Past Programs

A.I. & International Security Affairs with Dr. Michael Klare

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 21:29:29 GMT

Dr. Michael Klare on A.I. and International Security Affairs

Michael Klare is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Political Science and the Five College Professor Emeritus of Peace and World Security Studies at Hampshire College. Klare also serves as a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C., where he studies the impact of A.I. and robotics on warfare and arms control. He is the author of a dozen books on U.S. military policy and world affairs, including, most recently, All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon's Perspective on Climate Change .

Dr. Joshua B. Spero┃Poland & Ukraine

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 19:02:04 GMT

Talk by Dr. Joshua B. Spero on Poland and Ukraine

"How Poland & Ukraine Anchor Europe's Defense"

Presented by Dr. Joshua B. Spero

Special Assistant to the President & Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Fitchburg State University.

Recorded 2/12/2026

Javier Corrales┃Autocracy Rising

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:38:24 GMT

Javier Corrales┃Autocracy Rising

10th Instant Issues event featuring Dr. Javier Corrales, Dwight W. Morrow 1895 Professor of Political Science and Department Chair of Political Science at Amherst College, on Autocracy Rising: How Venezuela Transitioned to Authoritarianism.

Lindsay Koshgarian: $1 Trillion War Budget & The Threats to Democracy

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 16:58:09 GMT

Lindsay Koshgarian, Program Director of the National Priorities Project of the Institute for Policy Studies, on The $1 Trillion War Budget and the Dismantling of our Democracy . The program took place on Tuesday, October 21 in Springfield, MA.

Lindsay Koshgarian's published reports include analyses of militarization in the federal budget, from the Pentagon and war, to militarization of U.S. borders, and the militarization of law enforcement. Her work has appeared in outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, MSNBC and others. Prior to her work with NPP, Lindsay was a researcher at the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute.

Frank Lavin: The Reagan Doctrine ― Lessons for Today

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 16:42:30 GMT

Ambassador Frank Lavin on The Reagan Doctrine: Lessons for Today . The program took place on Thursday, October 9 from noon to 1 pm in downtown Springfield.

Frank Lavin is active in U.S.-Asia policy, U.S. domestic politics, and trade policy matters. He serves as a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution as well as a Trustee of the Asia Foundation and as a Director of the Asia Society of Northern California.

Kristen Rupert on Global Trade Turmoil—Challenges, Implications & Opportunities.

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 16:07:42 GMT

Kristen Rupert talks about tariffs, small businesses and the current global business turmoil.

Kristen Rupert, Consultant and former Senior Vice President & Executive Director of Associated Industries of Massachusetts International Business Council talks about Tariffs, small businesses and the current global business Turmoil.

Kristen Rupert served nearly 20 years as Senior Vice President and Executive Director of AIM’s International Business Council. Since 2024 she has been providing strategy consulting to non-profit organizations.

Kristen has helped Massachusetts companies navigate international business challenges including supply chain issues, tariffs and new regulations. She also assisted employers in their efforts to identify and enter new overseas markets. She produced a biweekly international newsletter, organized symposia and conferences, spoke on corporate panels, authored op-eds and blogs, lectured at universities, and served on advisory boards for the US Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers in Washington DC. Kristen traveled with Massachusetts Governors Deval Patrick and Charlie Baker on trade missions to Europe, Central America, South America, the Middle East, Canada and the Caribbean, advocating for further international business relationships for companies in the Commonwealth.

Dr. Wiktor Askanas on Poland in the Context of Current Political and Economic Turbulence

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 01:35:20 GMT

Dr. Wiktor Askanas is a distinguished academic and corporate leader with expertise in strategic management, governance, and international business. With a career spanning Canada, Poland, and beyond, he has held leadership positions in academia, government, and corporate boards. Recognized for his contributions to management education and corporate governance, Dr. Askanas continues to shape the field through teaching, research, and advisory roles.

This video was recorded on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

Western Massachusetts Refugee Experience: An Update

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:18:45 GMT

The Refugee Experience in Western Massachusetts: An Update

Date: March 26, 2024.

In August of 2021 Nazifa Hassan Safie and Safieullah Safie due to their involvement

in humanitarian activities and with United States agencies, as well as the brutal assassination of Nazifa's father--were forced to evacuate from their home in Afghanistan. They ultimately settled in Western Massachusetts.

In April 2022 they spoke to the World Affairs Council about their story. In this talk in 2025 they provided an update on their situation. Both are now working for Save the Children.

Dr. Sara Newland: Navigating U.S., China, and Taiwan Relations: Is a Collision Inevitable?

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 00:52:41 GMT

Dr. Sara Newland, Assistant Professor of Government at Smith College, is a scholar of local politics in China and Taiwan, and seeks to understand the behavior of local officials as domestic public servants and as actors in international relations.

Her research on local governance and public service provision has been published in China Quarterly and Governance. Her new work focuses on subnational diplomacy, and in particular on the role that state and local officials play in the complicated relationships between the U.S., China and Taiwan. Her work on U.S.-Taiwan subnational engagement has been published in Pacific Review, and she is currently working on a book project (with Kyle Jaros) on U.S.-China subnational diplomacy in an era of rising great power competition.

Her talk was given on February 11, 2025 as part of the Instant Issues Series of events.

Martha Hodes - My Hijacking: A Personal History of Forgetting and Remembering

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 17:49:47 GMT

Martha Hodes, Professor of History at New York University. Her talk at the 2024 Annual Meeting and Dinner of the Western Massachusetts World Affairs Council. Date: October 10, 2024. Location; Ludlow, MA. Subject of her talk is her book: My Hijacking: A Personal History of Forgetting and Remembering. On September 6, 1970, she--then 12 years old--and her 13-year-old sister were flying unaccompanied back to New York City from Israel when their plane was hijacked by members of the secular Marxist group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and forced to land in the Jordan desert. Nearly a half-century later, her memories of those six days and nights as a hostage were hazy and scattered. Drawing on deep archival research, childhood memories, and conversations with relatives, friends, and fellow hostages, Hodes set out to re-create what happened to her. As the hostages forged friendships and provoked conflicts, the sisters learned about the lives and causes of their captors, pondering a deadly divide that continues today. As a personal history, My Hijacking ultimately brings the author to a deeper understanding of what happened in the Jordan desert, prompting a complex confrontation with trauma and empathy.

