Globalist Coffeehouse: Cybersecurity as a National Security Threat
2022-03-17 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | ONLINE
Cybersecurity has been called “one of the most serious national security threats facing the U.S.” It has been estimated that malicious cyber activity costs the U.S. economy between $57 to $109 billion dollars a year.
We have already fallen victim to cyber-attacks, one example being the hacks and leaks targeting the 2016 elections. And then last year, Russia used “backdoor” accesses to hack SolarWinds – located in Austin – and impacted approximately 250 federal agencies. Another threat is artificial intelligence driving the speed of misinformation. For instance, conspiracy theories around the pandemic.
The problem is not unique to America. Russia also uses misinformation to generate anti-refugee sentiment in the EU and undermine NATO. And just last week, we witnessed the cyber-attack on Ukraine’s infrastructure and defense systems. They are not the only players in this game. Others such as Israel, North Korea and China are also “hacking” the internet.
How and where will this issue be addressed? The current administration has introduced the Cyber Diplomacy Act. It established the Office of International Cyberspace Policy under the State Department, and invested $10 billion in IT and cybersecurity infrastructure, which is an excellent start. But is it enough given the threat, especially in relation to our total defense spending? So, what is the future of cyber technology and how should the U.S. and the international community respond?
Please join us for what will be a very lively discussion. Due to the Omicron-variant, this will be an online zoom discussion. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to return to an in-person discussion at the Shoal Creek Saloon.

For further information please contact:
Ellen Murry, WAC Advisory Board
ellen.murry@yahoo.com
Polina Anastassieva, WAC management team
polina@wacaustin.org

Globalist Coffeehouse - International Waters: The Law of the Sea vs. a Country's Coastal Sovereignty
2022-04-21 18:30 - 19:30 | La Madeleine, 9828 Great Hills Trail, Suite 650, Austin, 78759, United States
***We are very pleased to announce that this month’s Globalist will be in person on Thursday, April 21st, 6:30–7:30 p.m.!! Please join us in the private dining room at La Madeleine’s located at 9828 Great Hills Trail, Suite 650, Austin, TX 78759.***
International Waters: The Law of the Sea vs. a Country’s Coastal Sovereignty
When we refer to a country’s border, we at least have a map as to where one country ends and another one begins. However, how do we define those boundaries on water?
International waters (high seas) do not belong to any individual country’s jurisdiction, and all have the right to fishing, navigation, overflight, laying cables and pipelines, as well as scientific research.
Beginning in the 1950s, international mandates have come to govern who has sovereignty over a country’s coastal waters. The Convention on the High Seas, defined “high seas” to mean “all parts of the sea that are not included in the territorial sea or in the internal waters of a State.” This was used as a foundation for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), signed in 1982, which recognized exclusive economic zones extending 200 nautical miles.
But competition for natural resources and a military presence have led countries like China to create their own definition of its coastal waters’ sovereignty – the Nine-Dash-Line. This has led to serious tensions among China’s regional neighbors, such as the Philippines and Vietnam. In the Arctic, Nordic Nations have their own boundary issues, with competition for resources with Russia.
What are the implications of all this in the South China Sea, but also for other countries with coastal boundaries? What will be the impact of climate change on coastal sovereignty?

From the Polish Cyber Frontlines to Texas. Lessons Learned and New US-EU Cybersecurity Opportunities
2022-06-22 12:00 - 14:00 | Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street, Austin, TX, 78701, United States
Explore way to learn from, and cooperate with, some of Poland’s most elite cybersecurity experts as they discuss their work in Europe combating one of the 21st centuries most pressing threats.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Panel, Lunch, & Networking: 12:00pm-2:00pm
Capital Factory, Captain America Room, 8th floor, 701 Brazos St, Austin, 78701
RSVP: Rafal.Sordyl (at) msz.gov.pl

Globalist Coffeehouse: What is the future of the UN in the 21st century?
2022-08-18 18:30 - 19:30 | Shoal Creek Saloon, 909 N. Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
Please join like-minded “global thinkers” for a monthly discussion on the major political/economic issues that our world is currently experiencing. We will be meeting in person in the semi-private dining room at the Shoal Creek Saloon, 909 N. Lamar. This month’s topic is:

What is the future of the UN in the 21st century?
With an ongoing war in Ukraine, post-pandemic recovery, and a drastic climate change all around our planet, the future of the United Nations isn’t something that particularly comes to the top of our minds. The UN was originally established post-WWII, with the goal to prevent any future wars. The UN Charter was adopted on June 25, 1945, and took effect October 24th, that same year.

It is made up of 5 divisions/components – the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, and the International Court of Justice. The UN is immune from the laws of the countries where they operate, seeing it is impartial to the host and member countries.

As stated in its charter, the primary role of the UN is to maintain peace and security throughout the world. Yet, in the Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syrian conflicts, the UN has been essentially irrelevant except for humanitarian aid. It has no role in the current China/Taiwan tensions, and its forces in Africa have not been particularly effective.
Is the UN irrelevant as many of its economic and national security responsibilities are handled by military and economic organizations – NATO, the EU, ASEAN, and the QUAD in Asia? While they have a constructive role in the international trade (WTO), they are often simply ignored. Even the composition of the Security Council (countries represented) reflects a politically bi-polar world that doesn’t exist today.
Some would say that the UN (WHO) has been effective with the distribution of the vaccine throughout the pandemic. It has also aided with the humanitarian food crisis caused by both the drought (climate change) and as a result of the war in Ukraine.
What should the role of the UN be in the 21st century – especially with climate change becoming the greatest global threat?

