World Affairs Program Fall 2023

DATE:  Tuesday, Sep 5th, at 07:00 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "Artificial Intelligence:  Disruptions and Risks"  Recently introduced artificial intelligence (AI) platforms like ChatGPT have the potential to alter our world in fundamental ways.  What are the real disruptions and risks? How much is hype?  What are the limits and flaws inherent in these models?  How are some other countries approaching AI? What are some of the proposed regulatory frameworks?  This general, non-technical overview of AI will also address how the latest AI models work.
SPEAKER: Michael Truffa. Michael's career is marked by diversity in industries and roles. He studied mathematics and computer science before working as a mechanical and electronics technician in the oilfield industry.  His many positions have included manager of the game department of a hobby store; B2B sales of computer supplies; door-to-door fundraising for Greenpeace; technical support on environmental, noise, and airspace projects for the U.S. Air Force; and coder of financial models in C++ for a Bay Area start-up. In his most recent corporate role as an executive for a financial data firm, he led a global group with teams of data analysts, six sigma black belts, and learning & development specialists.  He is currently an adjunct instructor with the A-B Tech Human Resources Development Department and the principal of a start-up consultancy focused on talent, technology & transformation.  As a dedicated supporter of local entrepreneurs, Michael manages the educational program for Asheville SCORE and will soon become chair of the organization.
ZOOM LINK: Click here.  Or meeting ID: 958 8341 7634 Passcode: 896930

DATE:  Tuesday, Oct 3rd, at 07:00 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "From Mars Hill to Planet Mars:  A Conversation with Jonathan Szucs on Advanced Manufacturing, the Art of International Business, and U.S. Exports"
Perhaps a "best-kept secret" in Western North Carolina is Mars Hill's Advanced Superabrasives, Inc. (ASI), a manufacturer of high-performance grinding equipment for customers locally, internationally, and in outer space.  Under General Manager Jonathan Szucs' leadership, ASI has developed a global distribution network and has earned the Presidential "E" Award for Exporting Excellence.  As Chair of the National Association of District Export Councils, Jonathan is also a leader among U.S. exporters.  Don't miss this opportunity to learn about challenges and opportunities for ASI and for U.S. exporters!
SPEAKER: Jonathan Szucs is General Manager of Advanced Superabrasives, Inc. (https://asiwheels.com/), headquartered in Mars Hill, NC.  After Jonathan received a bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering from Western Carolina University, he immediately joined ASI and quickly grew to love exporting and traveling. Under Jonathan's leadership, ASI has a growing global distribution network and has even achieved a temporary presence on planet Mars with the Curiosity Rover.  In addition to the Presidential "E" Award for Exporting Excellence in 2013, Jonathan received the Carolina World Trade Association's award for leadership in international commerce in 2018.  He has served as Vice Chair of the North Carolina District Export Council for nine years and is currently Chair of the National Association of District Export Councils (https://www.usaexporter.org/).   A dedicated supporter of business development in Western North Carolina, Jonathan is a member of Land of Sky's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Board, and he has initiated a project, "Raising Awareness of Manufacturing Possibilities", to encourage middle and high school students to choose careers in advanced manufacturing.  When Jonathan is not engaged in his many projects, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.
ZOOM LINK: Click here.  Or Meeting ID: 958 8341 7634 Passcode: 896930

DATE:  Tuesday, Nov 7th, at 07:00 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Russia-Ukraine War Middle Game:  How Did We Get Here?  What Possible Futures Lie Ahead?"  When Russia openly invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the West anticipated Russia's larger and better-equipped armed forces to rapidly overrun Ukraine. That assumption proved spectacularly wrong as Ukraine's armed forces, supported by a rapidly mobilized civil society, forced the Russian withdrawal from Kyiv and Central Ukraine in little more than a month. By autumn 2022, Ukraine's armed forces had reclaimed substantial Russian-held territory around the strategic cities of Kharkiv and Kherson. Today, a year after the Kharkiv and Kherson counter-offensives, the war is in the 'middle game' phase, to borrow a chess term. A new Ukrainian offensive is pushing into Russia's most heavily defended lines in the South and the East, while rolling back Russia's air and sea power around Crimea. Yet the cost has been high, and the pace has been slow as Russia adapts its defensive doctrines, and major NATO powers allow decisions on military support to be driven by fears of Russian escalation. Some voices in the West have renewed calls for de-escalation, off-ramps, and trading land for "peace".  How did we get to this point? What are the sources of Ukraine's remarkable resilience? What are the incentives for Russia to continue the war? How can the West maximize influence and impact to move toward a favorable end game while laying the foundation for cooperation on post-conflict challenges?
SPEAKER: James Greene is a former NATO diplomat, U.S. naval officer, and expert on national security cooperation and transformation in democratizing societies. His association with Ukraine, Russia, and NATO began in 1991, as a junior naval officer conducting groundbreaking research on civil-military relations inside the collapsing Soviet Union.  While serving in NATO Headquarters, he was a key architect of the NATO-Ukraine Distinctive Partnership.  Since 2002, he has worked with Ukraine civil society to build democratic institutions and national security, including an assignment (2004-2009) as the civilian chief of mission for NATO's Liaison Office in Ukraine.  He is a senior non-resident fellow at the Ukrainian Center for Economic and Political Studies (Razumkov Center) in Kyiv. 
ZOOM LINK: Click here.  Or Meeting ID: 958 8341 7634, Passcode: 896930

DATE:  Monday, Dec 4th, at 11:00 a.m to 12:30 p.m..     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Israel-Hamas War:  Two Months In" The October 7 attack that Hamas launched nearly two months ago has led to one of the most violent military engagements that the region has seen for decades and spawned a deepening humanitarian crisis for Gazan civilians. What forces and factors led to this outbreak of violence? How is this round of war tied to the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict? How are the regional dynamics impacting and impacted by these recent events? What role have the U.S. and the international community played, and what function should they continue serving?
SPEAKER: The panelists, Dr. Samer Traboulsi and Dr. Ayelet Even-Nur, are both UNC Asheville faculty members and experts on the Middle East.  Dr. Traboulsi has a PhD in Near Eastern studies from Princeton University, and Dr. Even-Nur has a PhD in Middle Eastern studies from the University of California, Berkeley.
PLEASE NOTE:  THIS EVENT WILL BE IN-PERSON ONLY. 
PARKING:  You must have either a 2023-24 Community Member (OLLI) parking decal or a visitor's permit to park on campus Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please use this link for a visitor parking permit to print and put on your dashboard.

World Affairs Program Fall 2022

DATE:  Tuesday, Sep 6th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Will a Group of Portuguese Children Shape the Future of Climate Change Litigation in the EU?" Climate change is, arguably, the single greatest and gravest human rights issue facing the entire planet.  Although greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) threaten human rights without respect for national borders, most laws, both domestic and international, are "territorial" in scope with a state's obligations ending at its own territorial borders.  To date, most climate change litigation has proceeded state by state with citizens bringing suits against their own governments. However, in the "Agostinho" case, a group of Portuguese children are claiming harm from GHG, not only in Portugal, but in all 33 states that belong to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France.  UNCA Political Science Professor Mark Gibney and his colleagues from the Extraterritorial Obligations Consortium, a human rights organization, teamed up with lawyers from Amnesty International in London to file a groundbreaking petition on behalf of the children with the ECHR.  The Court accepted the petition, permitting the case to proceed.  The Court's ruling on this historic case will have wide-ranging implications for future climate litigation in Europe.
SPEAKER: Dr. Mark Gibney is the Belk Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina-Asheville and an Affiliated Scholar at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Lund, Sweden. From 2014-2016 he served as the inaugural Raoul Wallenberg Visiting Professor of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at the Faculty of Law, Lund University and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute. Gibney is one of the founding members of the Extraterritorial Obligations (ETO) Consortium and he serves on the Board of Editors of Human Rights Quarterly, the Journal of Human Rights and the International Studies Journal (Iran).  Since 1984, Gibney has directed the Political Terror Scale (PTS) (PoliticalTerrorScale.org), which measures levels of physical integrity violations in more than 190 states. His recent book publications include: The Routledge Handbook on Extraterritorial Obligations (2022); International Law: Our Common Future (2020); International Human Rights Law: Returning to Universal Principles (2015, 2d ed.); Litigating Transnational Human Rights Obligations: Alternative Judgments (2014); the Handbook of Human Rights (2014); and Watching Human Rights: The 101 Best Films (2013). Finally, he serves on the Board of Advisors of the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) and serves as the Board Chair at Inclusive Development International (IDI).

DATE:  Tuesday, Oct 4th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The NATO-Russia-Ukraine Triangle at Thirty:  Was War Inevitable? Is Peace Possible?" As the Warsaw Pact and its Soviet hegemony broke apart in the early 1990s, NATO radically transformed its strategy from containment to outreach, promoting its values, prosperity, and stability to its former Cold War adversaries.  Beyond altruism, NATO's strategy was based on a realistic concern that national or religious extremism, transnational crime, and even revanchist border wars could fill the political vacuum resulting from the collapse of the Soviet system.  Russia and Ukraine seemed to be on the same page as the Alliance, gaining the political and economic benefits of integration with the prosperous democratic world. Yet today, thirty years later, Ukraine's and Russia's paths have profoundly diverged and catastrophically clashed. Russia's open invasion of Ukraine has brought Europe's first large-scale war in over 75 years. Underestimated by both foe and friend, Ukraine has fought back valiantly and skillfully.  After a slow start, NATO nations are now providing Ukraine with unprecedented support while fundamentally transforming their policies toward Russia. What factors led to this dire change from apparent alignment to open warfare? Where and when did the divergence occur? Was this shift inevitable, or were there realistic opportunities to prevent the current catastrophe? How does history affect the war?  Are there prospects for peace, and what might bring them about?
SPEAKER: James Greene is a former NATO diplomat, U.S. naval officer, and expert on national security cooperation and transformation in democratizing societies. His association with Ukraine, Russia, and NATO began in 1991, as a junior naval officer conducting groundbreaking research on civil-military relations inside the collapsing Soviet Union.  While serving in NATO Headquarters, he was a key architect of the NATO-Ukraine Distinctive Partnership.  Since 2002, he has worked with Ukraine civil society to build democratic institutions and national security, including an assignment (2004-2009) as the civilian chief of mission for NATO's Liaison Office in Ukraine.  He is a senior non-resident fellow at the Ukrainian Center for Economic and Political Studies (Razumkov Center) in Kyiv. Or join the October 4 presentation by James Greene on Zoom.