John Feffer Talk: What Do Voters Want and Will They Get it?

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:46:48 GMT

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts presented John Feffer, Director of Foreign Policy in Focus and Global Just Transition at the Institute for Policy Studies, on What Do Voters Want and Will They Get it?, a round-up of recent national elections in France, the United Kingdom, Iran, and elsewhere.

Talk by Journalist Mara Kardas-Nelson on "The Seductive Promise of Microfinance"

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:43:03 GMT

World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Event. A talk by Journalist Mara Kardas-Nelson: We Are Not Able To Live In The Sky: The Seductive Promise of Microfinance. Location: Springfield MA.

Arthur House Talk on Foreign Influence on US Elections

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:39:39 GMT

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Lunchtime discussion event featuring Arthur House, former Chief Cybersecurity Risk Officer for the State of Connecticut, on Foreign Influence on US Elections.

Dr. Constantine Pleshakov: Ukraine - Putin's Waiting Game

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 17:37:40 GMT

An Instant Issues Lunchtime discussion event featuring Dr. Constantine Pleshakov, author and Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science at Amherst College, on Putin's Waiting Game.

Arthur House on the The "Liberal International Order" - Worth Preserving?

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:33:12 GMT

Arthur House is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Connecticut and former Cybersecurity Policy Advisor to Connecticut’s Secretary of the State. He spoke at the 2023 Virtual Annual Meeting of the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts on October 19th, 2023.

Dr. Gregory White: Refugees of the Apocalypse?: A Critique of the Concept of “Climate Refugees"

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:36:15 GMT

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts presented an Instant Issues event featuring Dr. Gregory White, Mary Huggins Gamble Professor of Government; Chair of Environmental Science and Policy at Smith College. Date: September18, 2023 - Springfield, MA.

Isidre Sala Queralt on Massachusetts & Catalonia, Strengthening a Partnership

Fri, 12 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Instant Issues: Isidre Sala Queralt, the Head of the Delegation of the Government of Catalonia to the United States and Canada, on Massachusetts & Catalonia, Strengthening a Partnership. Isidre Sala Queralt was the Director General for Global Affairs from April to September 2019 at the Secretariat for Foreign Affairs and European Union of the Government of Catalonia, where he previously was Director General for Multilateral and European Affairs . From these posts, he worked to foster cooperation between the Government of Catalonia and the multilateral organizations in order to maximize Catalonia’s potential contribution to the main global challenges. From 2014 to 2017, he promoted Catalonia’s policy in international finance institutions and other international organizations with an economic mandate.

U.S. Department of Commerce and Assisting Western MA Exporters Go Global

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 16:00:00 GMT

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts presented Director of the Boston Office of the U.S. Commercial Service James Paul on U.S. Department of Commerce and Assisting Western MA Exporters Go Global on April 27, 2023 in Springfield, MA.

Mouloud Said on The Human Face of the Western Sahara Conflict

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 22:00:00 GMT

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts presented the US Representative of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic in Washington, Mouloud Said, in conversation with Nina Nedrebø, on The Rights of the People of Western Sahara: The Human Face of the Conflict. This event took place on February 9, 2023 in Springfield, MA USA.

John Feffer: Right Across the World: Italy, Sweden and Brazil

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 17:00:00 GMT

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Program: John Feffer, director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies, on "Right Across the World: Italy, Sweden & Brazil".

An Interview with Farah Pandith on How We Win: Soft Power & Fighting Hate

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 23:30:00 GMT

96th Annual Meeting of the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts featuring an interview with Farah Pandith on How to Win: Soft Power & Fighting Hate. She was interviewed by the President of the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, Steve Spelman.

Dr. Laura Reed’s talk: Avoiding World War III: Nuclear Threats in Europe

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Dr. Laura Reed’s talk to the World Affairs Council of Western MA on Avoiding World War III: Nuclear Threats in Europe. First live event in over two years. Great talk and interesting questions. Talk took place on April 20th. Dr. Reed is a lecturer at the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts--Amherst. She served as Assistant Director of the Five College Program in Peace and World Security Studies, a Fellow in the Managing the Atom Program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and as a Research Scientist in MIT’s Security Studies Program. Link to the video: https://youtu.be/dflhueOFKOA

Return to In-Person Programs: What Does it Mean?

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:31:00 GMT

While the return to in-person events is exciting, it is also daunting. We're committed to trying our best to make attendees feel as safe as possible. Toward that end we plan to put in place the following protocols:

Every attendee will be required to present proof of vaccination for COVID before entering the program space. This can be a photograph or photocopy of your vaccination record card.
Every attendee who wishes to wear a mask is welcome to do so.
Audience size will be limited.
All attendees must register and pay in advance. No walk-ins.
If you are not feeling well on the day of the event, please do not attend. We will make our refund policies as liberal as possible.

These protocols may change depending upon CDC, state and local guidelines, but we will alert you as soon as we can. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 413-733-0110 or email Executive Director Cyd Melcher.

Russia's Foreign Policy in the 21st Century with Constantine Pleshakov

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 17:00:00 GMT

A former foreign policy analyst at the Institute of U.S. and Canada Studies in Moscow, Dr. Pleshakov emigrated to America in 1998. He has published six books on geopolitics, war, and revolution, translated into twelve languages. His most recent book is The Crimean Nexus: Putin's War and the Clash of Civilizations. A native of Yalta in Crimea, he is currently a visiting professor at Amherst College. The program was moderated by longtime member and friend of the Council, Dr. Stephen Jones, Professor of Russian Studies at Mount Holyoke and co-author of Georgia: From Autocracy to Democracy.

He Saved the World: Edward Stettinius and the Creation of the U.N. with Bill Scher

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 17:00:00 GMT

World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Online event: Bill Scher talks about the almost-completely forgotten Secretary of State for Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Edward R. Stettinius, Jr. who did more than anyone to create the United Nations, navigating a thicket of international disputes to maintain consensus between FDR, Churchill, Stalin and a litany of smaller nations to forge the final U.N. Charter.