For more details contact:
Ellen Murry: ellen@wacaustin.org
Polina Anastassieva: polina@wacaustin.org

Cover to Cover - The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan
2022-08-31 13:00 - 14:00 | ONLINE
On the first anniversary of the U.S.-NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s takeover, WACA presents Elliot Ackerman to talk about his experience in the war-ravaged country. Ackerman left the U.S. military ten years ago, but his time in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Marines and later as a CIA paramilitary officer marked him indelibly. The Fifth Act is a recollection of his service in Afghanistan and an examination of America’s 20-year involvement in Afghanistan’s conflict. Ackerman weaves a personal history with the war’s long progression, beginning with the initial invasion in the months after 9/11 through the fall of Kabul, last August. The five acts serve as a prelude to Afghanistan’s dark future, a recognition of the peace that Afghan people have rarely enjoyed, and a look at the failings of U.S. intervention. The book also brings readers into close contact with a remarkable group of characters, American and Afghan, who fought the war with courage and dedication, and at great personal cost.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Elliot Ackerman is a writer, journalist, former White House Fellow, and decorated veteran. His books have been nominated for the National Book Award, the Andrew Carnegie Medal in both fiction and nonfiction, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. A former Marine, he served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. As a prominent figure in the veteran community and a regular contributor to TIME and CNN, Ackerman uses his platform to speak about his time serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, his perspective on current international relations in the Middle East, and how he turned to writing—both fiction and nonfiction—to chronicle America’s struggles

Global Security Forum 2022
2022-09-23 07:50 - 14:30 | ONLINE
The Global Security Forum convenes the nation’s top military leaders, experts and thought leaders to address the most critical global security issues of today as well as the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.
The World Affairs Council of Austin is pleased to partner with the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, the Charter Oak Chapter of the Military Officers Association, and the McCain Institute for International Leadership for an all-day seminar featuring experts from top military and civilian institutions. This event is not to be missed. Purchase your ticket for this virtual event by clicking on the button below:

The Global Security Forum brings the world’s top leadership directly to the citizenry. Generals, experts, policymakers, and foreign leaders convene to address the most critical global security issues of today and the opportunities of tomorrow.
Announced Speakers:

Admiral Dennis Blair, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Former Director of National Intelligence
Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, U.S. Army (Ret.), Former Commanding General of U.S.Army, Europe
Lieutenant General Jon Tyson Thomas, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), Former Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces
Dr. Carolyn Washington, Col., U.S. Army (Ret.), Women, Peace & Security Manager, Dept. of Homeland Security
Col. Bill Shelton, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), RAND Corporation
Lieutenant Col. Luke Knittig, U.S. Army (Ret.), Chief of External Relations for Power Africa, USAID
Cadet Chiara Wurdack, U.S. Military Academy
David E. Sanger, Chief Washington Correspondent, New York Times
Jillair Kubish, Executive Vice President of Business Operations, Colt’s Manufacturing
Rozlyn Engel, Chief Economic Strategist, The MITRE Corporation
Andre McMillian, Vice President of Sustainment Operations, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines
David Sanger, White House and National Security Correspondent, The New York Times
Arthur House, Former National Security and Intelligence Officer, State of CT

World Order, Challenges, Transition, Chaos? Western and Global Perspectives on Conflict in Ukraine
2022-09-26 12:00 - 14:00 | ONLINE
On February 24, 2022 Russia invaded Ukraine resulting in major population displacement, thousands of civilian and military casualties, jeopardizing global energy and food supplies and threatening potential escalation of clashes involving a major world nuclear power. Please join our partners at the Kozmetsky Center on Monday September 26, 2022 at 12:00 noon for the forum entitled “World Order, Challenges, Transition, Chaos? Western and Global Perspectives on Conflict in Ukraine.” This session will bring together a diversity of international experts representing Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, China, India and the United States to discuss the sources and consequences of the current conflict, risks of further escalation of hostilities, prospects for diplomatic settlement and the future of Ukraine and world order and global security architecture.
ATTEND THE PROGRAM ON ZOOM: https://stedwards.zoom.us/s/99173603911

Diana Negroponte, author of Master Negotiator: James A. Baker, III’s Role at the End of the Cold War
2022-10-02 18:30 - 19:30 | ONLINE
*****EVENT CANCELLED ***
We are pleased to feature Diana Villiers Negroponte as our special guest speaker.
Author and professor, Diana Negroponte has focused on the Cold War and how it ended. In between teaching at Fordham, George Washington and Georgetown Universities, she researches and writes. In 2015 the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies offered her a fellowship to write her book Master Negotiator: James A. Baker, III’s Role at the End of the Cold War.

