On June 4th and 5th South Korea held its first ever Korea-Africa Summit. They hosted representatives from 48 African nations, including 25 heads of state. South Korea would like to expand its geopolitical influence and forge deeper global partnerships throughout the world. What does this new global perspective mean as it relates to Putin’s recent visit to North Korea, the role of China, working with Japan, the Philippines and Asia-Pacific region? Now South Korea hopes to play a role in Africa and even the Middle East. Finally, what about their politics internally? How do the Koreans themselves see their new role in the world and even their neighbors, near and far?
Please join us at the Neill Cochran Historical House Museum on Thursday, July 18 th , 5:30 p.m.
for a wine and cheese “social” followed by a joint presentation by two excellent scholars in this field: Rodger Baker and Dr. Jooyoun Lee.
RODGER BAKER
Executive Director, Stratfor Center for Applied Geopolitics
Rodger Baker has spent more than two decades with Stratfor/RANE, where he’s focused on the Indo-Pacific region, with special attention to China and the Korean Peninsula. He addresses the strategic dynamics of an evolving world system — looking at great power competition, the role of middle powers, and the impacts of technological, environmental, and demographic changes on geopolitical relationships. His core emphasis is the multidisciplinary approach to geopolitics and the evolution of international relations to develop mid- and long-term forecasts to assist companies, governments, and other globally engaged organizations make informed decisions.
Rodger is a Senior Fellow at the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, a Steering Fellow for the Mackinder Forum, and teaches a certificate program in Geopolitical Analysis at Florida Atlantic University.
DR. JOOYOUN LEE
Dr. Lee is a Professor of Global Studies and Political Science at St. Edwards University, where she teaches Global Issues, International Relations, International Security and Conflict Resolution. Her research interests include identity politics, collective memory, East Asian international relations, international security, gender, and popular culture. Prior to undertaking her Ph.D. at Syracuse University, she worked as a research fellow at the Korean Institute for Women and Politics and at the Institute of Civil Society and New Governance at Kyung Hee University in South Korea as well as serving as a program coordinator for the International NGOs conference held in Seoul in cooperation with the United Nations.
