The Chicago Council on Global Affairs Multimedia

The Obama Foreign Policy Doctrine: The Return of Realpolitik? - Peter Beinart

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE OBAMA FOREIGN POLICY DOCTRINE: THE RETURN OF REALPOLITIK?

At present, the Obama administration finds itself saddled with a tangle of foreign policy challenges, complex in character and long in the making: unfinished and unpopular wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stalled peace talks in the Middle East, hostile states acquiring nuclear capabilities, an ongoing global economic recession, looming climate and environmental dangers, and growing “multipolar” worries brought on by an ascendant Asia. Peter Beinart discussed the Obama administration’s progress to date in addressing these challenges, and considered whether a single, coherent vision has emerged that defines the administration's foreign policy.

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EU Fiscal Reform: An Update from Europe - Janusz Lewandowski

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

EU FISCAL REFORM: AN UPDATE FROM EUROPE

The EU debt crisis has put to the test the eurozone's monetary union, dented the bloc's economic growth prospects, and catalyzed the need for new financial rules. Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, has stated that better economic coordination is essential to stabilizing the single currency. Fiscal reform in the eurozone is on a fast track to reduce the risk of a spreading crisis. At the recent European Council Meeting, in a move to restore confidence in its financial system, European Union government leaders agreed to publish the results of the "stress tests" on the health of the 25 big European banks. The leaders of the 27-nation bloc also set out plans for stricter budget surveillance of national budgets and closer attention to debt levels. Europe's austerity programs and the introduction of a global financial transaction tax will be on the agenda at the G20 Toronto Summit in late June, when world leaders meet to discuss the stability of global financial markets and ensuring a sustainable recovery. Listen to Janusz Lewandowski, Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget, European Commission, provide a real-time update on fiscal reform negotiations and other issues related to the future of EU competitiveness.

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Lewandowski Event Audio (64.9MB, MP3)

The End of the Free Market? - Ian Bremmer

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE END OF THE FREE MARKET?

As the financial and economic crisis unfolded in 2008, governments around the world moved to shore up markets through aggressive stimulus programs. As governments become more involved in business, there is considerable apprehension about the implications for the free market and the global economy. In his new book, The End of the Free Market: Who Wins the War Between States and Corporations?, Ian Bremmer details the growing phenomenon of state capitalism, a system in which governments drive local economies through ownership of market-dominant companies and large pools of excess capital, using them for political gain. An expert on the intersection of economics and politics, Ian Bremmer has followed the rise of state-owned firms in China, Russia, the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Iran, Venezuela, and elsewhere. Listen to Bremmer speak on state capitalism, which he believes threatens America's competitive edge and the conduct of free markets everywhere.

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Breakfast Briefing with Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

BREAKFAST BRIEFING WITH ISRAELI VICE PRIME MINISTER MOSHE YA’ALON

Moshe Ya’alon was appointed vice prime minister and minister of strategic affairs for Israel in March 2009, having been elected to the 18th Knesset on the Likud list in February of the same year. Ya’alon’s career includes a long record of public and military service. He was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 1968, and served as a reserve paratrooper during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He returned to active service after the war and completed officer's training, going on to hold several command positions in the IDF Paratroop Brigade and commanding its reconnaissance unit during the 1978 Litani operation. He ultimately rose to become deputy commander of the IDF Paratroop Brigade. In 1986, Ya'alon left to pursue advanced studies at the command and staff college in Camberley, England. Over the coming years, he was promoted variously to brigadier-general and major-general. In 2000, he was appointed deputy chief of staff for the IDF, and in 2002 was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general. He served as the 17th IDF chief of staff until June 1, 2005. Listen to Ya’alon speak on Israel's current strategic challenges.

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Briefing with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs - Susan D. Page

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

BRIEFING WITH THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE SUSAN D. PAGE

Africa is a continent that has faced numerous challenges—from chronic hunger, disease, and poverty to corruption, poor governance, and a stagnating economy. Yet, renewed economic growth in several African nations together with improved transparency, accountability, and the rule of law demonstrateS a new beginning for the continent. In light of these trends, the opportunities for trade, investment, and global engagement are growing. Listen to Deputy Assistant Secretary Susan Page share her thoughts on Africa today, the U.S. administration’s goals, and the challenges and opportunities ahead.

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Climate, Economics, and the Future - Bill McKibben

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

CLIMATE, ECONOMICS, AND THE FUTURE

Bill McKibben calls 350 the most important number on Earth. This number represents the target amount of carbon dioxide that the scientific community says is the maximum safe level to maintain a stable global climate. McKibben believes that “we have got to transform the world’s economy far more quickly than we’d hoped.” In order to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, he suggests that we enact a “Marshall Plan” for carbon reduction. His plan would call for a ban on new coal-fired power plants, a cap on the amount of carbon the United States may produce, an international accord that includes China and India, and a serious investment in infrastructure. If 350 is the bar for success or failure, what will it take for humanity to respond to global climate change and reach this number? Listen to McKibben speak on his plan and the current state of global climate change.

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Reset: Iran, Turkey, and America's Future - Stephen Kinzer

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

RESET: IRAN, TURKEY, AND AMERICA'S FUTURE

What can the United States do to help realize a peaceful, democratic Middle East? Stephen Kinzer argues that Iran and Turkey are America’s logical partners for the twenty-first century. He contends that they share strategic interests, including stable governments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. He also recommends that the United States reshape relations with its two traditional Middle East allies: Israel and Saudi Arabia. Listen to Kinzer discuss how the United States can rethink its engagement with strategic partners in the Middle East to promote peace and the spread of democracy.

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EU Debt Crisis: A Real-Time Analysis - Panel Discussion

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

EU DEBT CRISIS: A REAL-TIME ANALYSIS

The European Union continues to wrestle with deep concerns about its economy, fueled by Greece’s debt crisis and worries about the stability of Spain and Portugal. Some data show that the sovereign debt crisis and subsequent economic uncertainty are now feeding into the broader euro-area economy, reflected in higher unemployment rates and a slowdown in manufacturing activity, and the euro has fallen to a new four-year low against the dollar. Global markets fear a wider contagion of Europe’s problems, and other countries are taking steps to ensure Europe’s stability to mitigate impact on the U.S. and the wider global economy. For instance, in meetings with finance ministers and central bankers from G20 countries, the United States has signaled that Europe should undertake and publicly release results of bank stress tests to bolster global confidence. Listen to a distinguished panel, including Uri Dadush, David Hale, and R. Daniel Kelemen, examine the future of the euro-area economy, implications for Europe’s continued integration, and how the EU debt crisis might have a significantly damaging effect on the United States and the global economic recovery.

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EU Debt Crisis Panel Audio (80.1MB, MP3)

The Global Politics of Food - Robert Paarlberg

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE GLOBAL POLITICS OF FOOD

The politics of food and agriculture are changing fast. In developed countries, many consumers who were once satisfied with cheap and convenient food now want food that is also safe, nutritious, fresh, and grown by local farmers using fewer chemicals. Heavily subsidized and under-regulated commercial farmers are facing stronger push-back from environmentalists and consumer activists, and food companies are increasingly under the microscope. Meanwhile, in developing countries, agricultural success in Asia has spurred income growth and dietary enrichment, but stagnating agricultural production in Africa has left one third of all citizens undernourished. Robert Paarlberg spoke on the role of politics in today's most important food issues.

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Paarlberg Audio (64.6MB, MP3)

Challenges Facing the U.S. and Japan in the Coming Years - Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

CHALLENGES FACING THE U.S. AND JAPAN IN THE COMING YEARS

His Excellency Ichiro Fujisaki was named Ambassador of Japan to the United States in June 2008. Prior to Ambassador Fujisaki’s posting, he served in various high-level diplomatic positions for Japan, including Permanent Representative of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva, with the rank of Ambassador; Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs; Director General of the Bureau for North American Affairs; and Political Minister for the Embassy of Japan to the United States. Listen to Ambassador Fujisaki speak on the future of U.S.-Japan relations.

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Fujisaki Event Audio (56.4MB, MP3)

Nuclear Tipping Point - Sam Nunn and George P. Schultz

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

NUCLEAR TIPPING POINT

In the new documentary film Nuclear Tipping Point, former Secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of Defense William Perry, and former Senator Sam Nunn share the experiences that led them to write three op-eds in the Wall Street Journal in support of a world free of nuclear weapons and the steps needed to get there. Listen to former Senator Sam Nunn and former Secretary of State George Shultz for a film screening discuss the ongoing global effort to reduce reliance on nuclear weapons, prevent their falling into potentially dangerous hands, and ultimately eliminate them as a global threat.

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Damascus and the Road to Mideast Peace - Edward P. Djerejian

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

DAMASCUS AND THE ROAD TO MIDEAST PEACE

Syria’s foreign policy remains mired in contradictions that have long perplexed outsiders. Its self-proclaimed goal is peace with Israel, yet it has allied itself with groups vowed to Israel’s destruction. Syria takes pride in being a bastion of secularism, yet it has backed Iraqi Sunni insurgents while simultaneously supporting Hezbollah. With the recent announcement of the United States nominating a new ambassador to Damascus, the Obama administration seems intent on reengagement with Syria, as the country has its finger on a number of issues – the future of Lebanon, the stability of Iraq, negotiations with Israel, and Iran – vital to America's new approach to the region. Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian, former Ambassador to Syria, former Ambassador to Israel, and Founding Director, James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, discussed the role of Damascus on the road to Mideast peace.

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Engaging Religious Communities Abroad: One Year Post-Cairo - Panel Discussion

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

ENGAGING RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES ABROAD: ONE YEAR POST-CAIRO

June 4, 2010 marked the first anniversary of President Obama’s speech at Cairo University, during which he outlined a path toward “a new beginning” with Muslim communities around the world. During his speech the President recognized the importance of engaging not only with governments but with economically and politically influential sectors of societies, including Muslim communities. It follows that the next steps will include a strategy to engage religious communities of all faiths in addressing pressing foreign policy challenges, and to build the institutional capacity to support it. The Chicago Council is particularly interested in the Administration’s follow-up to the Cairo speech given our recent task force report, Engaging Religious Communities Abroad: A New Imperative for U.S. Foreign Policy, which outlines specific policy recommendations towards such a strategy. Listen to an important conversation with Eboo Patel, Afeefa Syeed, and Dirk Ficca that served as both a one-year anniversary review of President Obama’s speech in Cairo and the Chicago presentation of The Chicago Council’s task force report.

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Fault Lines: Do Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy? - Raghuram Rajan

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

FAULT LINES: DO HIDDEN FRACTURES STILL THREATEN THE WORLD ECONOMY?

As the world labors to rebound from the worst recession in a generation, policymakers and economists are searching for a definitive explanation for what triggered the crisis. Raghuram Rajan, former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, asserts that while it is tempting to blame the downturn on a few bankers who took irrational risks and left the rest of us to foot the bill, the primary cause of the crisis was a deeply flawed global economic system that was riddled with structural defects. Moreover, Rajan contends these systemic deficiencies persist to this day and continue to threaten the global economy with the prospect of a more devastating crisis in the future. Rajan outlined the reforms world leaders must make to assure a more stable and sustainable global economy.

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5,000 Reasons to Act: Maternal Health in Nigeria and Beyond - Melissa Gilliam and Dawn Sinclair ...

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 19:00:00 +0100

500,000 REASONS TO ACT: MATERNAL HEALTH IN NIGERIA AND BEYOND

In 2009, more than 500,000 women worldwide died in childbirth or from pregnancy-related causes, and 99% of these deaths occurred in the developing world. This number remains intractable 20 years after the Safe Motherhood Conference in Nairobi that launched a worldwide campaign to “promote improved standards of maternal health in developing countries.” Among development indicators, maternal health reveals the greatest disparity between rich and poor. Focusing on maternal health in Nigeria, the documentary film The Edge of Joy shows the consequences of poor maternal health as it explores the nuances and complexities of bringing emerging health technologies to the developing world. Following a preview of The Edge of Joy, to be released in fall 2010, Dawn Sinclair Shapiro and Melissa Gilliam discussed maternal health in the developing world.

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Gilliam-Shapiro Event Audio (55.9MB, MP3)

Nearly Four Decades in China: A CEO's Perspective - W. James McNerney Jr.

Tue, 25 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

NEARLY FOUR DECADES IN CHINA: A CEO’S PERSPECTIVE

In 1972, President Richard Nixon landed in Beijing aboard Air Force One – a Boeing 707 – marking the first visit of a U.S. president to the People's Republic of China. Boeing has been one of the few American companies present in China since diplomatic and economic channels were reopened. Boeing has worked to build relationships with Chinese airlines, the Chinese aviation industry, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, and the Chinese government. Such longstanding relationships have given the company an unusually long view on the evolution of China's economy and political system, and a unique perspective on what the China of the future might look like. Boeing’s chairman, president, and chief executive officer, W. James McNerney Jr., discussed the future of business with China.

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The Perils of Global Legalism - Eric A. Posner

Tue, 25 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE PERILS OF GLOBAL LEGALISM

The arrival of the Obama administration has led to expectations, both in the U.S. and abroad, that America will increasingly support an adherence to international law—a position that many believe is both ethically necessary and in the nation’s best interests. Detractors contend that such views demonstrate a dangerously naïve tendency toward legalism—a belief that law can be effective even in the absence of legitimate institutions of governance. In the final program of the spring 2010 Chicago and the World Forum Series, Professor Eric A. Posner shared his views on international law and the perils of an idealistic approach to international legal relations.

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Posner Event Audio (62.4MB, MP3)

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Ending Nigeria's AIDS Pandemic - Panel Discussion

Mon, 24 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

ENDING NIGERIA'S AIDS PANDEMIC

Today, Nigeria is home to an estimated 2.7 to 3 million people living with the HIV virus, making Nigeria second only to South Africa in terms of infected persons worldwide. In light of these figures, and the failure to curb the AIDS pandemic in Africa after 25 years, can Nigeria achieve a breakthrough? If so, how? In 2006, with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Northwestern University and Nigeria’s University of Ibadan began a collaborative research program on HIV prevention called the Research Alliance to Combat HIV/AIDS (REACH). REACH has engaged social scientists in community-based research to explore the attitudes and behaviors relevant to HIV/AIDS prevention in four Nigerian states and advance strategies to reduce infection rates. Five panelists discussed the current state of the pandemic, why present policies are unsustainable, and the way forward for a preventative approach to HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and other African countries.

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REACH Panel Event Audio (76.6MB, MP3)

Building Social Business - Muhammad Yunus

Thu, 20 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

BUILDING SOCIAL BUSINESS

Nobel Peace Prize-winner Muhammad Yunus has developed a new form of capitalism he calls “social business.” An economic model that combines the energy of profit-making with the objective of fulfilling human needs, “social business” seeks to create self-supporting, viable commercial enterprises that generate economic growth while producing goods and services that make the world a better place. It has been adopted by leading global corporations including BASF, Intel, Danone, Veolia, and Adidas, as well as entrepreneurs throughout the world. Muhammad Yunus discussed how “social business” transforms lives, offered practical guidance for those who want to create social businesses of their own, and explained how public and corporate policies must adapt to make room for the “social business” model.

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An Update From U.S. Central Command - General David Petraeus

Mon, 17 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

AN UPDATE FROM U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND

General David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, delivered a public address at an event organized by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Listen as he discusses the role of U.S. Central Command and ongoing efforts to address challenges faced in the region extending from Egypt in the west to Pakistan in the east, from Kazakhstan in the north, to Yemen and the waters off Somalia in the south.

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From Jeddah to Jerusalem: A Historical View of a Modern Conflict - Kai Bird

Mon, 10 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

FROM JEDDAH TO JERUSALEM: A HISTORICAL VIEW OF A MODERN CONFLICT

Throughout the Middle East, enduring instability has affected the lives of all people, regardless of place, religion, or political conviction. The Suez War of 1956, the Six Day War of 1967, and the Black September hijackings in 1970 are but a few events that have shaped current political realities. How can we learn from the region’s legacy of conflict to conceive of solutions for a challenged Middle East? Pulitzer Prize-winning author Kai Bird shared his unique perspective on the current Middle East, providing a historical view of a modern conflict.

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The Rise of Islamic Capitalism: Why the New Middle Class is Key to Defeating Extremism - Vali Nasr

Mon, 10 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE RISE OF ISLAMIC CAPITALISM: WHY THE NEW MIDDLE CLASS IS KEY TO DEFEATING EXTREMISM

The economic influence of the Muslim middle class is growing rapidly, but is it enough to transform the often rocky relationship between the Islamic world and the West? International security organizations often focus their resources on fighting the threat of Islamic fundamentalism, but some say that behind the scenes, upwardly mobile Muslim entrepreneurs and their expanding base of consumers are providing the much-needed stability and prosperity that could ultimately extinguish any appetite for extremism. Vali Nasr offered a fresh look at how business and capitalism will factor into the future of religious extremism.

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The Place of International Law Within United States Law - Martha Minow

Sun, 09 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE PLACE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW WITHIN UNITED STATES LAW

The contemporary debate over the proper role of international law within the law of the United States offers a window into competing views of whether international law is law at all, as well as whether the United States simply is exceptional and resides outside of the nations interested in international law. Although opposition to recognition of features of international law within the United States can be attributed to substantive disagreements with human rights norms and worries about politically motivated attacks on the United States, the debate fundamentally exposes shifts in the nature and operation of law and legal institutions. Martha Minow, dean of the Harvard Law School, discussed how international law should be understood as a resource for business leaders and policymakers, as well as citizens, to pursue effective ways to influence conduct and attitudes, prevent conflicts, and facilitate cooperation.

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America: An Empire on the Cusp of Collapse? - Niall Ferguson

Tue, 04 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

AMERICA: AN EMPIRE ON THE CUSP OF COLLAPSE?

According to economic historian Niall Ferguson, imperial collapse can often occur much more suddenly than many are able to foresee. If empires are complex systems that sooner or later succumb to sudden and catastrophic malfunctions, rather than cycling sedately, what are the implications for the United States today? Ferguson contends that a combination of fiscal deficits and military overstretch suggests that the United States may be the next empire on the precipice. As Part II of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs spring 2010 Global Economy Series, Niall Ferguson discussed why America's empire is on the cusp of collapse.

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Investing in Women, Enriching the World - Melanne Verveer

Mon, 03 May 2010 19:00:00 +0100

INVESTING IN WOMEN, ENRICHING THE WORLD

Investing in women and girls is one of the most highly leveraged investments that a developing country can make to ensure its future economic prosperity. Substantial evidence shows that investing in women has been a key driver for economic growth, essential for ensuring food security, responsible for reducing child malnutrition, and important for lowering the risk of HIV/AIDS infection. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Melanne Verveer – a leader and champion of the rights of women and girls around the world for nearly two decades – to serve as the first ever ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues. The appointment reflects the elevated importance of global women’s issues to the President and his administration. Ambassador Melanne Verveer discussed the Obama administration’s stance on women and girls as a critical U.S. foreign policy issue.

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India: An Emerging Market at a Tipping Point - Chip Kaye/Stephen Biegun

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

INDIA: AN EMERGING MARKET AT A TIPPING POINT?

What hurdles stand in the way of U.S. businesses taking full advantage of India’s growing market? Given the slow progress and pace of Indian economic reforms, how do companies move forward in such an environment? Where are the opportunities in this marketplace of 1.1 billion consumers? Two of the foremost experts on the region addressed these questions and evaluated the progress of economic reforms in India. Chip Kaye of the global private equity firm Warburg Pincus assessed and identified opportunities for investment in the short and long-term. Stephen Biegun of Ford Motor Company discussed how India is part of Ford’s international growth strategy, particularly given recent investments making India a strategic global production hub. Biegun also outlined the company’s adaptation to India’s very important small car segment and competition they face from domestic companies and global rivals.

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Kaye-Biegun Event Audio (73.0MB, MP3)

Lessons from the Financial and Economic Crisis - Jean-Claude Trichet

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

LESSONS FROM THE FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS

As credit markets and national economies recover from the financial and economic crisis, the world’s governments and central bankers continue to make decisions about how best to target inflation, reduce unemployment, balance risk, and spur economic growth. As the world’s largest economic region, the European Union has had a complex challenge in addressing these issues, particularly across the sixteen countries of the euro area which have a wide range of economic circumstances. Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank, has led the ECB’s monetary policy response to the crisis. Mr. Trichet shared what lessons have been learned from the financial and economic crisis, and what these lessons teach us for the global economic future.

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Arab-Israeli Peace: Assessing the Renewed Approach

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

ARAB-ISRAELI PEACE—ASSESSING THE RENEWED APPROACH

More than a decade after the Oslo Accords, implementing a comprehensive strategy for Arab-Israeli reconciliation has continued to elude negotiators from all sides. Despite substantial efforts, this conflict has endured, allowing instability to persist throughout the region. Building on decades of effort to secure peace, how does the current administration’s approach differ from previous endeavors? And what progress can we expect given the increasing complexities within Israel and the Palestinian territories? The Chicago Council and Northwestern University hosted a conversation with Asher Susser and Emile Sahliyeh on contemporary approaches toward reconciliation and perspectives on a viable future for peace.

