World Affairs Council of Austin

Global Security Forum
2023-09-22 07:30 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | 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.

Globalist Coffeehouse: South Korea Follow-up Discussion
2024-07-25 18:30 - 19:30 | Shoal Creek Saloon, 909 N. Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
Join us at the Globalist Coffeehouse on Thursday, July 25th, 6:30 p.m. at the Shoal Creek Saloon on North Lamar. The topic will be on South Korea. This will be a follow-up discussion to a program on July 18th with two top scholars in this field. Please go to the link below and register. I hope you can attend both events.

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

WorldNow: End of Ambition with Steven Cook
2024-08-01 18:00 - 19:30 | ONLINE
What’s next for the U.S. in the Middle East? Join author Steven Cook, senior fellow for Middle East & Africa at the Council on Foreign Relations, in conversation with Jim Falk on what went wrong with U.S. involvement in the region, and how the U.S. should reimagine our strategic interests in the Middle East amid a changing global order.
“Cook demonstrates with terrifying clarity that the Middle East’s reputation for devouring the schemes and dreams of great powers is sending to more and is more often than not a place where grandiose American ideas have gone to die.” – Aaron David Miller, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Purchase The End of Ambition here.
The details:
When: Thursday, August 1 | 6:00PM CT
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: Free | REGISTER HERE
WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, World Affairs Council of Austin, World Affairs Council of Charlotte, World Affairs Council of Colorado Springs, World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, World Affairs Council of Orange County, World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, WorldOregon, and Perspectives Matter.
About the Book
The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present and Future in the Middle East by Steven Cook
A clear-headed vision for the United States’ role in the Middle East that highlights the changing nature of US national interests and the challenges of grand strategizing at a time of profound change in the international order.
Following a long series of catastrophic misadventures in the Middle East over the last two decades, the American foreign policy community has tried to understand what went wrong. After weighing the evidence, they have mostly advised a retreat from the region. The basic view is that when the United States tries to advance change in the Middle East, it only makes matters worse.
In The End of Ambition, Steven A. Cook argues that while these analysts are rightly concerned that engagement drains US resources and distorts its domestic politics, the broader impulse to disengage tends to neglect important lessons from the past. Moreover, advocates of pulling back overlook the potential risks of withdrawal. Covering the relationship between the US and the Middle East since the end of WWII, Cook makes the bold claim that despite setbacks and moral costs, the United States has been overwhelmingly successful in protecting its core national interests in the Middle East. Conversely, overly ambitious policies to remake the region and leverage US power not only ended in failure, but rendered the region unstable in new and largely misunderstood ways.
While making the case that retrenchment is not the answer to America’s problems in the Middle East, The End of Ambition highlights how America’s interests in the region have begun to change and critically examines alternative approaches to US-Middle East policy. Cook highlights the challenges that policymakers and analysts confront developing a new strategy for the United States in the Middle East against the backdrop of both political uncertainty in the United States and a changing global order.
Purchase The End of Ambition here.
About the Author
Steven A. Cook is Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies and director of the International Affairs Fellowship for Tenured International Relations Scholars at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He is an expert on Arab and Turkish politics as well as U.S.-Middle East policy. Cook is the author of False Dawn: Protest, Democracy, and Violence in the New Middle East. Cook is a columnist at Foreign Policy magazine. He speaks Arabic and Turkish.
About the Moderator
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico he is member of the Board of Global Santa Fe where he chairs the program committee. Jim co-hosts Perspectives Matter, a McCuistion Program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

WorldNow: Ronald Reagan - His Life & Legend with Max Boot
2024-09-23 18:00 - 19:00 | ONLINE
Historian, author, and CFR foreign policy expert Max Boot reintroduces us to one of America’s most consequential and controversial presidents – and his lasting impact on the U.S. and the world. In conversation with Jim Falk.
“A timely and fascinating book, just what we need to understand, and perhaps transcend, our current age of political paralysis and polarization…Understanding Reagan is key to understanding our politics today.” –Walter Isaacson, author of Elon Musk and Steve Jobs
The details:
When: Monday, September 23 | 7:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: No charge | Register for Zoom link
Register Now

WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the Alaska World Affairs Council, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, SMU Center for Presidential History, World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, World Affairs Council of Austin, World Affairs Council of Colorado Springs, World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads, World Affairs Council of Houston, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, World Affairs Council of Orange County, World Affairs Council of South Texas, World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, WorldOregon, and Perspectives Matter.