While teaching at Fordham University she began Seeking Peace in El Salvador: The Struggle to Reconstruct a Nation at the End of the Cold War, Palgrave Macmillan (212) and later translated into Spanish and published in El Salvador, En Busca de La Paz en El Salvador, Editorial Delgado (2016). She retained her focus on Latin America becoming a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution where she wrote reports on New Directions in Brazilian Foreign Relations (2007), The Merida Initiative and Central America: Challenges of Containing Public Insecurity and Criminal Violence, (2009) and edited a book The End of Nostalgia: Mexico Confronts the Challenges of Global Competition (2013).
She has received numerous awards, including Soroptimist International’s Advancing the Status of Women Award, the Salvation Army of Mexico’s Award for Outstanding Community Service, Rotary Club of Honduras’ Woman of the Year and the Belgium King’s Chevalier de l’Ordre de Leopold.
Her current work is focused on Britain’s future after BREXIT and teaching a master’s seminar on international conflict management at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
A copy of her book can be purchased separately, on websites such as Amazon.

Germany’s Zeitenwende: Setting New Priorities in Foreign, Security, and Energy Policy
2022-10-18 18:00 - 19:30 | EVENT FILLED TO CAPACITY, Austin, 78705
In collaboration with the German-Texan Heritage Society and the American Council on Germany, the World Affairs Council of Austin invites you to meet Ambassador (ret.) Stefan Schlüter and learn more about Germany’s Zeitenwende: Setting New Priorities in Foreign, Security, and Energy Policy.

Abassador (ret.) Stefan Schlüter served in the German Foreign Office until the summer of 2017 and is now a Program Director at the Diplomatic Academy in Berlin. After studying political science at the University of Hamburg, Mr. Schlüter joined the German Foreign Office in 1979. His first foreign assignments brought him to Buenos Aires and Algiers. From 1986 to 1990 he served as the spokesman of the German Embassy in Tel Aviv before returning to the Foreign Office in Bonn as desk officer for the Maghreb countries. From 1992 to 1995 he served as Deputy Consul General in Los Angeles before returning to Bonn as Deputy Director for the southern part of Latin America. From 2000 to 2004, he was posted to the United States a second time and served as Deputy Consul General in New York City before moving to Buenos Aires as Deputy Chief of Mission. In 2007 he returned to the Foreign Office in Berlin to assume the position of Director for Conflict Prevention, Peace-Building, Democracy Promotion and State-Building, promoting German projects in this field world-wide. In 2010 he was appointed Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean Region, residing in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago before moving on to his last assignment as Consul General in San Francisco in 2014.

Globalist Coffeehouse: Latin American Relations - Where is the U.S. now and what is its role in the future?
2022-10-27 18:30 - 19:30 | Shoal Creek Saloon, 909 N. Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
Recently, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken toured Latin America to reaffirm its commitment to the allies amid concerns that neglect of the hemisphere has let China make economic inroads. He hopes that Latin America’s new leaders will continue to maintain a free-enterprise-friendly approach to nurture U.S. ties.
Meanwhile, many counties have their own challenges to consider. In Brazil, everyone waits anxiously to see what will happen with the country’s election results. In Venezuela, a total of seven Americans, five of which were held in captivity for over five years, were recently released in a prisoner swap. In Ecuador, prison gang violence has overwhelmed an under-resourced and overcrowded system leading to a state of emergency in three provinces. In Columbia, peace talks between its government and the National Liberation Army are set to resume. In Chile, the country just recently elected its youngest-ever president, a former student activist. That is in addition to the fact that Peru is the number two copper producer in the world.
With an increasingly ambitious China, the largest importer of goods and services from Brazil and Chile, and the second largest from Argentina and Peru, and the trend toward authoritarianism in this part of the world (actually a global trend), what are the options for the U.S. in the future? How can we solidify our relationships with Latin American countries?

Please join us for what will be a lively discussion about a topic that evolves regularly.
For more details contact:
Ellen Murry: ellen@wacaustin.org
Polina Anastassieva: polina@wacaustin.org

Globalist Coffeehouse: The Global Food Crisis - what are the solutions?
2022-11-17 18:30 - 19:30 | Shoal Creek Saloon, 909 N. Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
As we enter a season of “culinary extravagance” we should perhaps think about the food crisis that is impacting people throughout the world. In 2021 acute food security affected 193 million people globally, and in North Africa, almost half – a million people are facing starvation and death.
The U.S. provides $2 billion annually or half of the world’s food aid. But our generosity is undermined by the fact that food aid must be purchased in the U.S. and transported on U.S.-flagged ships. While 25,000 people are now dying daily of hunger, the U.S. throws away 96 billion pounds of food each year – or 320 pounds per person.
There are several factors that overlap. Global food prices rose to new heights in 2021, due to COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions. Around 21 million refugees face “conflict food insecurity,” from North Africa to Yemen, and most recently in Ukraine.
The temperate lands of the Global North have control over many primary commodities, crops, and minerals grown in the Global South, through the control of seeds, fertilizer, and distribution. Russia and Ukraine together account for 33% of the world’s exports of wheat, and Russia is the leading exporter of nitrogen fertilizers globally.
And then there is climate change, from devastating floods in Pakistan and typhoons in the Philippines to hurricanes in Central America. China has seen both drought and flooding, leaving parts of the Yangtze unnavigable. Drought in North Africa and Yemen in the Middle East acerbates “conflict food insecurity.”
What are the solutions? Certainly, ending the war in Ukraine and shipments resuming from both there and Russia is a near-term option. Many others see a future in genetically modified plants; Bill Gates calls them “magic seeds.” Some believe that supporting and underwriting conventional breeding to improve crop yields, is the future. With this process, there has been a 50% increase in crop yields from 1981 to 2000 and it continues today. Finally, many would say that we need another breakthrough like the one that produced the “Green Revolution,” but those crops are dependent upon expensive fertilizers. At the present, people are dying of starvation.
Please join us for what will be a very lively discussion about a subject critical to our future as a people and even a planet.