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Beyond Lisbon: The Future of Europe - Jos� Mar�a Aznar

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

BEYOND LISBON: THE FUTURE OF EUROPE

In December 2009, the Lisbon Treaty went into force, streamlining and enhancing the European Union’s capacity to play an active role on the world stage. The two senior policy positions created by the Treaty—the president of the European Council and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy—have been filled. However, the selections have prompted criticism and skepticism, with observers noting the relative obscurity of the two officials and questioning whether the Lisbon Treaty truly represents a breakthrough for Europe. Spain’s former prime minster, José María Aznar, discussed the Treaty’s implementation and its potential to transform European and transatlantic relations.

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The Idea of Justice - Amartya Sen

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE IDEA OF JUSTICE

The idea of justice is central to many debates on both domestic and international law. In the third part of the spring 2010 Chicago and the World Forum Series, Amartya Sen proposes a new theory of justice, based not upon abstract ideals or notions of what perfect institutions and rules might be, but upon what the results and implications of a system are practically, in the world. He highlighted the importance of public reasoning and argued that a system of justice should require the agreement not just of the community which is making laws, but of outsiders who might be affected, or who might have valuable perspectives to offer.

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U.S.-China Relations in 2010: Myths, Realities, and Dilemmas - Kenneth Lieberthal

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

U.S.–CHINA RELATIONS IN 2010: MYTHS, REALITIES, AND DILEMMAS

The relationship between the United States and China has continued to grow in importance and scope. While focus has been on economic ties between the two countries, recent relations have taken on further diplomatic and political significance as the United States and China navigate the road of shared global challenges. Discussions about currency, trade, Taiwan, and Iran are just a few of the issues facing this new and dynamic relationship, even as both the United States and China continue to make investments in each others’ markets. During his trip to China in November 2009, President Obama said, “The major challenges of the 21st century, from climate change to nuclear proliferation to economic recovery, are challenges that touch both our nations, and challenges that neither of our nations can solve by acting alone.” Noted China expert Dr. Kenneth Lieberthal discussed the myths, realities, and dilemmas surrounding the current relationship between the United States and China.

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Asia After the Financial Crisis: A Singapore Perspective - Lee Hsien Loong

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

ASIA AFTER THE FINANCIAL CRISIS: A SINGAPORE PERSPECTIVE

Lee Hsien Loong was sworn in as the Republic of Singapore’s third Prime Minister on August 12, 2004. As Prime Minister, Mr. Lee has launched policy initiatives to build a competitive economy and an inclusive society. He has introduced new programs to upgrade the education system, invest in research and development and infrastructure, and transform the city and living environment. Mr. Lee chairs the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council, an international panel that oversees Singapore’s major effort in promoting research and development.

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Behind Bars in Iran: One Woman's Story of Captivity - Haleh Esfandiari

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

BEHIND BARS IN IRAN: ONE WOMAN’S STORY OF CAPTIVITY

In 2007, Iranian-American scholar Haleh Esfandiari was detained in Iran for eight months, undergoing lengthy government interrogations and spending 105 days in solitary confinement at Evin Prison, erroneously accused of trying to foment a “velvet revolution.” Indeed, the hard-line regime of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has had a detrimental impact on Iran’s civil society, with censorship of books and other media intensifying dramatically; Islamic dress codes and other social prohibitions being enforced with renewed vigor; and, perhaps most significantly, the regime’s targeting of dissidents, student activists, lawyers, union leaders, and human rights advocates with repression and imprisonment. Haleh Esfandiari discussed her interrogation and incarceration in Iran, and her insights into the country’s current troubled political climate.

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Esfandiari Event Audio (68.1MB, MP3)

Another Financial Meltown: Inevitable or Avoidable? - Simon Johnson

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

ANOTHER FINANCIAL MELTDOWN: INEVITABLE OR AVOIDABLE?

In the first part of this spring’s public program series on the global economy, economist and author Simon Johnson discussed what he views as today’s stark choices in Washington—acceding to the vested interests of the financial sector or reforming the banking system through stringent regulation. Johnson argues that over the past three decades, a handful of banks became spectacularly large and profitable, and used their power and prestige to reshape the political landscape. By the late 1990s, the conventional wisdom in Washington was that what was good for Wall Street was good for America. Johnson says that this ideology of finance produced the excessive risk-taking of the past decade, creating an enormous bubble and ultimately leading to a devastating financial crisis and recession. He contends that the responses of both the Bush and Obama administrations to the crisis–bailing out the megabanks on generous terms, without securing any meaningful reform–demonstrates the lasting political power of Wall Street. The largest banks have become more powerful and more emphatically “too big to fail,” with no incentive to change their behavior in the future. Johnson would like to see the megabanks reconfigured to be “small enough to fail,” lest the stage be set for another government bailout, another increase in our national debt, and the next financial meltdown.

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More Than Half the Kingdom: Today's Saudi Woman - Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

MORE THAN HALF THE KINGDOM: TODAY’S SAUDI WOMAN

In Saudi Arabia, the subject of women's rights is a divisive one. With many more women than men graduating from universities, progress is clearly being made. However, there remain strict social divisions between men and women. This differential treatment of Saudi women has provoked criticism from those who worry that entrenched gender discrimination is barring Saudi women from full inclusion in their society and the workforce. Are these concerns warranted? What obstacles to full economic, social, and political participation do Saudi women face today? What defines the modern Saudi woman’s experience? Listen to a lively discussion with Her Royal Highness Princess Reema and Dr. Basmah Al Omair on the questions central to an understanding of the status of women in Saudi Arabia today.

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Peace, Justice and the Rule of Law - Louise Arbour

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

PEACE, JUSTICE, AND THE RULE OF LAW

The last two decades have witnessed big steps forward in efforts to bring perpetrators of international crimes to justice. There has also been a sharp rise in international attention to the “rule of law.” How has the field of international justice changed? Why is establishing rule of law in fragile and post-conflict societies important and what are the challenges to doing so? The success of rule of law reforms often seems to hinge on political will; how can this political will be created, and what incentives encourage it? Have Western countries led by example? Listen to the second part of our Chicago and the World Forum Series, when Louise Arbour and Cherif Bassiouni addressed these and other questions.

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Listen to past Chicago Council events by visiting Chicago Amplified, Chicago Public Radio's web-based audio archive of public programs held throughout the Chicago region.

The Future of Islam - John L. Esposito

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE FUTURE OF ISLAM

Today, Islam is among the fastest-growing religions in Africa, Asia, Europe, and America. With more than 1.5 billion Muslims living within some fifty-seven Muslim-majority countries and comprising significant minorities in Europe and America, Islam is more dispersed around the globe and interactive with other faiths and societies than at any other time in history. Its capitals and major cities cover a global expanse from Cairo to Jakarta in the Muslim world and from New York, Detroit, and Los Angeles to Paris, London, and Berlin in the West. John Esposito believes that for Americans and Europeans, understanding Islam and Muslims is both a domestic imperative and a foreign policy priority. Listen to Esposito discuss the future of Islam.

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The Enduring U.S.-U.K. Partnership - Louis B. Susman

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE ENDURING U.S.-U.K. PARTNERSHIP

The United States and United Kingdom have one the most enduring bilateral relationships in the world. This unique partnership flourished following World War II in shaping a new international order, fighting the expansion of nuclear weapons, and meeting today’s global economic and security challenges. The success of this relationship is deeply rooted in our shared history, heritage, democratic values, and ability to bring forward real diplomatic, financial, and military assets to promote and defend our common interests. Ambassador Louis B. Susman discussed why the strength of our rich partnership is important in meeting today’s global challenges, such as terrorism, climate change, international epidemics, energy security, and the economic downturn. The Ambassador also examined the new era of American engagement in the world.

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Southeast Asia Leadership Study Mission Debrief - Panel Discussion

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:00:00 +0100

SOUTHEAST ASIA LEADERSHIP STUDY MISSION DEBRIEF

This spring, twenty-five members of The Chicago Council's Board of Directors and Chairman’s Circle traveled to Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Led by Council Chairman Lester Crown, the delegation met with top government officials and business community leaders throughout the region. Highlights included private meetings with Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, and Minister Mentor Yew and President Ramanathan, both of Singapore. Listen to members of the Board of Directors, Chairman’s Circle, Directors’ Circle, and President’s Circle review highlights of the Council’s recent Leadership Study Mission to Southeast Asia.

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The Middle East: A New Beginning or Ancient History?

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE MIDDLE EAST: A NEW BEGINNING OR ANCIENT HISTORY?

In his June 2009 speech from Cairo, President Barack Obama called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims," and said together they could confront violent extremism across the globe and advance the timeless search for peace in the Middle East. This speech left the Islamic world in anticipation of significant change, but such change has proven easier said than done, even as stability in the greater Middle East continues to be critical to U.S. national security. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs welcomed two regional experts, Neil MacFarquhar and David Makovsky, for a discussion on the Middle East.

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A Frozen War: The Geopolitics of the Arctic - Charles Emmerson

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0100

A FROZEN WAR: THE GEOPOLITICS OF THE ARCTIC

The Arctic is now emerging from the geographic and political periphery of the world. In the first decade of the 21st century the Arctic came of age. Since the Cold War, a new “frozen war” has ignited fierce competition for power over its nearly untapped natural resources, vast energy possibilities, and control of new and old global trade routes. Charles Emmerson, an expert in geopolitics, shed light on the complexity of Arctic policies, and how business, science, and the societies within the Arctic region are affected by the changing landscape of the Arctic.

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22 Years From Home: The Lost Boys of Sudan - Panel Discussion

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0100

22 YEARS FROM HOME – THE LOST BOYS OF SUDAN

In 1983, the second Sudanese civil war erupted between northern and southern Sudan when the government began persecuting the African tribal groups of the south and nurturing intertribal conflicts to their own ends. The film, 22 Years From Home, is the story of Kuek Aleu Garang and the other ‘Lost Boys’ who made an epic journey—crossing borders, evading thirst and starvation, wild animals, insects, and disease—to escape persecution. Today, many of the ‘Lost Boys’ have resettled in the U.S., some living here in Chicago. The showing of 22 Years From Home was followed by a panel discussion.

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Ireland's Economy and the Death of the Celtic Tiger - Fintan O'Toole

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0100

IRELAND’S ECONOMY AND THE DEATH OF THE CELTIC TIGER

According to Fintan O’Toole, the most spectacular bust of the global financial crisis was not the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers or the near-collapse of AIG, but the demise of the entire economy of Ireland. Asserting that the death of the Celtic tiger is not an extinction event to trouble naturalists, because there was, in fact, nothing natural about this tiger, O’Toole contends that the Irish economic miracle was built on good old-fashioned European Union subsidies and the simple fact that until the 1980s Ireland was, by the standards of the developed world, so economically backward that the only way was up. And as it began to catch up to European and American averages, the boom lured in investors, the Irish government deregulated and all but abandoned financial oversight, and the rest is history. Listen to Fintan O’Toole as he shares his insight on the past, present, and future of the Irish economy.

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O'Toole Event Audio (64.1MB, MP3)

Cleopatra's Daughters? Women in Contemporary Egypt - Ambassador Nihad Zikry

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0100

CLEOPATRA’S DAUGHTERS? WOMEN IN CONTEMPORARY EGYPT

Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, remains today an illustrative example of the power and prominence of women in the ancient world, where Egyptian women purportedly enjoyed greater liberties than women of any other major contemporary civilization. Since that time, Egypt has evolved into a modern state, and the status of women in Egypt has changed considerably. What progress has been made with respect to the rights and the equitable treatment of women under modern Egyptian law? What defines the experience of women in Egypt today? Listen to Her Excellency Ambassador Nihad Zikry shed light on these and other questions central to an understanding of the status of women in contemporary Egypt.

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Zikry Event Audio (65.2MB, MP3)

Toward a Stronger Multilateral Response: The UN Security and Human Rights Council in the Era of ...

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0100

TOWARD A STRONGER MULTILATERAL RESPONSE: THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL IN THE ERA OF ENGAGEMENT

Many of the 21st century’s transnational challenges are being addressed in a diverse group of international bodies, such as the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council. U.S. engagement with the multilateral system has been reinvigorated by the Obama Administration – from improving the effectiveness of UN Security Council peace operations and sanctions regimes to strengthening multilateral protections for human rights and security. The Chicago Council held the first program of the spring 2010 Chicago and the World Forum Series with Dr. Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations, who discussed the Obama administration’s position towards the multilateral arena – and America’s role within it.

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Advocacy in Action: Israeli Women Shattering the Glass Ceiling - Ella Gera

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

ADVOCACY IN ACTION: ISRAELI WOMEN SHATTERING THE GLASS CEILING

Gender equality is enshrined in Israel's Declaration of Independence and supported by extensive legislation. Though women enjoy many freedoms, rights, and protections, and occupy high positions in politics, the military, and top companies, there are still many challenges to overcome. A vibrant women’s movement has emerged over the last few decades to address these challenges head on. What gains have been made in social, political, and economic participation for Israeli women? How must Israel evolve to embrace gender equality more fully? Listen to renowned women’s rights advocate Ella Gera discuss the modern Israeli women’s movement.

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The New Front: America's Challenge in Yemen - Lisa Wedeen

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE NEW FRONT: AMERICA'S CHALLENGE IN YEMEN

Al Qaeda’s failed attack on Christmas Day 2009 has made the defeat of the organization’s franchise in Yemen a priority for the Obama administration. However, the mission will be exceptionally difficult to accomplish, as Yemen has always been one of the world’s least-governed spaces, is divided by complex political and regional cleavages, has a heavily-armed citizenry, and possesses a ruling government that is a weak partner in the fight. To make matters worse, several decades of poor U.S.-Yemeni relations have soured most Yemenis on America and made some sympathetic to al Qaeda. Yemen expert Lisa Wedeen offered a timely discussion on the current state of the complex U.S-Yemeni relationship.

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Universal Jurisdiction: The Dilemma of International Justice - Baltasar Garz�n

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

UNIVERSAL JURISDICTION: THE DILEMMA OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE

Universal jurisdiction – a principle in international law whereby states can claim criminal jurisdiction over persons whose alleged crimes were committed outside the boundaries of the prosecuting state, regardless of any relation with the prosecuting country – is a divisive subject within the international legal community that has both champions and detractors. Proponents of universal jurisdiction claim that certain crimes pose so grave a threat to the international community that states have a duty to prosecute those individuals deemed responsible. Opponents counter that the concept is a breach of state sovereignty, and that universal jurisdiction tribunals could quickly degenerate into politically-driven show trials that attempt to punish a state's enemies. Judge Baltasar Garzón discussed the benefits, risks, and limits of universal jurisdiction.

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Garzón Event Audio - English (52.2MB, MP3)
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2010 and Beyond: The Future of American Engagement in the Asia Pacific - Kurt M. Campbell

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

2010 AND BEYOND: THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT IN THE ASIA PACIFIC

In November 2009, President Obama embarked on an eight-day trip to Asia, making stops in China, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. With the goal to strengthen U.S. leadership and economic competiveness in the region, President Obama sought to “open a new era of American engagement” on topics spanning trade, regional security, and climate change. The Asia-Pacific region holds extraordinary promise for expanded economic and business partnerships, and not just in China. Following his trip, President Obama said, “If we can increase our exports to Asia Pacific nations by just 5 percent, we can increase the number of American jobs supported by these exports by hundreds of thousands.” Assistant Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell discussed the future of this new era of American engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Iran Briefing with Congressman Mark Kirk

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

IRAN BRIEFING WITH CONGRESSMAN MARK KIRK

Iran celebrated the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution in early February, announcing that it will ramp up its uranium enrichment efforts to produce closer to weapons-grade material. In light of this announcement, Members of the public attended a special briefing with U.S. Representative Mark Kirk on recent developments in Iran and potential U.S. strategies to curtail Iran’s nuclear program through diplomatic means. A Naval intelligence officer and cochair of the bipartisan House Iran Working Group, Congressman Kirk authored legislation, which passed the House, to curb Iran's nuclear program by restricting the country's gasoline deliveries. Representative Kirk also coauthored legislation to allow states and municipalities to divest from Iran, and led efforts to upgrade Israel's missile defense system to counter Iran's ballistic missile threat.

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New Directions in U.S.-Indian Relations: A Defining Global Partnership - Robert O. Blake

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

NEW DIRECTIONS IN U.S.-INDIAN RELATIONS: A DEFINING GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP

President Obama is scheduled to visit India in early 2010, which follows the November 2009 state visit of Prime Minister Singh to Washington D.C. These two state visits underscores the importance that both India and the United States attach to their strategic partnership. President Obama has stated that “the relationship between the United States and India will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.” The two countries recently announced a series of new commitments to work together to revitalize global economic growth, while strengthening cooperation on clean energy, health, regional security, climate change, and food security. Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake examined the prospects for further progress in relations between New Delhi and Washington, focusing on how to deepen economic integration.

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Bargaining with the Devil: When to Negotiate, When to Fight - Robert Mnookin

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

BARGAINING WITH THE DEVIL: WHEN TO NEGOTIATE, WHEN TO FIGHT

In a conflict with an adversary that one perceives as “evil,” should one negotiate or not? This issue arises often in foreign policy, such as the United States’ recent reconsideration of new approaches to relations with Iran, Cuba, and North Korea. Some experts claim that to bargain with the “enemy” risks rewarding unworthy behavior. Others say one should always be willing to negotiate because it is only through compromise that one can build peace and minimize the costs in blood and treasure of war. Harvard law professor Robert H. Mnookin discussed the art of negotiating: the challenge of making decisions about when to negotiate – and when to refuse.

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The Global Nuclear Future - Panel Discussion

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE GLOBAL NUCLEAR FUTURE

One of the greatest demands of our time is a sustainable and secure supply of energy. While nuclear power is only one of the many types of energy that will be employed to meet both the world’s growing energy needs and address concerns about climate change, it is the only one that avoids carbon emissions and is sufficiently technologically advanced to be employed on a large scale in a relatively short time frame. However, because nuclear power and nuclear weapons are inextricably linked by the technologies that provide the infrastructure for both, a rapid increase in the use of nuclear energy could affect global security as more states acquire nuclear expertise and nuclear materials. The expansion of nuclear power plants and related facilities also provides terrorist groups with an attractive new set of targets.

With this in mind, the American Academy is sponsoring a project – the Global Nuclear Future Initiative – whose goals are to identify measures to limit future proliferation risks and to engage with key constituencies who will have a significant impact on the character of the international nuclear order. Steven Miller, director of the International Security Program, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Robert Rosner, William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor in the Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Physics, University of Chicago; and Scott Sagan, Caroline S.G. Munro Professor of Political Science, Codirector of the Center for International Security and Cooperation, and Senior Fellow at The Freeman Spogli Institute, Stanford University, spoke about the Global Nuclear Future.

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Listen to past Chicago Council events by visiting Chicago Amplified, Chicago Public Radio's web-based audio archive of public programs held throughout the Chicago region.

The Dragon's Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa - Deborah Br�utigam

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

THE DRAGON’S GIFT: THE REAL STORY OF CHINA IN AFRICA

Is China helping the developing world pave a pathway out of poverty, as Beijing claims, or is it an exploitative "rogue donor" as some suggest? In the last decade, China’s trade with Africa has increased more than tenfold. Aid, loans, and investment have surged. While infrastructure development and job creation have resulted from this investment, support for autocratic regimes and the importation of Chinese labor have created concern. China successfully, although somewhat controversially, ended poverty for hundreds of millions of its own citizens. Deborah Bräutigam, associate professor of the International Development Program at American University and author of The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa, discussed what impact China's embrace may have on economic development and poverty in Africa.

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Atrocity Crimes, Post-Conflict Justice, and the Role of the Media - Panel Discussion

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

ATROCITY CRIMES, POST-CONFLICT JUSTICE, AND THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA

Despite constant pledges from the international community to “never again” allow atrocity crimes to occur, such killings continue around the world. Yet, little discussion has taken place regarding the responsibilities of the international media, both in covering these events and participating in the trials that follow. A distinguished panel of experts—journalists, law professors, and international law practitioners—gathered to discuss the current international and hybrid criminal tribunals and the proper role of the media after witnessing atrocity crimes.

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Atrocity Crimes Audio (69.5MB, MP3)

Listen to past Chicago Council events by visiting Chicago Amplified, Chicago Public Radio's web-based audio archive of public programs held throughout the Chicago region.

Covering the Globe: The Future of International Journalism - Christine Spolar

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

COVERING THE GLOBE: THE FUTURE OF INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM

International journalism is a citizen’s principal lens through which to see the world. Through innovative ideas and technology a new era of timely and easily accessible international journalism has begun to emerge. But what is being strained by this tremendous change is the loss of focus on the integrity of news gathering? Do the words of Joseph Pulitzer, “our republic and its press will rise or fall together,” still ring true? What is to become of international journalism in an economic climate rife with daily layoffs and downsizing within the media, and the notable decline of international correspondents? Christine Spolar, senior editor of the Huffington Post Investigative Fund, and Richard Longworth, Chicago Council senior fellow, discussed these important questions about international journalism.