About the Book

Reagan: His Life & Legend by Max Boot
Son of the Midwest, movie star, and mesmerizing politician—America’s fortieth President comes to three-dimensional life in this gripping and profoundly revisionist biography.
From best-selling biographer Max Boot comes this revelatory portrait, a decade in the making, of the actor-turned-politician whose telegenic leadership ushered in a transformative conservative era in American politics. Despite his fame as a Hollywood star and television host, Reagan remained a man of profound contradictions, even to those closest to him. Never resorting to either hagiography or hit job, REAGAN charts his epic journey from Depression-era America to “Morning in America.” Providing fresh insight into “trickle-down economics,” the Cold War’s end, the Iran-Contra affair, and so much more, this definitive biography is as compelling a presidential biography as any in recent decades. Purchase Reagan: His Life & Legend here.

About the Author
Max Boot, historian and foreign-policy analyst, is a senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a columnist for the Washington Post. His New York Times bestseller, The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography.

About the Moderator
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and Global Santa Fe’s Program Chair. Jim co-hosts Perspectives Matter, a McCuistion Program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

13th Annual Texas-European Union Business Summit
2024-10-03 08:30 - 17:00 | San Jacinto Meeting Rooms, 309 E 21st St, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
In its 13th year, the Texas-EU Business Summit is the premier event for Texas businesses, entrepreneurs and economic development professionals seeking to expand their footprint in Europe.
Texas is already the largest exporting state to the European Union. The Summit builds on that foundation, focusing on promoting the international trade capacity of Texas businesses while creating greater awareness regarding the benefits of exporting.
The Texas-EU Business Summit sessions are led by business leaders, trade and investment officials from EU countries, trade policy experts and political officials.

Event hosts include:
The World Affairs Council of Austin,
Center for European Studies at the University of Texas at Austin,
Austin Community College,
The Consulate General of Ireland in Austin, IDA Ireland,
Access to Culture | Sharon Schweitzer J.D.,
Slovak Pro,
Touch4IT,
HR4U,
Talent’em,
and
Pendas International

WorldNow: America's Cold Warrior Paul Nitze and National Security
2024-10-23 18:00 - 19:00 | ONLINE
Author James Graham Wilson joins us for another episode of WorldNow with Jim Falk on Paul Nitze, America’s most influential national security strategist throughout the Cold War.
“This book is not a stale history of an insignificant person. It is a well written, fascinating story centered around a very influential man. It just happens that the man’s name is unknown to most, even if his acts are not…America’s Cold Warrior is a book for the casual reader and policy wonk alike. If you enjoy history, war, or great biographies, this book is for you.” – Global Security Review
Purchase America’s Cold Warrior here | Buy on Barnes & Noble | Sundance Bookstore | Amazon
The details:
When: Wednesday, October 23 | 7:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: No charge | Register for Zoom link

About the Book
America’s Cold Warrior: Paul Nitze and National Security from Roosevelt to Reagan by James Graham Wilson
In America’s Cold Warrior, James Graham Wilson traces Paul Nitze’s career path in national security after World War II, a time when many of his mentors and peers returned to civilian life. Serving in eight presidential administrations, Nitze commanded White House attention even when he was out of government, especially with his withering criticism of Jimmy Carter during Carter’s presidency. While Nitze is perhaps best known for leading the formulation of NSC-68, which Harry Truman signed in 1950, Wilson contends that Nitze’s most significant contribution to American peace and security came in the painstaking work done in the 1980s to negotiate successful treaties with the Soviets to reduce nuclear weapons while simultaneously deflecting skeptics surrounding Ronald Reagan. America’s Cold Warrior connects Nitze’s career and concerns about strategic vulnerability to the post-9/11 era and the challenges of the 2020s, where the United States finds itself locked in geopolitical competition with the People’s Republic of China and Russia.
Purchase America’s Cold Warrior here | Buy on Barnes & Noble | Sundance Bookstore | Amazon