For more details contact:
Ellen Murry: ellen@wacaustin.org
Polina Anastassieva: polina@wacaustin.org

Kozmetsky Forum on Global Political Risk, Emerging Markets and Finance Featuring Yves Dubus, Belgian Trade and Investment Commissioner
2023-02-24 12:00 - 13:00 | St. Edwards University, Mabee Ballroom, Ragsdale Building, 3001 Congress Ave, Austin, TX, 78704, United States
The World Affairs Council of Austin and the Kozmetsky Center of Excellence in Global Finance at St. Edward’s University host a series of Forums on Global Investment, Finance, Emerging Markets and Geopolitical Risk. Our next Forum will feature Yves Dubus, Belgian Trade and Investment Commissioner.
Mr. Dubus is a Belgian career diplomat since 2008. He was posted in Guangzhou, China, as Trade & Technology Commissioner for 5 years, before being posted in Houston, Texas, in August 2013.
His primary mission is to foster trade and investment relations between the Wallonia and Brussels Regions of Belgium and the Southern States of the United States of America. Through official channels and privileged partnerships, he maintains an extensive network of contacts to facilitate the creation of new companies on both sides of the Atlantic.
Prior to his public career, he held various positions in the private sector working in IT between 1988 and 2008, first, in the development of new businesses linked to the deregulation of the airlines industry in Europe, and second, in the development of new technologies, and new business models, linked to the development of the Internet. In 2000, he was the General Manager of Travelprice, the first ever online travel agency in Belgium, and later served as VP of Professional Services, in Munich, for Siemens Mobile Travel Services. Yves holds a Master’s Degree in Political Sciences from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Services provided by the Belgian Trade Commission in Houston include market intelligence and assessments, as well as assistance for the development of business plans for Belgian companies in the USA, and the facilitation of access to government authorities for American companies investing in the Wallonia and Brussels Regions of Belgium.
Off-campus guests can obtain a $5 campus visiting parking permit at: https://stedwards.nupark.com/portal/Account/VisitorLogin
If you should require assistant on obtaining a parking permit, please contact Mr. Don Vansandt [donaldv@stewards.edu]

Kozmetsky Forum on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence
2023-04-04 12:00 - 13:00 | ONLINE
The World Affairs Council of Austin and the Kozmetsky Center of Excellence in Global Finance at St. Edward’s University host a series of Forums on Global Investment, Finance, Emerging Markets and Geopolitical Risk. Our next Forum will feature Amir Husain, CEO of Sparkcognition.
Amir Husain is an entrepreneur, inventor, technologist, and author based in Austin. He has been named Austin’s Top Technology Entrepreneur of the Year, listed as an Onalytica Top 100 Artificial Intelligence Influencer, and received the Austin Under 40 Technology and Science Award, among several other accolades recognizing his work in artificial intelligence. Amir serves on the Board of Advisors for The University of Texas at Austin Department of Computer Science and on the NATO Maritime Unmanned Systems Innovation Advisory Board, and is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
In 2013, Amir incorporated SparkCognition, an artificial intelligence company, where he has served as the Founder and CEO since its inception. SparkCognition has received widespread recognition, including being ninth on the Wall Street Journal’s Top Tech Companies to Watch in 2018, listed on the 2017 CNBC Disruptor 50, being named the fastest-growing company in Central Texas by Austin Business Journal in 2017, and ranking on the CB Insights Al 100 list in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
In November 2018, Amir became founding CEO of SkyGrid, a Boeing and SparkCognition joint venture that is building the aerial operating system to power the next century of aviation. In 2020, Amir has been awarded over 30 patents and is the author of the best-selling book “The Sentient Machine: The Coming Age of Artificial Intelligence.”

Connexions Conference on Global Media in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy
2023-04-10 08:00 - 2023-04-12 17:30 | Sid Richardson Hall Bass Lecture Hall, 2315 Red River St, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
#Connexions will create an international space for discourse on modern media and technology in state affairs to help address the critical need for informed and expert leadership in the information sphere, promoting a safer and healthier digital environment that in turn shapes the direction of history. Of main focus will be the chaos of information itself and how it informs and impedes the creation, execution, and communication of policy and the effective conduct of diplomacy. Academics, policymakers, and media practitioners will convene to address the key issues of our ever-evolving media environment, including fake news, disinformation, social media, cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, and the vulnerabilities of technologies that govern and drive global connectivity.
Speaker, agenda and registration details here:

Religion-Policy/Security Nexus Project Series: Religious Freedom, Human Rights and Geopolitics
2023-04-19 12:00 - 14:00 | St. Edwards University, Carter Auditorium, 3001 S. Congress Ave, Austin, TX, 78704, United States
The World Affairs Council of Austin invites you to join us for the final Kozmetsky Center program with featured speaker Nury Turkel, Chair of the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom and Chair of the Uyghur Human Rights Project for the Religion-Policy/Security. This session will focus on issues of human rights, religious freedom and geopolitics. Nury Turkel will join returning project participant panel contributors, Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou, Professor at Boston College and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, Dr. John Erickson, priest of the Orthodox Church of America and former Dean & Professor Emeritus of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and Father/Dr. Lou Brusatti and Dr. Kelley Coblentz Bautch of St. Edward’s to continue the dialogue and exploration on the potential for religious-policy/security collaboration in supporting human rights, religious freedom and human security.
The Religion-Policy/Security Nexus project was initiated in 2016 in partnership and with grant support from NATO Public Diplomacy, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, Atlantic Council and other domestic and international university partners. Conferences and forum sessions have brought together policy officials, academics and religious clerics from different nations and cultures to share research contributions and professional insights with our students supporting research and policy development.
The session will be held in-person on campus in the Carter Auditorium on Wednesday, April 19 from 12:00-2:00 PM.