Rethinking Security from a Global South Perspective with Dr. Omar S. Dahi

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 17:00:00 GMT

This virtual event took place on January 27, 2022 and was hosted by the the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts as part of their Instant Issues Online series. Dr. Omar S. Dahi is an Associate Professor of Economics at Hampshire College and a research associate at the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Omar Dahi is the founding director of Security in Context, a research network on peace, conflict, and international affairs. Their website: https://www.securityincontext.com. Moderating the talk is Dr. Kavita Khory, Ruth Lawson Professor of Politics and Carol Hoffman Collins Director of the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives at Mount Holyoke College.

Quo Vadis Polonia with Gedeon W. Werner

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 17:00:00 GMT

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts presented an Instant Issues Online event featuring Mr. Gedeon Werner, Novak Family Endowed Polish Chair at the School of Business at Quinnipiac University, on Poland’s Quarrel With the EU: A Prelude to Polexit?

Sports Diplomacy in Western Massachusetts and Beyond

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 23:00:00 GMT

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts and Springfield College present Ryan Murphy, program Officer of the US Department of State Sports Diplomacy Division in conversation with Springfield College's Irene Rotondo, class of 2022 and Editor-in-Chief of "The Springfield Student".

Dr. Katherine Brown on Afghanistan: How to Keep Supporting Our Allies

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 18:00:00 GMT

Dr. Katherine Brown, President and CEO of Global Ties US and author of "Your Country, Our War: The Press and Diplomacy in Afghanistan", talked at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts virtual event on September 9th, 2021 about "Afghanistan: How to Keep Supporting Our Allies".

Resources:

Dr. Peter Abbott, OBE, British Consul General - NewEngland on Global Britain UK-US Special Relationship

Tue, 04 May 2021 18:30:00 GMT

Dr. Peter Abbott, OBE, British Consul General to New England spoke to us on Tuesday, May 4 on Global Britain and the UK-US Special Relationship. Dr Abbott has been a member of Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service for 15 years. Before becoming British Consul General to New England in 2020, he served as Counsellor at the British High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan, with operational oversight of the largest mission in the UK’s overseas diplomatic network. Deputy Consul Tom Nickalls also took part in this presentation.

WNE School of Law Dean Sudha Setty on National Security Priorities in President Biden’s First 100 Days

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 16:00:00 GMT

She is speaking with Mount Holyoke Professor of Politics Kavita Khory who is the Ruth Lawson Professor of Politics and the Carol Hoffmann Collins Director of the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives.

Former CNN Asia Correspondent Mike Chinoy on the Rise of the Human Rights Movement.

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 23:30:00 GMT

Former CNN Asia Correspondent--and Northampton native--Mike Chinoy spoke at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts virtual event on his new book, "Are You With Me?: Kevin Boyle and the Rise of the Human Rights Movement" on March 24, 2021. Mr. Chinoy was in conversation with Matthew H. Charity, Professor of Law at the Western New England University School of Law. This event was presented in cooperation with the Western New England University School of Law. Generously sponsored by Glenmeadow and Wilbraham & Monson Academy.

Photojournalist Winslow Martin on Nagorno Karabakh Conflict

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 17:00:00 GMT

A World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts 'Instant Issues Online' event: Behind the Soldier: A Journal of the War over Nagorno Karabakh. In Behind the Soldier, Martin chronicles with words and pictures what he witnessed in Armenia, during its war against Azerbaijan. The war was fought over the long-disputed territories of Nagorno Karabakh. Martin stayed in the capital of Yerevan, realizing that everyone, everywhere was in the war. Armenia is a small country, so the battle front was always close to home. His photos of volunteers helping the cause, soldiers going and coming from war, refugees, street demonstrations, funerals, etc. combined with this commentary tell a compelling story about Armenia and life during war. Martin will be in conversation with longtime friend of the Council, Elizabeth Winship, former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Elms College and current Head Librarian at Wroclaw International School in Poland.

Dr. Dan Shapiro on Negotiating the Nonnegotiable in the Arab-Israeli Conflict and Beyond

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

A Special presentation between the World Affairs Council or Western Massachusetts and Baypath University. Dr. Daniel Shapiro is the founder and director of the Harvard International Negotiation Program. Dr. Shapiro teaches a highly evaluated course on negotiation at Harvard College; instructs psychology interns at Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital, and leads executive education sessions at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital. He has served on the faculty at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and at the Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

KRG US Rep Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman on US and Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Growing Partnership

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 23:30:00 GMT

KRG US Rep Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman speaking to us at a virtual event on Thursday, November 12th. Key to her role are strengthening ties between Kurdistan and the United States, advocating her government’s position on a wide array of political, security, humanitarian, economic, and cultural matters and promoting coordination and partnership. Prior to her US appointment in 2015, Ms. Abdul Rahman was the High Representative to the United Kingdom. She was elected to the Leadership Council of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in 2010. This program was generously sponsored by Bacon\Wilson PC.

BBC Correspondent Andrew Harding: Rivalry between the United States & China for influence in Africa

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 16:30:00 GMT

BBC Correspondent Andrew Harding will speak at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts virtual event about the rivalry between the United States and China for influence in Africa as well as his new book, These Are Not Gentle People: Two murders. Forty suspects.

Javier Corrales: Why Populism is the Sugar Salt Fat in Our Politics

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 16:15:00 GMT

We welcomed back Dr. Javier Corrales, Dwight W. Morrow 1895 professor and chair of Political Science at Amherst College, for an Instant Issues Online event on June 30, 2020. Javier Corrales' research focuses on democratization, presidential powers, democratic backsliding, political economy of development, ruling parties, the incumbent's advantage, foreign policies, and sexuality. He has published extensively on Latin America and the Caribbean. His latest book, Fixing Democracy: Why Constitutional Change Often Fails to Enhance Democracy in Latin America, was published by Oxford University Press in 2018. He is the co-author with Michael Penfold of Dragon in the Tropics: Venezuela and the Legacy of Hugo Chávez (Brookings Institution Press, 2015), now in its second edition; with Daniel Altschuler, The Promise of Participation: Experiments in Participatory Governance in Honduras and Guatemala (Palgrave/Macmillan 2013), and with Carlos A. Romero, U.S.-Venezuela Relations since the 1990s: Coping with Midlevel Security Threats (Routledge, 2013). He is also the co-editor with Mario Pecheny of The Politics of Sexuality in Latin America: A Reader on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2010), and author of Presidents Without Parties: the Politics of Economic Reform in Argentina and Venezuela in the 1990s (Penn State University Press, 2002). He is a frequent and popular speaker at the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts as well as other Councils throughout the WACA network.