DATE:  Tuesday, Nov 1st, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The U.S. Refugee Crisis -- The Southern Border"  The United States has a broken immigration system.  The history of U.S. foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere is a proximate cause of the surge in refugee migration from Central and South America to the U.S. southern border that has caused today's refugee crisis.  What are the international and U.S. frameworks for refugee law?  Why does the United States continue to fail to meet its legal obligations to offer legal due process to refugees seeking entry or status in the United States?  Are there any realistic solutions?
SPEAKER: Dr. George D. Pappas, Esq. Born in Charlotte, NC, to Greek immigrant parents and raised in New York City, George Pappas is an attorney in Hendersonville, NC, representing clients in Western North Carolina and nationwide in U.S. immigration law.  Dr. Pappas is also the executive director of the International Center for Legal Studies (ICLS) for University of London law students worldwide. In addition to practicing law since 2006, Dr. Pappas has researched and authored his book The Literary and Legal Genealogy of Native American Dispossession - The Marshall Trilogy Cases 1823-1832, published by the Francis & Taylor Group, explaining how the U.S. Supreme Court blurred the distinction between literature and law, especially colonial literature, to dispossess Native Americans of their land.  Dr. Pappas has also published articles in Truthout, Critical Legal Thinking, Folio Magazine, American Banker, and Countertrade Quarterly, among other publications.  Dr. Pappas has lectured on Native American law, history, and culture as well as U.S. immigration law for the University of London (Queen Mary College), University of North Carolina Asheville, Appalachian State University (Boone), Emory University (Atlanta), the North Carolina Bar Association, and the Buncombe County Bar Association.  Dr. Pappas holds degrees from the London School of Economics & Political Science, Delaware Law School, Widener University, and Birkbeck College of the University of London, where he earned his Ph.D. in philosophy.

Or join the Nov 1st presentation by George Pappas on Zoom. 

DATE:  Tuesday, Dec 6th, at 07:00 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Melting of the 'Frozen Conflict' in the Baltic States: Putin's War in Ukraine and the Upending of History" One overlooked consequence of Putin's war in Ukraine is the dramatic political impact it has had on domestic politics in the Baltic States. Whereas just a few years ago pro-Moscow parties and anti-European Union sentiment were both features of Baltic politics, recent elections indicate that post-Soviet history has been totally upended. Dr. Kuck will examine these recent developments within the context of the dramatic events of the twentieth century, making even clearer the intense paradigm shift that is unfolding today.
SPEAKER: Dr. Jordan Kuck is an associate professor of history at Brevard College. Dr. Kuck is an expert on the modern history of Northeastern Europe, and his research deals with the history of nationalism and authoritarianism in the Baltic States during the interwar period. Over the past few years, Dr. Kuck has published chapters in edited volumes that marked the centennial of Latvian independence. He also contributed chapters to two forthcoming books, Dictatorship and Daily Life in Twentieth Century Europe, and Transnational and Transatlantic Fascism in East Central and Southeastern Europe, 1918-2018. Dr. Kuck is also currently working on a manuscript on the K?rlis Ulmanis regime in Latvia.  During his career, Dr. Kuck has received a number of prestigious awards. Most recently, the University of Tennessee bestowed upon him the Young Alumni Promise Award. In support of his research, Dr. Kuck has received a Fulbright, a U.S. Department of Education Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship, as well as a grant from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.

Or join the Dec 6th presentation by Jordan Kuck on Zoom.

Great Decisions Program 2021/22

DATE:  Tuesday, November 2nd, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Global Fishing Watch
SPEAKER:  Mr. Paul Whitaker will introduce us to Global Fishing Watch, his international and independent non-profit that seeks to advance ocean governance through increasing public knowledge about human activities at sea. Through this work, GFW strives to safeguard our global ocean commons in order to increase fair and sustainable use of our seas for the good of all life.  GFW is dedicated to the notion that this activity should be public knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean commons for the good of all. Its purpose is to create and publicly share knowledge about human activity at sea that enables fair and sustainable use of our ocean. 

DATE:  Tuesday, Decemmber 7th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires
SPEAKER:  Dr. Larry Wilson is a Midwesterner educated at Baker University and the University of Kansas.  He has dedicated his life to educational leadership. After earning his Ph.D. in Chemistry, he taught at Ohio Wesleyan University then to UNCA as Academic Vice Chancellor and interim Chancellor, then back to Ohio as the President of Marietta College. He has worked in Egypt, Oman and Qatar. He continues to advise Ministries in the UAE and frequently visits there. When in Asheville, he teaches courses on the Middle East and on Science and Technology for Global Citizens at OLLI. 

DATE:  Tuesday, February 1st, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Cuba Conundrums
SPEAKER:  Jon Elliston, a local journalist and historian who (at this very moment is in Cuba) has visited Cuba regularly for the past 25 years, will unpack the latest developments, tensions, and potential opportunities in the long-troubled US-Cuban relationship. This event will happen both "in person" (appropriately observing OLLI masking and social distancing protocols in the Manheimer Room of The Reuter Center) as well as on OLLI's Zoom platform.
You must register to attend via Zoom (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting):
https://unca-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0vcuCqqz8pE90yikDcfrvVrSAyv-EFc2wF

DATE:  Tuesday, March 1st, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Following the Money to Justice: How Inclusive Development International is Helping Communities Around the World to Hold Abusive Corporations Accountable"
SPEAKER: David Pred and Natalie Bugalski, the founders of the Asheville-based non-profit Inclusive Development International (IDI) will share with us how through their work at IDI communities around the world are standing up to some of the most abusive corporations in the world -- and winning. This event will happen both "in person" (appropriately observing OLLI masking and social distancing protocols in the Manheimer Room of The Reuter Center) as well as on OLLI's Zoom platform.
You must register to attend via Zoom (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting): https://unca-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYkd-mqpz0rHtPnnS13d1O_9X7-2DzdD4AZ

DATE:  Tuesday, April 5th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "Flight from Ukraine" 
SPEAKER: Ben Betsalel is an internationally renowned artist who has worked in a host of countries -- Ethiopia, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Senegal and, until the Russian invasion, was working in the Ukraine --drawing, painting, and writing to provoke connection and deepen understanding. This event will happen both "in person" (appropriately observing OLLI masking and social distancing protocols in the Manheimer Room of The Reuter Center) as well as on OLLI's Zoom platform.
You must register to attend via Zoom (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting): https://unca-edu.zoom.us/j/98197580894?pwd=Qnd3N2lvaWtBcDUyM3hHQVZJS05mQT09

DATE:  Tuesday, May 3rd, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "US and Xi: Problems in the relationship - including Putin" 
SPEAKER: Dr. Jim Lenburg will examine the major issues that divide the United States and China today including Putin's war in Ukraine.  What can the US do about them? Jim Lenburg was born and raised in Indianapolis where he graduated from Butler University with a B.A. degree in history and political science.  He received an M.A. from Bowling Green University and a Ph.D. from Penn State in history.  He has taught history and humanities at Bowling Green, Alfred and Mars Hill Universities from where he retired after 33 years. He served as president of the World Affairs Council of Western North Carolina for three years after retirement.  At present he teaches courses at UNCA's Osher Life Long Learning Ctr. This event will happen both "in person" (appropriately observing OLLI masking and social distancing protocols in the Manheimer Room of The Reuter Center) as well as on OLLI's Zoom platform. You must register to attend via Zoom (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting): https://unca-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIkcu6orT4tGtAAoD_9dItKo6CO0Wbczssl

DATE:  Tuesday, June 30th, at 06:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Blue Ridge Room, Highsmith Student Union, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "Ukraine of the Past, Present, and Future" 
SPEAKER: The Alliance of U.S.-Ukraine City Partnerships and Asheville Sister Cities are offering a panel discussion free of charge and open to the public. . This event will happen both "in person" (appropriately observing OLLI masking and social distancing protocols in the Manheimer Room of The Reuter Center) as well as on OLLI's Zoom platform. To register and for information on speakers and program logistics, click here.


World Affairs Program Fall 2019

DATE:  Tuesday, September 10th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Cold War Redux: Cuba in the Trump era."
SPEAKER:  Jon Elliston is an Asheville-based journalist and historian. The former managing editor of the Mountain Xpress, he's currently the senior editor at WNC magazine. He's visited Cuba frequently since the 1990s, most recently in May, and has written extensively about U.S.-Cuban relations.

DATE:  Tuesday, October 1st, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Britain, Brexit, and Beyond." 
SPEAKER:  Dr. Katherine Grenier has been a member of the History faculty at The Citadel in Charleston for more than two decades. Specializing in British social and cultural history of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, she focuses on the history of modern Scotland.  Serendipitously, she was visiting London when the new PM assumed office in July. 

DATE:  Tuesday, November 5th, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Canada-US Trade Relationship: A 21st Century Partnership."
SPEAKER: Following October's Canadian national elections, Consul General Nadia Theodore of  Canada's south-eastern consulate in Atlanta will visit Asheville to report on Canada's evolving trade relationships with the US.  Prior to her current appointment in 2017 Ms. Theodore functioned in executive leadership roles in several of Canada's international trade negotiations, notably, with the EU, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, positions which followed her early civil service career in Canada's Permanent Missions to the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. 