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Turning Up the Heat: How Venture Capital Can Help Fuel the Economic Transformation of the Great ...

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0100

TURNING UP THE HEAT: HOW VENTURE CAPITAL CAN HELP FUEL THE ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION

Release of Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program report on Great Lakes Venture Capital Building

The Brookings Institution release a new report – Turning Up the Heat: How Venture Capital Can Fuel Regional Transformation – at an event organized in partnership with The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The Brookings study documents the region’s strong performance on metrics linked to new enterprise creation -- research and development, new patents, technology and talent generation; but also points to the low entrepreneurship and new business start-up rates due, in part, to a significant absence of venture capital invested in new businesses in the region. Frank Samuel, principal author of Turning Up the Heat and former science advisor to Ohio Governor Bob Taft; John Austin, codirector of Great Lakes Economic Initiative, The Brookings Institution; and Richard C. Longworth, Chicago Council senior fellow, discussed the report, which documents the significant twelve-state Midwest/Great Lakes regional contributions to national innovation through research and development, new patents, as well as science, engineering and management talent generation.

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Understanding Cyberattack as an Instrument of U.S. Policy - Panel Discussion

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0100

UNDERSTANDING CYBERATTACK AS AN INSTRUMENT OF U.S. POLICY

Given the reality of a densely interconnected information society, much has been written about the possibility that adversaries of the United States, such as terrorists or hostile nations, might conduct damaging cyberattacks against critical sectors of the U.S. economy and national infrastructure that rely on functioning, secure computer systems and networks. However, the possibility that the United States might choose to engage in cyberattacks to serve its own national interests—in cyberdefense as well as in other areas—is rarely discussed in public. Three experts on cyberspace policy gathered for a discussion on a framework for thinking about cyberattacks as an instrument of U.S. policy and the critical issues surrounding them.

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Stabilizing Afghanistan: Reluctant Partners and the Surge - C. Christine Fair

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0100

STABILIZING AFGHANISTAN: RELUCTANT PARTNERS AND THE "SURGE"

Afghan President Hamed Karzai has been confirmed for his second term in office despite widespread election problems and political infighting. The United States and NATO have approved the deployment of nearly 40,000 troops throughout Afghanistan, while a tumultuous Pakistan struggles to manage its own instability. C. Christine Fair, assistant professor of the Center for Peace and Security Studies at Georgetown University discussed NATO’s renewed commitment, considering whether it is the stabilizing force needed to develop Afghan security personnel and strengthen Afghan sovereignty. She also discussed what will be the response of an emboldened Taliban and whether the challenges of Pakistan’s civil unrest continue to affect Afghanistan.

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Lunch with The Honorable Thomas J. Ridge

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0100

LUNCH WITH THE HONORABLE THOMAS J. RIDGE

The events of September 11, 2001, ushered in a new age of anxiety regarding the vulnerability of U.S. national security and the need to bolster our intelligence capacities. This month President Obama added fourteen countries to the terror watch list in response to tremendous concern over the attempted Christmas day bombing of a Detroit-bound flight by an al Qaeda-linked Nigerian national. Certainly, terrorism remains a perilous and pervasive global threat. National security expert Governor Tom Ridge, who served as first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, spoke with Governor James R. Thompson on America’s security strategy for the 21st century. They discussed the greatest risks to global security and how our intelligence agencies can effectively combat terrorism and thwart future attacks, and how President Obama might balance the imperatives of promoting our national security while preserving constitutional liberties.

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Obama After One Year: Will a New Approach Evolve into a New Foreign Policy? - David E. Sanger

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0100

OBAMA AFTER ONE YEAR: WILL A NEW APPROACH EVOLVE INTO A NEW FOREIGN POLICY?

President Barack Obama inherited perhaps the most daunting and intractable tangle of foreign policy challenges of any American leader since Harry Truman had to reformulate American foreign policy to face the Cold War. From Afghanistan to Yemen, from North Korea’s new nuclear capability and Iran’s aspirations, stalled peace talks in the Middle East to a global financial crisis blamed on the United States, Obama’s challenge now is to design strategies that fulfill the lofty goals he set out in his campaign and his first year in office. David E. Sanger, chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, discussed his assessments of President Obama’s year, and the year ahead, with an insider’s view of the Obama national security team.

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Crisis in Haiti - Dominic MacSorley

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0100

CRISIS IN HAITI

Haiti, the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, was devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on the evening of January 12, 2010, with its epicenter only 10 miles south of the capital. This disaster has been identified by Concern Worldwide as “one of the most challenging emergency situations in our 42-year history.” The quake is believed to have displaced more than 300,000 people, killing over 100,000 people within the capital, Port-au-Prince. Thousands more are feared to have lost their lives throughout the countryside, according to the American Red Cross and the United Nations. Dominic MacSorley, operations director for Concern Worldwide, U.S., called in from Port-au-Prince, where he is leading Concern’s emergency response. Tom Arnold, chief executive officer of Concern Worldwide, and Niamh King, director of public and leadership programs at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, moderated the teleconference.

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Haiti Crisis Teleconference Audio (16.5MB, MP3)

Rediscovering Values: A Moral Compass for the New Global Economy - Jim Wallis

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0100

REDISCOVERING VALUES:
A MORAL COMPASS FOR THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMY

In the wake of the global financial crisis, the inevitable question arises as to whether the rules and values that were in place to safeguard the capitalist system have failed or whether the system itself is in need of an overhaul. In addition to considering regulatory changes, many commentators have called for a serious reflection on the morals and ethics underpinning the system and, in particular, the concept of the common good. Eboo Patel, founder and executive director of Interfaith Youth Core, interviewed Jim Wallis, president and chief executive officer of Sojourners, who discussed how the economic crisis has presented an opportunity for us to revisit and reevaluate our core values as citizens of a global community.

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A Moral Compass for the New Global Economy - video

Listen to past Chicago Council events by visiting Chicago Amplified, Chicago Public Radio's web-based audio archive of public programs held throughout the Chicago region.

When Will the U.S. Win the World Cup? A Story of Globalization and Knowledge Networks - Simon Kuper

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0100

When Will the U.S. Win the World Cup? A Story of Globalization and Knowledge Networks

Globalization has created a new global map for the game of soccer, and winning is now more about brains than brawn alone. Simon Kuper, author and sports columnist for the Financial Times, asserts in his new book, Soccernomics, that the balance of power in this global game is about to shift owing to changes in three areas shaping globalization: population, wealth, and experience. Kuper believes that, until recently, Western Europe has dominated the game of soccer because the region has had the mostly tightly-knit knowledge networks on earth. However, due to globalization, Western Europe is now exporting this knowledge such that new countries such as Russia and South Korea have access to these knowledge networks and are consequently getting better at the game.

Jamie Trecker, senior writer and columnist for Fox Sports/Fox Soccer Channel, interviewed Kuper, who explained that this unprecedented access to knowledge networks means that countries like the United States, China, and even India have the potential to be among the sport’s elite. He discussed the ways knowledge spreads throughout the world.

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Kuper Event Audio (66.0MB, MP3)

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The Chinese Century? A New Age in U.S.-China Engagement - Panel Discussion

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:00:00 +0100

THE CHINESE CENTURY? A NEW AGE IN U.S. - CHINA ENGAGEMENT

If the 20th century was America’s, the 21st may well be China’s. A trade giant, formidable economic power, and rising military power with increasing influence in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, China owns the largest foreign portion of U.S. debt at nearly $800 billion dollars. Despite the effects of the global economic crisis, which prompted the Chinese government to roll out a $586 billion dollar stimulus package in November 2008, devoted to infrastructure, social welfare, environmental and technology projects, China has projected over 8% GDP growth for 2009. President Obama, who visited China for the first time this November, has affirmed the importance of the U.S.-China relationship, stating that it “will shape the 21st century.” Niall Booker, deputy chief executive officer of HSBC - North America and chief executive officer of HSBC Finance Corporation; Cheng Li, director of research and senior fellow of the Brookings Institution’s John L. Thornton China Center; and Evan Osnos, staff writer for The New Yorker, discussed how the U.S.-China relationship may evolve in the coming decade and the future of bilateral economic relations between the superpowers. Lyric Hughes Hale, founding publisher of China Online, Inc., moderated the conversation.

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China Panel Audio (77.0MB, MP3)

India's Economy: Open for Business? - David C. Mulford

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:00:00 +0100

INDIA'S ECONOMY: OPEN FOR BUSINESS?

Over the past decade, India has stormed onto the global stage with an economy averaging 7 percent annual growth, which remains among the strongest in the world, despite the global economic downturn. India is considered the world’s twelfth-largest economy with a GDP expected to grow 7 to 9 percent over the next five years. Growth has been supported by gradual liberalization of foreign investment, which has generated significant interest among companies and investors. Leading multinational corporations, such as Boeing, Motorola, Microsoft, General Electric, Intel, and John Deere, have flocked to India to capitalize on the opening of markets and to leverage the wealth of technical capabilities. Former U.S. Ambassador to India (2004-2009) David C. Mulford, vice chairman international of Credit-Suisse, spoke about the great potential and also the obstacles, including skepticism in India about further liberalization and globalization, “brain drain” among middle management in some sectors, lagging innovation in the face of a formulaic education system, and infrastructure inefficiencies.

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Mulford Event Audio (62.6MB, MP3)

God and Globalization in the Greater Middle East - Reza Aslan

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:00:00 +0100

GOD AND GLOBALIZATION IN THE GREATER MIDDLE EAST

The watershed events of 1979 undoubtedly led to a rise in the pervasiveness of religious extremism in the greater Middle East. Scholar and writer Reza Aslan, author and senior fellow of the Orfalea Center on Global and International Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, avers that despite all the confident predictions about the death of God, religion is a stronger, more global force today than it has been in generations – with the growth of conservative and fundamentalist believers outpacing that of moderates, liberals, the unaffiliated, and atheists. Aslan discussed the rise of religious fundamentalism from Lahore to Jerusalem, and how globalization has blurred the line between religion and politics in the contemporary greater Middle East.

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Aslan Event Audio (62.7MB, MP3)

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Vietnam in the 21st Century - Charles Bailey

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:00:00 +0100

VIETNAM IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Beginning in the early 1990s, Vietnam opened its economy to the world, expanded trade with the United States, and began to rise rapidly out of poverty. The country is just concluding a successful term on the UN Security Council and will chair the Association of South-East Asian Nations in 2010. At the same time it faces ongoing challenges of managing relations with China and the United States, maintaining its high rate of economic growth and accommodating the needs and interests of a growing urban middle class. More fundamentally, Vietnam’s one party state aims to maintain its leadership in the face of rapid expansion of information and communications technologies in the hands of a youthful population who desire to be included in political processes. And, there is the lingering legacy from the widespread use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam war. Resolving this legacy is the last remaining barrier to fully normal relations with the United States. Charles Bailey, director of The Ford Foundation’s Special Initiative on Agent Orange/Dioxin discussed how Vietnam may manage these challenges as it advances in the twenty-first century.

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Bailey Event Audio (66.5MB, MP3)

An Uneasy Relationship: Pakistan and the United States - Wendy Chamberlin

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:00:00 +0100

AN UNEASY RELATIONSHIP: PAKISTAN AND THE UNITED STATES

Pakistan has often been described as “the most dangerous place on earth.” Upon assuming office, President Obama and his administration quickly identified Pakistan as one of its most challenging foreign policy priorities, demonstrated by the administration’s willingness to consider fresh approaches to managing the difficult but exceedingly important U.S.– Pakistan relationship. But how much do we really understand about the dynamics of Pakistan’s politics, economy and growing extremism? Wendy Chamberlin, president of the Middle East Institute and former ambassador to Pakistan, discussed the complexities of Pakistan’s current security crisis and the reasons why Pakistan’s stability is critical to U.S. interests.

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Chamberlin Event Audio (68.9MB, MP3)

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A Changing Climate? The Midwest and the Energy Debate - John Livingston/ Henry Henderson

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0100

A Changing Climate? The Midwest and the Energy Debate

As the battle over a cap-and-trade bill continues in Congress, the Midwest finds itself playing a critical role in the debate. The energy bill offers two opportunities, namely: to reduce global warming and to boost the green economy in the process. And while there is nowhere in America where green jobs are more loudly promoted than in the Midwest, hopes for those new green jobs are matched by fears that traditional ones will be lost. John Livingston, managing partner and director of McKinsey & Company’s Chicago Office; and Henry Henderson, Midwest director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, explained how the Midwest, its politicians, and its industries, are at the heart of the battle in the ongoing struggle to build a sustainable U.S. energy policy for the future.

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Livingston/Henderson Event Audio (52.7MB, MP3)

The Next Movement: Women Entrepreneurs Driving Global Economic Growth - Dina Habib Powell

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Next Movement: Women Entrepreneurs Driving Global Economic Growth

Research has found that educating women can significantly affect GDP growth, increase revenues, and provide more employees for businesses. In March 2008, Goldman Sachs launched 10,000 Women, a five-year philanthropic initiative to foster greater shared economic growth by providing 10,000 underserved women around the world with a business and management education. 10,000 Women is currently operating through a network of more than sixty partners in eighteen countries, including Afghanistan, China, India, Rwanda, Brazil, and the United States. Dina Powell, global head of corporate engagement for Goldman Sachs, shared her thoughts on why educating women and girls is one of the best strategies to propel economic growth and explained the work of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women initiative.

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Powell Event Audio (48.7MB, MP3)

Investing in China: What Next for American Firms? - Panel Discussion

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Investing in China: What Next for American Firms?

As President Obama prepared for his first official visit to Beijing in mid-November, trade and business relations were at the forefront of the U.S.-China relationship. While bilateral trade has grown exponentially during the past thirty years of open diplomatic relations, China’s international openness is challenged by the country’s priority of domestic stability in a time of global recession. Tightening of regulations and restrictions to protect domestic companies may mean a more difficult road for foreign direct investment, such as cross-border mergers and acquisitions. A panel of experts, including Michael Froy, partner and cochair of capital markets practice at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP; Zachary Karabell, president of River Twice Research; and Daniel Rosen, Peterson Institute for International Economics visiting fellow and principal of Rhodium Group, analyzed and discussed the overall investment climate in China.

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China Panel Audio (70.1MB, MP3)

A Green Midwest, A Blue Midwest - Conference

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0100

SECOND ANNUAL GLOBALIZATION AND THE MIDWEST CONFERENCE

A Green Midwest, A Blue Midwest

Video provided by Indiana University's Kelley School of Business:

Dallas Tonsager Keynote - "Energy Opportunities for the Midwest"

Panel 1 - "Globalization and the Economy: Can Energy Help the Midwest Survive and Thrive?"

Panel 2 - “A Green Midwest: Technologies for the Future”

Gov. Patrick Quinn Keynote - “Economy, Jobs and Growth for a Green Midwest”

Panel 3 - “A Blue Midwest: Water as a Resource and an Industry”

Panel 4 - “Protecting and Utilizing the Great Lakes”

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Welcoming Remarks and Launch of the GMI Web Site (30.9MB, MP3)
Marshall M. Bouton, president of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, opened the second annual Globalization and the Midwest conference by reviewing the progress of the Global Midwest Initiative over its inaugural year, and John Austin, codirector of the Great Lakes Economic Initiative at the Brookings Institution, outlined the critical energy and water issues that face the Midwestern region. Rachel Bronson, vice president for programs and studies at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, officially launched the Web site of the Global Midwest Initiative, globalmidwest.org, and presented some of its various features, including access to the Global Midwest Initiative’s publications, coverage of regional news and publications, and its blog, The Midwesterner.

Keynote (39.8MB, MP3)
“Energy Opportunities for the Midwest”
Dallas Tonsager, under secretary for rural development at the United States Department of Agriculture, spoke about the opportunities to capitalize on new green technologies in the Midwest.

Panel 1 (54.8MB, MP3)
“Globalization and the Economy: Can Energy Help the Midwest Survive and Thrive?”
Christopher Nelson, director of global commercial development at UL Environment led and moderated a discussion with Stephen Brick, senior fellow on energy and climate at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and Anne R. Pramaggiore, president and COO of Commonwealth Edison Co. on how the Midwest can transition from traditional energy sources to green energy.

Panel 2 (43.1MB, MP3)
“A Green Midwest: Technologies for the Future”
Led and moderated by Richard C. Longworth, senior fellow at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, this discussion centered on job creation in a new green economy with Luis Troyano, of McKinsey and Company, who discussed the economic opportunities in the Midwest in various sectors, and Mayor Chaz Allen describing Newton, Iowa’s restructuring to attract companies in the wind energy industry to replace Maytag as major employers in the town.

Troyano Powerpoint Presentation

Keynote (43.0MB, MP3)
“Economy, Jobs and Growth for a Green Midwest”
Patrick Quinn, governor of the state of Illinois, described the local, statewide, and regional initiatives in Illinois and the Midwest to foster the green economy.

Video provided by Indiana University's Kelley School of Business:
Patrick Quinn Keynote - video

Panel 3 (51.6MB, MP3)
“A Blue Midwest: Water as a Resource and an Industry”
Moderator and panelist Henry Henderson, the Midwest director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, along with panelists William Abolt, Chicago district manager of Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., and Dan Tarlock, Distinguished Professor of Law and director of the program in environmental and energy law at the Chicago-Kent College of Law reviewed ways in which the Midwest can respond to the overuse and pollution of our lake and river systems.

Abolt Powerpoint Presentation

Henderson Powerpoint Presentation

Tarlock Powerpoint Presentation

Video provided by Indiana University's Kelley School of Business:
Panel 3 - video

Panel 4 and Closing Remarks (59.2MB, MP3)
“Protecting and Utilizing the Great Lakes”
Led and moderated by John Austin, a codirector of the Great Lakes Economic Initiative at the Brookings Institution, this discussion featured Allen Burton, professor and director of the Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystem Research at the University of Michigan and Rick Findlay, an expert on water issues in Canada. Panelists discussed how the region could utilize its research universities to improve water quality in the Great Lakes and globally.

Findlay Powerpoint Presentation

Video provided by Indiana University Kelley School of Business:
Panel 4 - video

The Legacy of 1989 - Archie Brown/ J.D. Bindenagel/ Kori Schake

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Legacy of 1989

The fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago sent shock waves around the globe. The ensuing rapid power shift resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union, gave rise to new democracies in Eastern Europe, and helped end the Cold War superpower conflict that had governed international relations for nearly half a century. Archie Brown, emeritus professor of politics at Oxford University’s St. Antony’s College; J.D. Bindenagel, DePaul University’s vice president for community, government, and international affairs; and Kori Schake, a Hoover Institution research fellow and associate professor of international security studies at the U.S. Military Academy, discussed how current leaders in the affected regions view the world in the aftermath of the extraordinary events of 1989, and what lessons the legacy of 1989 might offer to current policymakers. Martha Merritt, associate dean of the College at the University of Chicago, moderated the conversation.

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1989 Event Audio (72.3MB, MP3)

Brazil's Moment in the Spotlight? - Paulo Vieira da Cunha/ Luis J. Mateus

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Brazil's Moment in the Spotlight?

Although included in the BRIC acronym, Brazil has been overshadowed in recent years by the dominance of China and India. As the worldwide economy now languishes in recession, many companies and investors are looking for new opportunities for global growth. Brazil’s economy is showing signs that it may finally be living up to its potential. Yet, uncertainty remains about how seriously Brazil’s government will reduce obstacles for growth and investment, such as high taxes and rigid labor laws. Paulo Vieira da Cunha, head of emerging markets research for Tandem Global Partners, and Luis J. Mateus, Illinois Tool Works group president responsible for the ITW Industrial Packaging Business Segment in the emerging markets comprising Latin America, China, India, Russia, and Eastern Europe, discussed the possibility of Brazil emerging from global recession with a stronger economy and becoming a more attractive investment market.

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Brazil Event Audio (66.4MB, MP3)

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Brazil's Moment in the Spotlight? - video

No Difference Make All the Difference: Quality Education for All Children in Pakistan - Shehzad Roy

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

NO DIFFERENCE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE: QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN IN PAKISTAN

Shehzad Roy, the 2009 Patricia Blunt Koldyke Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship, delivered the 2009 Patricia Blunt Koldyke Lecture on Thursday, October 29, 2009. He talked about the Zindagi Trust, the organization he founded dedicated to improving primary and secondary education in Pakistan. The Trust’s core mission is to provide all children in Pakistan with access to quality education as part of a broader vision that seeks to combat illiteracy in the country. Through his work for the Trust, Roy, who believes that the status quo is unacceptable, has successfully reformed government schools while advocating that every child has a fundamental right to quality education. No difference makes all the difference with regard to the equitable education of Pakistan’s children.

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Roy Event Audio (71.8MB, MP3)

U.S. - Israel: An Enduring Relationship - Michael Oren

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

U.S. - ISRAEL: AN ENDURING RELATIONSHIP

Michael B. Oren, the State of Israel's Ambassador to the United States, spoke to a Chicago Council audience about the enduring U.S.- Israel relationship. Ambassador Oren has written extensively for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and New Republic, where he was a contributing editor. His two most recent books, Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East and Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present, were both New York Times bestsellers. They won the Los Angeles Times' History Book of the Year prize, a National Council of the Humanities Award, and the National Jewish Book Award.

