Spring 2016
Eight Thursday Evenings
April 7 – May 26
6:30-8 p.m.
Room 1010(M)

Enrollment is limited. Click Here to Register Now! 

What better way to (re)think about the world and America’s role than to share thoughts with friends and neighbors about some of the hottest foreign policy issues confronting the United States today.   This series, utilizing Foreign Policy Association materials, will meet each Thursday evening for eight weeks, starting April 7 through May 26.

Topics we will discuss include:

• Middle East, April 7
• The Rise of ISIS, April 14
• Climate Change, April 21 **will take place in Room 9208 (Quiet Dining Room), and start at 7:00 pm, as part of a discussion about Biofuels and Climate Change
• The Future of Kurdistan, April 28
• Migration, May 5
• The Koreas, May 12
• The United Nations, May 19
• Cuba and the U.S., May 26

$35 to register for the series (8 meetings) Register here!

Students can receive credit for participating!! See below.

For more information go to the GAC website, or contact Larry Fuell (lfuell@shoreline.edu, 206-533-6750) or Elouiessa Muana (emuana2@shoreline.edu, 206-546-6996

*Attending individual seminars is possible, if space available; contact Larry Fuell. $5 entrance fee collected at door.

Issue brief summaries:
Middle East (April 7)
From a proxy war in Yemen to an ongoing civil war in Syria, a number of ongoing conflicts have shaken the traditional alliances in the Middle East to their core. As alliances between state and non-state actors in the region are constantly shifting, the U.S. has found itself between a rock and a hard place. In a series of conflicts that are far from being black-and-white, what can the U.S. do to secure its interests in the region without causing further damage and disruption?

The Rise of ISIS (April 14)
Born out of an umbrella organization of Al Qaeda in Iraq, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) burst onto the international stage after it seized Falluja in December 2013. Since then, the group has seized control of a number of critical strongholds in the country and declared itself a caliphate, known as the Islamic State. Still, the question remains: What is ISIS, and what danger does it pose to U.S. interests?

Climate change (April 21)** Note: this discussion will take place in 9208, starting at 7 p.m.
In the past few years, the American public has become more aware of the damage wrought by climate change. From droughts in the west to extreme weather in the east, a rapidly changing climate has already made its footprint in the United States. Now, it’s expected that the presidential election in 2016 will be one of the first ever to place an emphasis on these environmental changes. What can the next president do to stymie this environmental crisis? And is it too late for these efforts to be effective?

The Future of Kurdistan (April 28)
Kurdistan, a mountainous region made up of parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Armenia and Syria, is home to one of the largest ethnic groups in West Asia: the Kurds. Now, most in the West know them for their small, oil-rich autonomous region in northern Iraq called Iraqi Kurdistan — one of the U.S.’ closer allies in the Middle East and a bulwark against the expansion of the so-called Islamic State. What does the success of Iraqi Kurdistan mean for Kurds in the surrounding region?

Migration (May 5)
As a record number of migrants cross the Mediterranean Sea to find refuge in Europe, the continent is struggling to come up with an adequate response. Although Europe’s refugees are largely fleeing conflicts in Syria, Iraq and parts of Africa, their struggle is hardly unique. Today, with the number of displaced people is at an all-time high, a number of world powers find themselves facing a difficult question: How can they balance border security with humanitarian concerns? More importantly, what can they do to resolve these crises so as to limit the number of displaced persons?

The Koreas (May 12)
At the end of World War II, Korea was divided in two. The northern half of the Korean peninsula was occupied by the Soviet Union, the southern by the United States. Today, North and South Korea couldn’t be further apart. The North is underdeveloped, impoverished and ruled by a corrupt, authoritarian government, while the South advanced rapidly to become one of the most developed countries in the world. With such a wide gap, some are asking if unification is possible, even desirable, anymore?

The United Nations (May 19)
On the eve of the international organization’s 70th birthday, the United Nations stands at a crossroads. This year marks a halfway point in the organization’s global effort to eradicate poverty, hunger and discrimination, as well as ensure justice and dignity for all peoples. But as the UN’s 193 member states look back at the success of the millennium development goals, they also must assess their needs for its sustainable development goals — a new series of benchmarks, which are set to expire in 2030. With the appointment of the ninth secretary-general in the near future as well, the next U.S. president is bound to have quite a lot on his or her plate going into office.

Cuba and the U.S. (May 26)
The U.S. announced in December 2014 that, after decades of isolation, it has begun taking major steps to normalize relations with Cuba, its neighbor to the south. The announcement marks a dramatic shift away from a policy that has its roots in one of the darkest moments of the Cold War — the Cuban missile crisis. Although the U.S. trade embargo is unlikely to end any time soon, American and Cuban leaders today are trying to bring a relationship once defined by a crisis in the 1960s into the 21st century.