DATE:  Tuesday, December 3rd, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "India: Modi begins his Second Term." 
SPEAKER:  Philosophy Department Chair and Associate Professor at UNC-A, Dr. Keya Maitra holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Connecticut and another from the  University of Hyderabad in India.  A Bengali native, she and her husband & son returned there this summer.  She specializes in Indian philosophy and language. Dr. Maitra is a member of the Indian Philosophical Society, the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy, and the  Association for Asian Studies. 

Great Decisions Program Winter 2019

DATE:  Tuesday, February 5th, at 07:30 p.m.   
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Refugees and Global Migration" Today, no countries have open borders. Every state in today's global system has its own laws and policies about who is permitted to cross its borders, and how they will do so. Who determines whether someone is a refugee or a migrant? How have different countries, including the United States, reacted to migration? How effective are the international laws, policies and organizations that have evolved to assist and protect refugees and migrants?
SPEAKER: Mark Gibney

DATE:  Tuesday, February 12th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Cyber Conflict and Geopolitics" Cyber conflict is a new and continually developing threat, which can include foreign interference in elections, industrial sabotage and attacks on infrastructure. Russia has been accused of interfering in the 2016 presidential elections in the United States and China is highly committed to using cyberspace as a tool of national policy. Dealing with cyber conflict will require new ways of looking at 21stcentury warfare. Is the United States prepared to respond to such threats.
SPEAKER: Mike Duncan

DATE:  Tuesday, February 19th, at 07:30 p.m.    
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Rise of Populism in Europe" Mass migration, and the problems associated with it, have directly abetted the rise of populist parties in Europe. Opposition to immigration was the prime driver of support for Brexit, it brought a far-right party to the German Bundestag for the first time since the 1950s, and propelled Marine Le Pen to win a third of the vote in the French presidential election. In addition to calling for stronger borders, however, these parties are invariably illiberal, anti-American, anti-NATO and pro-Kremlin, making their rise a matter of serious concern for the national security interests of the United States.
SPEAKER: John Plant

DATE:  Tuesday, February 26th, at 07:30 p.m.  
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Middle East: Regional Disorder?" As the presidency of Donald J. Trump passes the halfway point, the Middle East remains a region in turmoil. The Trump administration has aligned itself with strongmen in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, which along with Israel have a common goal of frustrating Iranian expansion. What will be the fallout from policy reversals such as withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear accord and moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem? Does the United States see a path forward in troubled states such as Syria, Yemen, Libya and Iraq? Is the United States headed toward war with Iran?
SPEAKER: Tom Sanders

DATE:  Tuesday, March 5th, at 07:30 p.m.      
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Nuclear Negotiations: Back to the Future?" Nuclear weapons have not gone away, and the Trump administration has brought a new urgency, if not a new approach, to dealing with them.  The President has met with Vladimir Putin as the New Start Treaty with Russia comes up for renewal in 2021, the first presidential summit ever with Kim Jong-un occurred to discuss denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, and President Trump has decertified the Obama nuclear deal with Iran.  To what degree should past nuclear talks guide future U.S. nuclear arms control negotiations?  Can the art of the deal apply to stabilizing our nuclear future?
SPEAKER: Dot Sulock

DATE:  Tuesday, March 12th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Decoding U.S.-China Trade: Though arguably the most advanced economy in the world, the United States still uses centuries-old numbers to measure trade.  These antique numbers mangle understanding of the U.S.-China trade relationship, shrinking America's true economic size and competitiveness, while swelling China's.  Bad numbers give rise to bad policies that ultimately kill U.S. jobs and cede market share to China.  What other tools can the United States employ to counter China's unfair trade practices?  There are several available, yet they remain mostly unused.
SPEAKER: Julie Snyder

Great Decisions Program Winter 2018

DATE:  Tuesday, September 11th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Crisis in Venezuela."
SPEAKER: Russell Crandall, a Davidson College Latin American specialist, who has published several books on the politics of the region, has served as principal director for the western hemisphere at the Defense Department, director for Andean affairs & security aide at the NSC. He's been a special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and has consulted for the World Bank, where he's a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

DATE:  Tuesday, October 2nd, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Mexico and the US: A view of their Economic Intertwining." 
SPEAKER:  Remedios Gomez Arnau, Consul General of the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh.  Gómez Arnau previously headed Consulates in Atlanta and San Diego.  Prior to her consular service, she was the Academic Secretary and Associate Researcher at the Center for Research on North America from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.  Her research focused on U.S. foreign policy and the Mexico-U.S. relationship. 

DATE:  Tuesday, November 6th, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "The New Silk Road: China's Influence & Expansion into Africa." 
SPEAKER: Lina Benabdallah, assistant professor of Politics and International Affairs at Wake Forest University.  Her research and observations have been featured in the Washington Post, New York Times, Atlantic, New Republic, as well as in academic journals.  She recently joined the Chinese in Africa/Africans in China network as an executive board member.   At Wake Forest she teaches courses in international relations and African Studies. 

DATE:  Tuesday, December 4th, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Report from 90 miles south: Continuity & Change in a Post-Castro Cuba." 
SPEAKER:  Stan Dotson & Kim Christman.  Pastors, musicians, faith-based social justice advocates, and WNC natives Dotson and Christman have a two-decade history with Cuba. They are now in the middle of a 2-year stay on the island.  Presently based in Matanzas serving as leaders and chaplains of two churches, they are additionally engaged with secular local community groups focused on housing, leadership training, and the arts. 

Great Decisions Program Winter 2017

DATE:  Tuesday, February 6th, at 07:30 p.m.   
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Turkey: a partner in crisis" Of all NATO allies, Turkey represents the most daunting challenge for the Trump administration. In the wake of a failed military coup in July 2016, the autocratic trend in Ankara took a turn for the worse. One year on, an overwhelming majority of the population considers the United States to be their country’s greatest security threat. In this age of a worsening “clash of civilizations” between Islam and the West, even more important than its place on the map is what Turkey symbolically represents as the most institutionally Westernized Muslim country in the world.
SPEAKER: Tom Sanders holds a PhD from Columbia University  is a retired professor of religious studies and of international  studies. He has taught for over 20 years in the College for Seniors, UNCA, including courses on Turkey, the Kurds, Political Development in the Arab World, and Religion, Ethnicity, and Politics in the Middle East.  He has visited Turkey many times, chiefly to practice Turkish with all kinds of ordinary Turks.

DATE:  Tuesday, February 13th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Global health: progress and challenges" The collective action of countries, communities and organizations over the last 30 years has literally saved millions of lives around the world. Yet terrible inequalities in health and wellbeing persist. The world now faces a mix of old and new health challenges, including the preventable deaths of mothers and children, continuing epidemics of infectious diseases, and rising rates of chronic disease. We also remain vulnerable to the emergence of new and deadly pandemics. For these reasons, the next several decades will be just as important—if not more so—than the last in determining wellbeing across nations..
SPEAKER: John Stewart grew up in Marietta, Georgia, graduated Emory University.  Then entered US Navy for eleven years, during which he attended and graduated from Medical College of Georgia, interned at Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Virginia, and served as a General Medical Officer for five years.  Upon completion of military obligation, completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of South Carolina.  A 26 year career in private practice in Asheville followed, until retirement in 2012.  Since then he has continued to work as a Buncombe County Medical Examiner, and has been able to pursue a life long dream of doing medical humanitarian work by serving with Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders in Africa for four to six weeks each year for five years, during which time he has experienced global health disparities first hand "in the trenches".

DATE:  Tuesday, February 20th, at 07:30 p.m.    
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The waning of Pax Americana?" During the first months of Donald Trump’s presidency, the U.S. began a historic shift away from Pax Americana, the liberal international order that was established in the wake of World War II. Since 1945, Pax Americana has promised peaceful international relations and an open economy, buttressed by U.S. military power. In championing “America First” isolationism and protectionism, President Trump has shifted the political mood toward selective U.S. engagement, where foreign commitments are limited to areas of vital U.S. interest and economic nationalism is the order of the day. Geopolitical allies and challengers alike are paying close attention.
SPEAKER: Jonathan Tetzlaff has a B.A. in International Relations, an M.A. in U.S. and Comparative Foreign Policy, and a CISSP, CBRM, and MBCI. He is a member of the World Affairs Council,  the U.S. State Department’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), the Association of Contingency Planners, and a number of other organizations. He has traveled globally throughout his life, most recently to North Korea. Jonathan’s training and presentations are global in nature: he has presented to many dozens of audiences over several decades, including the U.S. State Department, the University of North Carolina, the U.S. Army’s Worldwide Long-Range Planners’ Conference, the Conference Board, CISO Executive Summit, Security 500, the National Business Aviation Association, the University of Chicago, the International Security Management Association, and the National Defense University.

DATE:  Tuesday, February 27th, at 07:30 p.m.  
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Media and foreign policy" State and non-state actors today must maneuver a complex and rapidly evolving media landscape. Conventional journalism now competes with user-generated content. Official channels of communication can be circumvented through social media. Foreign policy is tweeted from the White House and “fake news” has entered the zeitgeist. Cyberwarfare, hacking and misinformation pose complex security threats. How are actors using media to pursue and defend their interests in the international arena? What are the implications for U.S. policy?
SPEAKER: Jake Greear is an adjunct professor of political science at Western Carolina University. He received his PhD from Johns Hopkins University, where his research focused on environmental politics and political theory. His publications include a recent article on economic decentralization, and he is currently working on a book titled Performing Nature: Truth and the Body in Environmental Consciousness.

