Lineup announced for 29th year of Great Decisions lecture series at St. Norbert College

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From St. Norbert College, January 11, 2011
by Mike Counter, mike.counter@snc.edu, (920) 403-3089

Great Decisions is a nationwide program meant to bring together local, regional and national experts in an eight-week lecture series discussing international issues of interest to the community. St. Norbert College is hosting the public event for its 29th year in northeastern Wisconsin.

Topics for the series are selected by the Foreign Policy Association of America and are intended to provide a local forum for discussion on current political and economic issues of the day. The speakers themselves are selected by participating colleges and universities. St. Norbert College is one of only two schools in Wisconsin that present the entire series. (UW-Milwaukee is the other.)

Following are the topics and speakers for 2011. All lectures will be held at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday evenings, in the Fort Howard Theater at the F. K. Bemis International Center on the St. Norbert campus.

February 16: "THE HORN OF AFRICA" -- Analyst Ben West from national analytical service STARTFOR.COM. An up-and-coming national voice/expert on this part of the world, Ben West will provide a look at instability, piracy, and poverty in a region critical to world sea lanes.

February 23:"U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY SINCE 9/11" -- Jeffrey Simon, renowned national terrorism commentator. U.S. national security priorities changed radically after 9/11; Jeffrey Simon is intimately acquainted with these changes and the rationale behind them, and will discuss where our national security policy is headed in the future.
March 2: "REBUILDING HAITI" -- Dr. Karen Richman, director of the Center for Migration and Border Studies, University of Notre Dame. Richman, one of the nation's premier experts on Haitian culture, language, and politics, will share her expertise and present a picture of the current status in Haiti today, as well as its prospects for the future.

March 9: "SANCTIONS AND NONPROLIFERATION" -- Dr. Gary Clyde Hufbauer, Peterson Institute for International Economics. Dr. Hufbauer's expertise in international economics extends across both government and private sectors. He will share his views on the effectiveness of sanctions as a diplomatic tool generally and in terms of nonproliferation specifically.
March 23: "RESPONDING TO THE FINANCIAL CRISIS" -- Dr. Michael Gapen, Barclays Capital. Having served in the International Monetary Fund and in a variety of high-level positions both in and out of government, Dr. Gapen will help bring clarity to the complex issues of the financial crisis.
March 30: "GERMANY ASCENDANT" -- Dr. Gary Shellman, Carthage College. Shellman has on-the-ground experience in Germany that enriches his academic perspective on the country. He will share his thoughts on German issues from reunification to domination of the European Union.

April 6: "THE CAUCASUS" -- Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh, director of the Patterson School of Diplomacy, University of Kentucky. Ambassador Cavanaugh, though officially retired, is still directly involved in the issues surrounding the Russian/Georgian conflict that dominates this region. The potential for confrontation between the U.S. and Russia in this flashpoint makes the Ambassador's views particularly relevant in today's world.

April 13: "GLOBAL GOVERNANCE" -- Dr. Wolfgang Schmidt, Entrepreneur and Social Activist. Schmidt works as a volunteer for the U.N. in a variety of fact-finding missions around the world, and has experienced both the successes and failures of international/global governance firsthand.
An advance subscription for the entire series is available for $40 per person. Subscription includes admission to all eight lectures and a copy of the Great Decisions briefing book. The briefing book includes background information on the lecture topics and access to the association's website, www.fpa.org, for resources, guides to topics and online discussion forums. Admission to individual sessions is also available for $5 at the door, and briefing books are available for $15.