In his new political thriller The Human Scale, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright tells the story of an Israeli cop and a Palestinian-American FBI agent who join forces to solve […]
How will we define the vital interests of the U.S. related to our foreign policy in this new century? What should be our priorities, and how will we assess tradeoffs […]
As a country and world power, we are in a period of transition, from how we approach both our allies and potential adversaries to the impact of technology, from drone […]
Join the World Affairs Council of Austin and hear from our featured guest speaker, Kiersten Kullenberg, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Outreach Director for Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. Ms. […]
The global threats to US national security increase day by day, with our adversaries and competitors working together to create chaos and disruption, not just on the military front, but […]
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman – de facto ruler of one of the wealthiest states in the Middle East – has positioned himself as a transformative leader. His […]
Join your fellow World Affairs Council of Austin members for a conversation with Lawrence Wright, author, screenwriter, and playwright. Mr. Wright received the Pulitzer Prize for this book, "The Looming […]
An online conversation with LTG Robert Ashley, USA (Ret.), 21st Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and MG Garrett Yee, USA (Ret.) About the speakers: Lieutenant General Robert P. Ashley, Jr. retired from the U.S. Army November 2020 after over 36 years of activity duty service as an intelligence officer. He assumed his last duty […]
As the nuclear threat heats up, we sit down with Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, former Undersecretary of State for Arms Control & International. As the under secretary of state for arms control and international security from 2021 to 2024, Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins oversaw three bureaus: Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability; International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN); and […]
What is the region’s future, starting with Gaza and the West Bank? What will be the role of the US and countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt? The US has announced a 20-point plan for the region, and at this time, some would say that a ceasefire and the return of the Israeli […]
Join your fellow World Affairs Council of Austin members for Ukraine and Innovation at the Edge featuring Ross Guieb, Executive Director for the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex at […]
Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins us on WorldNow with Jim Falk to explore the global rise of autocracy, new challenges posed by an assertive Russia and China, and an increasingly insular America – and what it all means for democracy and security in a changing world. In Autocrats vs. Democrats, Ambassador McFaul […]
In 1785, the US adopted the dollar sign as its official currency. Just three years later, in 1789, the very first dollar bill was issued. By 1791, Alexander Hamilton established the Bank of the United States. For over the last century, the dollar has been a dominant force in international trade. An interesting fact is that […]
Each year, The Economist publishes The World Ahead series: an informed prediction of the major themes that will dominate the coming year. Spanning topics from politics to technology to sociology and more, this series edited by Tom Standage is as ambitious as it is awe-inspiring. On December 8, Standage rejoins the Council to discuss his publication’s analysis for 2026. In conversation […]
Gunboat diplomacy, armed conflict, or all-out regime change? As tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela continue to rachet up, all outcomes and more seem to be on the table. The U.S. has declared an armed conflict with Venezuela, increased military pressure in the Caribbean, and accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of heading Cartel de los […]