DATE:  Tuesday, March 6th, at 07:30 p.m.      
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Defense Budget and Global Engagement Priorities" The global power balance is rapidly evolving, leaving the United States at a turning point with respect to its level of engagement and the role of its military. Some argue for an “America First” paradigm, with a large military to ensure security, while others call for a more assertive posture overseas. Some advocate for a restoration of American multilateral leadership and a strengthened role for diplomacy. Still others envision a restrained U.S. role, involving a more limited military. How does the military function in today’s international order, and how might it be balanced with diplomatic and foreign assistance capabilities?
SPEAKER: Major General Rick Devereaux graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1978 and completed a 34-year career in the Air Force before moving to Asheville in 2012.  While in the military, he piloted the C-5 Galaxy and KC-135 Stratotanker, commanded two wings, and served four tours at the Pentagon including his last assignment as the Director of Operational Planning, Policy, and Strategy for the Air Force.  Rick is currently the Executive Vice President for Texzon Technologies and continues to do independent consulting work for the defense industry. He serves on the boards of several local and national non-profits including the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia.

DATE:  Tuesday, March 13th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "China and America: the new geopolitical equation" In the last 15 years, China has implemented a wide-ranging strategy of economic outreach and expansion of all its national capacities, including military and diplomatic capacities. Where the United States has taken a step back from multilateral trade agreements and discarded the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), China has made inroads through efforts like the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). What are Beijing’s geopolitical objectives? What leadership and political conditions in each society underlie growing Sino-American tensions?  What policies might Washington adopt to address this circumstance?
SPEAKER: Julie Snyder is a retired U.S. diplomat who worked in the field of international trade for over 30 years for the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, a small foreign affairs agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce.  In her assignments to U.S. embassies in Canada, Asia and Europe, she worked on a wide range of trade issues.  She has taught courses on international trade topics for the OLLI College for Seniors at UNCA and is a volunteer business mentor for SCORE.  Julie has a bachelor's degree in French and political science from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree in international management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Great Decisions Program Winter 2016

DATE:  Tuesday, September 1st, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Reconnecting with Cuba."
SPEAKER: Jon Elliston is an Asheville-based journalist and historian. The former managing editor of the Mountain Xpress, he's currently the investigations and open-government editor at Carolina Public Press, a nonprofit news service that covers Western North Carolina, and senior editor at WNC magazine. He's visited Cuba an average of once a year for the past 20 years, most recently in April.

DATE:  Tuesday, October 6th, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: the Evolving Discourse on Human Protection." 
SPEAKER:  George Andreopoulos is Professor of Political Science and a member of the doctoral faculty of the Political Science and Criminal Justice programs at the CUNY Graduate School and University Center at John Jay. He is also the Founding Director of the Center for International Human Rights. 

DATE:  Tuesday, November 3rd, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "Israeli-Palestinian Borders - Issues and Dilemmas." 
SPEAKER: Harvey Starr is an emeritus professor of International Affairs at the University of South Carolina, and remains an Institute Associate of The Walker Institute of International and Area Studies, a Consulting Faculty in the Jewish Studies Program, and a Rule of Law Collaborative Faculty Member. Author of 18 books and monographs, he has received three grants from the National Science Foundation. 

DATE:  Tuesday, December 1st, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "DBAS (ISIS) and PKK - the Regional Struggle for Hegemony: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar."
SPEAKER:  Dr. Ali Demirdas is a member of the International Studies faculty at the College of Charleston having recently being awarded a Ph.D. from the Univ. South Carolina. A Turk with Kurdish connections, he received his BA from The University of Ankara and completed a Masters degree at The University of Suleyman Demirel, Turkey.

DATE:  Tuesday, April 3rd, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "China on Screen; Politics, Commerce, and Identity."
SPEAKER:  Dr. Jinhua Li, Assistant Prof of Chinese Studies and Languages at UNC-A will share with us thoughts on her native country focusing on cinema and film. 

DATE:  Tuesday, May 1st, at 07:30 p.m.      
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Challenges of Long-Term Humanitarianism: Lessons from the Palestinian Experience."
SPEAKER:  Dr. Ilana Feldman, Professor of Anthropology, History, and International Affairs at the George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Great Decisions Program Winter 2015

DATE:  Tuesday, February 3rd, at 07:30 p.m.   
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Syria's Refugee Crisis."
SPEAKER: Nora Nassri of University of South Carolina.

DATE:  Tuesday, February 10th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Brazil's Metamorphosis."
SPEAKER: Liliana Castro of Buncombe County Schools.

DATE:  Tuesday, February 17th, at 07:30 p.m.    POSTPONED TO 17 MARCH
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Privacy in the Digital Age."
SPEAKER: Jagdeep Bhandari of Mars Hill University.

DATE:  Tuesday, February 24th, at 07:30 p.m.   POSTPONED TO 6 APRIL
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Russia and the Near Abroad."
SPEAKER: Steve Solnick of Warren Wilson College.

DATE:  Tuesday, March 3rd, at 07:30 p.m.      
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "India Changes Course."
SPEAKER: Keya Maitra of Univeristy of North Carolina-Asheville.

DATE:  Tuesday, March 10th, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Sectarianism in the Middle East."
SPEAKER: David Hudleson of National Security.

DATE:  Tuesday, March 17th, at 07:30 p.m.    CAMCELLED  
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Privacy in the Digital Age."
SPEAKER: Jagdeep Bhandari of Mars Hill University.

DATE:  Monday, April 6th, at 07:30 p.m.  
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Russia and the Near Abroad."
SPEAKER: Steve Solnick of Warren Wilson College.

World Affairs Program Fall 2014

DATE:  Tuesday, September 2nd, at 07:30 p.m.  (The Tuesday after Labor Day)     
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Ukraine: The Anatomy of a Crisis."
SPEAKER: Gordon Smith, the director of The Rule of Law Collaborative and Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, is a Russian scholar (he is fluent in it), as well as an observer of Russian foreign policy and the Crimea. He will consider the recent developments in Ukraine.

DATE:  Tuesday, October 7th, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Ireland's Political Future and the Strange Case of 2014's Scottish Referendum."  
SPEAKER:  Career State Department diplomat, Ed Brynn, who has been staff member on Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, FSA officer at the Air Force Academy, and holds a PhD in Irish history from Trinity College in Dublin, will share his insight and observations about Ireland and European Economic Recovery. 

DATE:  Tuesday, November 11th, at 07:30 p.m. (Note this is a "second Tuesday", avoiding conflict with Election Night 2014 returns on 4 Nov.)        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "War Crimes Trials"   
SPEAKER: Syracuse University Law School Professor of Law, David Crane, and former chief prosecutor for the Special Court of Sierra Leone addresses "War Crimes Trials" and their place in international law -- particularly the Charles Taylor one in which he was a lead attorney. 

DATE:  Tuesday, December 2nd, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Peace Keeping in Africa."
SPEAKER:  Dr. Carolyn Haggis of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington DC comes to town to share with us her perspective on Africa, several recent conflicts there, and global concerns about peace keeping throughout the continent.
Great Decisions Program Winter 2014

DATE:  Tuesday, Feb 4, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "Economic statecraft and trade." America's foreign policy tools are not limited to sanctions, treaties or military campaigns - they also include the sales pitch. The logic behind this pitch, or "economic statecraft," is simple: promote the benefits of democracy and the free market. In so doing, the U.S. gains valuable and stable partners, both in business and in diplomacy; with a focus on Mexico and Latin America. 
SPEAKER:  Dr. Debra Sabia, Georgia Southern University

DATE: Tuesday, Feb 11, at 07:30 p.m.    
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Defense and the rise of new technologies." From robotic planes to cyber-weapons to 3D printing and human enhancement, new "game-changing" technologies are moving from science fiction to battlefield reality - all during an age of fiscal austerity. But in wrestling with the new, we can actually learn a great deal from the past. Our forebears went through similar challenges with such once fanciful but now normal concepts as airplanes, submarines, and tanks. What are the "killer applications" of the 21st century battlefield, and in turn, what are the issues that the U.S. must navigate in adapting to them?
SPEAKER: Maj. Gen. Rick Devereaux, Ret. USAF, and current consultant.

DATE: Tuesday, Feb 18, at 07:30 p.m. 
PLACE: Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Food security and climate change" Even as a sixth of the world's population suffers from chronic hunger, a changing climate threatens to wreak havoc on already insecure and vulnerable populations. As food and water become scarce and once fertile land becomes barren, the U.S. finds itself faced with new challenges in securing the globe. The U.S. is getting ready, but can it lead the way to climate reform?
SPEAKER:  Dr. Amy Knisley, Warren Wilson College.

DATE:  Tuesday, Feb 25, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE: Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "China's foreign policy." China has gone to great lengths to emphasize the "peaceful" nature of its meteoric rise. Yet few dispute that China is the dominant regional power in Asia - and in recent years Beijing began to flex its muscles regionally in order to advance its strategic interests. What does the rapid rise of this new superpower mean for other countries in the region, and are there potential points of conflict with the U.S. as it "pivots" to Asia?
SPEAKER:  Dr. Jim Lenburg, Mars Hill University (emeritus) and OLLI board chair

DATE: Tuesday, Mar 4, at 07:30 p.m. 
PLACE: Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "Turkey" Turkey: a nation at a crossroads, a bridge over an ever-growing chasm between the East and West. Turkey's first Prime Minister Kemal Ataturk envisioned a modern, democratic nation-state built on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire with strong ties to Europe, not the Middle East. But as the clashes between secular and religious groups and the recent protests in Taksim Square show, the soul of Turkey is still very much up for grabs.
SPEAKER:  Dr. Samer Traboulsi, UNC-Asheville

DATE: Tuesday, Mar 11, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE: Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "Israel" Modern Israel's struggles with the Palestinians have turned what was meant as a safe haven for Jews into the center of a decades-long conflict. The U.S. has stepped in as Israel's ally due to the two countries' shared values, providing years of unparalleled military and diplomatic support. But now those ties are being tested. The Arab Spring, Iran's nuclear ambitions, failed peace talks, and Israel's own decision to give Washington the cold shoulder have put new strains on the 65-year-old "special relationship."
SPEAKER:  Dr. Heather Hawn, Mars Hill University

World Affairs Program Fall 2013

DATE:  Tuesday, September 3rd, at 07:30 p.m.      
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Venezuela After Chavez." Following Hugo Chavez' death this spring Venezuela has experienced an uneasy presidential succession. Chavez-era relationships with OAS and its oil diplomacy are uncertain. 
SPEAKER:  Mars Hill College Language Department faculty members, Maria Moreno, a native of and educated in Mérida Venezuela who is just returning from a summer trip "back home," teams with her Spanish scholar colleague, Greg Clemons, to open our series on our Latin neighbor.