About the Author
James Graham Wilson is a Historian at the US Department of State, where he is currently responsible for editing volumes in the Foreign Relations of the United States series on arms control and national security during the Reagan Administration. In addition to America’s Cold Warrior, he is also the author of The Triumph of Improvisation: Gorbachev’s Adaptability, Reagan’s Engagement, and the End of the Cold War.
About the Moderator
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico he is member of the Board of Global Santa Fe where he chairs the program committee. Jim co-hosts Perspectives Matter, a McCuistion Program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

An Evening with the Honorable Cónsul General Humberto Hernández Haddad
2024-11-06 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Join your fellow members of the World Affairs Council of Austin for this special conversation with the Honorable Humberto Hernández Haddad, Consul General of Mexico in Austin.

About the Honorable Cónsul General Humberto Hernández Haddad:
Law degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Master in International Public Policies. National Prize “President Juarez” in 1972 for his constitutional thesis “Constitutional Analysis of the Reform Laws promulgated by President Juarez. His influence on Mexican political thought. ”
Fellow 1977-1978 from the Center for International Affairs of Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Master’s Degree in International Public Policies from the School of advanced International Studies (SAIS) Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C, 1980-1981.
Federal Congressman for Tabasco, Mexico, from 1973 to 1976 and from 1979 to 1982. Chairman of the Science and Technology Commission of the Chamber of Deputies from 1979 to 1982.
Federal Senator for Tabasco, Mexico, from 1982 to 1988. Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Commission 1982-1988.
Consul General of Mexico in San Antonio, Texas, from April 1989 to June 1995.
President of the Accredited Consular Association in South-Central Texas, USA, 1991-1995.
National Journalism Prize 2002 awarded at the Mexican Press Club.
The Government of the United States of America granted him the condecoration Commander´s Award for Public Service, for his performance as Consul General of Mexico in the United States of America.
He received the “Orden de Mayo” condecoration, as Grand Officer, from the Government of the Republic of Argentina.
In 2012 he received the Silver Juchimán Award in Human Rights and for Peace.
Published books: “Colosio and Ruiz Massieu, 20 years later” (September 2014); “The Missing Link” (Penguin Random House, Grijalbo, 2017).
He was president of the Mexican Academy of Social Security Law in 2017-2018.
From December 1st. of 2018, to May 31st. of 2024, he was Undersecretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico.
From August 28th of 2019 to 27th August 2021, he was General Coordinator of the Council for Tourism Diplomacy.
Law Professor at the Faculty of Law at UNAM (Number 754153).

The World Ahead 2025 with Tom Standage
2024-12-12 11:00 - 12:00 | ONLINE
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 12, Standage rejoins the the World Affairs Councils to discuss his publication’s analysis for 2025 in this ONLINE conversation with Jim Falk, the host of WorldNow.
REGISTER HERE

Priorities for the New Administration with H.R. McMaster
2025-01-23 18:00 - 19:00 | ONLINE
Join your fellow World Affairs Council of Austin members for this special WorldNow virtual conversation. Lt. Gen. (ret.) H.R. McMaster served for 13 months as President Trump’s National Security Advisor. Just two days after the inaugural, he joins us to break down the critical national security and foreign policy priorities that will shape the next four years.
McMaster is also the author of War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House.
REGISTER HERE
About the Speaker
Lt. General H. R. McMaster (US Army, Ret.) is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. General McMaster was the 26th National Security Advisor to President Donald J. Trump from February 2017 to April 2018. Upon graduation from the U.S. Military Academy, he served as a commissioned officer for 34 years in the Army before retiring in June 2018.
McMaster earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the author of several books including At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House; Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World and Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam.
Additionally, General McMaster hosts Battlegrounds: Vital Perspectives on Today’s Challenges, a podcast produced by the Hoover Institution. He is a Distinguished University Fellow at Arizona State University.
About the Host
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, NM, he is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe. In addition to hosting WorldNow with Jim Falk, Jim produces and hosts The Forum, a weekly talk show on KSFR-FM, Santa Fe Public Radio. Jim also hosts Perspectives Matter, which airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Globalist Coffeehouse: Economic Migration Around the World
2025-02-19 18:30 - 19:30 | 5280 Burger and Taphouse, 7032 Wood Hollow Dr, Austin, TX, 78731, United States
Please join us for the Globalist Coffeehouse at the 5280 Burger and Taphouse, 7032 Wood Hollow Dr, on WEDNESDAY, February 19th, at 6:30 p.m.