Beijing's Global Media Offensive: China's Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World
2023-05-24 11:00 - 12:00 | ONLINE
The World Affairs Council of Austin in collaboration with the World Affairs Council of Orange County invite you to join this webinar featuring Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He is the author, most recently, of Beijing’s Global Media Offensive: China’s Uneven Campaign To Influence Asia and the World. Kurlantzick was previously a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he studied Southeast Asian politics and economics and China’s relations with Southeast Asia, including Chinese investment, aid, and diplomacy.
Previously, he was a fellow at the University of Southern California Center on Public Diplomacy and a fellow at the Pacific Council on International Policy. He is currently focused on China’s relations with Southeast Asia, and China’s approach to soft and sharp power, including state-backed media and information efforts and other components of soft and sharp power. He is also working on issues related to the rise of global populism, populism in Asia, and the impact of COVID-19 on illiberal populism and political freedom overall.

The Future of Joint Combined Operations: Large-Scale Combat Operations in the Late 21st Century
2023-06-07 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
The World Affairs Council of Austin invites you to attend a presentation by LTG Ross Coffman, Deputy Commanding General of the Army Futures Command, on the future of warfare in the 21st century.
The Army Futures Command is headquartered in Austin, with over 26,000 personnel world worldwide working on modernization priorities. The AFC leads a continuous transformation of Army modernization in order to provide future war-fighters the concepts, capabilities and organizational structures they need to dominate a future battlefield. It integrates daily with entrepreneurs, scientists, academia and businesses to make the discoveries required to design and field the future military force of the 21st century.
LTG Ross Coffman has had a 30 year in the military, where has served at the tactical, operational and strategic levels in the United States and overseas. Previous to being selected as the deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Futures Command, he has led Army efforts in Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Europe, Haiti, Kuwait, Iraq and the U.S. LTG Coffman’s civilian education includes an MBA from Embry Riddle University and a graduate fellowship at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Parking at Neill-Cochran House House Museum: Free in the museum lot, accessible via 23rd between Leon and San Gabriel; additional street parking available.

The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter with Shannon O'Neil
2023-06-22 11:00 - 13:00 | ONLINE
The World Affairs Council of Austin in collaboration with the World Affairs Council of Orange County invite you to join this webinar featuring Shannon K. O’Neil, vice president, deputy director of studies, and the Nelson and David Rockefeller senior fellow for Latin America studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Dr. O’Neil will be explain why regionalization, not globalization, has been the biggest economic trend of the last forty years.
Shannon K. O’Neil is an expert on global trade, supply chains, Mexico, Latin America, and democracy. Dr. O’Neil has lived and worked in Mexico and Argentina. She was a Fulbright scholar and a justice, welfare, and economics fellow at Harvard University, and has taught Latin American politics at Columbia University. Before turning to policy, Dr. O’Neil worked in the private sector as an equity analyst at Indosuez Capital and Credit Lyonnais Securities.
Dr. O’Neil is the author of The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter (Yale University Press, October 2022), which chronicles the rise of three main global manufacturing and supply chain hubs and what they mean for U.S. economic competitiveness. She also wrote Two Nations Indivisible: Mexico, the United States, and the Road Ahead (Oxford University Press, 2013), which analyzes the political, economic, and social transformations Mexico has undergone over the last three decades and why they matter for the United States. Dr. O’Neil is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and a frequent guest on national broadcast news and radio programs. She has often testified before Congress and regularly speaks at global academic, business, and policy conferences.
Dr. O’Neil is a member of the board of directors of the Tinker Foundation. She holds a PhD in government from Harvard University, an MA in international relations from Yale University, and a BA from Yale University.

“Nothing to See Here, Folks”: The U.S. - China Relationship in 2023
2023-08-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
The already deeply strained relationship between the United States and China has been particularly rocky in 2023. Bilateral controversies over the Chinese balloon, Taiwan, TikTok, and Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia, among other developments, have exacerbated tensions and prompted speculation by some that the United States and China could be headed for serious conflict.
David Firestein, president, and CEO of the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.- China Relations will speak on the current state of and future prospects for the U.S.- China relationship and answer audience questions about recent developments.

David J. Firestein serves as president and CEO of the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations and is a current, and founding, member of its board of directors. A decorated former U.S. career diplomat and near-native speaker of the Chinese language, Firestein has specialized in U.S.-China relations for most of his thirty-year professional career. For the last twelve years, Firestein has worked in the non-profit and academic sectors and has served as a member of the graduate faculty of The University of Texas at Austin, where he taught courses on U.S.-China relations and U.S.-Russia relations. Firestein currently serves on the boards of directors or advisors of about a dozen mostly U.S. non-profit entities in a variety of fields. He is the author or co-author of three books on China – including two China-published, Chinese-language bestsellers – and nearly two hundred articles in major U.S. and overseas media publications. Firestein is a native of Austin, Texas and currently resides in the greater Austin area.
Parking at Neill-Cochran House House Museum: Free in the museum lot, accessible via 23rd between Leon and San Gabriel; additional street parking is available.