DATE:  Tuesday, October 1st, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Attack of the Drones: Revolution or Evolution in Warfare?" Of several advancements in military technology over the last few decades few have evoked more attention and controversy than the aerial drones that have been used against terrorist and insurgent targets.  
SPEAKER:  Major General Rick Devereaux, now a defense industry consultant, a career that was preceded by service in the Air Force, will bring his military officer's perspective to a discussion of these weapons and how they are changing warfare.

DATE:  Tuesday, November 5th, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "Revolution Interrupted."  From the inspired beginnings in the Arab Spring to weekly news stories this summer, Egypt remains uncertain and problematic.   
SPEAKER: Ellis Goldberg a scholar of Middle East politics at the University of Washington, who was studying in Cairo during the first six months of 2011, and has been a Carnegie Scholar and Guggenheim Fellow, will address whatever the current situation in Egypt might be as October turns to November.

DATE:  Tuesday, December 3rd, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "Africa: A Hopeful Continent?"  Can Africa's economic improvements in the 2000s, with GDP growth more than any other region save Asia's, be sustained and how will it shape the lives of average Africans? 
SPEAKER:  Raymond Gilpin is a published author, regular blogger, and currently the Academic Dean at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, DC.  He is a Cambridge University trained economist, and has worked at the World Bank as well as with a number of African financial institutions. 

Great Decisions Program Winter 2013

DATE:  Tuesday, Feb 5, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "The New Egypt" Camp David provided stability and predictability between Egypt and Israel in an otherwise turbulent Middle East.  Yet Egypt's bumpy transition from the autocratic rule of President Hosni Mubarak to its post-Arab Spring reality has put many on edge.  What challenges does the new Egypt pose for American policymakers and U.S. allies in the region?
SPEAKER:   Samer Traboulsi completed his Ph.D. degree in Near Eastern studies at Princeton, studied South Asian history at Harvard, and taught Arabic at Yale. He is currently an assistant professor in the history of the Middle East and the Muslim world at UNC-A. Interested in the formation and development of religious groups his articles and book focus on Ismailis in Yemen, and the Wahhabi movement.

DATE: Tuesday, Feb 12, at 07:30 p.m.    
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Defending America on a Budget" For the first time in decades, the U.S. is tightening its belt on defense spending.  Post-9/11 challenges of terrorism and counterinsurgency have led to a paradigm shift in the way we think about our national security.  Do 21st century challenges now pose a greater threat to U.S. national security than traditional threats like nuclear war, naval supremacy and the ability to fight ground wars?
SPEAKER:  Lee McMinn, a NROTC commissioned graduate of the Univ. of Texas, spent most of his 22 year career in North Carolina and on deployments to Vietnam, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and Okinawa where he flew helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. He attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, and has earned two Masters Degrees: one in Human Resources, and another in Counseling and Personnel Services.

DATE: Tuesday, Feb 19, at 07:30 p.m. 
PLACE: Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Intervention Calculus in US Foreign Policy" The U.S., for better or worse, is often seen as the world's policeman.  But the question of when to intervene in other nations' affairs with military force has long stymied American policymakers, from Afghanistan and Iraq to Libya and Syria.  Why do we intervene in some conflicts and stand on the sidelines in others?
SPEAKER:  Jerome Jones, a retired Air Force pilot and strategic planner served in a variety of command and staff positions during a 29-year military career.  After moving to Asheville in 1994, Jerome served as an Assistant Buncombe County Manager and became a frequent lecturer at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and a guest commentator on national security affairs on local radio, television and newspaper outlets.

DATE:  Tuesday, Feb 26, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE: Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "China in Africa" African economies are booming thanks in large part to China. The global giant is investing in projects to help it tap into the continent's resources - oil, minerals, and its huge agricultural potential. Critics charge China with cozying up to dictators and ignoring issues of human rights and transparency. Others fear that U.S. is being left behind, and its influence in Africa waning.
SPEAKER:  Peter Chaveas has a lengthly diplomatic career first as a Peace Corps Volunteer, followed by three decades as a State Department Foreign Service Officer with assignments including Ambassador to Malawi, Political Advisor to the Commander of US Forces in Europe, and Ambassador to Sierra Leone. He retired as Director of the Department of Defense's Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

DATE: Tuesday, Mar 5, at 07:30 p.m. 
PLACE: Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "The Eurozone: Crisis & Imperfections" After WWII, Europe established greater economic ties to prevent future continental conflict.  More than half a century later, the EU faces the biggest financial crisis in its history; the future of the Eurozone itself is under question.  What's preventing the world's second largest economy -- and America's largest trading partner -- from pulling itself out of recession?
SPEAKER:  Linda Cornett, a Kentuckian with a Ph.D. from Univ. Washington Seattle, is currently Associate Professor and Chair of Political Science at UNC-Asheville, where she has taught since 1998. While her research interests are focused on comparative and international political economy, she teaches a wide variety of classes in world politics and international affairs with emphasis on organizations and economic issues.

DATE: Tuesday, Mar 12, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE: Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "Iran, Israel and the Bomb" For more than a decade, Iran's quest for nuclear capabilities has preoccupied diplomatic and strategic policy makers in Washington, Brussels and Tel Aviv.  Why is a nuclear-armed Iran considered so dangerous to U.S. and Israeli interests, and what's prevented Iran from reaching a deal year after year?
SPEAKER:  Paul Magnarella directs the Peace and Justice Studies Program at Warren Wilson College.  He has served as Expert-on-Mission to the UN Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and as president of Association of Third world Studies (ATWS). His book, "Justice in Africa" (2000) received the ATWS's Book of the Year Award and was nominated for the Raphael Lemkin Book Award. 

World Affairs Program Fall 2012

DATE:  Tuesday, September 4th, at 07:30 p.m.      
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The World, the White House, and the Election of 2012"
SPEAKER:  Bill Sabo, Professor of Political Science, UNCA

DATE:  Tuesday, October 2nd, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Arab Spring: Is it Summer (or Winter) Yet and Why Does it Matter?"
SPEAKER:  Ambassador Jim Larocco, Director of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies.

DATE:  Tuesday, November 13th, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Background and current developments in the Sudan/South Sudan conflict: USG interests and conflict resolution efforts."
SPEAKER: Larry Andre, career member of the Senior Foreign Service who joined the Office of the Special Envoy for Sudan in August 2011.

DATE:  Tuesday, December 4th, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "The Republic of Korea - Its Role and Leadership: the New Economies and Politics of the Asia-Pacific"
SPEAKER:  Consul General He Beom Kim of the Republic of Korea Consulate in Atlanta.

General Program Spring 2012

DATE:  Tuesday, April 17th, at 07:30 p.m.  (social hour commencing at 7:00 p.m.)       
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Turkey."
SPEAKER:  Robert Olson, Professor of Middle East History at the University of Kentucky, completing a sabbatical in Turkey, looks at that country's emergence as a possible EU member and its unique role providing a model for emerging Arab democracies.

DATE:  Tuesday, May 1st, at 07:30 p.m.  (social hour commencing at 7:00 p.m.)       
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   TBA
SPEAKER:  Mark Bellamy, Director of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, in Washington, DC, completes our 2011-12 series with a timely spring topic.

Great Decisions Program Winter 2012

DATE:  Tuesday, Feb 7, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "Promoting Democracy"
SPEAKER:   Susan Zelle, retired Foreign Service Officer, recently returned from tour as Chief of Mission in Asmara, Eritrea.

DATE:  Tuesday, Feb 14, at 07:30 p.m.    
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Exiting Iraq and Afghanistan"
SPEAKER:  Lee McMinn, US Army retired, with tours in Vietnam, the Mediterranean, NEurope, and Okinawa where he flew helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.

DATE:  Tuesday, Feb 21, at 07:30 p.m. 
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Cyber Security"
SPEAKER:  Duane Dunstan, Information Security practitioner for STG Inc.

DATE:  Tuesday, Feb 28, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "Energy Geopolitics"
SPEAKER:  Grant Gosch, General Manager at First Light Scholar in Asheville, a company devoted to identifying and implementing sustainable and financially beneficial environmental alternatives.

DATE:  Tuesday, Mar 6, at 07:30 p.m. 
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Middle East Realignment"
SPEAKER:  Tom Sanders, professor of Religious Studies, Political Science and International Studies, taught at Brown, Connecticut, Earlham and Tulsa.

DATE:  Tuesday, Mar 13, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "State of the Oceans"
SPEAKER:  Meredith Newman, prolifically published Mars Hill College chemist, taught and conducted research at Idaho National Engineering Lab, U of Idaho, Clemson U and Hartwick College. 

World Affairs Program Fall 2011

DATE:  Tuesday, September 6th, at 07:30 p.m.  (social hour commencing at 7:00 p.m.)       
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Modern Day Slavery, Human Trafficking and Child Labor in Ghana: A Case Study."
SPEAKER:  Dr. Agya Boakye-Boaten, the new director of Africana Studies at UNCA, just returning this summer from a visit to his native Ghana, will open our season.

DATE:  Tuesday, October 4th, at 07:30 p.m.  (social hour commencing at 7:00 p.m.)       
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Brazil."
SPEAKER:  Ernesto Henrique Fraga Araujo, Minister-Counselor at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington, DC, reviews the "B" part of US-BRIC economic and political relations, assessing his country's emerging power in Latin America and the world.