Economic Migration Around the World

Throughout history, migration has played a key role in the establishment of borders, territories, and countries. Think of nomads traveling across vast types of lands and vegetation in order to continue moving onward, despite not having an established settlement. Yet, their influence plays a key in how future settlements came about.

Fast forward to the present day, the level of international reliance on one another- in economic terms- has become a major factor in how we conduct business; it is difficult to imagine otherwise.

When it comes to specific policies, each country has its own understanding in regards to refugees, immigration, and ultimately a path towards citizenship. Although the process might be varied, all countries agree that they want a positive contribution within their borders. However, what happens when there are anomalies? What regulations should be set in place in order to adhere to the laws? What implications might climate change, catastrophe, or war play in how a country dictates its immigration policy?

Please join us for a lively discussion.

For non-members: Please register first to receive your invitation as a guest.

Brexit 5 Years Later - Where are We Now, and What are the Future Implications?
2025-02-27 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
In 2020, the UK left the EU. What were the expectations, and where are we now? It’s said that Brexit will cost the UK economy 4% of GDP over the long term. Today, polls show that most individuals in the UK regret the decision. And what about its impact on the EU? Who has benefited from this action? Many would say Ireland and even the EU as corporations moved from London to Dublin, Paris, or other European cities and even countries to remain in the EU. There is talk of a “reset” with a focus from the EU perspective on long-term fishing rights and freedom of movement. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, what are the implications for both organizations, the UK and the EU, with new US administrations’ tariff policies on imports and potentially disengaging from NATO?

Dr. Michael W. Mosser is the Director of the University of Texas at Austin Center for European Studies (CES). He is also an Associate Professor of Instruction with a joint appointment in the Department of Government and the International Relations and Global Studies (IRG) program. He is a Distinguished Scholar at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law and was the Executive Director of the Global Disinformation Lab (GDIL) from 2022 to 2024.

Dr. William Nichols is the Chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Global Studies, and Political Science at St. Edwards University. He has taught various courses over the years, focusing in particular on International Relations, European Politics, American Foreign Relations, and Strategic Intelligence. Dr. Nichols is active in global initiatives on the St. Edwards campus and abroad. He has led 12 European and Asian study programs.

For non-members: Please register first to receive your invitation as a guest.

Commander Jonathan Norris, Naval Aviator and Foreign Area Officer
2025-03-04 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Join us for an engaging talk with Commander Jonathan Norris, a distinguished Naval Aviator and Foreign Area Officer. With over 19 years of service, CDR Norris brings a wealth of experience from his diverse roles in aviation, leadership, and international relations. From piloting helicopters in the Middle East to serving as a military advisor in Washington DC and managing defense cooperation in Azerbaijan and Egypt, his career spans crucial aspects of modern military operations and diplomacy. Currently a Federal Executive Fellow at UT Austin’s Clements Center for National Security, CDR Norris offers unique insights into leadership, national security, and defense strategy. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a decorated officer whose career embodies the multifaceted nature of today’s naval service.

For non-members: Please register first to receive your invitation as a guest.

WorldNow: The Future of Borders with Edward Alden
2025-03-19 18:00 - 19:00 | ONLINE
Join your fellow World Affairs Council of Austin members for this WorldNow virtual conversation. In its first few weeks, the Trump administration announced sweeping changes to immigration policy – from mass deportations and a migrant detention center at Guantanamo Bay to suspending asylum and trying to restrict birthright citizenship. What is the cost of these policies – to citizens and noncitizens alike?
CFR’s Edward Alden joins us on WorldNow with Jim Falk to explain the economic, social, and international impact of the new administration’s border policies and mass deportations.