Attorney Mahsa Khababai on "Can the Coronavirus Cure a Broken Immigration System?

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 16:15:00 GMT

Attorney Mahsa Khanbabai speaking at an Instant Issues Online event, Thursday, June 24th, 2020.

Journalist Lisa Napoli on her new book: Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News

Thu, 28 May 2020 17:00:00 GMT

Lisa Napoli covered presidential campaigns, a hostage standoff, an outdoor hacker convention and the culture of technology, all at a wide variety of news outlets (some which no longer exist) including the New York Times CyberTimes , MSNBC , and the public radio show Marketplace . For five years, she also covered arts and culture at KCRW . Her first book, Radio Shangri-La , is about the impact of media culture on the Kingdom of Bhutan, where she was invited to help start a radio station at the dawn of democratic rule. Ray & Joan is about the late philanthropist Joan Kroc and her husband, the founding chairman of the McDonald’s corporation. Lisa is the founding board president of the Bhutan Media Service, an all-volunteer news outlet created by Bhutanese refugees in diaspora . The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by Glenmeadow Greenfield Savings Bank Wilbraham & Monson Academy Sir Speedy

Instant Issues Online: Lisa Napoli on CNN & the Impact of the 24-Hour News Cycle on Global Events

Thu, 28 May 2020 17:00:00 GMT

Journalist Lisa Napoli will speak at an Instant Issues Online event Thursday, May 28 from 1:00-1:30 PM on her new book Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News .

This event is free. Register online here .

In over three decades as a journalist, Lisa Napoli covered presidential campaigns, a hostage standoff, an outdoor hacker convention and the culture of technology, all at a wide variety of news outlets (some which no longer exist) including the New York Times CyberTimes , MSNBC, and the public radio show Marketplace. For five years, she also covered arts and culture at KCRW. Her first book, Radio Shangri-La , is about the impact of media culture on the Kingdom of Bhutan, where she was invited to help start a radio station at the dawn of democratic rule. Ray & Joan is about the late philanthropist Joan Kroc and her husband, the founding chairman of the McDonald’s corporation. Lisa is the founding board president of the Bhutan Media Service, an all-volunteer news outlet created by Bhutanese refugees in diaspora.

Copies of Up All Night are available for purchase here .

The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by
Glenmeadow
Greenfield Savings Bank
Wilbraham & Monson Academy
Sir Speedy

Instant Issues Online: Charlie Epstein on the Impact of COVID-19 on Global Markets

Tue, 12 May 2020 00:40:00 GMT

Financial advisor Charlie Epstein on 'The Coronavirus Playbook - Where Do We Go From Here'. Charlie Epstein founded Epstein Financial Services in 1981. As The 401k Coach he has been recognized nationally as one of the industry’s most influential individuals. Charlie established the Family Business Center in Amherst. He has appeared on Fox Business and many local media outlets. The Instant Issues series was generously sponsored by Glenmeadow, Greenfield Savings Bank, Wilbraham & Monson Academy & Sir Speedy. Special thanks to John Perez, Principal Consilium Opis for hosting this event

Instant Issues Online: Charlie Epstein on COVID-19 & Global Markets

Mon, 11 May 2020 16:30:00 GMT

We will be presenting our first Instant Issues Online event this Monday, May 11, 2020 from 12:30 to 1:00 PM. Our speaker will be financial advisor Charlie Epstein on The Coronavirus Playbook - Where Do We Go From Here.

This is event is free, but you must register online to participate.

Charlie Epstein founded Epstein Financial Services in 1981. As The 401k Coach he has been recognized nationally as one of the industry’s most influential individuals. Charlie established the Family Business Center in Amherst. He has appeared on Fox Business and many local media outlets.

The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by

Glenmeadow
Greenfield Savings Bank
Wilbraham & Monson Academy
Sir Speedy

Special thanks to John Perez, Principal Consilium Opis for hosting this event

Dr. Vincent Ferraro: America and the Middle East: Will the Wars Ever End?

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 17:00:00 GMT

Dr. Vincent Ferraro, Professor of Politics, Emeritus at Mount Holyoke College, speaking on "America and the Middle East: Will the Wars Ever End?" A longtime member and friend of the Council and frequent speaker, he taught at Mount Holyoke for 40 years before retiring in 2016. His studies specialized in International Relations and American Foreign Policy; focusing in the areas of global poverty, third world and global development. Dr. Ferraro spoke at an Instant Issues brown bag lunchtime discussion series event

Instant Issues Lunch: Vinnie Ferraro on America & The Middle East in March

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Dr. Vincent Ferraro, Professor of Politics, Emeritus of Mount Holyoke College, will speak at an Instant Issues brown bag lunchtime discussion series event on America and the Middle East: Will the Wars Ever End? on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in the 3rd Floor Community Room of the MassLive Building at 1350 Main Street, in downtown Springfield. The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Glenmeadow, Greenfield Savings Bank, & Sir Speedy Special thanks to NAI Plotkin

Adventures in International Dining: Oriental Flavor in Amherst

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 23:00:00 GMT

Enjoy sampling Chinese cuisine with members and friends of the World Affairs Council. Socializing at 6:00 pm Cash bar. Dinner at 6:00 pm Menu coming soon. Parking in municipal lot across from restaurant Seating is limited. Please register quickly.

Dr. Michael T. Klare: "All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon's Perspective on Climate Change".

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 17:00:00 GMT

Dr. Michael T. Klare, Five College Professor Emeritus of Peace and World Security Studies, and Director of the Five College Program in Peace and World Security Studies, speaking at an Instant Issues brown bag lunchtime discussion series event on on his new book.