DATE:  Tuesday, November 1st, at 07:30 p.m.  (social hour commencing at 7:00 p.m.)       
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Israeli-Palestinian question."
SPEAKER:  Dylan Williams, Director of Governmental Affairs at The J Street Project in Washington, DC, brings his agency's perspective of the Israeli-Palestinian question as important decisions at the UN and the Middle East impact that issue.

DATE:  Tuesday, December 6th, at 07:30 p.m.  (social hour commencing at 7:00 p.m.)       
PLACE:  Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "The Arab Spring: Is it Summer (or Winter) Yet and Why Does It Matter"
SPEAKER:  Ambassador James Larocco, Director of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, returns to an issue we were riveted by this spring as he reassesses the Arab Spring.

Great Decisions Program Winter 2010

DATE:  Monday, Feb 1, 2010 at 07:30 p.m.    
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   Russia and Its Neighbors
SPEAKER:  Dr. Yana Pitner, a native of Russia, now serving as an adjunct professor of history and political science at UNCA.

DATE:  Monday, Feb 8, 2010 at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   The Global Financial Crisis
SPEAKER:  Dr Baarbara Boerner, Associate Professor of Business & Organizational Leadership at Brevard College.

DATE:  Monday, Feb 15, 2010 at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  The Persian Gulf 
SPEAKER:  Dr. Larry Wilson, past President of Marietta College in Ohio, interim president of UNC-A, founder and Provost of Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates.

DATE:  Monday, Feb 2, 2010 at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  U.S./China Security Relations 
SPEAKER:  Dr Jim Lenburg, emeritus professor of History at Mars Hill College.  He has taught in Chinese Universities and led academic tours to the continent.

DATE:  Monday, Mar 1, 2010 at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:    Kenya and The Requirement to Protect
SPEAKER:  Ambassador Peter Chaveas has had careers in both the diplomatic and military arenas.  He is former Ambassador to Sierra Leone and Malawi.

DATE:  Monday, Mar 8, 2010 at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   Preventing Genocide
SPEAKER:  Dr. Paul Magnarella is the Director of Peace and Justice Studies at Warren Wilson College, publishing widely on human rights and international justice.

General Program Spring 2010

DATE:  Monday, Apr 5, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Moldova World Children's Fund
SPEAKER:  Mr. Ray F. West, former Naval officer and the founder of the Moldova World Children's Fund.  He currently serves as MWCF's president. 

DATE:  Monday, May 3, at 07:30 p.m.         
PLACE:   Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  The Politics of the World Cup
SPEAKER:  Dr. Volker Frank, Chairman of the Sociology Department at UNCA. He not only plays the game but is a student of it.

World Affairs Program Fall 2009

DATE:  Monday, Sep 14, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Mexico Today:  The Realities of the Economy, Drug Cartels, and Swine Flu" 
SPEAKER:  Dr. Phyllis Smith, Professor of History, Chair of the Faculty, Mars Hill College

DATE:  Monday, Oct 5, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "What happens when your oppressors are next door neighbor: a story of the Kurds and Kurdistan." 
SPEAKER:  Mr. Kani Xulam, Founder and Director of American Kurdish Information Network, Washington, DC

DATE:  Monday, Nov 2, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Obama's Foreign Policy: Nine Month's Out" 
SPEAKER:  Panel discussion focusing on the first months of Barack Obama's administration: an assessment.  Samer Traboulsi - Overview; Larry Wilson - Middle East; Jim Lenburg - China; Lucia Carter - EU

DATE:  Monday, Dec 7, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "US and Pakistan, Uneasy Allies" 
SPEAKER:  Ambassador Dennis Kux, Senior Policy Scholar, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC

Great Decisions Program Winter 2009

DATE:   Feb 2, 2009 at 07:30 p.m. (preceded by refreshments at 7:00pm)    
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Egypt in the 21st Century 
SPEAKER:  Dr. Samer Traboulsi, Assistant Professor of History. UNCA

DATE:   Feb 9, 2009 at 07:30 p.m. (preceded by refreshments at 7:00 p.m.)  
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   The United States and the Rising Powers
SPEAKER:  Dr. George Peery, Professor of Political Science, Emeritus, Mars Hill College

DATE:   Feb 16, 2009 at 07:30 p.m. (preceded by refreshments at 7:00 p.m.)  
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   Global Food Supply
SPEAKER:  Dr. Gerald Voos, Associate Director of the Master of Liberal Arts Program, UNCA

DATE:   Feb 23, 20089 at 07:30 p.m. (preceded by refreshments at 7:00 p.m.)  
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   Afghanistan and Pakistan
SPEAKER:  Dr. Tom Sanders, Retired University Professor and Instructor, the College for Seniors, UNCA

DATE:   Mar 2, 2009 at 07:30 p.m. (canceled)  
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   Universal Human Rights?
SPEAKER:  Dr. Mark Gibney, Belk Professor of Political Science, UNCA

DATE:   Mar 16, 2009  at 07:30 p.m. (preceded by refreshments at 7:00 p.m.)  
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   Cuba (1959-2009): Culture, Nation and Revolution
SPEAKER:  Dr. Elena Adell, Assistant Professor of Foreign Language, UNCA

DATE:   Mar 18, 2009  at 07:30 p.m. (rescheduled)  
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   Universal Human Rights?
SPEAKER:  Dr. Mark Gibney, Belk Professor of Political Science, UNCA

Spring 2009

DATE:  Monday, Apr 6, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Nuclear Arms and Energy
SPEAKER:  Leah Karpen led a discussion on the general topic of nuclear arms and energy. 

DATE:  Monday, May 4, at 07:30 p.m.         
PLACE:   Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Turkey
SPEAKER:  Dr. Paul Magnarella presented a program on contemporary Turkey.

World Affairs Program Fall 2008

DATE:  Monday, Sep 15, at 07:30 p.m.   
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Acts of Conscience" 
SPEAKER:  Marc Garlasco, Human Rights Watch

DATE:  Monday, Oct 6, at 07:30 p.m. (preceded by refreshments at 7:00pm)     
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Building Peace at Home and Abroad:  Commentary from an International Peacebuilder" 
SPEAKER:  Paula Green, International Conflict Mediator, Karuna Center for Peacebuilding

DATE:  Monday, Nov 10, at 07:30 p.m.  (preceded by refreshments at 7:00pm)         
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  panel discussion on "The Implications for American Foreign Relations on the Election of ? on November 4" 
SPEAKER:  moderated by Dr. George Peery, Professor of Political Science, retired, Mars Hill College

DATE:  Monday, Dec 1, at 07:30 p.m. (preceded by refreshments at 7:00pm)            
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The State of the World's Health:  The Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis from a Doctor's Perspective" 
SPEAKER:  Dr. Jeff Heck, MAHEC

Great Decisions Program Winter 2008

DATE:  Monday, February 4, at 04:30 p.m.  (refreshments at 04:00 p.m.)          
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map) 
TOPIC:  The Iraq End Game
SPEAKER:  Dr. Samer Traboulsi, Assistant Professor of History, UNCA
 
DATE:  Monday, February 11, at 04:30 p.m.         
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map) 
TOPIC:  The European Union at 50
SPEAKER:  Dr. Linda Cornett, Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the International Studies Program UNCA
 
DATE:  Monday, February 18, at 04:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map) 
TOPIC:  Privatization and Philanthropy in U.S. Foreign Affairs
SPEAKER:  Dr. Marc Mullinax, Associate Professor of Religion, Mars Hill College
 
DATE:  Monday, February 25, at 04:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map) 
TOPIC:  U.S.-China Trade Policy
SPEAKER:  Dr. Jim Lenburg, President of the World Affairs Council of WNC and Professor of History, Emeritus, Mars Hill College
 
DATE:  Monday, March 3, at 04:30 p.m. 
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map) 
TOPIC:  Talking to Our Enemies
SPEAKER:  Mr. Marshall McCallie, retired diplomat (South Africa and Namibia) and professor (Army War College)
 
DATE:  Monday, March 10, at 04:30 p.m.      
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map) 
TOPIC:  Russia and Putin
SPEAKER:  Dr. David Dorondo, Associate Professor of History, Western Carolina University

World Affairs Program Fall 2007

DATE:  Monday, September 10, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Is Objective Journalism Possible? The Case of Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel." 
SPEAKER:  Dr. Mohammed el-Nawawy, Queens University
 
DATE:  Monday, October 1, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  The leftist challenge to American interests in Latin America.
SPEAKER:  Dr. Alvis Dunn, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

DATE:  Monday, November 12, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE: Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  A comparison of developments in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
SPEAKER:  Dr. Nyaga Mwaniki, Western Carolina University

DATE:  Monday, December 3, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:   Owen Conference Center, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Global economy 101, explaining and understanding the nature of globalization.
SPEAKER:  Dr. Jeff Konz, University of North Carolina at Asheville

Great Decisions Winter 2007

DATE:  Tuesday, February 6, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Haiti's Children and the Right to Good Health"
SPEAKER:  Tom Plaut, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Mars Hill College
 
DATE:  Tuesday, February 13, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map) 
TOPIC:  "Rethinking Middle East Policy"
SPEAKER:  Tom Sanders, PhD, Retired after a career as university professor and Associate of Universities Field Staff International

DATE:  Tuesday, February 20, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "South Africa: Old Problems, Peaceful Transition, and New Challenges"
SPEAKER:  Afaf Omer, PhD, Africana Studies Program Director, UNCA

DATE:  Tuesday, February 27, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "War Crimes and International Tribunals"
SPEAKER:  Paul J.  Magnarella, PhD, JD, Director of Peace and Justice Studies, Warren Wilson College

DATE:  Tuesday, March 6, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "The Trials of Mexico"
SPEAKER: Manuel Palma, former director of Na Bolom Cultural Center in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
 
DATE:  Tuesday, March 13, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Can the UN Tackle Climate Change (With or Without the U.S.)?"
SPEAKER:  Lenny Bernstein, PhD, L.S. Bernstein & Associates, an environmental consulting company; UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Convening Lead Author for the Fourth Assessment Report

Spring 2007

DATE:  Tuesday, Apr 3, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Laurel Forum in Karpen Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Middle East:  Is Peace Possible?"
SPEAKER:  Mitchell Krauss retired from CBS News after a long career in radio and television.  For many years he was Middle East Correspondent and covered events such as the implementation of the Egyptian/Israeli Peace Agreement and the Iran Iraq War. 