Meet the Author
Edward Alden is Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Alden’s career spans more than three decades in journalism, think tanks, and academia. He was the bureau chief for the Financial Times newspaper in Toronto, Canada, and Washington, DC before joining the Council on Foreign Relations in 2007.
In addition to his own books and articles, he has worked with senior US policymakers on in-depth investigations of issues such as US immigration policy, US trade policy, border security, and the future of work. Since 2019 he has also been a visiting professor at Western Washington University, and he currently writes a column for Foreign Policy.
Meet the Host
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, NM, he is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe. In addition to hosting WorldNow with Jim Falk, Jim produces and hosts The Forum, a weekly talk show on KSFR-FM, Santa Fe Public Radio. Jim also hosts Perspectives Matter, which airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

When the World Closed Its Doors: The Covid-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders by Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman
A detailed exploration of the most sweeping government border closures in human history during the Covid-19 pandemic and the implications for the future of global mobility.
In When the World Closed Its Doors, Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman tell the story of how nearly every country in the world shut its borders to respond to an external threat and explain how this global shock to the system ended up transforming state border policies around the world.
They detail the consequences of the COVID border restrictions – couples separated for years, children blocked from reuniting with their parents, container ship workers moving essential goods trapped at sea, pregnant citizens barred from returning home – and explain why governments used their harshest containment measures on those coming from outside.
Throughout, Alden and Trautman focus on human stories to show the multiple impacts that states’ increasing restrictiveness has had – economic, demographic, social, and political. And the fallout continues: governments left unchecked will continue to restrict borders with little regard to the collateral damage and disruption they cause.
A sweeping overview of the re-bordering of the world, both during and after 2020, this synthetic, wide-angle view of a singular shock to the international systems of travel and migration highlights why citizens need better protections and governments more robust guardrails.
Get a copy of When the World Closed Its Doors

Foreign Policy ONLINE Town Hall with Senator Chris Murphy
2025-03-31 11:00 - 12:00 | ONLINE
Join fellow World Affairs Councilmembers from across the nation for a town hall on U.S. Foreign Policy. We’ll address the massive changes to the State Department, the role of the U.S. in conflicts around the world, and relationships with allies and adversaries alike.
REGISTER HERE
About Senator Murphy

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee; the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; and the Appropriations Committee. He previously served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Connecticut’s fifth congressional district. Before being elected to Congress, he served for eight years in the Connecticut state legislature.

Africa: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
2025-04-17 17:30 - 19:00 | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Former Ambassador Larry Andre, currently with the L.B.J. School, previously presented a program on Africa to the World Affairs Council. He will return to discuss a continent that has seen radical change in the very recent past. The media tends to focus on a continent facing civil war, militant Islam/terrorism, famine, and even genocide. Is it an accurate portrayal? No. Many African countries offer stability and opportunity to their citizens. Professor Andre will briefly discuss a few positive examples.
American influence in Africa has suffered a setback due to the abrupt cancellation of USAID. Given the importance of some forms of foreign aid in advancing U.S. goals, influence, and interests, Professor Andre will discuss how vital foreign aid functions can operate “post-USAID.” What should the U.S. humanitarian response be for global health, development aid, technical aid, and security assistance?
REGISTER HERE