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Oren Event Audio (62.6MB, MP3)

Instruments of Success: Pakistani Youth - Shehzad Roy/ Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

INSTRUMENTS OF SUCCESS: PAKISTANI YOUTH

In Pakistan a staggering 40 percent of the people are under the age of fifteen, and many of these children live below the poverty line. Much of Pakistan’s youth have little prospect for meaningful employment or a fulfilling life ahead of them. With its limited resources, how can Pakistan provide its people with the education to provide its youth with possibility? Documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Shehzad Roy, Pakistani pop star, youth advocate and the Council’s 2009 Patricia Blunt Koldyke Fellow, discussed the education system in Pakistan and the future of Pakistan’s youth. The program took place at Buddy Guy’s Legends and Roy performed several songs following the discussion.

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Roy/Obaid-Chinoy Audio (87.5MB, MP3)

AFPAK: Can We Succeed? - Ashley Tellis

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

AFPAK: CAN WE SUCCEED?

President Obama launched a comprehensive new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan in March with the intention of disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al Qaeda and its safe havens. Dubbed “AfPak,” the strategy treats Afghanistan and Pakistan as two countries but one challenge, recognizing that the West’s war with the Taliban in Afghanistan cannot be won so long as the “semi-autonomous” badlands of Pakistan’s tribal areas provide refuge for terrorists. However, progress since the strategy’s unveiling has been minimal. President Obama has faced resistance from both Democrats and Republicans over the issue of sending additional troops to Afghanistan, while Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari, has rejected the Obama administration’s “AfPak” strategy, saying the two countries are distinctly different and should not be lumped together for any reason. Ashley J. Tellis, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, specializing in international security, defense, and Asian strategic issues, explained what success in Afghanistan, if possible under the current policy, might look like.

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Tellis Event Audio (74.6MB, MP3)

Inside the Kingdom - Robert Lacey

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

INSIDE THE KINGDOM

Saudi Arabia sits at the center of the greater Middle East's future. Whether the issue is Iraq, Pakistan, Palestinian territories, counterterrorism, the price of oil, the role of women, or the battle of ideas, Saudi Arabia's policies are of utmost importance. President Obama recognized Saudi Arabia's importance by making it the first Arab state he visited. Better understanding the Kingdom is essential if America is to engage the region effectively. Robert Lacey, a longstanding observer, writer, and resident of Saudi Arabia, discussed politics and trends inside the Kingdom, focusing on changes that have occurred since the transforming events of 1979.

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Lacey Event Audio (66.0MB, MP3)

Listen to past Chicago Council events by visiting Chicago Amplified, Chicago Public Radio's web-based audio archive of public programs held throughout the Chicago region.

Pathways to Empowerment: A World Within Our Reach - Helene Gayle

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

PATHWAYS TO EMPOWERMENT: A WORLD WITHIN OUR REACH

For decades, the “serious” foreign policy issues were the likes of nonproliferation or trade rules. However, a new agenda is emerging and the treatment of women around the world is high on it, demonstrated by the creation of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on global women's issues, the White House’s creation of a new Council on Women and Girls, and the State Department’s naming of a new position of special ambassador for global women’s issues. Helene Gayle, president and chief executive officer of CARE USA, explained why the advancement of women worldwide is necessary for the U.S. government to successfully accomplish its foreign policy priorities. Gayle shared her experiences traveling the globe to oversee CARE’s work – from visiting women launching new businesses in sub-Saharan Africa to meeting girls in Afghanistan that risk their safety to go to school every day.

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Gayle Event Audio (53.1MB, MP3)

Dead Aid or Live Aid? - Dabisa Moyo

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

DEAD AID OR LIVE AID?

After a half-century and more than one trillion dollars of foreign aid invested into African development, much of the continent remains impoverished, with hundreds of millions of people subsisting on less than two dollars a day. As the world economy struggles with a global recession, many Western governments are reassessing their development strategies. Meanwhile, emerging economic powers like China and India continue to expand their markets into Africa, infusing private investment capital into the continent. Economist and author Dambisa Moyo explained that the current foreign assistance model towards Africa has failed and that new systems to promote economic development need to be instituted.

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Moyo Event Audio (67.4MB, MP3)

Navigating Global Business in the New Economy - David Nelms/ Carlos Cabrera

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

NAVIGATING GLOBAL BUSINESS IN THE NEW ECONOMY

The global financial crisis has changed the playing field for many industry sectors and governments across the globe. Governments are becoming more involved in business through increased regulations and stimulus plans while companies struggle with declining revenues. High levels of government deficit spending have longer-term implications for both individuals and businesses. Much of the political and business discussions have focused on when the economy will stabilize rather than how a recovery will evolve. It is critical that companies and organizations begin planning for the future and developing strategic responses for new economic realities by looking at the various recovery and risk management scenarios. Paul A. Laudicina, managing officer and chairman of A.T. Kearney, Inc., moderated a panel discussion with David W. Nelms, chairman and chief executive officer of Discover Financial Services, and Carlos A. Cabrera, former chairman, president, and chief executive officer of UOP a Honeywell Company. They discussed three recovery scenarios and explained how corporations in different industry sectors will operate in the “New Normal” global economy.

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Nelms and Cabrera Event Audio (65.3MB, MP3)

Hunger Pains: Feeding the Poor in the Midst of Crisis - Tom Arnold / Richard Joseph

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

HUNGER PAINS: FEEDING THE POOR IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS

The contraction in economic activity caused by the global economic and financial crisis has pushed the number of “chronically hungry” to over one billion. That number is projected to increase in the years ahead as population growth and climate change put pressure on scarce land and water resources. However, a number of policy developments indicate a shift in thinking about how governments can best leverage their resources to alleviate hunger. For instance, President Obama called for a doubling of U.S. support for agricultural development in 2010 at the G20 summit in April, and in July, the G8 announced a new $20 billion multinational food security initiative. Dateline NBC correspondent Mike Taibbi moderated a panel featuring Tom Arnold, chief executive of Concern Worldwide U.S., and Richard Joseph, John Evans Professor of International History and Politics at Northwestern University, who discussed how developing countries manage in the midst of dual economic and hunger crises.

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Hunger Panel Audio (75.1MB, MP3)

The Next Phase in U.S.-India Relations - Meera Shankar

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

THE NEXT PHASE IN U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS

President Obama and Prime Minister Singh are committed to charting a new path towards broadening and deepening ties between the United States and India. This path rests on five pillars of cooperation in science and technology, energy, education, agriculture, and increased economic engagement. Investments in infrastructure, banking, healthcare, aerospace, and defense provide potential for increasing bilateral trade, which has already doubled in the past five years. Meera Shankar, Ambassador of India to the United States, shared her vision for a new era of expanding U.S.-India relations.

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Shankar Event Audio (58.6MB, MP3)

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The Next Phase in U.S.-India Relations – video

Iran: The Revolution at 30 - Roger Cohen

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Iran: The Revolution at 30

Iran poses the greatest diplomatic challenge for the Obama administration. The threat of an Israeli military strike on the Iran’s nuclear facilities imposes a tight timetable on the President Obama’s attempts to ameliorate this troubled international relationship. Iran’s revived democratic movement, a complicating factor in diplomatic outreach, has only increased the need for an authoritative and accessible overview of this pivotal Middle Eastern power. Roger Cohen, who was in Iran covering the elections, discussed the tumultuous events of June 12, what they say about the revolutionary establishment, how they have changed Iran, and what all this bodes for US-Iranian relations and the nuclear issue.

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Cohen Event Audio (67.9MB, MP3)

Listen to past Chicago Council events by visiting Chicago Amplified, Chicago Public Radio's web-based audio archive of public programs held throughout the Chicago region.

Read My Pins: Stories From a Diplomat's Jewel Box - Madeleine Albright

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Read My Pins: Stories From a Diplomat's Jewel Box

While serving under President Bill Clinton, first as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and then as secretary of state, Madeleine Albright became known for wearing brooches that purposefully conveyed her views about the situation at hand. Over the years, Secretary Albright’s pins became a part of her public persona, and they chart the course of an extraordinary journey, carving out a visual path through international and cultural diplomacy. “I found that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal,” Secretary Albright has said. “While President George H.W. Bush had been known for saying ‘Read my lips,’ I began urging colleagues and reporters to ‘Read my pins.’”

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Albright Event Audio (61.8MB, MP3)

What the Global Recession Means for the Bottom Billion - Paul Collier

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

What the Global Recession Means for the Bottom Billion

In the first of a three-part public program series on the global economy, Oxford University professor and esteemed economist Paul Collier discussed how a financial crisis that began in New York and London has now hit the “bottom billion” – the poorest people in the developing world. These people, who had seen only halting gains from globalization, have already begun to feel its precipitous reverse. The poor are being hit not by the financial tsunami itself but by second-order waves of trouble – reductions in foreign aid, private investment, and trade opportunities – so while the impact has been delayed, it may also be prolonged. Collier explained the current and long-term consequences of the global financial crisis on the developing world and offered suggestions for policymakers to effectively meet these challenges.

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Collier Event Audio (65.2MB, MP3)

Governance in Somalia: Challenges and Priorities - Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Governance in Somalia: Challenges and Priorities

The president of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government, Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, delivered a public address at an event organized by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the International Human Rights Law Institute of DePaul University College of Law. He shared his vision for bringing stability to Somalia, and discuss efforts to leverage the international community to rebuild civil society and curb violent extremism. Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed was elected president of Somalia on January 31, 2009. He currently oversees the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, which is the international recognized government coalition, formed with the backing of the United States and the United Nations.

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Somalia Event Audio (49.5MB, MP3)

Renewing the American Economy - Peter Goodman

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Renewing the American Economy

In the months following the onset of the financial crisis and economic recession, many reporters focused on the adjustments of Wall Street and top-level executives. Peter Goodman, meanwhile, set his sights on uncovering how Main Street was suffering. In his new book, Past Due: The End of Easy Money and the Renewal of the American Economy, Goodman argues that despite the current dire circumstances in communities across America, economic adaptation is possible. Goodman offered his insights on the new industries and policies that could make this adaptation a reality, what effects this adaptation will have on U.S. companies and workers, and how America’s role in the global economy is shifting as a result.

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Goodman Event Audio (55.1MB, MP3)

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Following The Crisis: A Fragile Recovery - Panel Discussion

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Following The Crisis: A Fragile Recovery

Last October, The Chicago Council began offering panel discussions to provide real-time analysis of the ongoing financial crisis. One year later, while the sense of crisis has lessened among the public, deep economic uncertainty remains. Experts Anil K. Kashyap, Edward Eagle Brown Professor of Economics and Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business; Peter C. Roberts, chief executive officer of Americas for Jones Lang LaSalle; and William H. Strong, vice chairman of the investment banking division for Morgan Stanley, offered their perspectives on whether the economy has entered a sustainable recovery, and contemplated what risks, such as inflation, could derail the global economy.

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Financail Crisis Event Audio (79.5MB, MP3)

From Rio To Copenhagen: The Convergence of Environment and Finance - Richard Sandor

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:00:00 +0100

From Rio To Copenhagen: The Convergence of Environment and Finance

As the U.S. Senate considers legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions, leaders around the world are preparing for the UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen this December. If all goes well, the U.S. legislation will be pushed to vote by the end of this year and will be presented by our Copenhagen representatives as a sign of a U.S. commitment to addressing climate change. Dr. Richard Sandor, who has been hailed as the “father of carbon trading,” and one of TIME magazine’s “heroes of the environment,” provided timely insights on the history and growth of emissions markets around the world.

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Sandor Event Audio (60.4MB, MP3)

Water, Water, Everywhere? A Young Professionals Boat Cruise - John Austin/Susan Marks

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:00:00 +0100

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE? A YOUNG PROFESSIONALS BOAT CRUISE

With the Great Lakes Watershed in dire need of assistance, President Obama has made its well-being a national priority. The vital region will receive an unprecedented $475 million from the Obama administration to restore the world's largest freshwater system. But the growing water crisis is not just a regional problem. Water overuse, increasing droughts, water rights, and pollution have caused major global concerns relating to health, economics, agriculture, and security. John Austin, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and vice president of the Michigan State Board of Education, and Susan Marks, journalist and author of Aqua Shock, discussed the effects of the global water crisis during a Lake Michigan boat cruise with Young Professional members of the Council.

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Water Panel YP Event Audio (83.1MB, MP3)

The Battle For America 2008: The Story of an Extraordinary Election - Dan Balz/ Haynes Johnson

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Battle For America 2008: The Story of an Extraordinary Election

The 2008 election shattered political barriers, illuminated undercurrents of race, gender, and class, and ignited an extraordinary battle among Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain, some of the most formidable political rivals ever to seek the presidency. The election played out against a backdrop of wars, a shattered economy, and deep pessimism about the future. Journalists and authors Dan Balz and Haynes Johnson provided an insiders’ account of how this election not only marked a new era in American politics but also offered a test of epic proportions at a watershed moment in our nation’s history.

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Water Panel YP Event Audio (64.7MB, MP3)

The United States and Korea: A Stategic and Economic Alliance - Duk-soo Han

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:00:00 +0100

THE UNITED STATES AND KOREA: A STRATEGIC AND ECONOMIC ALLIANCE

The U.S.-Korean relationship was forged almost 60 years ago but a new chapter lies ahead. In June, President Obama and President Lee met in Washington D.C. and discussed a vision for a 21st century alliance that includes an effort to complete the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, a commitment to resist protectionism and deepen our economic, trade, and investment relations, and a pledge to work closely to address the global challenges of climate change and terrorism. Chicago Council president, Marshal M. Bouton, moderated a conversation with Duk-soo Han, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States, and Kathleen Stephens, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. The ambassadors discussed the economic recovery from the global financial crisis, the progress on the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the Korean peninsula security situation, and the prospects for resumption of the Six Party Talks.

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Duk-soo Han Event Audio (72.0MB, MP3)

Prospects for Peace and Progress in the Middle East - David Gardner/Joshua Muravchik

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:00:00 +0100

PROSPECTS FOR PEACE AND PROGRESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

As President Barack Obama entered office in 2009, his administration confronted a daunting set of challenges in the Middle East. From his first formal interview as president with the Dubai-based station Al-Arabiya to his June 4th speech in Cairo, Obama has strove for a “new beginning” in U.S. engagement with the Middle East. Yet the cornerstone of the administration’s Middle East strategy – a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – remains as elusive as ever. Moreover, Iran’s nuclear program continues to proceed undeterred, increasing the potential for conflict in the region. Financial Times editor David Gardner and foreign policy scholar Joshua Muravchik discussed related issues, including whether the administration can forge a final-status Israeli-Palestinian agreement, deal constructively with Iran, foster development, and endure consequences if setbacks occur during the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Rachel Bronson, The Chicago Council's vice president of programs and studies, moderated the discussion.

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Muravchik and Gardner Event Audio (66.8MB, MP3)

An Outlook on Global Agriculture and Food Security - Thomas Vilsack

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

An Outlook on Global Agriculture and Food Security

The rise in world commodity prices and the food riots of last year have shown how food insecurity can threaten vulnerable populations, and put economic and international stability at risk. In light of this, President Obama has announced plans to double U.S. financial support for agricultural development to more than $1 billion in 2010. In an address to The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack discussed his efforts, in partnership with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to develop a new U.S. food security strategy, which will include boosting food production in the developing world, improving lesser developed countries' market access, and measures to reduce hunger inside the U.S. borders.

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Vilsack Event Audio (50.8 MB)

Download Full Remarks (PDF)

Meeting the Challenge: U.S. Policy Toward Iran - Panel Discussion

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Meeting the Challenge: U.S. Policy Toward Iran

The June 12 presidential elections in Iran focused the world’s attention on how to manage relations with the Islamic Republic thirty years since its pivotal 1979 revolution. With concern mounting about Iran’s nuclear capabilities, many observers have said Iran is close to developing a nuclear weapon – even as Iran insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Steve Rademaker, senior counsel of BGR Holding LLC and former U.S. assistant secretary of state, and Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, discussed how the Iran election results might impact President Obama’s plans to engage Iran on the nuclear issue, and how a nuclear Iran might affect the balance of power in the Middle East.

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Iran Panel Audio (64.1MB, MP3)

Rebooting America's Global Image - Keith Reinhard

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Rebooting America's Global Image

Responding to claims that America’s global reputation has been severely damaged in recent years, leendary advertising executive Keith Reinhard, founder of Business for Diplomatic Action, thinks the time is ripe for a reboot of America’s image around the world. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Ted Pincus interviewed the famed Chicago ad man behind the McDonald’s slogans “You Deserve a Break Today” and “Two-all-beef-patties-special-sauce-lettuce-cheese-pickles-onions-on-a-sesame-seed-bun,” who offered suggestions about ways to repair the reputation of the United States at a time of great change in the global economy and body politic.

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Reinhard Event Audio (70.4MB, MP3)

India Rising to the Challenge? Prospects for Economic and Social Reforms - Panel Discussion

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

India Rising to the Challenge? Prospects for Economic and Social Reforms

More than 700 million eligible voters took to the polls and cast their vote as part of India’s national elections. The result was a surprisingly strong and resounding victory for India's ruling Congress Party, which now gives a decisive mandate to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and raises hopes that it will continue on a path of economic reform. Marshall M. Bouton, president of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, moderated a panel discussion about the prospects for economic and social reforms in India with Arvind Subramanian, senior fellow of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and senior fellow of Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Global Development; Steven Wilkinson, associate professor of political science and chair of the Committee on Southern Asian Studies at The University of Chicago; and Najma Heptulla, member of Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Upper House).

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India Event Audio (76.9MB, MP3)

From Poverty to Productivity: How to Feed the World's Hungry - Panel Discussion

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

From Poverty to Productivity: How to Feed the World's Hungry

The global economic crisis and the recent volatility in food prices have refocused attention on the persistent problems of hunger and poverty in the developing world. With the number of “chronically hungry” already having passed one billion in April 2009, hunger and poverty are projected to worsen in years ahead as population growth and climate change put increased pressure on scarce land and water resources. A distinguished panel of experts, including Wall Street Journal reporters Roger Thurow and Scott Kilman, coauthors of the new book Enough: Why the World’s Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty; Robert L. Thompson, Gardner Chair in Agricultural Policy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and Marv Baldwin, president of Foods Resource Bank, discussed the policies and resources available for fighting hunger and poverty, both now and in the future. Jerry Hagstrom, contributing editor of National Journal, moderated the discussion.

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Poverty Event Audio (87.4MB, MP3)

What Next? Surviving the 21st Century - Chris Patten

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

What Next? Surviving the 21st Century

Chris Patten, The Rt Hon the Lord Patten of Barnes, is the chancellor of University of Oxford and Newcastle University and cochair of the International Crisis Group. In January 2005, he took his seat in the House of Lords, and in 2006, he was appointed cochair of the U.K.-India Roundtable. Patten believes the list of global problems is growing by the day —a global economic crisis, international crime, weapons of mass destruction, nuclear proliferation, international drug trafficking, climate change, and water shortages. In analyzing some of these challenges, he argued that very little has turned out as expected twenty years ago and posed the question: what is next?

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Patten Event Audio (70.0MB, MP3)

When Should the United States Go To War? - Richard Haass

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

When Should the United States Go To War?

The most important decision, arguably, any president must make is: when should the United States go to war? Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, discussed this dilemma and analyzed the two Iraq wars which at first blush appear similar: both involved a U.S. President George Bush in conflict with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. According to Haass, the resemblance ends there. The first Iraq war was a war of necessity; by contrast, the second Iraq war was one of choice — and the most significant discretionary war undertaken by the United States since Vietnam. Haass explained how the United States can apply the lessons learned from the two Iraq wars so that it is better positioned to put into practice what worked and to avoid repeating what so clearly did not.

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Haass Event Audio (71.4MB, MP3)

Embracing the Future: The Midwest and a New National Energy Policy

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Embracing the Future: The Midwest and a New National Energy Policy

Reform of national climate and energy policy has been placed on the front burner of American politics in recent months. The Midwest’s significance as an energy producer and consumer gives it a tremendous stake in this debate. Midwestern states alone account for 4 to 5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and the Midwest economy as a whole is significantly more carbon intensive than the national average.

On Monday June 8 2009, The Chicago Council released a task force report, Embracing the Future: The Midwest and a New National Energy Policy, which calls upon the Midwest to turn the challenge of energy and climate policy creation to its economic advantage. With new data and analysis, the report shows that while the costs of curbing carbon emissions are stark, the costs of delaying action are starker.

Task force cochairs John Livingston, managing partner McKinsey & Company’s Chicago Office; Sally Mason, president of the University of Iowa; and John W. Rowe, chairman and chief executive officer of Exelon Corporation, presented the report and discussed its findings. Panels of experts also discussed the national and international dimensions to the energy policy debate.