Instant Issues Lunch: Michael Klare on The Pentagon's Perspective on Climate Change in February

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 17:00:00 GMT

Dr. Michael T. Klare, Five College professor emeritus of peace and world security studies, and director of the Five College Program in Peace and World Security Studies, will speak at an Instant Issues brown bag lunchtime discussion series event on on his new book, All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon's Perspective on Climate Change on Thursday, February 20, 2020 in the 3rd Floor Community Room of the MassLive Building at 1350 Main Street, in downtown Springfield Michael Klare, Five College professor emeritus of peace and world security studies, and director of the Five College Program in Peace and World Security Studies (PAWSS), has written widely on U.S. military policy, international peace and security affairs, the global arms trade, and global resource politics. His books include Resource Wars, Blood and Oil, and The Race for What's Left. His articles have appeared in many journals, including Arms Control Today, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Current History, Foreign Affairs, Harper's, The Nation, Scientific American, and Technology Review. Klare serves on the board of the Arms Control Association and advises other organizations in the field. The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Glenmeadow, Greenfield Savings Bank, & Sir Speedy Special thanks to NAI Plotkin.

Dr. Sara Newland on The 2019 Hong Kong Protests: Causes and Consequences

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 17:00:00 GMT

Dr. Sara Newland, Assistant Professor of Government at Smith College speaking on The 2019 Hong Kong Protests: Causes and Consequences at an Instant Issues brown bag lunchtime discussion series event.

First Instant Issues Lunch of 2020 to Focus on Hong Kong

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 17:00:00 GMT

Instant Issues Series:

Dr. Sara Newland, Assistant Professor of Government at Smith College, will speak at an Instant Issues brown bag lunchtime discussion series event on "The 2019 Hong Kong Protests: Causes and Consequences" on Thursday, January 30, 2020 in the 3rd Floor Community Room of the MassLive Building at 1350 Main Street, in downtown Springfield.

Sara Newland studies local politics in China and Taiwan. She has conducted research on public goods and services in rural China, collaboration between civil society organizations and the local state, local government responsiveness in Taiwan, ethnic politics and political science pedagogy. She teaches courses on China, East Asia and comparative politics (with a focus on authoritarian regimes and the developing world). She is an associate in research at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard.

Previously, she was an assistant professor of political science at Villanova University and a China public policy postdoctoral fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School.

The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Glenmeadow, Greenfield Savings Bank, & Sir Speedy

Special thanks to NAI Plotkin

Farewell to Sue C. Root

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 21:32:00 GMT

Sue C. Root, former Executive Director of the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts's has passed away after a six-year battle with Alzheimer's Disease.

Sue became associated with the World Affairs Council in 1986. After serving as president of the board, she was the first paid Executive Director for 17 years until her retirement in 2003.

During her tenure, the World Affairs Council hosted President Ronald Reagan in 1988. His speech represented an important turning point in US-Soviet relations, as noted in Colin Powell in his memoir My American Journey.

She was a tireless advocate of citizen diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges. In addition to her duties at the World Affairs Council, she served adminsitrator for the City of Springfield's Sister City activities, and as co-chiar of the Massachusetts-Hokkaido Assocation. She traveled to Japan more than dozen times.

In 2013, the Japanese government conferred upon her the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays in recognition of her significant contributions to promoting friendly relations between Japan and the United States. It marked the first time someone had received this honor for grassroots work in international relations.

A more extensive obituary is available here .

It is impossible to overstate the impact Sue Root has had on the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts. As Ambassador Mark Hambley described her, "She was a great friend and a true partisan for peace and harmony."

Her spirit enlivens every cell of the organization and we miss her greatly.

Dr. Kavita Khory on Security Challenges in South Asia

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 17:00:00 GMT

Dr. Kavita Khory, Ruth Lawson Professor of Politics and Carol Hoffmann Collins Director of the Mount Holyoke College McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives, spoke on security challenges and ethnic conflicts in South Asia at an Instant Issues talk in Springfield, MA.

Mark R. Jacobson on Political Warfare, Propaganda & Disinformation

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 16:00:00 GMT

Mark R. Jacobson speaking on political warfare, propaganda and disinformation at the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues After Hours event on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 in downtown Springfield, MA.

Mr. Jacobson is a John J. McCloy '16 Professor of American Institutions, Amherst College and a former Army propagandist (1993-2001).

Dr. Mark R. Jacobson has over twenty years of experience in the federal government, international organizations, and academia working on some of the most complex and politically sensitive national security issues facing the United States. He is a recognized expert on U.S. foreign policy and national security as well as the dynamics of international conflict and the use of military force and has served as a policymaker, diplomat, academic and member of the armed forces.

93rd Annual Meeting and Talk by Dr. Katherine Brown, President & CEO, Global Ties US.

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 15:34:00 GMT

A talk given by Dr. Katherine Brown, President and CEO of Global Ties US at our Annual Meeting. Dr. Brown talked about her new book, 'Your Country, Our War: The Press and Diplomacy in Afghanistan' (Oxford University Press, 2019).

'Your Country, Our War' is the first book to review news media dynamics of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, America’s longest continuous combat engagement in history.

We also presented our second Sue C. Root Citizen Diplomacy Award to a local organization that had done outstanding work with the Council for the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program and other exchange programs.

This Video is quite long (1 hour and 29 minutes). Here are some time markers to help you find the various elements quickly:

Beginning - President John Morse: Introduction
12 minute mark - Stephanie Maher and Cyd Melcher: Election of new board members and noting the leaving of long time board member, John Young.
16 minute mark - Cyd Melcher: Presentation of the Sue C Root Citizen Diplomacy Award to New England Public Radio's Media Lab.
20:30 minute mark - John Voci, Executive Director of Programming and Content for NEPR: Accepting the award on behalf of the NEPR.
25:24 minute mark - Jeff Welch: Introducing Dr. Katherine Brown
27:45 minute mark - Dr. Katherine Brown

Annual Meeting to Feature Dr. Katherine Brown on The Press and Diplomacy in Afghanistan

Wed, 15 May 2019 20:30:00 GMT

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts is pleased to announce that Dr. Katherine Brown, President and CEO of Global Ties US , will speak on her new book, Your Country, Our War: The Press and Diplomacy in Afghanistan (Oxford University Press, 2019), at our 93rd Annual Meeting & Dinner or Wednesday, October 2 at the Springfield Sheraton Hotel.