World Now: Human Scale - A Conversation with Lawrence Wright
2025-05-06 18:00 - 19:00 | ONLINE
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 the murder of an Israeli police chief in the West Bank – set against the backdrop of the decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict.
Wright joins us on WorldNow to discuss how his novel, which concludes on October 8th, 2023, underscores the human cost of this longstanding conflict. As he writes at the end of the book: “One cannot hope for an end to the strife without acknowledging the separate histories that each side claims.”
A staff writer at The New Yorker, Wright has spent decades reporting from the Middle East as a journalist, playwright, and novelist. He won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11, his acclaimed nonfiction account of the rise of Al-Qaeda.
“The politics in this book are impossible to ignore; indeed, they’re the point. Wright is thorough in his recounting of key elements of the conflict.” – The New York Times
REGISTER HERE
Lawrence Wright is an author, screenwriter, playwright, and staff writer for The New Yorker magazine.
He is the author of eleven nonfiction books. His book about the rise of al-Qaeda, “The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11” (Knopf, 2006), was published to immediate and widespread acclaim. It won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. It was made into a series for Hulu in 2018, starring Jeff Daniels, Alec Baldwin, and Tahar Rahim.
Wright has published four novels, “Noriega: God’s Favorite” (Simon and Schuster, 2000) which was made into a Showtime movie starring Bob Hoskins; “The End of October” (Knopf, 2020), a bestseller about a viral pandemic that came out right at the beginning of COVID; “Mr. Texas” (Knopf, 2023), which has been optioned as a limited streaming series; and his most recent novel, “The Human Scale,” released in the spring of 2025.
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, NM, he is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe. In addition to hosting WorldNow with Jim Falk, Jim produces and hosts The Forum, a weekly talk show on KSFR-FM, Santa Fe Public Radio. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

United States Foreign Policy in the New Century: Defining Vital Interests
2025-05-21 17:30 - 19:00 | TX
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 from Geostrategy to Economics? Also, what will be our role in promoting Human Rights, Democracy, and Development? Will we continue to lead America’s “Unfinished Fight for Democracy?” If so, how?
Dr. Jeremi Suri, the author of “Civil War By Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy,” will address these questions and issues in a very engaging program.
This event is by invitation-only. Please notify us of your interest to receive an invitation by providing your contact information in the form below. Priority registration is available for World Affairs Council of Austin members. Bring your invitation to the event. Invitations are non-transferable.
REQUEST AN INVITATION HERE
Dr. Jeremi Suri holds the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. He is a professor in the University’s Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Dr. Suri is the author and editor of eleven books on contemporary politics and foreign policy, most recently Civil War By Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy. His other books include The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America’s Highest Office; Henry Kissinger and the American Century; Liberty’s Surest Guardian: American Nation-Building from the Founders to Obama; and Foreign Policy Breakthroughs: Cases in Successful Diplomacy (with Robert Hutchings).
Dr. Suri writes for major newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, Boston Globe, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, Fortune, The American Prospect and Wired — as well as for various online sites and blogs. He is a popular public lecturer and appears frequently on radio and television.
Education:
Ph.D. in History, Yale University, 2001
M.A. in History, Ohio University, 1996
A.B. in History, Stanford University, 1994

REQUEST AN INVITATION HERE

Globalist Coffeehouse: Defining our Vital Interests in a New Century
2025-06-25 18:30 - 20:00 | TX
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 warfare to cybertechnology and even AI. We are in the process of redefining our role in the world. What are our vital interests? Is there a role for the US in promoting Democracy, Human Rights, and Development? How do we establish priorities and implement corresponding policies to serve our vital interests?

We hope you will join us for what will be a very timely and consequently “lively” conversation!
REGISTER HERE
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

Federal Foreign Policy Briefing
2025-07-29 17:30 - 19:00 | TX
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. Kullenberg will share details of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s (USGLC) brand new report, “Economic Security is National Security.” In addition to explaining USGLC’s work across the country and in Washington DC, Ms. Kullenberg will address USGLC’s recommendations for Rebuilding America’s International Assistance Infrastructure.
This event is by invitation-only. Please notify us of your interest to receive an invitation by providing your contact information in the form below. Priority registration is available for World Affairs Council of Austin members. Bring your invitation to the event. Invitations are non-transferable.
REQUEST YOUR INVITATION HERE
Kiersten Kullenberg serves as The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Outreach Director for Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) works in our nation’s capital and across the country to champion America’s civilian-led tools of development and diplomacy to advance our national security, economic prosperity, and leadership position in the world. By advocating for a strong International Affairs Budget, the USGLC is working to make America’s international affairs programs a keystone of U.S. foreign policy. Prior to joining USGLC’s staff, Kiersten served as Director of Programs for the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Kiersten earned her B.A. in political science and international relations from Louisiana State University, studied abroad in Morocco, and was a member of The Golden Band From Tigerland.