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Introduction and Welcome Remarks, Lester Crown (5.32MB,MP3)

Panel 1 - National Energy Policy and Midwest Regional Competitiveness (61.0MB,MP3)

Panel 2 - The International Picture: Looking Toward Copenhagen (59.4MB,MP3)

Panel 3 - The National Picture: How will the Obama administration shape energy policy and what will it mean (64.8MB,MP3)

Keynote address - “The role of U.S. energy policy in the new global climate change debate,” Peter Goldmark (39.1MB,MP3)

A View of Earth: Real Solutions to Climate Change - James Lovelock

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

A View of Earth: Real Solutions to Climate Change

Scientist and author James Lovelock, called “one of the great thinkers of our time,” is scheduled to travel into space in fall 2009 as a guest of Sir Richard Branson, president and founder of Virgin Group, in order to observe from orbit the planet he has spent his entire life trying to protect. In anticipation of this history-making voyage, the 90-year-old scientist discussed the effects of climate change on food supplies, energy sources, and the global policies needed to continue to feed and fuel Earth’s growing population.

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Lovelock Event Audio (59.0MB, MP3)

Politics, Religion, and Energy: Central Asia at a Crossroads - Kathleen Collins

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Politics, Religion, and Energy: Central Asia at a Crossroads

As the role of U.S. military facilities in Kyrgyzstan is questioned, western energy companies compete for Kazakh and Turkmen gas, democracy languishes under the dictatorship of President Karimov in Uzbekistan, and skirmishes with the Taliban continue on the Tajik-Pakistani border, many observers of Russia’s neighbors point to Central Asia’s strong effects on today’s geopolitics. During a Roundtable on Russia and its Neighbors, noted Central Asian expert Kathleen Collins discussed the region’s complex dynamics, including the process of post-Soviet political and economic transition, the revival of Islam, the role of energy markets, perceptions of Russia’s role, and the regional balance of power. John Dailey, President’s Circle member with extensive experience in Russia and Central Asia, interviewed Collins who is a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota.

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Collins Event Audio (83.1MB, MP3)

Social Impacts of the Economic Crisis in China - Marvin Zonis

Thu, 28 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Social Impacts of the Economic Crisis in China

China’s annual growth rate has been above 10 percent for the past five years, but in 2009 some forecasters are questioning if growth will clear 8 percent. Part of the Chinese government’s motivation to keep growth from slipping is the potential social impacts. Rising unemployment, thousands of factory closures, and the influx of new university graduates to the labor market all could increase the likelihood of instability, especially during a serious global economic downturn. Marvin Zonis, professor emeritus of business administration at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, explained how the social impacts of the current global economic crisis may affect the political and economic landscape in China during a year that marks the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China and twenty years since the Tiananmen protests. He outlined current risks, such as labor and supply chain disruptions, for companies operating in China in light of potential social instability.

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Zonis Event Audio (70.3MB, MP3)

New Visions for Global Cities - Saskia Sassen and Simon Menner

Tue, 26 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

New Visions for Global Cities

Many argue that globalization widely increases disparities within societies by lavishly rewarding the successful while leaving others behind. Others argue that a truly global city is judged on how it chooses to spend its wealth and whether it ensures equal opportunity for all of its citizens. Adele Simmons, vice chair and senior executive of Chicago Metropolis 2020, moderated a discussion about the social responsibilities and new visions of global cities with Saskia Sassen, Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology at Columbia University, and photographer Simon Menner. The program took place in the Museum of Contemporary Photography’s gallery where guests viewed the Edge of Intent exhibit, which looks at the utopian aspirations of urban planners, and at how their idealistic visions sometimes become static and incapable of adapting to changing environments and systems.

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New Visions Event Audio (72.8MB, MP3)

Immigration Reform: From National Policy to Midwestern Impact - Ali Noorani and Rob Paral

Mon, 25 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Immigration Reform: From National Policy to Midwestern Impact

The Obama administration has announced that it intends to tackle comprehensive immigration reform as soon as this year, while the economic downturn continues to highlight the tension between undocumented working immigrants and citizens who see employment options shrinking. How immigration is addressed at the national and regional levels will determine America’s socioeconomic landscape for decades to come and is particularly vital for the Midwest’s large immigrant population from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and many other parts of the world. Chicago Tribune reporter Antonio Olivo moderated a discussion with Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, and Rob Paral, principal of Rob Paral & Associates and author of The Chicago Council’s Heartland Paper, “Mexican Immigration in the Midwest: Meaning and Implications.”

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Immigration Event Audio (77.5MB, MP3)

The Future of Kenya and Africa - Raila Amolo Odinga

Wed, 20 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Future of Kenya and Africa

The Honorable Raila Amolo Odinga, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, spoke about the future of Kenya and Africa during a luncheon organized by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs in partnership with Chicago Promise and the Chicago Association of Kenyan Professionals. Even amid the global economic challenges, Kenya is considered the leading economy in East Africa, and is expected to achieve economic growth rates of at least 3 percent in 2009. Prime Minister Odinga explained Kenya’s coalition government’s efforts to attract private investment and foreign aid to help grow the country’s economy.

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Odinga Event Audio (53.7MB, MP3)

The Clash Within: Democracy and Religious Violence - Martha Nussbaum

Mon, 18 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Clash Within: Democracy and Religious Violence

While America is focused on the clashes of religious militancy and terrorism in the Middle East, democracy has been under siege from religious extremism in other critical parts of the world, including India and Southeast Asia. Martha Nussbaum, the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, explained that the real "clash of civilizations" is the clash within every modern society between those who are prepared to live with and respect people who differ and those who seek the comfort of a single "pure" ethno-religious ideology. She discussed how to manage religious extremes and violence while preserving democratic values.

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Nussbaum Event Audio (70.1MB, MP3)

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The Ascent and Descent of Money - Niall Ferguson

Sun, 17 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Ascent and Descent of Money

In the third of the three-part public program series on the global economy, Harvard historian Niall Ferguson discussed the credit meltdown and current economic crisis in historical perspective. Ferguson explained that sooner or later every bubble bursts – sooner or later bearish sellers outnumber bullish buyers – sooner or later greed flips into fear. He reflected on how today’s difficulties fit into the long-term development of the global economy and discussed the possibility of a recovery.

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Ferguson Event Audio (63.7MB, MP3)

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Rethinking Democracy From the Bottom Up: The Chilean Experience - Claudio Orrego

Wed, 13 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Rethinking Democracy From the Bottom Up: The Chilean Experience

Chile once boasted a long history of stable democratic rule until socialist policies and economic chaos emerged in the 1970s, setting the stage for the coup d’état by General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte. Chile’s deeply rooted democratic culture survived sixteen years under Pinochet, however, and the people united under the common goal of returning Chile to civilian control. Claudio Orrego, mayor of Peñalolén in Santiago province and The Chicago Council’s 2009 Gus Hart Fellow, shared his vision of democracy in one of Latin America’s most stable and prosperous nations. He discussed government transparency, the role of information technology, and economic development through public-private partnerships.

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Orrego Event Audio (62.4MB, MP3)

China-U.S. Relations in the New Era - Zhou Wenzhong

Thu, 07 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

China-U.S. Relations in the New Era

His Excellency Zhou Wenzhong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United States, discussed U.S. - China relations in a new era and the importance of U.S.-China cooperation on international issues. He also outlined the comprehensive two-year stimulus package that China has recently implemented. Ambassador Zhou currently serves as Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United States. Prior to his appointment in 2005, he served the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Vice Minister.

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Wenzhong Event Audio (48.5MB, MP3)

Political Islam and the United States: A Necessary Engagement - Emile Nakhleh

Tue, 05 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Political Islam and the United States: A Necessary Engagement

America’s relations with Islamic countries have long been fraught with complications, yet are now at the forefront of the Obama administration’s efforts to reengage the world. Emile Nakhleh, a former senior intelligence service officer and director of the political Islam strategic analysis program in the Directorate of Intelligence at the Central Intelligence Agency, spoke to a Chicago Council audience about the need for the United States to engage political Islam. During his talk, Nakhleh made a vigorous case for a renewal and reassessment of public diplomacy and policy toward the Arab and Islamic worlds. He called for a serious, coordinated, high-level effort to chart a new course for U.S.-Islamic world relations – and argues that U.S. national interests and security depend on it.

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Nakhleh Event Audio (57.9MB, MP3)

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Mexico's Battles: Fighting Drug Wars and Economic Collapse - Panel Discussion

Mon, 04 May 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Mexico's Battles: Fighting Drug Wars and Economic Collapse

Even before the recent outbreak of swine flu, Mexico had been struggling on many fronts – the drug war, immigration reform, a faltering economy, and escalating violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Alejandro Escalona, editor of Hoy Chicago, moderated a panel discussion with Ambassador Andrés Rozental, the former deputy foreign minister of Mexico and current senior nonresident fellow at The Brookings Institution; Ambassador James Jones, who served as U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 1993-1997 and currently serves as cochairman at Manatt Jones Global Strategies; and Miguel Noyola, a principal of Baker & McKenzie LLP, where he heads the Mexico practice in the Chicago office.

The panelists discussed ways Mexico might quell the bloodshed brought on by the drug trade and the steps Mexico can take to stabilize its economy and ensure growth and success in the global market. They also offered suggestions about what the United States can do to help its southern neighbor win its many battles.

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Mexico Panel Event Audio (71.7MB, MP3)

Current Issues in U.S. Foreign Policy - John D. Negroponte

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Current Issues in U.S. Foreign Policy

Ambassador John D. Negroponte, former director of national intelligence, former deputy secretary of state, and current vice chairman of McLarty Associates, identified five areas of greatest concern for U.S. national security and foreign policy. In his view, political stability in Pakistan and the destabilizing influence of the Taliban is the most pressing issue of the day, followed quickly by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Understanding the state of Iranian domestic politics and the country’s nuclear ambitions, as well as the status of denuclearization in North Korea, also represent significant issues for U.S. foreign policy. Finally, drug-related violence in Mexico - and on the U.S.-Mexican border in particular - must be addressed.

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Negroponte Event Audio (33.8MB, MP3)

The U.S. and the World: The View From the Pews - Luis Lugo

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The U.S. and the World: The View From the Pews

American religiosity can be a source of unease for many around the world, both for our traditional, and quite secular, European allies and also for members of Muslim societies where the motives behind U.S. policies are often questioned. The United States has a long tradition of separating church from state, but it demonstrates an equally powerful inclination to mix religion with politics. Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, explained how the religious affiliations, beliefs, and piety of Americans influence their foreign policy attitudes.

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Lugo Event Audio (64.2MB, MP3)

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The Global Financial Crisis: When Will the International Economy Start to Recover? - Panel ...

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Global Financial Crisis: When Will the International Economy Start to Recover?

During what the OECD calls “the deepest and most widespread recession for more than 50 years,” the United States unemployment rate hit 8.5 percent — but retail sales appeared to strengthen slightly while the housing market bubble deflated. And although the Dow hit a low of just under 6,500 near the beginning of March, it recovered to 8,000 in April. Amid such mixed economic markers, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs brought together a panel of experts to discuss the road to recovery, and the international cooperation needed to pull the collective world economy out of recession.

On April 29, 2009, Michael H. Moskow, vice chairman and senior fellow on the Global Economy of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, moderated the discussion with James W. Owens, chairman and chief executive officer of Caterpillar Inc.; David Michael, senior partner and managing director of The Boston Consulting Group – Beijing; and Carl R. Tannenbaum, vice president of the Risk Specialist Division at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

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When Will the International Economy Start to Recover? (80.8 MB, MP3)

Defining the U.S.-China Economic Relationship - Dr. Chen Deming

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Defining the U.S.-China Economic Relationship

China’s Minister of Commerce Dr. Chen Deming discussed China’s economic relationship with the United States and the importance of strengthening trade ties between the two countries during a Corporate Program luncheon hosted by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs on April 28, 2009. Dr. Chen also authored an opinion piece titled “Strengthen U.S.-China Trade Ties; Now is no time for protectionism,” which appeared in Monday’s Wall Street Journal.

Dr. Chen was appointed Minister of Commerce in December 2007. He is also an alternate member of the 17th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee. Previously, he was Vice Chair of the National Development and Reform Commission, responsible for several key portfolios such as energy, planning, and economic reform. He has also served as Governor, Vice Governor and Assistant Party Secretary of Shaanxi province.

Download the English translation of Dr. Chen's remarks (PDF).

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Deming Event Audio (39.4MB, MP3)

RELATED CONTENT:
“Strengthen U.S.-China Trade Ties”
Opinion by Dr. Chen Deming, Wall Street Journal, April 26, 2009

"2009 White Paper on the State of American Business in China"
American Chamber of Commerce in China, released April 27, 2009

Faith and Globalization - Tony Blair

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Faith and Globalization

The Right Honorable Tony Blair, former prime minister of the United Kingdom, spoke to a Chicago Council audience of nearly 1,400 on April 22, calling for policies of both “hard power” - the use of military force - and diplomatic “soft power” in fighting repressive regimes and religious extremism. Blair spoke to The Chicago Council on Global Affairs as part of its spring 2009 Chicago and the World Forum series “Fault Lines of Faith? Religion and Politics in World Affairs.”

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Blair Event Audio (70.0MB, MP3)

Download the written remarks (PDF).

Listen to past Chicago Council events by visiting Chicago Amplified, Chicago Public Radio's web-based audio archive of public programs held throughout the Chicago region.

Energizing the U.S.-India Commercial Relationship: Opportunities Growing from the Nuclear ...

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Energizing the U.S.-India Commercial Relationship: Opportunities Growing from the Nuclear Agreement

Signature and ratification of the U.S.-India Nuclear Agreement is unlocking new opportunities for deeper U.S.–Indian bilateral trade relations. Some previously off-limits sectors, including energy and defense, are now opening to American businesses interested in India operations. France, Russia, and other countries have also signed nuclear agreements with India, and now will be racing against the United States to capture a share of this marketplace. As India begins to open these new markets, the competition for Indian business will drive intense efforts on the part of companies from around the world to influence the Indian market with their wares.

Marshall M. Bouton, president of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, moderated a discussion with Scott R. Bayman, former president and chief executive officer of General Electric India, and Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, retired senior vice president of international relations for The Boeing Company, about what hurdles stand in the way of U.S. businesses taking full advantage of this market for goods and technologies, and whether American companies can enter India fast enough to prevail against foreign competition.

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Bayman/Pickering Event Audio (71.4MB, MP3)

The Outlook for Emerging Markets: From BRICs to the N-11 - Jim O�Neill

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Outlook for Emerging Markets: From BRICs to the N-11

Jim O’Neill, head of global economic research for Goldman Sachs, examined growth and development in the BRIC economies, a term he coined to refer to the economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, described by Goldman Sachs as the bloc of emerging markets likely to become the most dominant economies by 2050. O’Neill assessed their potential for growth in light of the financial crisis and weakened U.S. economy. He also provided commentary on other emerging economies that look to play a factor in the global economic system, deemed the Next Eleven (N-11) nations.

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O'Neill Event Audio (73.7MB, MP3)

Download the PowerPoint presentation (PDF).

Reason, Religion, and Peace in a Global Society - Francis Cardinal George

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Reason, Religion, and Peace in a Global Society

His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Ph.D., S.T.D., the eighth Archbishop of Chicago and the first native Chicagoan to fill the position, shared his perspective on how religion can help to create peacefully interconnected societies. Cardinal George contends that only by permitting reason and religion to play healthy roles within public life is it possible to preserve the sources of morality and human dignity and create a healthy and stable global order.

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Cardinal George Event Audio (71.6MB, MP3)

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The Conundrum of Indo-Pakistani Relations - Sumit Ganguly

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Conundrum of Indo-Pakistani Relations

With the March 27, 2009 suicide bombing in Peshawar, Pakistan, tensions in the Khyber region bordering Afghanistan are at a new high. This bombing happened hours before President Barack Obama announced a new U.S. strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Sumit Ganguly, Rabindranath Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations at Indiana University, and noted expert on Indo-Pakistani relations, provides a timely analysis of the heightened tensions and looks to the future of relations in the region.

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Ganguly Event Audio (34.2MB, MP3)

Global Political Risk: Managing through Economic Catastrophe - Ian Bremmer

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Global Political Risk: Managing through Economic Catastrophe

With civil war, political instability, acts of terror, seizures of private companies, and a still-unfolding global financial crisis, the world is a dangerous place for investors and corporations. Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group, the world's leading global political risk research and consulting firm, presented highlights from his groundbreaking book, The Fat Tail: The Power of Political Knowledge for Strategic Investing, offering methods, tools, and concepts to help corporations, money managers, and policymakers understand contemporary political risk. Bremmer is a regular contributor to The International Herald Tribune, a contributing editor for The National Interest, and a political commentator on CNN, Fox News, and CNBC.

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Bremmer Event Audio (53.8MB, MP3)

Ghost Towns and Global Cities: Can the Midwest Survive Globalization? - Panel Discussion

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Ghost Towns and Global Cities: Can the Midwest Survive Globalization?

President Obama and Congress have pledged billions to save the American economy from the brink. But will it help the Midwest succeed in a global era? Richard Longworth, senior fellow at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and author of Caught in the Middle: America’s Heartland in the Age of Globalism, and Julie Hamos, Illinois State Representative for the 18th District and chair of the Mass Transit Committee, offered commentary on the latest wave of the economic crisis and considered how the Heartland can recover from this downward spiral. Simon O’Rourke, executive director of public and leadership programs and Global Chicago at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, moderated the discussion.

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GOAt Event Audio (79.5MB, MP3)

Closing Guantanamo - Panel Discussion

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Closing Guantanamo

Legal experts Karen Greenberg, executive director of the Center on Law and Security at the New York University School of Law; Douglass Cassel, professor of law and director of the Center for Civil and Human Rights at Notre Dame Law School; and Gary Isaac, who has played an active role in Guantanamo detainee litigation and who serves as counsel at Mayer Brown law firm, analyzed the closure of the detention camp at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. They considered whether closing Guantanamo poses a national security threat for the United States, and how the Obama administration should handle the release of those detained while ensuring the safety of the nation. Rachel Bronson, vice president of programs and studies at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, moderated the discussion.

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Guantanamo Event Audio (62.0MB, MP3)

U.S.-Russian Relations: Looking to the Future Under Obama - Robert Legvold

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

U.S.-Russian Relations: Looking to the Future Under Obama

Russia poses a dramatically different challenge for the U.S. today than it did in the 1990s, as the international context for U.S.-Russia policy has fundamentally changed. With the new Obama administration recasting and renewing many key diplomatic relationships, Robert Legvold discussed the U.S. Policy Toward Russia initiative at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, for which he serves as project director. He advocated for adjusting U.S. policy toward Russia through a broad strategic dialogue that would encompass traditional issues such as nuclear nonproliferation, as well as energy security and climate change. Legvold is professor emeritus in the Department of Political Science at Columbia University, and was elected a fellow to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2005.

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Legvold Event Audio (86.1MB, MP3)

Getting China and India Right - Anil K. Gupta

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Getting China and India Right

With the global recession now causing companies to rethink their international strategies, Anil K. Gupta, professor at the University of Maryland at College Park’s Smith School of Business, shared insights from his recently released, coauthored book, Getting China and India Right: Strategies for Leveraging the World’s Fastest Growing Economies for Global Advantage. The recipient of numerous awards for excellence in research and teaching, Gupta has been recognized by Business Week as an outstanding faculty member in its “Guide to the Best B-Schools,” inducted into the Academy of Management Journals’ Hall of Fame, and ranked by Management International Review as one of the “Top 20 North American Superstars” for research in strategy and organization.

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Gupta Event Audio (58.6MB, MP3)

Persian Gulf Transitions - Panel

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Persian Gulf Transitions

This February, twenty-four members of The Chicago Council's Board of Directors and Chairman’s Circle traveled to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia. Led by Council Chairman Lester Crown, the delegation met with top government officials and business community leaders throughout the region. Study mission delegates discussed highlights of the trip, including private meetings with The Emir of the State of Qatar and with His Royal Highness the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They also shared what they learned about the region’s economic diversification, social transformation, and challenging geopolitical environment.

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The Past, Present, and Future of Middle East Peace - Martin Indyk

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Past, Present, and Future of Middle East Peace
Ambassador Martin Indyk, Director, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, and Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution

Making peace in the long-troubled Middle East will be one of the top priorities of the Obama administration, and important lessons from past attempts need to be taken into account. Drawing on his many years of intense involvement in the region, Martin Indyk discussed the inside story of American efforts to end the Arab-Israeli conflict and change the behavior of regimes in Iraq and Iran. Indyk shared his insights into the current situation in the region, the implications of the recent fighting in Gaza, the challenges facing President Obama in Middle East peacemaking, and the prospects of a peaceful settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.

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Justice for Congo: The First Case of the International Criminal Court - Anneke Van Woudenberg

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Justice for Congo: The First Case of the International Criminal Court
Anneke Van Woudenberg, Senior Researcher, Human Rights Watch

As the landmark war crimes case of former Congalese militia leader Thomas Lubanga raises the prospects of justice for victims of the fighting that has left more than five million dead over a decade, Congo expert Anneke Van Woudenberg discussed the killings and the problems that have long plagued the United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo. Van Woudenberg shared her experiences investigating abuses of civilians, sexual violence as a weapon of war, the role of natural resources as fuel for conflict, and the significance of the first International Criminal Court trial for people caught in the world’s deadliest war.