We also plan to present our second Sue C. Root Citizen Diplomacy Award to a local organization that has done outstanding work with the Council for the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program and other exchange programs.

Your Country, Our War is the first book to review news media dynamics of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, America’s longest continuous combat engagement in history.

More details will follow soon.

World Affairs Councils of America Leadership Mission to Qatar

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 11:00:00 GMT

John Young, Board member of the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Instant Issues: Ambassador Mark G. Hambley on Yemen

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:46:00 GMT

Ambassador Mark G. Hambley , trustee of the Next Century Foundation , will speak at an Instant Issues brown bag lunchtime discussion series event on Monday, March 25, 2019 in the 3rd Floor Community Room of the MassLive Building at 1350 Main Street, in downtown Springfield on Update on Yemen: Is Peace Finally at Hand?

The cost with a box lunch–tuna, turkey, vegetarian or roast beef sandwich–is $20 for Council members and $25 for nonmembers. The cost for members without a lunch is $5 and for nonmembers, $10.

The RSVP deadline is Thursday, March 21, 2019.

NOTE: As we expect this event will be popular, attendees who wish to eat lunch—purchase from us or bring your own—at a table are invited to do so between Noon and 12:30 PM in Community Room B (the one on the left). The talk will begin at 12:30 in Community Room A, set up theater style without tables. (You may eat off your lap if you wish during the talk.) We also encourage you to register quickly to ensure you have a space.

Mark Hambley, former US Ambassador to Lebanon and Qatar, served more than three years as the U.S. Consul in Sanaa in the 1970’s during which time he traveled throughout the country, was hijacked on a Yemen Airways DC-3, met his future wife Patricia, acquired a near fatal form of hepatitis, set the record for the fastest travel by car from Sanaa to the port city of Hodeidah in a Camaro Z-98 , and lived to tell the tale after he drove the same car off the side of a 1500 foot cliff, coming to rest, fortuitously on a coffee terrace only 80 feet below the road surface.

More recently, Mark was engaged to liaise with some of the Yemenis held at the Guantanamo prison complex and visited Yemen on a series of private missions several times over the past two decades. He describes Yemen as “at one time my favorite place in the world.”

The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by Wilbraham & Monson Academy & Sir Speedy. Special thanks to NAI Plotkin and 1350 Main Street, LLC.

Valet parking is now provided by the MassLive Building. Rates are $2 for the first 20 minutes, $4 for 20 minutes to 2 hours, and $2 per each additional hour. The parking station is on City Hall Place, around the corner from Court Street, between City Hall and 1350 Main Street. Currently the Council does not validate parking.

Oil, Socialism and the Crisis in Venezuela

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 12:00:00 GMT

Dr. Alejandro Velasco, Associate Professor at New York University’s Gallatin School speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Leadership & Negotiation Challenges in the World of Politics: International Relations Edition

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 14:00:00 GMT

State Senator Eric Lesser in conversation with Dr. Joshua Weiss, Program Director for Bay Path University’s Master of Science in Leadership and Negotiation at an Instant Issues After Hours event hosted by the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts at Merriam Webster, Inc., in Springfield, MA.

MA State Senator Eric Lesser & Bay Path’s Joshua Weiss to Discuss Negotiation in Current Political Climate

Mon, 10 Dec 2018 14:00:00 GMT

Please RSVP by Friday, January 25. The cost is $5 for Council members and $10 for non-members. Light refreshments will be provided. Plentiful free parking is available in the lot adjacent to the building. Please enter through the front door.

Eric P. Lesser was first elected to the Massachusetts Senate on November 4, 2014. He represents nine communities in the First Hampden & Hampshire District, proudly serving Western Massachusetts as one of the youngest members of the State Senate. During his first term in office, Senator Lesser helped pass significant new laws related to substance abuse treatment and prevention, job training, and promotion of tourism and the arts. Prior to becoming a state Senator, Lesser worked in the Obama White House, first as Special Assistant to Senior Adviser David Axelrod, and later as Director of Strategic Planning for the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. Lesser began as an aide on President Obama’s historic 2008 presidential campaign, traveling to 47 states and six countries with then-Senator Obama and his senior team. Lesser has been described as “the face of the promised Obama political generation” by the New York Times.

Dr. Joshua N. Weiss is the program director for Bay Path University’s Master of Science in Leadership and Negotiation. He is a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Negotiation Project (HNP), a subsidiary of Harvard University’s Program on Negotiation—a consortium comprised of faculty, staff, and students from Harvard, MIT, and Tufts University. Weiss is also the co-founder of the Global Negotiation Initiative at the HNP. In addition, Dr. Weiss is the founder of Negotiation Works, Inc., consulting for a number of Fortune 500 companies, the United Nations, and the U.S. Government. He delivers negotiation and mediation training and courses and is tasked with negotiation and mediation at the organizational, corporate, government, and international levels. He also serves as a member of the World Affairs Council’s Board of Directors.

The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by Wilbraham & Monson Academy & Sir Speedy.

Special thanks to NAI/Plotkin and1350 Main Street LLC.

Instant Issues in February: NYU’s Alejandro Velasco on Venezuela

Mon, 10 Dec 2018 12:00:00 GMT

Dr. Alejandro Velasco of New York University will speak at an Instant Issues brown bag lunchtime discussion series event at noon on Friday, February 15, 2019 in the 3rd Floor Community Room, the MassLive Building at 1350 Main Street, in downtown Springfield on Oil, Socialism and Crisis in Venezuela .

The cost with a box lunch–tuna, turkey, vegetarian or roast beef sandwich–is $20 for Council members and $25 for nonmembers. The cost for members without a lunch is $5 and for nonmembers, $10.

The RSVP deadline is Thursday, February 13, 2019.