Globalist Coffeehouse: China - What's Next?
2023-08-24 18:30 - 19:30 | 5280 Burger and Taphouse, 7032 Wood Hollow Dr, Austin, TX, 78731, United States
We will be meeting in person at the 5820 Burger and Taphouse. This month’s topic is:
China: What’s next?
What will be China’s role in the global economy and geopolitics in general, over the next decades? There is the South China Sea and the potential for conflict over Taiwan. But there is also “soft power” global influence. For example, through the Belt and Road initiatives, from the “Stans” to South Asia, Africa, and even South America. Of course, there is also China’s relationship with Russia and Putin. And finally, China has its own internal issues with the implications of the demographics they will be facing in the future.
This topic will be a follow-up discussion to the presentation by David Firestein on August 16th. We hope you will attend both events.
Please join us for what will be a very interesting discussion.

For more details contact:
Ellen Murry, Co-chair, of the Globalist Coffeehouse: ellen.murry@yahoo.com
Polina Anastassieva, Co-chair, of the Globalist Coffeehouse: polina@wacaustin.org

Global Security Forum
2023-09-22 07:30 - 14:00 | ONLINE
The Global Security Forum (GSF) convenes the nation’s top leadership and experts to discuss security and strategy in the decisive decade to come. Panelists will explore areas in which acting now will be vital to advancing our national and global security interests.
Agenda:
7:30 am CT Welcome and Opening Remarks
2:00 pm CT Forum Concludes

Disinformation is Global
2023-10-18 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
We are experiencing a global circulation of misinformation and disinformation, especially via digital media. What are the international and regional contexts in which disinformation is generated, harvested, circulated, and weaponized? How do we generate policy recommendations and solutions for the looming problems of the “post-truth” world? As the Ex. Director of “the Global Disinformation Lab (GDIL) at the University of Texas, Dr. Mosser will address the issues we currently face with the proliferation of Disinformation.

Dr. Michael W. Mosser is at the University of Texas with a joint appointment in the Department of Government, the Center for European Studies (CES), and the International Relations and Global Studies (IRG) program. He is the Executive Director of the Global Disinformation Lab (GDIL), the Assistant Director of the Center for European Studies (CES), as well as a Distinguished Scholar at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law. He teaches courses in European and international security, European environmental policy, comparative and European politics, international organizations, and foreign policy analysis.
Dr. Mosser received his Ph.D., in political science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He has published articles and book chapters on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as in the fields of military art and science and military sociology more generally.

Parking at Neill-Cochran House House Museum: Free in the museum lot, accessible via 23rd between Leon and San Gabriel; additional street parking available.

US Foreign Policy in the Middle East and the Changing Dynamics of the Region
2023-11-08 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
************UNFORTUNATELY DR. CASAGRANDA IS NOT FEELING WELL TODAY, AND WE WILL HAVE TO RESCHEDULE THIS EVENT**********************

About Dr. Roy Casagranda
Dr. Roy Casagranda is a Professor of Government at Austin Community College (ACC). He is ACC’s Middle East Affairs expert. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. He is the founder and president of the Austin School, lecture series.
His research interests lie at the intersection of politics, history, economics, psychology, and philosophy. He is a firm believer in a multidisciplinary approach. Circa 1025 A.D. Ibn Sina (Avicenna) said, “The knowledge of anything, since all things have causes, is not acquired or complete unless it is known by its causes.”
In addition to his responsibilities at ACC, from September 2010 until early 2012 he wrote regularly for Merhnameh, a leading Tehran-based reformist socio-political monthly on US and Arab politics and history, until the magazine was shut down by the Islamic Republic. He has also written articles for Hamshahri and Donya-e-Eqtesad Daily newspapers in Iran. In the US he has written for the Austin American Statesman on the Arab Spring.
Dr. Casagranda will have just returned from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and consequently, should bring a very interesting perspective on the Hamas-Israeli conflict.

Parking at Neill-Cochran House House Museum: Free in the museum lot, accessible via 23rd between Leon and San Gabriel; additional street parking available.

China Townhall
2023-12-02 13:00 - 15:00 | Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States
Join us for a captivating China Town Hall event cohosted by the World Affairs Council of Austin and San Antonio, set to take place on December 2nd at Texas State University. Immerse yourself in an afternoon of insightful discussions and engaging presentations by well-accomplished industry experts and scholars who bring a wealth of knowledge about China’s dynamic landscape. After the China Town Hall, we invite you to join us for a post-event social at the local Ivar’s River Pub.
China Town Hall Details:
Date: December 2nd, 1 pm-3 pm
Location: Texas State University, McCoy College of Business- Room 125
601 University Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666
Post-Town Hall Social:
Continue the conversation and networking at Ivar’s River Pub for a post-town hall social. Share your thoughts, connect with fellow attendees, and enjoy a relaxing atmosphere by the river.
Date: December 2nd, 3 pm
Location: Ivar’s River Pub – 701 Cheatham St, San Marcos, TX 78666