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Van Woudenberg Event Audio (61.5MB, MP3)

Fixing the Global Economy - Martin Wolf

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Fixing the Global Economy

In the second of the three-part public program series on the global economy, Martin Wolf of the Financial Times discussed how and why global imbalances cause financial crises like the one ravaging the world now, and outlined the steps needed to end this destructive cycle. He explained why the United States cannot remain the “borrower and spender of last resort,” and argued that global economic security depends on the ability of emerging economies to develop their own robust financial systems.

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Seeking Russia's Soul - Carol Graham

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Seeking Russia's Soul

Carol Graham is a senior fellow in the global economy and development and foreign policy programs at the Brookings Institution, and holds the Charles Robinson Chair in Foreign Policy Studies. She has completed one of the largest research projects ever undertaken in Russia to understand how people perceive their well-being with respect to their economic situation. During this luncheon discussion, part of the Roundtable on Russia and its Neighbors, Graham explained how insights into the Russian psyche can help explain Russia’s reaction to the global economic crisis, new leaders in both Russia and the United States, and Russia’s rocky relationships with its neighbors.

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The Future of U.S.-Colombia Economic Relations and Cooperation - Francisco Santos Calder�n

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Future of U.S.-Colombia Economic Relations and Cooperation

With the onset of a new U.S. administration, questions remain regarding how a U.S.-Colombia trade relationship will be defined and what the direction of U.S.-Latin America policy will be. His Excellency Francisco Santos Calderón is vice president of the Republic of Colombia and has worked directly with President Alvaro Uribe since 2002 to shape Colombian policy. He offered his perspectives on opportunities for trade and investment and on areas of greater hemispheric multilateral cooperation.

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When Faiths Collide: Pluralism in the Twenty-First Century - Martin Marty

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

When Faiths Collide: Pluralism in the Twenty-First Century

Martin Marty, the Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago Divinity School, discussed the urgent matter of confronting fundamentalist varieties of faith in civil societies. The author of more than fifty books, Marty has written the three-volume Modern American Religion, The One and the Many: America’s Search for the Common Good, and the National Book Award winner Righteous Empire.

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The Global Financial Crisis: Policies of the New Administration - Panel Discussion

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Global Financial Crisis: Policies of the New Administration

President Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus bill into law on February 17, 2009, following contentious partisan disagreement about its contents. With ink from the president’s signature still fresh on the page, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs brought together a panel of distinguished experts to discuss the bill’s provisions and the efforts of Congress and the Obama administration to offset the direct domestic effects of the economic crisis. Michael H. Moskow, vice chairman and senior fellow on the global economy of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, moderated the discussion with The Honorable William M. Daley, chairman of the Midwest for JPMorgan Chase & Co; The Honorable Samuel K. Skinner, of counsel to Greenberg Traurig, LLP; and Paul L. Kasriel, senior vice president and director of economic research at The Northern Trust Company.

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Elections in Israel - David Makovsky

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Elections in Israel

Two days after the Israeli elections, Middle East expert David Makovsky discussed the results and their implications for the peace process during a live teleconference with members of the Board of Directors, Chairman’s Circle, Directors’ Circle, and President’s Circle. Makovsky is a senior fellow and director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is also an adjunct lecturer in Middle Eastern studies at Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. His commentary on the peace process and Arab-Israeli conflict has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Chicago Tribune, Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Policy.

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Russian Roulette: Investing in Russia's Uncertain Climate - Anders Ǻslund,

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Russian Roulette: Investing in Russia's Uncertain Climate

Dr. Anders Ǻslund, senior fellow of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and one of the world’s pre-eminent Russia experts, offered his perspectives on the evolving situation in Russia during a Corporate Program live teleconference. He discussed the economic forecast for Russia in 2009 and the possible impact of oil prices. Ǻslund also answered questions Russia’s ability to broaden its economic base from a resource dependent to an innovation driven economy and the direction that lies ahead for the U.S. –Russia relationship.

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Ǻslund Event Audio (50.3MB, MP3)

Russia and Ukraine: Cold Snap - Jeffrey Tayler

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Russia and Ukraine: Cold Snap

Jeffrey Tayler, The Atlantic correspondent and acclaimed author, discussed the outlook for European-Russian relations following Russia’s reduction of the flow of gas through Ukraine on New Year’s Day. Russia and Ukraine agreed on January 8th, after intensive European mediation, to get gas flowing again to the sixteen E.U. member states left out in the cold, but Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has made clear that the agreement should not be regarded as a capitulation. With signs that the dispute is far from settled, Tayler analyzed the long-term impact of the crisis and shared remarks on Ukraine’s pivotal geostrategic role.

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Tayler Event Audio (80.5MB, MP3)

Maxed Out: How the World is Going Broke and Who Gets the Credit - Panel Discussion

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Maxed Out: How the World is Going Broke and Who Gets the Credit

In the face of ever-worsening news about the state of the economy, Charles Wheelan, senior lecturer in the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago, Illinois 5th District Congressional candidate, and author of Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science; Adolfo Laurenti, senior economist at Mesirow Financial, discussed ways to best to move forward and whether the Obama administration will be able to turn the spiraling economy around. Simon O’Rourke, executive director of public programs and global Chicago at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, moderated the discussion.

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Maxed Out Event Audio (80.5MB, MP3)

Gaza: What Comes Next? - Khalil Shikaki; Edward S. Walker

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Gaza: What Comes Next?

Two pre-eminent Middle East experts participated in a timely teleconference as U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell visited the region to try jump-start peacemaking. Palestinian scholar Khalil Shikaki called in live from Ramallah, and former U.S. ambassador to Egypt and Israel, Ambassador Edward S. Walker, called in live from Washington. They discussed how the coming months under the new Obama administration will be critical for determining prospects for peace in Gaza and for laying the groundwork for a long-term settlement of the decades-old Middle East conflict.

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Gaza Teleconference Audio (55.2MB, MP3)

The Future of Trade Policy and the Global Economic Crisis - Jagdish Bhagwati

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

The Future of Trade Policy and the Global Economic Crisis

In the first program of a three-part series on “The Global Economy,” leading globalization and trade expert and author of In Defense of Globalization, Jagdish Bhagwati discussed international trade, the linchpin of the global economy, in light of the recent global economic crisis. The world trading system is at risk as the global economic crisis spreads, and Bhagwati, university professor of economics and law at Columbia University and senior fellow in international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations, argued that the danger is palpable. The internationally renowned economist explained the hidden dangers of preferential trade agreements in the context of attempts by the U.S. and other governments to stimulate economies in the wake of the crisis.

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Bhagwati Event Audio (68.0MB, MP3)

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Advancing the Status of Women in Afghanistan - Sakena Yacoobi

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0100

Advancing the Status of Women in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is one of the deadliest places on earth for women and children. Only 14 percent of Afghan women have access to skilled medical childbirth care, at least seventy pregnant women die each day in Afghanistan, often while giving birth, and one in four Afghan children will not live to see their fifth birthday. Traditional Afghan village social structures, gender roles, and religious beliefs often actively discourage the education of women. Afghan social entrepreneur Sakena Yacoobi discussed efforts to developing programs in education, health, human rights, and income generation to chart a sustainable and practical course for women’s progress.

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Yacoobi Event Audio (57.1MB, MP3)

How the Persian Gulf Will Survive the Global Economic Crisis - Jean-Fran�ois Seznec

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:00:00 +0100

How the Persian Gulf Will Survive the Global Economic Crisis

Renowned Gulf expert Jean-François Seznec spoke to members of The Chicago Council’s Board of Directors, Chairman's Circle, Directors’ Circle, and President's Circle and lead a discussion on how the Persian Gulf will weather falling oil prices and the global economic crisis. Seznec is a visiting associate professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies. He has twenty-five years’ experience in international banking and finance, of which ten were spent in the Persian Gulf.

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Seznec Event Audio (67.7MB, MP3)

Canada�s Political Predicament - John Cruickshank

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Canada’s Political Predicament

Canadian journalist and former Chicago Sun-Times publisher John Cruickshank discussed Canada’s unprecedented political and economic crisis. Canada’s parliament has been suspended and its Conservative prime minister, Stephen Harper, struggles to stay in power while the new Liberal Party leader, Michael Ignatieff, threatens to topple the government. Cruickshank explained that the effects of the crisis may be felt not just in the economy of America’s largest trading partner, but also in crucial North American security matters.

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Cruickshank Event Audio (44.2MB, MP3)

America and Europe in the Global Age - Joschka Fischer

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:00:00 +0100

America and Europe in the Global Age

With the global fiscal crisis and heightening tensions with Russia, the United States and Europe must maintain and strengthen their relationship. In the final program of the Chicago and the World Forum series “Europe and the United States: Navigating the Future,” Joschka Fischer, former German foreign minister, discussed the western allies’ challenges and their opportunities under a new U.S. president.

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Ischinger Event Audio (56.2MB, MP3)

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The Changing Global Economy: Challenges for the Developing World - Michael Kinsley

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:00:00 +0100

The Changing Global Economy: Challenges for the Developing World

In an interview with Chicago Tribune columnist and editorial writer Steve Chapman, Time columnist and Slate founding editor Michael Kinsley shared insights from his conversations with Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Martin Wolf, Robert Reich, Lawrence Summers, and others about the implications of the current economic crisis for emerging markets and the world’s poor.

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Kinsley Event Audio (66.9MB, MP3)

American and European Approaches to Managing Conflict - Wolfgang Ischinger

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:00:00 +0100

American and European Approaches to Managing Conflict

Wolfgang Ischinger, former ambassador of Germany to the United States and the United Kingdom, and global head of government relations for Allianz Group, explored how the United States and Europe might build upon shared values, while acknowledging distinct histories and interests, to approach global problems cooperatively. This program was presented as part of the Chicago and the World Forum series, “Europe and the United States: Navigating the Future.”

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Ischinger Event Audio (56.2MB, MP3)

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Talent Management: Finding the Right People in China - Richard Stephens; Stefanie Cross-Wilson

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Talent Management: Finding the Right People in China

Richard Stephens, senior vice president of Human Resources and Administration for The Boeing Company, and Stefanie Cross-Wilson, copresident of Recruitment and Talent Management at Hudson North America, a leading provider of permanent recruitment, contract professionals, and talent management solutions, addressed the problem of labor and skills shortages across a wide range of sectors in China. They discussed how companies are coping with the rising price of labor worldwide, and considered policy solutions that the Chinese government could pursue to address this constraint on economic growth.

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Stephens/Cross-Wilson Event Audio (76.5MB, MP3)

Geopolitics of the Global Economic Crisis - Panel Discussion

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Geopolitics of the Global Economic Crisis

Jessica Mathews, president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Marvin Zonis, professor emeritus of business administration at the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business, discussed ways the deepening global economic crisis may affect America’s role in the world. Henry Bienen, president of Northwestern University, moderated this important and timely panel discussion examining U.S. foreign policy, geopolitics, and what the crisis means for America’s powers of persuasion.

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Managing Climate Change: Business Risks and Rewards

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Managing Climate Change: Business Risks and Rewards

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Opening Keynote (98.4MB, MP3)
Phil Sharp, president of Resources for the Future, provided a broad assessment of “unknowns” associated with climate change. He argued in favor of pursuing climate legislation in the United States in the near term and establishing a price on carbon.

Panel I (54.7MB, MP3)
“The Economics of Carbon Limits”
Donnan Steele, engagement manager at McKinsey & Company, provided an overview of McKinsey’s recent work to quantify the cost and “abatement potential” of various greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies. Ron Meissen, senior director of sustainability for the Environment, Health and Safety Group at Baxter International Inc., spoke about the company’s annual assessment of its greenhouse gas emissions and its efforts to introduce efficiency strategies across Baxter sites worldwide.

Panel II (54.6MB, MP3)
“The Future of U.S. Legislation: State and Federal Action on Climate Change”
Vicki Arroyo, executive director of the Georgetown State and Federal Climate Resource Center at Georgetown University Law Center, and formerly of the Pew Center for Climate Change, explored recent regional and federal initiatives and proposed future directions for climate legislation. Richard M. Saines, partner at Baker & McKenzie LLP, explored potential property rights implications of climate legislation and offered suggestions for companies that are addressing their climate impact.

Panel III (50.7MB, MP3)
“Moving Beyond Costs to Opportunities in a Carbon-Regulated Business Environment”
Bruce Kahn, director and senior investment analyst for Deutsche Bank Asset Management’s Climate Change Investment Research Group, summarized the group’s investment approach. Clay Nesler, vice president for Global Energy and Sustainability at Johnson Controls, Inc., presented innovative climate change strategies that Johnson Controls has pursued. Finally, Thomas M. Cushing, vice president of member and business development for the Chicago Climate Exchange, Inc. (CCX), provided an overview of the world’s first greenhouse gas emissions trading exchange and considered the future of this market activity.

Closing Keynote (39.6MB, MP3)
John W. Rowe, chairman and chief executive officer of the Exelon Corporation, outlined five elements that he sees as imperative to U.S. energy policy and made the case for investment in nuclear energy.

Russia: Partner or Adversary? - Ambassador Elizabeth Jones

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Russia: Partner or Adversary?

In part four of the Chicago and the World Forum series, “Europe and the United States: Navigating the Future,” Ambassador Elizabeth Jones, executive vice president at APCO Worldwide and former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia, discussed the core dynamics of the American-European-Russian relationship, and suggested ways in which Europe and an Obama administration can work productively with Russia to address common global challenges.

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Jones Event Audio (69.6MB, MP3)

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Friendly Fire? Conflict and Crisis in Pakistan - Panel Discussion

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Friendly Fire? Conflict and Crisis in Pakistan

Tariq Ali, journalist, filmmaker and author of The Duel: Pakistan on the Flight Path of American Power; and Elizabeth Rubin, a contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine, and Edward R. Murrow press fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, addressed political instability in post-Musharraf Pakistan, and considered policy, security, and military implications for the incoming U.S. administration.

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Pakistan Panel Audio (79.1MB, MP3)

Mexico Under Calder�n - Panel Discussion

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Mexico Under Calderón

Pamela Starr, associate director of the Latin America Initiative, senior fellow at the Center on Public Diplomacy, and senior lecturer in public diplomacy for the School of International Relations at the University of Southern California; Hugh Dellios, Chicago Tribune foreign editor and former foreign correspondent to Mexico City; and Allert Brown-Gort, associate director of the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame, discussed Mexico’s most pressing issues, including the country’s response to the financial crisis, the urgent need for energy reform, and increases in drug-related violence.

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Next Steps for Obama: A Washington Perspective on the Players and Priorities - Dan Balz

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Next Steps for Obama: A Washington Perspective on the Players and Priorities

Dan Balz, national political correspondent at The Washington Post, spoke to members of The Chicago Council’s Board of Directors, Chairman's Circle, and President's Circle about the historic 2008 presidential campaign and the implications of Obama’s election for national politics and policy. Drawing on his extensive experience in Washington, Balz discussed the potential makeup of an Obama administration, key appointments, and governing strategies.

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Europe's Economic and Political Integration: Where is the Experiment Headed? - Jean Fran�ois-Poncet

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Europe's Economic and Political Integration: Where is the Experiment Headed?

In part three of the Chicago and the World Forum series “Europe and the United States: Navigating the Future,” Senator Jean François-Poncet, member of the French Senate and former French minister of foreign affairs, discussed the obstacles confronting Europe and its partners as the EU works to absorb new members, manage the aspirations of applicant states, and make its institutions more effective.

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François-Poncet Audio (70.5MB, MP3)

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Reintroducing America - Philip Zelikow

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Reintroducing America

In part two of the fall 2008 Chicago and the World Forum series “Europe and the United States: Navigating the Future,” Philip Zelikow, former executive director of the 9/11 commission, discussed ways the United States can reenergize its relations with Europe. Exploring the unique nature of this moment in world history, when Europe and the United States must work together more closely than ever, Zelikow calls for America to reintroduce itself to Europe. Rather than a ceremonial call for renewed partnership, Zelikow thinks that to energize the relationship we need to recognize common challenges and construct a new agenda for action. Reflecting on the lessons of the past and the opportunities for the future, during the program Zelikow outlined the steps needed to chart a new, harmonious course in European-American relations.

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A New Agenda for Girls' and Women's Health and Rights - Adrienne Germain

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

A New Agenda for Girls' and Women's Health and Rights

The next U.S. president will have the opportunity to reenergize U.S. leadership on women’s health and human rights. During a roundtable discussion with members of The Chicago Council’s Board of Directors, Chairman's Circle, and President's Circle, Adrienne Germain, president of the International Women's Health Coalition, explained that the next president not only has the opportunity, but the responsibility, to ensure that our foreign assistance and policies help those most in need and prompt international cooperation. Germain, who has worked for almost thirty-five years to promote women's opportunities, health, and rights in developing countries, argued that the next president should outline a new agenda for women’s health and rights, support strong frameworks for advancing human rights, and use diplomatic and foreign assistance resources to implement them.

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Inspiring Africa's Children: Development and Education Through the Arts - Ada Onyejike

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Inspiring Africa's Children: Development and Education Through the Arts
Ada Onyejike, Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer, Girl Child Art Foundation

Ada Onyejike, the 2008 Patricia Blunt Koldyke Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship, discussed her efforts to empower and educate Nigerian youth, especially girls, through the arts. Her organization, the Girl Child Art Foundation, works throughout Nigeria to foster independence and achievement among thousands of students. Using painting, sculpture, music, and dance as catalysts for social transformation, Onyejike demonstrates the unique power of art to advance development and education.

Onyejike was the Council’s second Patricia Blunt Koldyke Fellow. The fellowship, funded by the Koldyke family, recognizes a leading social entrepreneur from any region of the world who is working in the economic, education, health, government, development, media, or cultural realm.

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Onyejike Event Audio(69.4MB, MP3)

The Shape of the World to Come - Laurent Cohen-Tanugi

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

The Shape of the World to Come

Laurent Cohen-Tanugi, a Paris-based international lawyer and public intellectual and a recognized expert on European affairs and international relations, spoke to a Chicago Council audience about globalization. Offering a comprehensive analysis of world politics, Laurent Cohen-Tanugi discussed globalization’s cheerleaders and detractors, whom he claims have failed to recognize the full extent to which globalization has become a geopolitical phenomenon. Cohen-Tanugi suggested ways we should approach our new “multipolar” world—a world that is anything but the balanced and harmonious system many envisioned as a desirable alternative to the “American Empire.”

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Iraq: Ending the War and Keeping the Peace - Panel Discussion

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Iraq: Ending the War and Keeping the Peace

As the United States prepares to elect a new president, The Chicago Council hosted a panel of distinguished Iraq observers to explore these and other key questions about Iraq’s future and possible U.S. policy options. Anthony Shadid, the Middle East correspondent for the Washington Post and the author of Night Draws Near: Iraq’s People in the Shadow of America’s War, moderated the panel discussion with Brian Katulis, a senior fellow and Iraq expert at the Center for American Progress; Ambassador Feisal Istrabadi, a former Iraqi diplomat who served as the deputy permanent representative of Iraq to the United Nations from 2004-2007; and M. Cherif Bassiouni, a professor of law at DePaul University, and president emeritus of DePaul’s International Human Rights Law Institute.

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Iraq Panel Event Audio(68.6MB, MP3)

In the Shadow of an Empire: Georgia, Chechnya, and the Crisis in the Caucasus - �sne Seierstad

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

In the Shadow of an Empire: Georgia, Chechnya, and the Crisis in the Caucasus

The Caucasus region has become a global flashpoint with a resurgent Russia wielding extraordinary influence in Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Dagestan while recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. During a roundtable discussion with members of The Chicago Council’s Board of Directors, Chairman's Circle, and President's Circle, award-winning journalist Åsne Seierstad spoke about the current crisis in Georgia and its breakaway republics, the conflict in Chechnya, and the wider implications for both the region and U.S. - Russia relations. Seierstad has reported from conflict zones in Chechnya, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq and is the author of The Angel of Grozny: Orphans of a Forgotten War, One Hundred and One Days: A Baghdad Journal, With Their Backs to the World: Portraits from Serbia, and The Bookseller of Kabul, an international bestseller that has been translated into thirty-eight languages.

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Seierstad Event Audio(59.4MB, MP3)

Iraq: The Forever War? - Dexter Filkins

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Iraq: The Forever War?

U.S. involvement in Iraq has come at a heavy price, with significant U.S. and Iraqi casualties and billions of dollars spent. Award-winning journalist Dexter Filkins spoke to members of The Chicago Council’s Board of Directors, Chairman's Circle, and President's Circle about his experiences in Iraq, and outline his thoughts on what the future holds for Iraq and its people, and for U.S. policy in advance of the upcoming presidential election. Filkins, a correspondent for the New York Times, is the author of The Forever War, a book on Afghanistan and Iraq.

