Events
The World Island: Eurasian Geopolitics and the Fate of the West
March 22, 2011 // 11:00am — 12:00pm
Both a historical analysis and a call to arms, this is the comprehensive policy guide to understanding and engaging the geopolitics of Eurasia.
Solidarity With Solidarity: Western European Trade Unions and the Polish Crisis, 1980-1982
March 11, 2011 // 3:00pm — 4:30pm
On March 11, 2011 Idesbald Goddeeris will discuss his latest book which analyzes reaction to Solidarnosc in nine Western European countries and within the international trade union confederations.
Greece's Financial Crisis and the Future of the Euro
March 11, 2011 // 9:00am — 10:30am
Petros G. Doukas, Head of Capital Partners S.A. and former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Hellenic Republic
Russia's Cold War: From the October Revolution to the Fall of the Wall
March 10, 2011 // 3:00pm — 4:30pm
In his latest book Jonathan Haslam makes the case that the Cold War was not stable, but was characterized by constant wars, near-wars, and political upheavals on both sides.
Book Presentation: Bosnia Remade: Ethnic Cleansing and Its Reversal
March 09, 2011 // 11:00am — 12:30pm
The book Bosnia Remade: Ethnic Cleansing and Its Reversal (Oxford University Press, 2011) is an authoritative account of ethnic cleansing and its partial undoing from the onset of the 1990s Bosnian wars up through the present. Gerard Toal and Carl Dahlman combine a bird's-eye view of the entire war from onset to aftermath with a micro-level account of three towns that underwent ethnic cleansing and--later--the return of refugees.
Stability and Democracy in Albania: Clearing the Path towards European Integration
March 04, 2011 // 12:30pm — 1:30pm
The recent January events in Albania have proved once again that more needs to be done in order to strengthen democracy, democratic institutions and rule of law. As a NATO member country Albania was expected to radiate stability in the still fragile region and to behave as a proper candidate for the EU integration status. However the recent events and the sudden damage these events brought to Albania's image, after years of stability, moderate foreign policy, economic and social developments, have once again put forward the idea that democracy or stability alone can not be a paradigm for a country's or regional development, but only a combination of both well-harmonised by social development and reforms which will make possible a clear separation from the communist past, would guarantee a steady development to the country which until not long ago was considered a regional hub.
Turkey's Regional Perspectives on Eurasia and East Asia
March 01, 2011 // 10:30am — 11:45am
"The post-Cold War era notion of security can no longer be confined to merely military terms," according to Ambassador Fatih Ceylan, but factors such as historical, cultural and economic ties increasingly forge a role in developing greater political will and cooperation among neighboring countries.
Egypt and the Middle East: A Turkish Model of Democracy?
February 25, 2011 // 9:00am — 10:30am
Recent political unrest in the Middle East has prompted a debate about whether Turkey, a transitioning democracy with Islamic roots, can serve as a model for political transformation in the Arab world. The panelists highlighted the distinctiveness of the "Turkish model" of governance and raised doubts about its potential to inform the political discourse in the revolting Middle East.
The Future of U.S.-EU Energy Cooperation
February 09, 2011 // 12:00pm — 2:00pm
Chief of staff at the Office of the Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy at the U.S. Department of State, Vincent J. O'brien, stated that "stakes for an energy secure future have never been higher than they are today." Cooperation is needed on securing new resources of natural gas, diversifying energy sources and creating a more integrated European energy market. Given that the U.S.–EU trade relationship is the largest in the world and that the economies are increasingly becoming interdependent, Europe's energy security is naturally in the best interest of the U.S. While the dynamics behind Europe's energy concerns are complex, pipeline politics seem to dominate discussions.
A Blow to Democracy: Election Fraud, Corruption and Political Violence in Albania
February 08, 2011 // 11:00am — 12:00pm
Erion Veliaj, a former civil society activist and coordinator of the Albanian opposition parties, discussed the demonstration held on January 21, 2011. The demonstration ended in violence, with four shot and killed by the Republican Guard. Prime Minister Sali Berisha characterized the event as an attempted coup d'état in an attempt to justify the violent response, and said that the demonstrators had been carrying weapons disguised as umbrellas. Veliaj argued at the meeting that these contentions were "ludicrous": according to Veliaj, this was just another in a number of peaceful demonstrations organized by the opposition to protest what they see were unfair elections in 2009. The Albanian government, Veliaj said, was trying to force the population to choose between stability and freedom.