Speakers Include:
Justin Payne: VP of Frost Bank in San Marcos & Board Chair of the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce.
Nicholas Burns: Ambassador Burns has had a distinguished career in American diplomacy, serving six U.S. Presidents and nine Secretaries of State over 27 years. His State Department roles include the State Department’s third-ranking official and most senior career diplomat, U.S. Ambassador to NATO, U.S. Ambassador to Greece, and State Department spokesman. Before that, he worked at the National Security Council at the White House, where he served as Special Assistant to President Clinton and Senior Director for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia Affairs and as Director for Soviet Affairs for President George H.W. Bush during the collapse of the USSR.
[Ambassador Burns will not be present, but will offer opening remarks via a pre-recorded message]
Tyler Johnson: Founder of Laowai Enterprises & Global Fortune 50 Executive, shares his wealth of experience from years spent in Shanghai, China, while working for Dell Technologies. He led sales and operational organizations for Dell within China and across Asia, and his organization was responsible for Dell’s Global Asia Business Unit, which represented the largest companies in the world (Global Fortune 500).
Gina Tam, Ph.D.: Associate Professor of Modern Chinese History and co-director of Women and Gender Studies at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She is also a Public Intellectual Fellow at the National Committee on US-China Relations, a Wilson Center China Fellow, and the Book Review Editor for the Journal of Asian Studies. She completed her Ph.D. in modern Chinese history at Stanford University in 2016.
Xiaobo Lü, Ph.D.: Associate Professor of Government at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Lü’s research focuses on how fiscal policies are distributed in authoritarian regimes, with a particular emphasis on China. In 2011, Dr. Lü earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University. Currently, he is engaged in several paper projects concentrating on the correlation between fiscal extraction and state-society relations, as well as a book project focused on party building in authoritarian regimes.
Liza L.S. Mark: Partner, Chief Representative and Shanghai Office Managing Partner. With over two decades of legal expertise across the U.S., Hong Kong, and Shanghai, her key figures lie in private equity, securities, and cross-border M&A. Her proficiency lies in advising private equity clients on international investments, skillfully navigating legal complexities across jurisdictions. Liza is well-versed in diverse financing transactions, including SPAC acquisitions, PIPEs, and Hong Kong IPOs. Her sought-after counsel extends to foreign private issuers for U.S. and Hong Kong securities offerings, coupled with strategic insights into corporate governance and compliance.

The World Ahead Online Event
2023-12-08 11:00 - 12:00 | ONLINE
Join World Affairs Council of Austin members for this special event with the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth in a VIRTUAL event, featuring Tom Standage – Deputy Editor of The Economist and moderated by Jim Falk, Global Santa Fe.

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 will discuss his publication’s analysis for 2024.

ONLINE Global Political Leadership: In Search of Synergy
2024-01-23 11:00 - 13:00 | ONLINE
In collaboration with the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, the World Affairs Council of Austin invites you to a complimentary VIRTUAL event to learn more about the global power games, leadership crises, and shifts in the 21stcentury world order. Global Political Leadership: In Search of Synergy, will feature Malgorzata Zachara-Szymańska Associate Professor of International and Political Relations at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland.

Even though globalization has become a negative concept for some, the reality is that there is no going back. While the politics of globalization are debated, Professor Małgorzata Zachara-Szymańska says, “All social organizations have ‘gone global’ within the last several decades; they are more interconnected and more dependent on global processes, so the question of effective leadership strategies matching these new realities is highly necessary…” Join us to learn about global power games, leadership crises, and how our world is shifting in the 21stcentury.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Małgorzata Zachara-Szymańska is an associate professor at the Faculty of International and Political Relations, Jagiellonian University in Poland and a lecturer in leadership, global change, and international relations. She has accumulated several years academic experience lecturing and conducting research at different European universities. Her articles on global public goods, global leadership and diplomacy have been published in Leadership, Society and Economy, International Relations/Stosunki Międzynarodowe, Sustainability and other journals. Her most recent publication Global Political Leadership: In Search of Synergy (Routledge: 2023) is available in open access.
ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Robert Kissack has been at Instituto Barcelona de Estudios Internacionales (IBEI) since 2008. His research profile is at the intersection of the foreign policy of the European Union and international organization. More specifically, it has centered on the EU as an actor in the multilateral system and his book Pursuing Effective Multilateralism (Palgrave 2010) was one of the first in this field. He specializes in examining the capacity of the EU to operate in many different multilateral organizations, including the ILO, FAO, UN General Assembly and Security Council, the WTO and the IMF. He is currently leading IBEI’s participation in the Horizon 2020 ENGAGE project, as well as the Jean Monnet Networks NORTIA and RENPET. He also work closely with colleagues at IBEI, including Esther Barbé, Oriol Costa and Elisabeth Johansson-Nogués in many projects on European foreign policy.

