Security and Defense
The Wilson Center and Security and Defense
Bombs, Plots, and Laws
May 20, 2013
The Boston Marathon bombing highlighted two issues long debated by legislators and security professionals in the wake of 9/11 and the now infamous “Global War on Terror” initiated by President George W. Bush… more
Business of Civil War: New Forms of Life in the Debris of the Democratic Republic of Congo
May 22, 2013 // 2:00pm — 3:30pm
This event has been organized in order to discuss a new book authored by Patience Kabamba, Assistant Professor of International Studies at Marymount Manhattan College. In this work, Kabamba discusses the enterprises of the Nande trust networks and consequently aims to challenge the assumption that a “weak state” is synonymous with a “failed” society. more
Engaging the Law in Eurasia and Eastern Europe
May 14, 2013 // 9:30am — 4:15pm
Law provides the building blocks for both market economies and democracies. In the years following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, there has been a wholesale rewriting of statutes and regulations as part of a reshaping of the institutional environment of these formerly Communist countries. The extent to which these reforms have taken root has varied. This conference highlighted how the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union have pursued legal reform and assess the role of law in the region. more
Bombs, Plots, and Laws
May 20, 2013The Boston Marathon bombing highlighted two issues long debated by legislators and security professionals in the wake of 9/11 and the now infamous “Global War on Terror” initiated by President George W. Bush…
Syria: What's Really Happening
May 08, 2013"In Syria, there are no good options, American credibility is at stake, and the pressures to act are considerable in the face of great uncertainties," writes Aaron David Miller in Salon.com.
Latin American Program in the News: In Latin America, Obama Stresses Partnership
May 07, 2013Eric Olson was talked to NPR from Costa Rica where he witnessed the President Obama’s trip to San José.
East European Studies Short-term Research Scholarships
May 02, 2013The Wilson Center's European Studies Program is now accepting applications for the EES Short-term Grant competition, which is open to academic experts and practitioners, including advanced graduate students, engaged in specialized research requiring access to Washington, DC and its research institutions. Grants are for one month and include residence at the Wilson Center. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, in order to be considered eligible for this grant opportunity. The deadline for this grant cycle is: June 1, 2013.
Business of Civil War: New Forms of Life in the Debris of the Democratic Republic of Congo
May 22, 2013 // 2:00pm — 3:30pm
This event has been organized in order to discuss a new book authored by Patience Kabamba, Assistant Professor of International Studies at Marymount Manhattan College. In this work, Kabamba discusses the enterprises of the Nande trust networks and consequently aims to challenge the assumption that a “weak state” is synonymous with a “failed” society.
Engaging the Law in Eurasia and Eastern Europe
May 14, 2013 // 9:30am — 4:15pm
Law provides the building blocks for both market economies and democracies. In the years following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, there has been a wholesale rewriting of statutes and regulations as part of a reshaping of the institutional environment of these formerly Communist countries. The extent to which these reforms have taken root has varied. This conference highlighted how the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union have pursued legal reform and assess the role of law in the region.
Afghanistan after 2014: Regional Impact
May 01, 2013 // 2:00pm — 5:00pm
This event explored local and regional perspectives on the future of Afghanistan against the backdrop of the planned NATO withdrawal of military forces from the region. The first session focused on local politics and governance in Afghanistan, and the second session investigated the ways in which Afghanistan’s neighbors have been discussing and planning for the upcoming changes.
Backdraft: The Conflict Potential of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
Amid the growing number of reports warning that climate change threatens security, one potentially dangerous – but counterintuitive – dimension has been largely ignored. Could efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and lower our vulnerability to climate change inadvertently exacerbate existing conflicts?
U.S. Firearms Trafficking to Guatemala and Mexico
Goodman's paper discusses U.S. firearms trafficking to Mexico as well as the lesser known phenomenon of the illicit movement of U.S.-origin firearms to Guatemala.
Taiwan and the U.S. Pivot to Asia: New Realities in the Region?
With relations between Taiwan and China becoming more stable, cross-strait relations is no longer the hot-button issue in East Asia as it once was. But what does closer ties with China mean for Taiwan's future? Three essays examine the implication of improved bilateral relations.
Security Roundtable: Dealing with Outliers
We convene our security roundtable to discuss the best ways to deal with the “outlier states” of North Korea and Iran with Haleh Esfandiari, Robert Hathaway, and Robert Litwak.
Wilson Forum - Strategic Options for Iran: Balancing Pressure with Diplomacy
Former senior national security officials, military officers, and experts with decades of Middle East experience present a balanced report on the strategic options for dealing with Iran.
Wilson Forum - The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth
Mark Mazzetti, Former Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar and National Security Correspondent for The New York Times, discusses his new book, The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth.
A. Ross Johnson
Research Fellow, Hoover Institution; Adviser to the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Project, Hoover Archives; former Director, Radio Free Europe
A. Ross Johnson is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, adviser to the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Archive Project at Hoover, and senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.Johnson was a senior executive of RFE/RL from 1988 to 2002, serving as d...
Alan Bersin
Assistant Secretary and Chief Diplomatic Officer, Office of International Affairs, Department of Homeland Security
Alan Bersin commenced service as Assistant Secretary of International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer for the Department of Homeland Security on January 3, 2012. In that capacity, he oversees the Department's international engagement and serves as the principal advisor to Secretary Janet Na...
Alex Miles
Lecturer in U.S. Politics, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University