DATE:  Tuesday, May 1, at 07:30 p.m.         
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "What Would It Take to Achieve Rapprochement with Iran?"
SPEAKER:  Ambassador Bruce Laingen, highest ranking American diplomat in Iran during the hostage crisis.

World Affairs Program Fall 2006

DATE:  Tuesday, September 12, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "A Theory of Foreign Policy"
SPEAKER:  Glenn Palmer, Department of Political Science, The Pennsylvania State University
 
DATE:  Tuesday, October 10, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Highsmith University Center, Alumni Hall, Room 159 (click for map)
TOPIC:  "United States/China Relations:  Prospects and Problems"
SPEAKER:  Eugene Martin of the U.S. Institute for Peace and a former Deputy Ambassador at the American Embassy in Beijing

DATE:  Tuesday, November 14, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Terrorism"
SPEAKER:  Peter Probst, Institute on the Study of Political Violence

DATE:  Tuesday, December 12, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Humanities Lecture Hall, UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "Global Energy Security"
SPEAKER:  Ann Corin, Institute of Global Security

Great Decisions Winter 2006

DATE:  Tuesday, February 14, at 07:30 p.m.  
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Turkey
SPEAKER:  Tom Sanders, a popular lecturer at College for Seniors and expert in middle eastern countries and cultures
 
DATE:  Tuesday, February 21, at 07:30 p.m.  
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Iran
SPEAKER:  Mary Lasher, another popular lecturer at College for Seniors whose interests include both domestic and Middle Eastern topics
 
DATE:  Tuesday, February 28, at 07:30 p.m.  
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Alternative Energy Sources
SPEAKER:  Dot Sulock, a Lecturer in Mathematics at UNCA and a frequent speaker to local and national groups on nuclear issues
 
DATE:  Tuesday, March 7, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  India
SPEAKER:  Gautam Bambawale, Minister (Political) and Head of the Political Wing of the Embassy of India, Washington, DC
 
DATE:  Tuesday, March 14, at 07:30 p.m.      
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Human Rights in a Time of Terrorism
SPEAKER: Mark Gibney, Belk Professor at UNCA and an expert on international ethical and human rights issues

DATE:  Tuesday, March 21, at 07:30 p.m.     Asheville only
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Israel
SPEAKER:  Robert Deutsch, a local expert on Israeli affairs

World Affairs Program Spring 2006

Special Event:  First annual Barbara Chisolm Memorial Lecture
DATE:  Tuesday, January 31, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   "The Current State of the Middle East"
SPEAKER:   Sir Eldon Griffiths, a cabinet member during the Margaret Thatcher government of the United Kingdom.
 
DATE:  Tuesday, April 11, 2006, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  A presentation on global pandemics
SPEAKER:   Christina Simeonsson, MD, head of Epidemiology section of the NC State Department of Health

DATE:  Tuesday, May 9, 2006, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "The Democratic Process in Lebanon: Hopes and Obstacles" 
SPEAKER:  Dr. Samer Traboulsi, Assistant Professor, Dept. of History, UNCA

World Affairs Program Fall 2005
 
DATE:  Tuesday, September 13, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Panel Discussion:  "Reforming the U.N.:  how, why and what is being proposed."
SPEAKER:  Moderator Cleve Mathews, retired journalist and Professor Emeritus at Syracuse University, with Jerome Jones, Brig. Gen. US Air Force, Ret, and David Johnson, PhD, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tennessee
 
DATE:  Tuesday, October 11, at 07:30 p.m.   
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "So Much Growth Yet So Few Jobs: How globalization has shaped this recovery and impacted employment throughout the Carolinas."
SPEAKER:  Mark Vitner, senior economist of Wachovia Corporation

Special Event (hosted by WNC UN Association and co-sponsored by WAC WNC - $5 per person)
DATE:  Saturday, October 22, at 09:30 a.m.  (click for details)
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: "UN Reforms:  Will They Work?  Are They Adequate?"
SPEAKER:  John Gershman, Director, Global Affairs program of the International Relations Center and  Co-Director of Foreign Policy in Focus (click for details)

DATE:  Tuesday, November 8, at 07:30 p.m.  
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "China's Emergence as a World Power."
SPEAKER:  L.J. Lenburg, PhD, professor at Mars Hill College
 
DATE:  Tuesday, December 13, at 07:30 p.m.            
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  "European Union Enlargement: Competing Visions, Clashing Realities"
SPEAKER:  Robert C. Tatum, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, UNCA; Lilian Fischer, PhD, Investment Management Analyst, Fischer Financial Architects, formerly Associate Professor, University of Virginia

World Affairs Spring Program 2005

DATE:  Tuesday, April 19, Reception 05:30 to 07:30 ($25 donation; click here for details); Presentation 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:   Transatlantic Tensions and Global Security.  The Middle East is a major challenge for both the United States and Europe.  American and European political leaders call frequently for a common agenda towards this region, yet there are deep transatlantic differences concerning the best course of action in dealing with Iraq, Lebanon, Iran and, of course, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
SPEAKER: Mr. Craig Kennedy, president of the German Marshall fund of the United States

DATE:  Tuesday, May 10, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  Immigration:  Impact On WNC and The Country.  This program will address the issue of immigration and how it affects both Western North Carolina and the US as a whole, including national policies, the impact on security as well as emergency, medical and educational facilities, and how immigration fits into the global experience.
SPEAKER: A panel discussion on immigration with panelists representing the media, government, local schools, medical services and immigrants.

Great Decisions 2005

DATE:  Monday, February 7, at 07:30 p.m.      
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC:  China:  Challenges Ahead:  China is increasingly influential globally, but continues to face obstacles at home. As China's record economic growth continues, the country must still contend with a growing gap between rich and poor, devastating pollution and resource shortages. What strategies can China adopt to sustain its economy while meeting the needs of its people?
SPEAKER:  Dr. Marc Mullinax, Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Mars Hill College (MA East Asian History)


DATE:  Monday, February 14, at 07:30 p.m.    
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: Genocide, Sudan's crisis in Darfur:  The conflict in Sudan's Darfur region has drawn the world's attention because of the humanitarian crisis it has spawned. What role will the international community take in resolving the Darfur crisis? What role should the U.S. play?
SPEAKER: Dr. Mark Gibney, Belk Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina-Asheville

DATE: Monday, February 21, at 07:30 p.m.     
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: Global Water Issues:  Scarcity of water in many regions creates problems and conflict for large numbers of the world's population. What policies should be adopted to ensure water quality? What international actors or governments will make the greatest impact on improving water governance?
SPEAKER: Dr. Dee Eggers, assistant professor, Environmental Studies Department, University of North Carolina-Asheville

DATE:  Monday, February 28, at 07:30 p.m.     Cancelled (Asheville location only)
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: Russia:  Under Vladimir Putin, Russia has been shaping its image as a power in Europe and Asia. Putin, in turn, is reshaping Russia by centralizing authority within the federal government. Are Putin's reforms a step backward for Russian democracy? How will Russia overcome the real challenges of terrorism and a struggling economy?
SPEAKER:  Dr. David Dorondo, Associate Professor of History, Western Carolina University

DATE:  Monday, March 7, at 07:30 p.m.          
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: Global Poverty Gap:  The promise of globalization is that it will benefit poor countries through trade and close the poverty gap. Critics have argued that high debt owed by poor countries to rich countries has widened the gap between these countries. What can be done to narrow the global poverty gap?
SPEAKER:  Dr. Linda Cornett, Assistant Professor, Political Science Department, and Director of International Studies, University of North Carolina-Asheville

DATE:  Monday, March 14, at 07:30 p.m.        
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: Outsourcing Jobs:  Outsourcing has been characterized as a threat to American jobs and companies by some, while others claim it is necessary to stimulate overall economic growth. What effects does outsourcing really have on economies that are sending jobs overseas? How does outsourcing affect economies that are receiving the influx of jobs?
SPEAKER:  Dr. George Yates, Associate Professor Emeritus, Management and Accountancy Department, The University of North Carolina at Asheville

DATE:  Monday, February 28, at 07:30 p.m.     Rescheduled  (Asheville location only)
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA (click for map)
TOPIC: Russia:  Under Vladimir Putin, Russia has been shaping its image as a power in Europe and Asia. Putin, in turn, is reshaping Russia by centralizing authority within the federal government. Are Putin's reforms a step backward for Russian democracy? How will Russia overcome the real challenges of terrorism and a struggling economy?
SPEAKER:  Dr. David Dorondo, Associate Professor of History, Western Carolina University

World Affairs Fall Program 2004

DATE:  September 13, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA 
TOPIC:  Flashpoints and Shifting Sands: the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict in 2004 (click here for expanded description).
SPEAKER: Dr. Walter Ziffer (click here for bio) and Ahmad Amara (click here for bio).
SUGGESTED READING LIST:  Click here.