NATO and the Future of American Security Conference
2024-02-06 10:00 - 15:00 | University of Texas
Join the World Affairs Council of Austin, the Atlantic Council, NATO ACT, the Canadian Consulate General, and UT-Austin’s Center for European Studies, Strauss Center for International Security and Law,
and Clements Center for National Security for a public conference of NATO officials, former policymakers, and scholars engaging in a critical discussion about the role of the transatlantic alliance and its enduring value for Texans, featuring keynote remarks from General Philippe Lavigne, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, and Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison, Former U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO and United States Senator for the state of Texas.
This year’s historic NATO Summit will take place in the United States from July 9 to 11. As Allies gather to celebrate 75 years of NATO, the future of the world’s strongest military alliance will be a key topic of discussion for Heads of State and Government preparing for an era of unprecedented strategic competition and endemic geopolitical disruption.
Join us at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required and does not guarantee admission. Parking is available for a fee at Manor and Brazos garages. Complimentary lunch will be available.

Agenda:
9:30 am – 10:00 am • Registration
Coffee available
10:00 am – 10:15 am • Welcome Remarks
Robert Chesney, Dean of UT-Austin School of Law
10:15 am – 10:30 am • Keynote 1
General Philippe Lavigne, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation
10:30 am – 12:00 pm • Panel 1: Securing NATO’s Future: The Challenges of a New Era
Audra Plepytė, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to the United States
General (Ret.) Robert Neller, former Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps
Chris Skaluba, Director, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council
Kevin Rex, Former Ambassador of Canada to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia
Moderator: Sewell Chan, Editor-in-Chief, Texas Tribune
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm • Lunch
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm • Panel 2: North America and NATO: Fostering Political and Policy Dialogue
Marie-Doha Besancenot, Assistant Secretary General of NATO for Public Diplomacy
Lieutenant General (Ret.) Christine Whitecross, Former Commandant of NATO Defense College
Valbona Zeneli, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council
Moderator: Adam Klein, Director of the Strauss Center for International Security and Law
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm • Keynote 2
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO
3:00 pm • Conference Adjourns
Please note, this agenda is subject to change.

Russia-China “Strategic Partnership” Geopolitics & World Order featuring Dr. Sharyl N. Cross
2024-04-17 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Join us on this special evening as we welcome back distinguished speaker, Dr. Sharyl Cross. Dr. Cross will provide details about the contemporary transitional global order. Attendees will leave with a stronger understanding of the “Strategic Partnership” between Russia and China. Dr. Cross will explore the major themes and U.S. considerations to address this “Strategic Partnership” as well as recent multi-national foreign policy responses. The current stalemate in Ukraine and the future of collaborative arms control efforts will be among the challenges and priorities considered during this discussion on the shifting security landscape influences of major geopolitical powers.

About our guest speaker, Sharyl Cross, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of International Politics and former Director of the Kozmetsky Center of Excellence (2013-2023) at St. Edward’s University (Austin, USA). Dr. Cross is serving as Co-Chair (elected position) of the Research Committee on Geopolitics of the International Political Science Association and has been a Global Policy Scholar at the Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars since 2013. Dr. Cross was Professor at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany (2005-2013) where she was Director of Academics for both the Program in Advanced Security Studies and Senior Executive Seminar, and previously had been appointed Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the United States Air Force Academy and Associate Professor of Transregional Studies at the U.S. Air War College at Maxwell AFB. She earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and was a resident fellowship scholar and consultant at the RAND Corporation completing programs in Russian area and policy studies. Professor Cross has published widely in leading academic and policy sources on US/NATO-Russia security Issues, Russian foreign policy and Sino-Russian relations. In 2018, she published China, Russia, and Twenty First Century Global Geopolitics, co-authored with Dr. Paul Bolt, Oxford University Press.

Intercultural Communication with Sharon Schweitzer
2024-05-15 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Conducting business on a global scale entails intercultural communication that at times can be intricate and difficult to maneuver. This is why it is important to understand the key elements that shape your global image and acumen in an organization in doing business around the world.

Sharon Schweitzer, JD
Expatriate
Relocation Coach, Author & Attorney
Sharon Schweitzer is an internationally recognized cross-cultural business expert, trainer, and founder of Access to Culture. She is an award-winning entrepreneur and author of the Amazon #1 best-selling book in International Business, Access to Asia, named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2015. Sharon has worked with brands such as CBS, Hilton Hotels, JPMorgan, Lexus, MD Anderson, Toyota, as well as sports athletes, and student leaders, to provide practical techniques for improving business communication and increasing revenue.
Sharon was named the winner of the British Airways International Trade, Investment & Expansion Award (small business category) at the Greater Austin Business Awards. She was an honoree in the City of Austin program Celebrating the Entrepreneurial Spirit of Austin Women. Her blog Access to Culture, has been named one of the Top 10 Intercultural Communication Blogs.
Sharon is a media resource for NPR and BBC World News as well as a Huffington Post and Luxe Lifestyle Magazine contributor. She has been quoted in Investor’s Business Daily, BBC Capital, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and numerous other media outlets. Sharon has appeared on CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, and BBC News as an expert in the field of cross-cultural business and global etiquette, and has been a featured speaker for the Association of Legal Administrators, IPMA, Ohio State University, SXSW, and The Big Ten Academic Alliance. Sharon sits on the board of the Global Thinkers Forum in London, U.K. and also served as a Chinese Ceremonial Dining Etiquette Specialist in the documentary series Confucius was a Foodie on Nat Geo People.
Sharon has traveled to over 85 countries across all 7 continents. Sharon lives with her husband John of 20 plus years and their golden retrievers in Austin, Texas, USA.

South Korea on the World’s Stage
2024-07-18 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
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.