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Filkins Event Audio(68.6MB, MP3)

Inside the Presidential Debates - Newton Minow and Craig LaMay

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Inside the Presidential Debates

On the eve of the third debate of the 2008 election season, Newton Minow and Craig LaMay, coauthors of Inside the Presidential Debates: Their Improbable Past and Promising Future, addressed the role of debates in the political process today. Minow first broached the idea of political debates on television in a 1955 memo to former Illinois governor Adlai E. Stevenson. Paul Green, political analyst for WGN Radio and director of Roosevelt University’s Institute for Politics, interviewed Minow and LaMay, who discussed how debates impact the political process today and what might be done to increase their value to candidates and voters.

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Minow/LaMay Event Audio(71.0MB, MP3)

Globalization and the Midwest - Conference

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Globalization and the Midwest

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Welcoming Remarks(24.1MB, MP3)
Chicago Council president Marshall M. Bouton opened the Globalization and the Midwest conference by introducing the role of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the mission of the Global Midwest Initiative.

Panel I (64.4MB, MP3)
“The Midwest in the Global Economy”
Cargill Foundation chairman Rob Johnson moderated a discussion on the economic challenges facing the region and the future of the Midwest in the age of globalism with panelists John Austin, executive director of The New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan; Bob Holden, former governor of Missouri; and William Testa, vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Keynote (43.8MB, MP3)
“Can Manufacturing in the Midwest Save Manufacturing in the U.S.?”
Keynote speaker John Engler, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Manufacturers, and former governor of Michigan, addressed the future of the manufacturing industry in the United States.

Panel II (50.6MB, MP3)
“Industries of the Future and How to Build Them”
Panelists Roger Beachy, director of the Danforth Center in St. Louis; Walter Plosila, senior advisor at Battelle’s Technology Partnership Practice; and Carlos Santiago, president of the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee; with moderator Sylvia Manning, president of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, explored possibilities for the future of industries in the Midwest, with emphasis on research, education, technology, and “green” sectors.

Luncheon Keynote (50.2MB, MP3)
“Defining Midwestern Assets in the Era of Globalization”
Thomas Vilsack, former governor of Iowa, assessed Midwestern strengths and offered commentary on education and immigration in the region.

Panel III (56.5MB, MP3)
“The Impact of Immigration”
Panelists Mark Grey, professor at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls; Rob Paral, principal at Rob Paral & Associates; and Lester Heitke, mayor of Willmar, Minnesota; with moderator Rekha Basu, columnist for the Des Moines Register, considered economic, social, political, and educational challenges that have arisen as a result of immigration -especially Hispanic- to the Midwest.

Keynote (38.6MB, MP3)
“Globalization and the Rural Renaissance”
Keynote speaker Thomas Dorr, under secretary for rural development at the United States Department of Agriculture, discussed globalization’s impact on rural America with a focus on research and development, agribusiness, and renewable energy.

Panel IV (63.0MB, MP3)
“Thinking Regionally and Why It Matters”
Richard Longworth, senior fellow at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and Abraham Lowenthal, professor in the School of International Relations at the University of Southern California, summed up the challenges of globalization and asked how the Midwest could meet them on a regional basis. Ronn Richard, president of The Cleveland Foundation, moderated the discussion.

A Conversation with Bernard-Henri L�vy

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100

A Conversation with Bernard-Henri Lévy

Philosopher and journalist Bernard-Henri Lévy spoke to a Chicago Council audience about his belief that there should be a new political and moral vision for our times. Lévy discussed ideas from his latest book, Left in Dark Times: A Stand Against the New Barbarism, and explained his intellectual view of the world, describing the thinkers and politicians he has known and examined, the ideological battles he has fought over thirty years, and their bearing on the present day. Lévy offered a powerful new vision for progressives, one based on an absolute commitment to combat evil in all its guises.

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Lévy Event Audio(65.4MB, MP3)

Implications of the Wall Street Crisis: A Real-Time Analysis

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Implications of the Wall Street Crisis: A Real-Time Analysis
William A. Osborn, Diane Swonk, and David Hale
Moderated by Michael H. Moskow

The Chicago Council brings together a panel of some of Chicago’s leading experts on the economy to address the most recent financial turmoil. William Osborn, chairman of Northern Trust, Diane Swonk, senior managing director and chief economist at Mesirow Financial Holdings, and David Hale, founder and chairman of David Hale Global Economics, convene to evaluate the crisis and deliver their respective prognoses for the future of the United States financial system. Osborn offers a foreboding statistic: the total debt in the United States is $49 trillion. He attributes this in large part to “a feeding frenzy in debt…debt got too cheap.” This, paired with flailing financial institutions and the “terrible” naming of the bailout bill, has crushed American confidence in the U.S. financial system.

Hale, too, underscores that confidence on both Wall Street and Main Street has a monumental impact. A recovery effort, he says, to rebuild the confidence will surely take a while to run its course. Swonk expounds on the essentiality of restoring American confidence, suggesting that the timing of an economic improvement is in large part contingent on doing just that. She points to the “piecemeal approach to these bailouts” as having made the perception of panic on Wall Street a reality, but maintains that despite all this, she is an optimist. “The light at the end of the tunnel,” she says, “is a light. It’s not a train…We have, fundamentally, more tools than any economy in the world, and we’ve got everyone else’s oars in the water with us, trying to get our boat to land.”

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Wall Street Event Audio(81.1MB, MP3)

Imperatives for a New Administration: Immigration, Economics, and National Security - Jason Riley

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Imperatives for a New Administration: Immigration, Economics, and National Security

Wall Street Journal editorial board member Jason Riley discussed the immigration controversy and its impact on the U.S. economy and national security at a Chicago Council Young Professionals program. He explained ideas from his new book, Let Them In: The Case for Open Borders, in which he contends that foreign workers play a vital role in keeping America prosperous; that maintaining an open-border policy is consistent with free-market economic principals; and that the arguments put forward by opponents of immigration ultimately don’t hold up to scrutiny.

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Riley Event Audio(62.1MB, MP3)

Protecting the Global City - Panel Discussion

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Protecting the Global City

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 underscored the necessity for swift, efficient, and adaptable emergency response methods. In the seven years since the attacks, fire and emergency response teams across the globe are simultaneously and collaboratively investing in technology, training, and planning to minimize the debilitating potential of another attack.

These seven years have been ones of remarkable progress. Thomas Von Essen, New York City’s fire commissioner from 1996-2003; M.V. Deshmukh, director of emergency services for the Indian province of Maharashtra; Dr. Audrey Gule, chief of emergency services, Johannesburg, South Africa; General Joel Prieur, commander of the Paris Fire Brigade; and Raymond Orozco, executive director of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management & Communications, and former Chicago fire commissioner, elaborated on post-September 11 improvements and their implications for a safer world.

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Global City Event Audio(67.3MB, MP3)

The Way We�ll Be - John Zogby

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:00:00 +0100

The Way We’ll Be
John Zogby, President and Chief Executive Officer, Zogby International

Renowned pollster John Zogby joins the Council to discuss his new book, The Way We’ll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream. Built on polls and findings that the Zogby Institute has gathered over the past 20 years, Zogby projects a positive outlook for future generations. He underscores the intelligence, worldliness and diversity of what he calls the “first globals,” eighteen- to twenty-nine-year-olds who have at their disposal an entire world’s worth of resources. “They may not be able to find Darfur on a map,” he says, “but what makes them lightyears ahead of my generation and previous generations—they know that there is a Darfur on the map, and they care about it…that’s real progress. I’m very high on this generation.” Zogby then progresses to the imminent presidential election, reporting that voters, much to his excitement, are increasingly demanding authenticity in their candidates. This is an “or-else” election, he reports. Voters have the opportunity next month to reverse the current state of the nation, which, per Zogby, 80 percent believe to be one of very serious crisis.

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Zogby Event Audio(81.1MB, MP3)

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A Conversation with the Counselor - Ted Sorensen

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:00:00 +0100

A Conversation with the Counselor

Ted Sorensen, former special counsel and adviser to then-President John F. Kennedy, joins The Chicago Council for a discussion about his latest book, Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History. Now an established author, Sorensen in this book focuses on his own history and career. He emphasizes the role that President Kennedy played in the shaping of Sorensen’s present, recalling fondly his days with the innovative, courageous young president. Could the U.S. have avoided the Vietnam War? What else could Kennedy have achieved if reelected? Sorensen and his audience reverse in time to tread in a hypothetically more positive direction for the country. While this nostalgia is little more than conjectural reminiscence, Sorensen underscores that a similar period could be imminent. The adviser likens Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s dynamism to Kennedy’s, encouraging the nation to elect a much-needed modern-day JFK.

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Sorensen Event Audio(81.1MB, MP3)

NATO's Past, Present, and Future: A View From Europe - His Excellency Radoslaw Sikorski

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:00:00 +0100

NATO's Past, Present, and Future: A View From Europe
with His Excellency Radoslaw Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland

In the first program of the fall 2008 Chicago and the World Forum series, “Europe and the United States: Navigating the Future,” Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski addressed the future of the world’s strongest military alliance. He outlines his perspective on what NATO needs to do to remain true to its mission and to confront new security challenges in the 21st century in advance of NATO’s 60th anniversary in 2009. In his remarks, Minister Sikorski also addresses the implications of border security, energy, and economics in light of Russia’s recent conflict with Georgia, and reflected on the serious effects a resurgent Russia will have on Poland, the Caucasus, Europe, and U.S.-Russia relations.

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Sikorski Event Audio(58.2MB, MP3)

Listen to past Chicago Council events by visiting Chicago Amplified, Chicago Public Radio's web-based audio archive of public programs held throughout the Chicago region.

Blood Feud: Can Georgia and Russia Make Peace? - Thomas Goltz

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Blood Feud: Can Georgia and Russia Make Peace?
with Thomas Goltz, journalist and author

Caucasus expert Thomas Goltz discusses the origins of the crisis between Georgia and Russia, the situation on the ground in Georgia right now, and the implications of a resurgent Russia in a teleconference with members of The Chicago Council’s Board of Directors, Chairman’s Circle, and Presidents Circle. Goltz, a renown journalist and author, joined the teleconference live from Tbilisi, Georgia, and has spent more than fifteen years reporting on the region, including conflicts in Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno-Karbakh, and Chechnya.

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Blood Feud Teleconference Audio (MP3, 8.00 MB)

The Highest Stakes: U.S. Middle East Policy and the 2008 Elections - James Zogby

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:00:00 +0100

The Highest Stakes: U.S. Middle East Policy and the 2008 Elections
James J. Zogby, President, Arab American Institute

On the heels of his fifth visit to the Middle East in two months, James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, delivers a bleak diagnosis of the state of affairs in the region. Iraq, he says, is perhaps worse than under Saddam Hussein. Israeli expansion in the West Bank and Jerusalem is rendering impossible the achievement of peace. One-fifth of the Iraqi population has been displaced. He traces the plethora [of] issues back to a weak infrastructure of Middle East-related foreign policy, based on a “distorted amalgam of politics and a collection of pretty strange ideologies.”

The current administration, Zogby posits, justifies its claims to victories in Iraq, by “progressively dumbing down the definition of victory.” The United States is in a precarious position. As such, the upcoming election could have tremendous implications. Zogby points to the Dec. 6, 2006-released Iraq Study Group report as an intelligent, well reasoned approach to transitioning out of Iraq. With this in mind, the incoming administration needs to be, as Zogby sees it, a blend of the past three presidents’ respective approaches—the elder Bush’s pressure, Clinton’s personal engagement of the issues, and George W. Bush’s vision.

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Zogby Event Audio(72.4MB, MP3)

Can We Make the World Democratic? - Joshua Muravchik

Mon, 19 May 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Can We Make the World Democratic?
Joshua Muravchik, resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute

On May 20, 2008, at the eighth installment of the 2008 Chicago and the World Forum series “Road to 2008: American Leadership in and Uncertain World,” Joshua Muravchik, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, discussed the international spread of democracy and the United States’ role in facilitating it. Muravchik posited three questions: Should the world be democratic? Can it become democratic? And can the United States help to make it democratic? He said the answer to all three questions is yes.

Since the United States became the first democracy more than 200 years ago, democracy has spread around the globe and is now the most common form of government in every region in the world except the Middle East. Democratic government also correlates with other positive developments, such as wealth and prosperity, power, and peace, Muravchik said. There is opportunity for more countries to become democratic, even in the Middle East, and the United States has played and will continue to play a role in democratizing the world, he said, either through military or political intervention, or by continuing to lead by example.

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Muravchik Audio(67.3MB, MP3)

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The Global Food Crisis - Teleconference

Mon, 19 May 2008 19:00:00 +0100

The Global Food Crisis

The dramatic rise in global food prices is causing demonstrations, riots, and drastic food-export restrictions around the world – in Cameroon, Egypt, Somalia, Mexico, Argentina, Vietnam, and India, among others. The World Bank says that two billion people are struggling with high prices, and over 100 million may be pushed deeper into poverty as a result. Robert L. Thompson, America’s foremost expert on domestic and international agricultural policy, discussed what lies behind the price increases in such staples as corn, rice, soy, and wheat, and the role trade restrictions, rising developing-country incomes, poor growing weather, high oil prices, and the production of biofuels have played in setting off the price surge . Formerly the assistant secretary for economics at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Thompson currently holds the Gardner Chair in Agricultural Policy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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Food Crisis Teleconference (6.09MB, MP3)

The Struggle for Democracy in Nigeria: Implications for Africa and the United States - Panel ...

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:00:00 +0100

The Struggle for Democracy in Nigeria: Implications for Africa and the United States
with Ambassador John Campbell, Muhammad Sani Umar, and Kayode Fayemi

At a May 1, 2008 panel discussion, Ambassador John Campbell, former United States ambassador to Nigeria, Muhammad Sani Umar, associate professor of Islam at Arizona State University, and Howard University Professor Dr. Mobalaji E. Aluko discussed the current state of democracy in Nigeria following the turmoil of the April 2007 elections. Each panelist’s remarks touched a facet of the situation and conflict.

Campbell stressed the importance of Nigeria to the United States as its fifth-largest oil supplier, as well as the influence legitimate democratic elections could have on furthering democracy elsewhere in Africa. He went on to outline the challenges facing Nigeria, including poverty, especially in the north, and unrest in the Niger Delta.

Umar emphasized the need for Nigeria to develop a way to deal with tenure and incumbents in the political system to avoid the “president for life” situation and the political instability and illegitimacy it breeds. He also advocated for the strengthening of opposition parties that have been weakened in recent years.

Aluko suggested that a parliamentary system may be more appropriate for a country as ethnically diverse as Nigeria. He noted additional concerns about the Nigerian electoral process, such and the qualifications of candidates and the systemic problems for dealing with contested elections.

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Nigeria Panel Audio(75.9MB, MP3)

Solving the Global Poverty Challenge - Rajiv Shah

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Solving the Global Poverty Challenge
with Rajiv Shah, director, agricultural development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Rajiv Shah, director of Agricultural Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, discussed the challenges faced when trying to bring people out of poverty in developing countries, especially in Africa, and the solutions the Gates Foundation is pursuing to effect change. While providing aid is a short-term solution, Shah advocated tackling the systemic problems and bringing the “green revolution” to Africa to develop long term solutions to hunger and poverty.

Shah outlined three important steps that must be taken to increase agricultural productivity and lift people out of hunger and poverty. First, small farmers need the benefits of technology, such as more efficient irrigation systems and seeds designed to maximize yield in the African climate. Then, they need access to markets, so the excess food can be sold and farmers can get money for other needs. Finally, the local infrastructure, including universities and other organizations, needs to be improved so farmers can continue to get support and increase productivity.

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Shah Event Audio(68.5MB, MP3)

McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld - Misha Glenny

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:00:00 +0100

McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld
Misha Glenny, journalist and author

Journalist and author Misha Glenny discussed the boom of global organized crime on April 21, 2008. Glenny argued that three elements spurred the growth of the “global shadow economy,” including organized criminal activity, corruption, tax evasion, corporate fraud, all crimes intimately tied together. First, the fall of the Soviet Union shifted power both globally and locally in Eastern Europe and allowed crime organizations to take control of government and law enforcement. Second, globalization opened up new world markets and trade opportunities for illicit goods, especially the drug trade. Finally, former security officials under the Soviet Union, with skills ideally suited to aid organized crime, were reorganized into its fold.

Today, the shadow economy comprises between 15 and 20 percent of global GDP, with gangs from around the world – Russia, former Yugoslavia, Colombia, Nigeria and elsewhere – getting in on the action. Glenny suggested two steps to reducing the power of organized crime: reforming the war on drugs to decriminalize the drug trade and reforming the international banking system so criminals cannot use it to reap the financial benefits of their crimes.

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Glenny Event Audio(68.4MB, MP3)

Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq - Michael Scheuer

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq
with Michael Scheuer, veteran CIA counterterrorism analyst

On April 15, 2008, Michael Scheuer, a veteran CIA counterterrorism analyst, spoke about U.S.-Islam relations – where we’re getting it wrong and what needs to change. Scheuer argues that the primary problem is the United States’ willful misunderstanding of Islam and the Middle East. It is not the abstract goal of supporting an Islamic caliphate that incites Muslims to act against America, but concrete American policy that they perceive as an attack on their religion and culture, says Scheuer. By framing the current conflict in a World War II or Cold War context of competing ideologies, America misunderstands their enemy and cannot prevail.

Scheuer advocates a change in policy based on how the world actually is, and not how American leaders wish it were. This means having a substantive debate about American foreign policy, and quelling the spread of anti-Americanism by revising our counterproductive policies.

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Scheuer Event Audio(65.8MB, MP3)

Managing Globalization - Jeffrey Sachs

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Managing Globalization
with Jeffrey Sachs, director, the Earth Institute, Columbia University

Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, discussed the paradoxes of the modern world on April 4, 2008. On the one hand, humans are creating incredible technology that can solve a host of problems, from economic worries to health issues – and these technologies and developments are generally beneficial. Yet, these systems are not sustainable, and current technology cannot help propel those who have been left behind by development out of poverty without terrible damage to the natural world. In fact, even without increasing demand, the world cannot sustain current production and consumption.

During his address, given as part of the 2007-2008 Chicago and the World Forum series, Sachs explained that the United States needs to join the world in an international effort to combat growing problems and invest in developing new technologies to protect the planet’s resources while improving the quality of life in poorer countries wracked with hunger, water stress, and other social problems inhibiting development.

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Sachs Event Audio(46.7MB, MP3)

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A Billion Lives: An Eyewitness Report from the Frontlines of Humanity - Jan Egeland

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:00:00 +0100

A Billion Lives: An Eyewitness Report from the Frontlines of Humanity
Jan Egeland, former UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief

On April 2, 2008, Jan Egeland, former UN-Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, discussed global humanitarian efforts focusing on the improvements made in recent years and the work that still needs to be done. Egeland noted the successes: 50 percent more peace, fewer refugees worldwide, and reduced numbers of children dying from preventable diseases. The United States has played an important role in international humanitarian efforts, doing great work to bring peace to Liberia and deliver aid after the 2004 Tsunami and the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan.

But, Egeland argues, the United States needs to commit more money and energy to humanitarian work, especially in places like Colombia, and needs to continue to work toward resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Also, Egeland stressed a need to transform the UN Security Council by adding developing powers like China, India, and Brazil, to reflect the world as it is today, not the world as it was in 1945.

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Egeland Event Audio(65.1MB, MP3)

War and Peace in the Middle East: Lessons for American Leadership - Martin Indyk

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:00:00 +0100

War and Peace in the Middle East: Lessons for American Leadership
with Martin Indyk, director, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution

As part of the Chicago and the World Forum series, on March 27, 2008, Martin Indyk, director of Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution and former ambassador to Israel, discussed important lessons that will help the United States make progress with its engagements and objectives in the Middle East. According to Indyk, America first needs to learn about the region and stop acting naively without understanding the political nature of the region. This includes being sensitive to the connections among the countries in the Middle East and creating a strategy that uses these connections so achieve goals.

To improve relations in and with the region, Indyk advises that the United States should pay attention to rare moments of change and movement, when leaders act against the status quo and America can use its great power and influence to effect change. He suggests abandoning the goal of “transforming the region,” pursued by both Clinton and Bush, and instead focus on other issues, like preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

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Indyk Event Audio(73.2MB, MP3)

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Outclassed: Can U.S. Education Compete in a Global Market? - Stephanie Marshall/Michael Lach

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Outclassed: Can U.S. Education Compete in a Global Market?
with Stephanie Marshall, founding president and president emerita, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy and Michael Lach, officer of high school teaching and learning for Chicago public schools

Stephanie Marshall, founding president and president emerita of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, and Michael Lach, officer of high school teaching and learning for Chicago public schools, participated in a lively discussion about the state of American schools, and how the system can be changed to better prepare American students to compete in a global market. During the GOAt program on March 24, 2008, both Marshall and Lach pointed to systemic problems that inhibit American schoolchildren from obtaining the best education and keep their test scores, especially in math and science, behind those of children in other countries.