DATE:  September 22, at 11:30am
PLACE:  Jerusalem Garden Café
SPECIAL EVENT:  Informal luncheon and discussion of the Israeli Palestinian conflict (click here for details)

DATE:  October 11, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA 
TOPIC:  Debate: US Foreign Policy - The Democratic and Republican Perspectives
SPEAKER:  Dr. Mark Gibney, Belk Distinguished Professor in the Humanities, University of North Carolina-Asheville (Democratic perspective) (click here for bio); Dr. William Forstchen, Department of Social Sciences, Montreat College (Republican perspective) (click here for bio); Dr. Linda Cornett, Director of International Studies, University of North Carolina-Asheville (moderator).

DATE:  October 21, 6:00 to 8:00pm
PLACE:  Greenlife Grocery on Merrimon Ave
SPECIAL EVENT:  Global beer tasting featuring brews from Asheville to Europe and Asia (click here for details)

DATE:  November 8, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA 
TOPIC:  The Future of Korea
SPEAKER: Three person panel consisting of one representative each from the Korean Embassy, the US State Department or another Washington-based foreign affairs organization, and the Korean Economic Institute. The panel will address all aspects of U.S.-Korean relations and the situation on the Korean peninsula including political, economic, and security issues.

DATE:  November 17, from 6 to 8 pm
PLACE:  Glass House, Ramsey Library
SPECIAL EVENT:  Campus-community international potluck (click here for details)

DATE:  December 13, at 07:30 p.m.
PLACE:  Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA 
TOPIC:  The Impact of Religion in Nation Building and Foreign Policy
SPEAKER:  Dr. Marc Mullinax, Department of Religion and Philosophy, Mars Hill College (click here for bio)

Great Decisions 2004

DATE:  Monday, February 2, at 07:30 p.m.       Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA  
TOPIC:  Weapons of Mass Destruction: What are the Real Threats?
SPEAKER:  Brigadier General Jerome Jones, U.S. Air Force (ret), current board member, World Affairs Council of Western North Carolina

DATE:  Monday, February 9, at 07:30 p.m.       Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA  
TOPIC: The United States and Europe
SPEAKER: Mr. Ralph Lambert, Citibank (ret.), current board member, World Affairs Council of Western North Carolina

DATE: Monday, February 16, at 07:30 p.m.      Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA
TOPIC: Reform in the Middle East: Is democracy in the future? What will be the impact of Iraq?
SPEAKER: Dr. Tom Sanders, past president of the World Affairs Council of Western North Carolina

DATE:  Monday, February 23, at 07:30 p.m.      Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA  
TOPIC: Public Diplomacy: How can Americans become more engaged in foreign policy? How can the U.S. reach citizens in other countries?
SPEAKER:  Dr. George Peery, Professor of Political Science, Mars Hill College

DATE:  Monday, March 1, at 07:30 p.m.   Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA  
TOPIC: The Media and Foreign Policy
SPEAKER:  Mr. Watson Sims, former Foreign Correspondent and Editor of World Services for the Associated Press (click here for bio).

DATE:  Monday, March 8, at 07:30 p.m.           Reuter Center (lower level), UNCA  
TOPIC: Diversity in Islam
SPEAKER: Dr. Kathy Meacham, Professor of Philosophy and Religion, Mars Hill College


World Affairs Spring Program 2004

DATE:  March 25, at 07:30 p.m. Owen Conference Center , UNCA Campus
TOPIC: The North Korean Crisis: How it Began, Where it Stands, Future Prospects
SPEAKER: Mr. Don Oberdorfer, Journalist-in-Residence at Johns Hopkins University's Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. and author of The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History

DATE:  April 19, at 07:30 p.m. Owen Conference Center , UNCA Campus
TOPIC:  Conflict in the Congo in Historical Perspective
SPEAKER: Dr. Guy Martin, adjunct visiting professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Asheville

World Affairs Fall Program 2003

DATE:  September 8, at 07:30 p.m. (Social Hour: 06:30 p.m.) Owen Conference Center , UNCA Campus
TOPIC:  The West in the World: An Unlikely Ascent, 1500-2003
SPEAKER: Dr. William Spellman, Dean of Humanities at UNCA

DATE: October 11, at 07:30 p.m. Owen Conference Center , UNCA Campus
TOPIC: The World Bank and Development: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
SPEAKER: Mr. John Donaldson, Advisor, U.S. Affairs, The World Bank Group

DATE:  November 10, at 07:30 p.m. Owen Conference Center , UNCA Campus
TOPIC:  Nuclear Weapons from a South Asian Perspective
SPEAKER: Dr. Arjun Makhijani, President, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research

DATE: December 1, at 07:30 p.m. Owen Conference Center , UNCA Campus
TOPIC: Taiwan Cross Strait Relations and the Implications for US regional interests
SPEAKER: Mr. C.J. Chen, Representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S.

Great Decisions 2003

DATE:  February 3, at 07:30 p.m.         UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "Women and Human Rights"  What standards should govern how countries treat women and allow for the full participation of women in education, business and politics?
SPEAKER:  Professor Phyllis Smith, Departments of History and Womens Studies, Mars Hill College

DATE:  February 10, at 07:30 p.m.       UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "Afghanistan"  Will the fledgling Afghan government be able to rebuild the country or will it fall victim to the internal conflicts that precipitated the previous civil war?
SPEAKER:  Professor Bill Forstchen, Department of History, Montreat College

DATE:  February 17, at 07:30 p.m.       Postponed to March 17 due to icy conditions.

DATE:  February 24, at 07:30 p.m.       UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "Unilateralism vs. Multilateralism"  U.S foreign policy makers are faced with significant choices in the areas of diplomacy, development and security.  What is the future direction of U.S. foreign policy?
SPEAKER:  Professor Linda Cornett, Department of Political Science, UNCA

DATE:  March 3, at 07:30 p.m.             UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "Nigeria"  Africa's most populous country and emerging democracy faces many challenges.  How will religious conflicts, regional tensions and oil production affect Nigeria's stability?
SPEAKER:  Professor Bonny Ibawoh, Department of Political Science, UNCA

DATE:  March 10, at 07:30 p.m.           UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "China"  U.S.-China relations are at once cooperative and competitive.  How will China's political transition and the changing international environment affect the two countries?
SPEAKER:  Dr. Sarah-Ann Smith, retired Foreign Service Office, Former President of the Western North Carolina World Affairs Council

DATE:  March 17, at 07:30 p.m.           UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "The United States and Saudi Arabia"  The United States has great strategic and economic interests in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.  How will the U.S.-Saudi relationship be affected by the war on terrorism and a possible war on Iraq?
SPEAKER:  Professor Elmoiz Abunura, Departments of Political Science and African Studies, UNCA

World Affairs Spring Program 2003

DATE:  April 14, at 07:30 p.m.             UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "The Workers' Party in Power: The First Hundred Days of the Lula Government in Brazil"
SPEAKER:  Dr. Anthony Pereira, associate professor of Political Science at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana (click here for full cv).

DATE:  May 12, at 07:30 p.m.              UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "Jordanian Reform: Overcoming Challenges & Regional Crisis"
SPEAKER:  Jafar Hassan, Deputy Chief of Mission for Jordan (click here for bio).

Special Presentation
DATE:  May 29, at 02:30 p.m.              UNCA Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall
TOPIC:  "The Changing Nature of Warfare: Causes and Consequences."
SPEAKER:  Gen. Lester L. Lyles, Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.  (click here for bio).
World Affairs Fall Program 2002
Fall - Latin America: Challenges and Opportunities

DATE:  September 9, at 07:30 p.m. (Social Hour: 06:30 p.m.)   UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "Contemporary Latin America:  Global Changes and Democratic Disenchantment"
SPEAKER:  Jonathan Hartlyn, Professor of Political Science at UNC-Chapel Hill 

DATE:  October 14, at 07:30 p.m.        UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "Reform Failures and the Prospects of Development in Latin America"
SPEAKER:  Dr. Luigi Manzetti, Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of Latin American
Studies at Southern Methodist University

DATE:  November 11, at 07:30 p.m.     UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  democratization and development in the specific context of Mexico
SPEAKER:  Armand Peschard-Sverdrup, director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Mexico Project and responsible for analysis of Mexico's domestic politics, trade, investment, and U.S.-Mexico bilateral relations.

DATE:  December 9, at 07:30 p.m.       UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "Argentina: Prospects for Recovery"
SPEAKER:  Professor Carol Wise, School of International Relations, University of Southern California. 

Special Program    
DATE:  September 16, at 07:00 p.m.    UNCA Owen Conference Center
TOPIC:  "War Against Iraq?:  Who Will Decide? Who Will Fight? Who Will Win?" 
SPEAKER:  BG Jerome Jones, USAF (ret) 
Great Decisions Winter Program for 2002

Feb 7 - "Why Do They Hate Us?  The Roots of Terrorism;"  Dr Marc Mullinax; Department of Religion and Philosophy, Mars Hill College

Feb 14 - "Korean Security Issues;"  Dr Heon Lee, Department of Sociology, UNCA

Feb 21 - "Middle East Peace Process;"  Dr Tom Sanders, World Affairs Council

Feb 28 - Columbia and Drug Trafficking;"  Dr Greg Clemmons, Dept of Modern Foreign Languages, Mars Hill College

Mar 7 - "Russia Reexamined;"  Dr David Knisely; World Affairs Council

Mar 14 - "Energy and the Environment;" Dr Rick Maas, Department of Environmental Studies, UNCA

World Affairs Fall Program for 2001

Sep 10, 2001 - "Japan:  A Political Economy in Ferment;" Robert Angel, PhD, Associate Professor of Government and International Studies; U of South Carolina

Oct 8 - "China:  The Chaos of Everyday Life in a Globalizing System;" Anne Thurston, PhD; internationally acclaimed author of The Private Life of Chairman Mao

Nov 12 - "Tumultuous Transitions:  Moving Toward Democracy in SE Asia;"  Surain Subramaniam, PhD, Department of Political Science, UNCA

Nov 26 - "US Policy Toward Asia: A Global View;"  Nayan Chanda, Director of Publications, Yale Center for the Study of Globalization; former editor Far Eastern Economic Review. 

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