Alejandro Velasco is a historian of modern Latin America whose research and teaching interests are in the areas of social movements, urban culture and democratization. His book, Barrio Rising: Urban Popular Politics and the Making of Modern Venezuela (University of California Press, 2015), couples archival and ethnographic research to examine how residents of Venezuela’s largest public housing community pursued full citizenship during the heyday of Latin America’s once-model democracy.

Dr. Velasco will have recently returned from Venezuela when he speaks to us.

The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by Wilbraham & Monson Academy & Sir Speedy. Special thanks to NAI Plotkin and 1350 Main LLC.

Heartland Security: How Global Engagement Once Fueled the American Middle Class – and Can Again

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 13:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Harry Krejsa of the Center for a New American Security in conversation with Politico Magazine’s Bill Scher at The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts’s 92nd Annual Meeting and Dinner in Springfield, MA.

The United States’ New and Controversial Role in the World: The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

Sun, 29 Apr 2018 13:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic Magazine and a leading journalist on international relations at the Bill & Lynn Foggle Great Issues Lecture Series. This event was co-sponsored by The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts and hosted at Temple Beth El in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Higher Education, Immigration, and the Public Good

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 13:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Dr. Harry Dumay, President of Our Lady of the Elms College speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Developments on the Arabian Peninsula

Tue, 20 Mar 2018 13:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Ambassador Mark G. Hambley (Ret.), and William Morris, Secretary General of the U.K. based Next Century Foundation speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

How Do We Stop the Next World War: The Weaponization of Information and the Fight for Cyber Supremacy

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 14:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Dr. Haroon K. Ullah, Chief Strategy Officer at the Broadcasting Board of Governors speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Ullah serves as Chief Strategy Officer at the Broadcasting Board of Governors, an $800 million global media agency. He is a scholar, diplomat and policy practitioner with a special focus on digital strategy, countering violent extremism and transmedia engagement.

Haroon most recently served on Secretary Tillerson’s Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. State Department. He teaches at Georgetown University and is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He served as senior Harvard University Belfer Fellow, has an MA and PhD in international political economy, and was a William J. Fulbright Fellow, a Harvard University Presidential Scholar, and a Woodrow Wilson Public Service Fellow.

He is the author of Vying for Allah’s Vote: Understanding Islamic Parties, Political Violence, and Extremism in Pakistan and The Bargain From The Bazaar: A Family’s Day of Reckoning in Lahore. Walter Isaacson describes Ullah’s latest book, Digital World War: Islamists, Extremists, and the Fight for Cyber Supremacy, as “indispensable”.

North Korea and What Lies Ahead

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 14:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Dr. Laura Reed of the University of Massachusetts–Amherst Department of Political Science and Legal Studies speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

A frequent Council speaker, Laura Reed has served as Assistant Director of the Five College Program in Peace and World Security Studies, a Fellow in the Managing of the Atom Program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and as a Research Scientist in MIT’s Security Studies Program. She was Program Officer at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and served as Secretary of the U.S. Pugwash Committee (which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995).

Brexit and the Implications for Ireland

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 01:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Congressman Richard E. Neal at the 91st Annual World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Meeting & Dinner.

This video may also be viewed on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/240806897

Congressman Richard E. Neal was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1988. Since that time, he has proven to be a champion for the constituencies he serves in western and central Massachusetts.

A native of Springfield, he began his career in public service in 1973 as an Assistant to Springfield Mayor William C. Sullivan. In 1977, he was elected to the Springfield City Council and served as President of the Council in 1979. He was elected Mayor of the City of Springfield and held that position from 1984 to 1988. Congressman Neal is the Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee in the House. He is the dean of both the Massachusetts Delegation and the New England Congressional Delegation. He is an At-Large Whip for the House Democrats. Congressman Neal is a co-chairman of the New England Congressional Caucus, where he advocates for the unique regional interests of the six New England States. Congressman Neal is also the Democratic Leader of the Friends of Ireland Caucus. He is a long-time lecturer at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and is a National Trustee of John F. Kennedy Library in Boston.

Israel at 70 Years

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 01:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Yehuda Yaakov, Consul General of Israel to New England speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Yehuda Yaakov has been the Consul General of Israel to New England since February 2014. He has focused largely on strengthening values-driven partnerships between Israel and New England in the areas of business, academia and social justice. He is also involved in regionally-based coexistence projects.

Consul General Yaakov has spent most of his diplomatic career on issues pertinent to Israel’s security. This experience has included heading the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s department for non-conventional weapons prevention (2004-2007), as well as establishing and running the homeland security and counter-terrorism unit (2001-2004). In 2012, he received the Ministry’s award for excellence for his work on the Iranian crisis.

He has also served outside Israel in New York and New Zealand.

CG Yaakov’s career has also included academic pursuits. In the spring of 2013 he published a translated version of his Haifa University master’s thesis analyzing the nuclear negotiations strategy of Iran’s currant president Hassan Rouhani.

Climate Change and National Security

Thu, 28 Sep 2017 01:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Gregory White, Mary Huggins Gamble Professor of Government at Smith College speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

A longtime member and friend of the Council, Greg White is the Mary Huggins Gamble Professor of Government, the current chair of the government department and a member of the Environmental Science and Policy Program Committee. He teaches courses on global environmental politics, international relations, migration and refugee politics, and international political economy.

White’s research and publications focus on Moroccan politics, environmental politics and international security. He is currently co-editor of the Journal of North African Studies. In 2009–10 he received a New Directions Grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation and studied climate and earth science at Columbia University’s Earth Institute.

Recent publications have included Environmental Refugees, in The Handbook on Migration and Security, Philippe Bourbeau, ed. (London: Edward Elgar, 2017), and The Specter of Climate Refugees: Why Invoking Refugees as a Reason to ‘Take Climate Change Seriously’ is Troubling, Migration and Citizenship Newsletter of the American Political Science Association 4:2, Summer 2016.

A popular Instant Issues speaker, Greg White is a former member of the Council’s Board of Directors.

Security and Civil Liberties under Trump: What Can We Learn from the First 100 Days?

