative present a meeting with five women experts who will discuss the challenges to women’s security in the MENA region.
Postponed: Improving Health and the Environment Through Integrated System Approaches
March 06, 2013 // 12:00pm — 2:00pm
Environmental Change and Security Program
This event is postponed due to inclement weather. Today’s health and environment issues are complex and interconnected. By embracing holistic viewpoints and finding commonalities in problem-solving, organizations like Health in Harmony (HIH) and Pathfinder’s SCIP (Strengthening Communities through Integrated Programming) have successfully and sustainably tackled seemingly un-related health and environment issues in Indonesia and Mozambique. This panel will highlight examples of integrated system approaches in both programs and will share best practices for combining development projects in health and non-health technical areas.