The discussion addressed a wide variety of issues, from the training of teachers to the role of privatization in public schools and how the educational landscape and necessities have changed. Ultimately, Lach and Marshall argued, the current design of the educational system is the fundamental problem, and they explained changing this design would best improve American schools.

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Outlcassed Event Audio(74.4MB, MP3)

Daydream Believers: How a Few Grand Idas Wrecked American Power - Fred Kaplan

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Daydream Believers: How a Few Grand Ideas Wrecked American Power
with Fred Kaplan, author

On March 20, 2008, author and journalist Fred Kaplan discussed his new book, Daydream Believers: How a Few Grand Ideas Wrecked American Power, at a Chicago Council Young Professionals program moderated by Fred Haumesser, President’s Circle member of The Chicago Council and cofounder of HH Ventures. According to Kaplan, the current foreign policy problems faced by the United States stem from two important misconceptions: first, the idea that the world changed after 9/11, and second that America emerged stronger after the end of the Cold War.

These attitudes lead to a misunderstanding of the world stage, one where countries were no longer locked into either an American or Soviet alliance and exercise their independent will. Kaplan argues that belief in American dominance led the Bush administration to eschew important international support and alliances to the detriment of the American image and effective policy, and in accordance with the post 9/11 attitude, Rumsfeld implemented his military transformation, which hurt success and security in post-Saddam Iraq.

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Kaplan Event Audio(60.3MB, MP3)

France Under President Sarkozy: Policies and Priorities for 2008 and Beyond - Pierre Vimont

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:00:00 +0100

France Under President Sarkozy: Policies and Priorities for 2008 and Beyond
with Ambassador Pierre Vimont, Ambassador of France to the United States

Pierre Vimont, French ambassador to the United States, spoke on March 14, 2008, about the policies and priorities of the new French government under President Nicolas Sarkozy. He emphasized a shift in French-American relations toward a relationship based on friendship and goodwill. Vimont described the problems faced by France, focusing on economic troubles like unemployment and the limits of the 35-hour work week, and enumerated plans for the reform of the taxation system and public administration, and the promotion of small business.

Vimont further outlined France’s priorities such as addressing climate change and immigration issues in Europe and bettering the financial and economic turmoil, including the subprime crisis. He also discussed the methods France hopes to use to accomplish goals in the global community like working with international partners and expanding the role of emerging powers like India and Brazil in the international community, as well as emphasizing religious tolerance as a way to achieve peace.

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Vimont Event Audio(49.4MB, MP3)

International Institutions: New Roles for the Global Age - Samantha Power

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:00:00 +0100

International Institutions: New Roles for the Global Age
with Samantha Power, Anna Lindh Professor of Practice of Global Leadership and Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

The United Nations, NATO, World Bank, and International Criminal Court are struggling to respond to today’s many transnational challenges. During a sold-out public program on March 11, 2008, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Samantha Power argued for reforming and renewing the United Nations and other international institutions at this crucial international juncture. This program was part of the year-long Chicago and the World Forum Series, Road to 2008: American Leadership in an Uncertain World.

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Power Event Audio(70.2MB, MP3)

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Shutting the Door: Rising Protectionist Sentiment in China and the United States - Henry ...

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Shutting the Door: Rising Protectionist Sentiment in China and the United States
with Henry Levine, Senior Vice President, Stonebridge China and former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Asia
and Meredith Crowley, Senior Economist, Economic Research, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Henry Levine, senior vice president of Stonebridge China, and Meredith Crowley, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, jointly discussed recent changes in U.S.-China trade policy and possibilities for the future. Both speakers emphasized China’s increasing cooperation in international trade and held “cautiously optimistic” outlooks. The presentation was followed by questions and answers from the audience.

This program was part of the China Roundtable, a series of Chicago Council Corporate Programs focused on current issues shaping U.S.-China economic and political relations.

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Levine/Crowley Event Audio(57.0MB, MP3)

Kenya on the Edge - Michelle D. Gavin

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Kenya on the Edge

with Michelle D. Gavin, International Affairs Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
and Rachel Bronson, Vice President for Programs and Studies, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, presiding

In a first of its kind teleconference organized by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, CFR International Affairs Fellow Michelle Gavin discussed the political turmoil in Kenya and its implications for the region. Street protest, violence, and ethnic conflict have all erupted after the outrage sparked by potential election corruption, resulting in over 600 deaths, a quarter million refugees, and economic losses exceeding one billion dollars. The crisis is particularly important due to Kenya’s key economic role for the region; for many surrounding countries, Kenya serves as a trade hub and a source of stability.

During the teleconference, Gavin provided background history and analysis of the conflict and fielded questions from the teleconference participants. This program was the first of a new teleconference briefing series available exclusively to members of the Council’s Board of Directors, Chairman’s Circle, and President’s Circle. These exciting programs allow the Council to offer live, interactive briefings with leading experts discussing current events around the world. The audio recordings will be posted for Council members and the general public.

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Gavin Teleconference Audio(42.7MB, MP3)

Creating a World Without Poverty - Muhammad Yunus

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:00:00 +0100

2008 Global Tomorrow Forum - Creating a World Without Poverty
with Muhammad Yunus, Winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, Founder and Managing Director, Grameen Bank

The Chicago Council of Global Affairs was very proud to begin its new Global Tomorrow Forum with a presentation by Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and Founder and Managing Director of the Grameen Bank. Yunus explained the unusual banking strategies of microcredit that have led to the Grameen Bank’s world-renowned success. The Bank, which provides poor people with small loans they use to launch businesses and lift their families out of poverty, began by giving a total of $27 to 42 self-employed crafts workers in Bangladesh. Today, they have given more than more than $6.5 billion in loans to 7.3 million borrowers worldwide, 97 percent of whom are women.

According to Yunus, “the important thing is that it helps people change their lives.” He spoke about children from illiterate families who have worked their way through medical school, women who cannot read or write but who have learned how to use and market cell phones, and beggars who have used loans to work their way off the streets. Throughout the program, Yunus emphasized that poverty reflects a failure of the system. He said, “Poor people are bonsai people. Nothing wrong with the seed; society didn’t allow them the space to grow.” He hopes that poverty will one day become obsolete, and that soon even Chicago will have to build “poverty museums” to remember what it was.

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Yunus Event Audio(33.8MB, MP3)

Select Chicago Council programs are now available for listening or download at Chicago Public Radio.org as a part of Chicago Amplified, a new web exclusive audio library of diverse public events recorded throughout the Chicago region.

The American Midwest in the Age of Globalization - Richard C. Longworth

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:00:00 +0100

The American Midwest in the Age of Globalization
with Richard C. Longworth, senior fellow, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and author.

The Chicago Council’s senior fellow Richard C. Longworth presented his analysis of the changing face of the American Midwest. He discussed the findings in his most recent book, Caught in the Middle: America’s Heartland in the Age of Globalization, and described the great transformation that has taken place in the Midwest.

While once boasting a thriving industrial environment, today, Longworth claims, “the Midwest is in denial.” Chicago is the exception to the rule; the majority of the Midwest—a constellation of rural towns and industrial cities stretching from Iowa to Ohio—has failed to adapt. To fix this problem, Longworth proposes much greater cooperation between states and the pooling of research and knowledge: “the place to start is to begin thinking regionally.”

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Longworth Event Audio(66.1MB, MP3)

After Hyperpower: The United States and the Next War of the World - Niall Ferguson

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:00:00 +0100

After Hyperpower: The United States and the Next War of the World
With Niall Ferguson, Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History and William Ziegler Professor of Business Administration, Harvard University.

Noted historian and author Niall Ferguson launched the 2007-2008 Chicago and the World Forum series on November 28, 2007, with his presentation After Hyperpower: The United States and the Next War of the World. Emphasizing the traditional rise and fall of empires throughout history, Ferguson compared the United States’ current international situation to pivotal turning points in the Ottoman Empire and Romanov Russia.

“There is an empire in decline, and that empire is your empire,” Ferguson said.

Although admitting that his view of United States foreign policy is somewhat pessimistic, he provided key insights for its improvement. Referencing his book, The War of the World: Twentieth-Century Conflict and the Descent of the West, Ferguson discussed five specific deficits that constrain American power--drawing laughs from the Chicago Council audience with his description of U.S. attention deficit disorder--and explained why each is so crucial. He concluded with a discussion of the reasons why the 20th century was so bloody, emphasizing his point that the study of history can reveal many insights for creating a better future.

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Ferguson Event Audio(66.6MB, MP3)

The Conscience of a Liberal - Paul Krugman

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:00:00 +0100

The Conscience of a Liberal
with Paul Krugman, economist and New York Times columnist

Paul Krugman, noted New York Times columnist and professor of Economics and International Affairs at Princeton University, discussed the growing wealth disparity and related topics in American politics and history during his November 8, 2007, presentation The Conscience of a Liberal. Taking the Chicago Council audience through a brief history of American socio-economics, Krugman highlighted the decline of equality that the country has experienced since the 1970s. Specifically, he noted that the incredible advances in technology—everything from the Internet and personal computers to supermarket bar code scanners—have not led to measurable real gains for the typical American family. This growing divide between the haves and have-nots has not occurred, he claims, by chance.
Calling the modern day a “second Gilded Age,” Krugman emphasized the strong role that institutions, norms, and politics play in setting economic policy. In particular, he described “movement conservatism” as essentially economic in motivation, with the goal of rolling back the New Deal and Great Society programs. Despite the failure of politics in recent years to respond to society’s have-nots, Krugman declared an optimistic outlook on the future because of the way the American public has re-thought itself. Claiming that Americans today are more liberal than they realize or are willing to admit, Krugman believes their willingness to respond to the needs of others will help to resolve the inequalities that have emerged.

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Krugman Event Audio (58.3MB, MP3)

Luncheon Address with Dr. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:00:00 +0100

Luncheon Address with Dr. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee

While in Chicago for the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships, Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, spoke to a sold-out audience of more than 800 at a luncheon organized by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Economic Club of Chicago. Rogge used the opportunity to introduce the cornerstones of the Olympic Movement - values, partnerships and legacy - to Chicago's business and civil community: "Our values demonstrate who we are and what we stand for,” he said. “They distinguish the Olympic Games from all other sporting events. They reflect the universal principles that drive the Olympic Movement. Partnership is the core of our success and the soul of the Olympic Games. This partnership unites 205 National Olympic Committees in one place, under one flag, for 16 days, to engage in sport at the service of society. Legacy is our raison d’être. It ensures that the Olympic Games are more than metres and medals. The Games leave behind a host of social, economic and environmental benefits." Rogge added: "Values, partnership and legacy are all required to turn the Olympic Games into an enduring celebration of the human spirit."

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Rogge Event Audio(MP3, 48.5MB)

Chicago's Global Future: Study Group Report Release

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:00:00 +0100

Chicago's Global Future: Study Group Report Release

Cochairs of the Council’s study group on Chicago’s global future – Michael H. Moskow, former president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and now senior fellow for the global economy at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Henry H. Perritt, Jr., professor of law at the Chicago-Kent College of Law; and Adele Simmons, former president of the MacArthur Foundation and vice chair and senior executive at Chicago Metropolis 2020 – discussed findings of the first comprehensive study of the challenges Chicago faces as a leading global city.

Authored by a study group of forty prominent Chicago business and civic leaders, the study makes very specific recommendations for Chicago, including significantly increasing efforts to market the city as a global destination, expediting the expansion of O’Hare International Airport, reforming regional public transportation and improving education opportunities in the Chicagoland area.
The report recommendations dovetail with Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, by making the city a more attractive candidate for the Games while leaving it “a stronger, more vibrant city when the games are over.”

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Report Release audio (72.7MB, MP3)

Head of State Visit with President of the Republic of Poland

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:00:00 +0100

Head of State Visit with President of the Republic of Poland
with His Excellency Lech Kaczynski
President of the Republic of Poland

President Kaczynski, who assumed office on December 23, 2005, discussed some of the major global and regional issues facing the Republic of Poland, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), and Poland’s regional neighbors. President Kaczynski stressed the Republic of Poland’s close alliance with the United States, reminding the audience of Poland’s military presence in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He also presented the recent history of Poland’s involvement in both NATO and the EU, while touching on his hopes for regional neighbors like Belarus and the Ukraine to gain membership to NATO and the EU in the future. President Kaczynski reviewed Russia’s relationship with Poland and other nations in the region. He proudly relayed his belief that the EU is an exporter of both democracy and vibrant economic development, with all of its twenty-eight member nations functioning under some unique form of democracy today. While discussing Poland’s history as a nation and its current economic, social, and political state, he expressed optimism about Poland’s future in the 21st century.

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Kaczynski Event Audio - English(MP3, 42.4MB)

Kaczynski Event Audio - Polish(MP3, 39.3MB)

White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 19:00:00 +0100

White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

with Steven Okazaki, Shigeko Sasamori, Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk, Yuki Miyamoto, and Kennette Benedict

As global tensions rise, the unthinkable now seems possible. The threat of nuclear "weapons of mass destruction" has become frighteningly real. White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki, looks at the reality of nuclear warfare with first-hand accounts as told by survivors as well as some of the American men who carried out the bombing mission. Currently, the world has an arsenal large enough to repeat the destruction at Hiroshima 400,000 times over.

Presented here is a panel discussion which followed the screening of White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, featuring Director Steven Okazaki; Shigeko Sasamori, who survived the bombing at Hiroshima and was one of the 25 Hiroshima Madens, brought to the U.S. for plastic surgery; Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk, Navigator of the Enola Gay B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima; Yuki Miyamoto, Professor of Religious Studies at DePaul University whose grandfather and mother were in Hiroshima the day the bomb dropped; and Kennette Benedict, Executive Director of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists who moderated the discussion.

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White Light Black Rain

China Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections - Audio of Ambassador J. Stapleton Roy

Wed, 30 May 2007 19:00:00 +0100

China Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections
with Dr. Thomas Christensen, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State; and Ambassador J. Stapleton Roy, Vice Chairman of Kissinger Associates, Inc. and former Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China

“China Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections” was a national day of programming on China involving 30 cities throughout the United States. It provided an opportunity for communities to engage in a greater dialogue with key China policy-makers. The Chicago Council program featured a live Web cast from Washington D.C. with Dr. Thomas J. Christensen and included a discussion in Chicago with Ambassador J. Stapleton Roy.

To download audio of Ambassador Roy's remarks, right click and select "save target as":
Ambassador Roy Remarks (MP3, 41.1 MB)

The Challenge of the Future: Can We Find a Path to Both Climate and Energy Stability? - Audio ...

Mon, 21 May 2007 19:00:00 +0100

The Challenge of the Future: Can We Find a Path to Both Climate and Energy Stability?
with Peter C. Goldmark, Director, Climate and Air Program, Environmental Defense

Peter Goldmark, director of the Climate and Air program for Environmental Defense, delivered the second lecture in the 2007 Spring Chicago and the World Forum series The Global Energy Future. Goldmark, who has become a leading figure in the movement to stabilize the Earth's climate and improve regional and global air quality by reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, discussed ways to satisfy the world’s energy requirements while preserving clean air, clean water, and flourishing ecosystems.

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Goldmark Remarks (MP3, 34.3 MB)
Goldmark Q&A (MP3, 16.0 MB)

Revolutions in Military Affairs and the War on Terrorism - Audio of Max Boot's Remarks

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 19:00:00 +0100

Revolutions in Military Affairs and the War on Terrorism

Audio from The Chicago Council’s public program “Revolutions in Military Affairs and the War on Terrorism,” with Max Boot, a senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

Boot explores how innovations in weaponry and tactics have not only transformed how wars are fought and won but also have guided the course of human events, from the formation of the first modern states 500 years ago, to the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the coming of al-Quaeda.

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Boot Remarks (MP3, 15.9MB)
Boot Q&A (MP3, 13.4MB)

A Way Forward in Iraq - Text and Audio of Senator Barack Obama's Remarks

Sun, 19 Nov 2006 19:00:00 +0100

A Way Forward in Iraq

The Honorable Barack Obama, United States Senator from Illinois, unveiled his proposed next steps in Iraq at an event hosted by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs on November 20, 2006. More than 1,400 people attended the luncheon address, which took place at the Chicago Hilton.

Download text:
A Way Forward in Iraq (PDF)

To download audio, right click and select "save target as":
Marshall M. Bouton Welcome (MP3, 1.49 MB)
Obama Remarks (MP3, 17.9 MB)
Obama Q&A (MP3, 7.09 MB)

How Congress is Failing America and How to Get it Back on Track - Audio of Mann's and ...

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:00:00 +0100

How Congress is Failing America and How to Get it Back on Track

Audio from The Chicago Council’s public program “How Congress is Failing America and How to Get it Back on Track,” with Thomas E. Mann, the W. Averell Harriman Chair and Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at The Brookings Institution, and Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research).

Congress is the first and most vital branch of government. With close ties to the communities they represent, most members of Congress are our most direct link to politics. Mann and Ornstein discuss how partisan bickering, internal rancor, ideological polarization, and “permanent campaigning” have made Congress into “the broken branch.”

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Mann and Ornstein Remarks (MP3, 18.5MB)
Mann and Ornstein Q&A (MP3, 11.2MB)

Middle East after a Summer of Conflict - Audio of Ambassador Yoram Ben-Zeev's Remarks

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 19:00:00 +0100

The Middle East after a Summer of Conflict: An Assessment

Audio from The Chicago Council’s program “The Middle East after a Summer of Conflict: An Assessment” with His Excellency Yoram Ben-Zeev, Deputy Director General for North America, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This past summer, military and diplomatic crises in the Middle East dominated foreign policy news. We all know what transpired between Israel and Lebanon – but what is happening now? Ambassador Yoram Ben-Zeev discusses the current status of the diplomatic, military and political situation in Lebanon, as well as the roles played by Hezbollah's sponsors, Iran and Syria. He also addresses recent developments between Israel and the Palestinians.

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Ben-Zeev Remarks (MP3, 7.2MB)
Ben-Zeev Q&A (MP3, 10.1MB)

The Global Game of Risk and Reward - Audio of Ian Bremmer Remarks

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 19:00:00 +0100

The Global Game of Risk and Reward

Ian Bremmer, President of Eurasia Group and author of The J Curve, spoke at a Corporate Program for The Chicago Council on Global Affairs on September 9, 2006. Audio from the event, “The Global Game of Risk and Reward,” is below.

Bremmer received his Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University and has held research and faculty positions at Columbia University (where he presently teaches), the EastWest Institute, the Hoover Institution, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the World Policy Institute, where he has served as Senior Fellow since 1997. An expert on U.S. foreign policy, states in transition, and global political risk, Bremmer’s publications include New States, New Politics: Building the Post Soviet Nations, and over 100 articles and essays in International Affairs, The Harvard Business Review, World Policy Journal, The New Republic, The New Statesman, Fortune, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The International Herald Tribune, and The New York Times. He is a columnist for The Financial Times, contributing editor at The National Interest, and a political commentator on CNN, Fox News, and CNBC. He lives in New York.

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Bremmer Remarks (MP3, 11.9MB)
Bremmer Q&A (MP3, 10.1MB)

Marshall M. Bouton Discusses the Council's New Name and Expanded Mission on WBEZ's 848

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 19:00:00 +0100

Marshall M. Bouton Interview on WBEZ Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty-Eight

On September 1, 2006, The Chicago Council on Foreign Relations was renamed The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. This new name respects the Council's 84-year heritage, while reflecting the organization's expanding efforts to contribute to the global discourse on the critical issues of the day.

Marshall M. Bouton, president of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, explains the name change and the strategic direction of the Council in an interview on WBEZ Chicago Public Radio’s Eight Forty-Eight with Steve Edwards.

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Bouton Interview (MP3)(17.4 MB)
Bouton Interview (Microsoft Media Audio)(7.04 MB)

Audio of Madeleine K. Albright Remarks

Mon, 15 May 2006 19:00:00 +0100

A Conversation with Madeleine K. Albright

During her tenure as America’s first female secretary of state, Madeleine Albright considered religion a private matter and a treacherous topic for social conversation, let alone political debate. However, in the turbulence of the post 9/11 era, she has come to recognize that religion cannot be separated from the management of world affairs. The challenge, she contends, is to take advantage of the uplifting values that are common to all faiths, while striving to prevent religious divisions from adding to anger and strife. She now addresses some of the most controversial political and social questions of our time. Does America have a unique relationship with God? Has the United States, as President Bush has proclaimed, been divinely ordained to bring liberty and democracy to the world? What role does the Christian right have in influencing U.S. foreign policy? What strategy should America adopt in shaping its relationship with the Muslim world? Hear her views on the relationship between morality and diplomacy, the debate separating liberals and conservatives in the United States, the war in Iraq, and our confrontation with terror.

Madeleine K. Albright served as secretary of state from 1997 to 2001. She previously was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and on the staff of the National Security Council. She is currently a principal of the Albright Group LLC, the global strategy firm she founded; chairman of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs; and Mortara Endowed Distinguished Professor at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. Her new book, The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs, will be published by HarperCollins on May 2 and will be available for purchase and signing at the program.

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Albright Remarks (MP3, 9.68MB)
Albright Q&A (MP3, 14.7MB)