Thu, 11 May 2017 01:00:00 GMT

A talk given by Professor Sudha Setty, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Development & Intellectual Life at Western New England University School of Law in Springfield, MA at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Sudha Setty specializes in the areas of comparative law and national security. Her scholarly publications address secrecy, separation of powers and rule of law issues in the comparative constitutional context. Prior to joining the faculty of Western New England in 2006, Professor Setty was a litigator with the New York firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell, where she focused on antitrust and securities regulation matters. She served as defense counsel in civil, regulatory, and criminal matters involving national security issues, including terrorism financing investigations and lawsuits, and a pro bono matter challenging sentencing guidelines for those convicted of terrorist acts. Her pro bono practice also included litigating federal civil rights cases.

View on YouTube

Andrew Harding: The Mayor of Mogadishu: A Story of Chaos and Redemption in the Ruins of Somalia

Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:00:00 GMT

A talk given by BBC foreign correspondent Andrew Harding at the Sheraton Hotel in Springfield, MA. He spoke about his new book, The Mayor of Mogadishu: A Story of Chaos and Redemption in the Ruins of Somalia (St. Martin’s Press, 2016).

The Mayor of Mogadishu tells the story one family’s epic journey through Somalia’s turmoil, from the optimism of independence to its spectacular unraveling. It is an uplifting story of survival, and a compelling examination of what it means to lose a country and then to reclaim it.

Andrew Harding has worked as a foreign correspondent for the past twenty-five years in Russia, Asia and Africa. He has been visiting Somalia since 2000. His television and radio reports for BBC News have won him international recognition, including an Emmy, an award from Britain’s Foreign Press Association, and other awards in France, Monte Carlo, the United States and Hong Kong. He lives in Johannesburg with his family.

How 2016 Turned the Democrats into the National Security Party

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 15:17:00 GMT

Bill Scher is also a regular contributor to The New Republic and Real Clear Politics. He is a Senior Writer at OurFuture.org, and co-hosts The DMZ, an online TV show with conservative CNN contributor Matt Lewis on Bloggingheads.tv. Bill is the author of Wait! Don’t Move to Canada!: A Stay-and-Fight Strategy to Win Back America. He has made appearances on C-SPAN, CNN International, MSNBC and NPR among other TV and radio outlets, and his opinion articles have been published by the New York Times, New York Daily News and the Chicago Sun-Times.

Note: This is a video of the 2016 World Affairs Council of Western MA's Annual Meeting. Bill Scheer is preceeded by a number of speakers. To get to a specific speaker, you can shuttle through the videos to a specific time.

2016 Annual Meeting Program:

Opening: Gary Breton, Outgoing President

10:34: Ken Furst, Past President with Board nominations

20:25: John Morse, New President

28:07: Allison Werder, President of MassLive.com introducing Bill Scher

33:13: Bill Scher, Contributing Editor to POLITICO Magazine

Human Rights Abuses of Ethnic Minorities in China

Mon, 16 May 2016 15:33:00 GMT

Mr. Fay conducted research in Urumqi on a Fulbright Fellowship, and after that he worked in New York for China Labor Watch, then the Committee to Protect Journalists. He has studied Chinese and Uyghur languages at the University of Hawaii, Indiana University, Duke University in Beijing, CET Harbin and Xinjiang Normal University speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event

Origins of Da'ish, its geopolitical implications, and the ideology

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 19:03:00 GMT

Longtime Council member and friend, Ambassador Mark Hambley with his colleague, Mr. William Morris, Secretary General of the UK-based Next Century Foundation speaking on Syria, Asad and Da'ish: Groping for Answers.

Conversation with Juliette Kayyem, the former former Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security.

Sun, 18 Oct 2015 18:16:00 GMT

Home Sweet Homeland: Lessons for a More Resilient Nation.

Deal or No Deal: The Implications of the Iran Nuclear Agreement

Sat, 07 Mar 2015 19:21:00 GMT

Laura Reed is speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

An Evening with NPR International Correspondent Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

Thu, 11 Dec 2014 19:26:00 GMT

Ms. Nelson appears in conversation with Dr. William Taubman, Bertrand Snell Professor of Political Science Emeritus at Amherst College and author of the Pulitzer-Prize winning biography, Khrushchev: The Man and His Era. She was speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Does Nigeria Have a Fighting Chance Against Boko Haram?

Wed, 08 Oct 2014 18:35:00 GMT

Annual Meeting Speaker, Dr. Okey Ndibe. Dr. Ndibe is a novelist, political columnist, and essayist.

Middle Eastern Cauldron: Current Developments and Their Impact on the U.S.

Sat, 23 Aug 2014 18:49:00 GMT

Ambassador Mark G. Hambley (retired). Talk was given as a part of the Glenmeadow Learning Series Longmeadow Country Club.

Pakistan and Afghanistan: A Talk by Haroon K. Ullah

Wed, 28 May 2014 18:56:00 GMT

Haroon K. Ullah, an international scholar, US diplomat, and field researcher specializing in South Asia and the Middle East. He was speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Ukraine, A Country Still in Transition

Wed, 26 Mar 2014 19:01:00 GMT

A talk by retired Professor Candida Johnson, Professor of Business Administration at Holyoke Community College speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Syria and its Civil War - Unique Perspectives on this Raging Conflict

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 20:05:00 GMT

Speakers: Mr. William Morris, Secretary General of the Next Century Foundation and Ambassador Mark G. Hambley.

Human Trafficking in Massachusetts

Mon, 27 Jan 2014 20:10:00 GMT

Senator Gale D. Candaras on Human Trafficking in Massachusetts speaking at a World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Instant Issues Brown Bag lunchtime discussion series event.

Why the Chinese Are Unhappy

Wed, 29 May 2013 19:13:00 GMT

Hugo Restall, Editorial Page Editor of The Wall Street Journal’s opinion pages in Asia, speaking on Why Chinese Are Unhappy.

What's Going on in Burma/Myanmar?

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:20:00 GMT

Dr. U Ba Win, Vice President of Early College Policies and Programs at Bard College at Simon's Rock, and photographer Jonathan Doster.

A Conversation with Former Ambassador Ryan Crocker

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:36:00 GMT

Lessons from a Long War: The US and the Strategic Challenges of the Broader Middle East.