Globalist Coffeehouse: Economic Security is National Security
2025-08-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Khon Thai Kitchen, 5800 Burnet Road, Austin, 78756, United States
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 also economically, and they are playing to win. Yet, too often, security and economic threats are addressed on separate tracks, not recognizing the connection between our financial security and national security. The fact that over the last decade, China has increased its investments in the developing world by 525% is just one excellent example. Simultaneously, many would suggest that most recently, we have actually retreated, with Africa and USAID being just the latest policy reversal.
While Americans certainly don’t want to be the “policeman of the world,” we do need to protect our interests. In addition to strengthening supply chains, bolstering infrastructure in emerging economies, and leveraging technology, some would suggest that using “soft power,” through US economic/development aid, is also a highly cost-effective tool. How should/will we use these tools at our disposal? What should our global role be, both economically and militarily, in future decades?

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

World Now: A Tale of Two Kings - Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the Future of Power in the Middle East
2025-09-09 18:00 - 19:00 | ONLINE
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 rule is defined by economic and social change, a close relationship with President Trump, and concerns about human rights abuses and power consolidation.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II leads one of the region’s most economically challenged countries with a steady hand and traditional approach. His rule is characterized by alliance building and cautious political reform, while also stifling political opposition.
Join us on WorldNow with Jim Falk for an inside look at two very different yet consequential leaders who are shaping the future of the Middle East – and redefining what it means to be king in the 21st century. With Pulitzer Prize-Winner Karen Elliot House, author of The Man Who Would be King: Mohammad Bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia and Aaron Magid, author of The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan.

Meet the Authors
Karen Elliott House is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist with nearly five decades of experience covering Saudi Arabia. She is also a former executive of Dow Jones & Company and former chair of the Rand Corp. Her deep expertise informs her latest book, The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia, which draws on more than half a dozen in-depth interviews with the Crown Prince himself. House spent over 30 years at The Wall Street Journal, serving as a reporter, editor, and ultimately publisher. She resides in Princeton, New Jersey.

Aaron Magid is a former Amman-based journalist and the author of the recently published The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan. His analysis on the Hashemite Kingdom has appeared in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, the Atlantic Council, France 24, Al-Jazeera, and the Middle East Institute. He hosts the podcast On Jordan. He obtained a Master’s Degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University.

Meet the Host
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, NM, he is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe. In addition to hosting WorldNow with Jim Falk, Jim produces and hosts The Forum, a weekly talk show on KSFR-FM, Santa Fe Public Radio. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

About the Books
The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed Bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia by Karen Elliot House
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and former Wall Street Journal publisher, Karen House has gained unprecedented insights into Saudi Arabia and its controversial leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman through her more than forty years of experience covering the Arab kingdom.
House reveals a leader who, like Peter the Great, is a reformer determined to modernize his kingdom but also an autocrat who jails political opponents and rival princes to assure his grip on power. Drawing on extensive interviews with the Crown Prince, his royal relatives, and his inner ring of advisors, The Man Who Would Be King explains in full what shaped the man who is reshaping Saudi Arabia. It is an unprecedented and much needed in-depth portrait of the leader who, at only thirty-nine, will be a major player on the world stage for the next half century.
Get a copy of The Man Who Would Be King on Bookshop.org to support your local bookstore.

The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan by Aaron Magid
The first comprehensive biography on Jordan’s King Abdullah, The Most American King details Abdullah’s rise to power, survival amid protests from Jordanians, and his efforts to cement an alliance with Washington.
Aaron Magid, a former Amman-based journalist, charts Abdullah’s path to power from a Massachusetts prep school to a British military academy to the throne, and reveals how Abdullah has remained in power for over a quarter century. While leaders nearby were ousted during the 2011 Arab Spring protests, Abdullah survived the wave of discontent. Drawing on interviews with over 100 of King Abdullah’s classmates, former Jordanian ministers, and CIA directors, The Most American King offers a thorough account of this key Arab leader.
Get a copy of The Most American King.
