Bard College–West Point Panel on Challenges in a Chaotic Middle East

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. —The Bard Globalization and International Affairs program, and the West Point–Bard College Exchange will present a panel “New World Disorder: U.S. Grand Strategy in a Chaotic Middle East,” featuring Walter Russell Mead and James Ketterer of Bard College and Ruth Beitler of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The panel will address the increasing and overlapping challenges facing the United States across the Middle East and North Africa. It will take place, on Monday, September 22nd at 6:30 p.m. in the Weis Cinema at the Bertelsmann Campus Center at Bard College. For more information, go to http://www.bard.edu/bgia/.

The Middle East and North Africa present a wide variety of foreign policy challenges for the United States. The panel will discuss U.S. policy toward the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the aftermath of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, ongoing tensions in Libya, strained relations with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and continuing negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program. There will be opportunities for questions and comments from the audience.

Walter Russell Mead is James Clarke Chace Professor of Foreign Affairs and the Humanities. He is the author of many articles and books, including Special Providence: American Foreign Policy and How It Changed the World. James Ketterer is director of international academic initiatives at Bard’s Center for Civic Engagement and was previously Egypt country director for AMIDEAST. Ruth Beitler is associate professor of international relations and Comparative Politics in the Department of Social Sciences at the U. S. Military Academy, where she serves as course director for Middle East Politics and Cultural Anthropology. She is also director of the Conflict and Human Security Studies Program.

Preceding the panel there will be an information session on the Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program (BGIA) in New York City, starting at 6:00 p.m. in the same room. BGIA is a semester/summer study-away program in New York City at which students study international affairs and intern at leading international affairs organizations. BGIA provides a unique opportunity for university students and recent graduates from around the world to engage in the study and practice of international law; international relations theory; global public health; political economy; international reporting; and other aspects of international affairs. BGIA is a small and highly selective program for 30 students each semester and 20 students each summer. Recent internship organizations include Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs, Oxford Analytica, Central American Legal Assistance, CNN, Council on Foreign Relations, East West Institute, Human Rights Watch, Open Society Foundations and many more. For more information, go to http://www.bard.edu/bgia/

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September 15, 2014

This event was last updated on 09-15-2014

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