PREPARE TO DISCUSS THE WORLD

GREAT DECISIONS:   Great Decisions is America’s largest discussion program on world affairs.  The program model involves reading the Great Decisions Briefing Book, watching the DVD and meeting in a Discussion Group to discuss the most critical global issues facing America today.  All are welcome.  There is a $32 charge for the Briefing Book and discussions begin at 6:30p.m.  between February and May (the second and fourth Monday of each month)  at the Palos Park Public Library, 12330 Forest Glen Boulevard in Palos Park.  Dates to be announced.  

                   Email Carol at      Walsh7833@comcast.net  if you are interested in joining us.

Great Decisions 2023- New Books and topics return in January of 2024

Here is a list of the preliminary topics for the upcoming 2023 edition of Great Decisions. The eight topics will each have a corresponding episode of GDTV that will broadcast on PBS and be available on DVD or streaming with Vimeo. For any questions, please contact editorial@fpa.org.

2024 Topics

The Foreign Policy Association is pleased to announce the topic selections for Great Decisions 2024.

Mideast Realignment  By Marc Lynch

The United States and Middle East are at a crossroads. In spite of a reduced presence in the Middle East, the U.S. still has significant national interests there and the area is a key arena for global power politics. Can the U.S. continue to defend its interests in the Middle East and globally with a lower level of military and political involvement, or should it recommit to a leading role in the region?

 

Climate technology and competition. By Bud Ward

Will the United States and China, with other powerful countries following suit, approach current and future climate initiatives with an increased commitment to trade protectionism and nationalism, by various measures including trade restrictions? Or could a growing spirit of international accord develop to confront the “common enemy” of climate change?

Science across borders By Mila Rosenthal

Scientific advances benefit from collaboration between researchers, but what happens when material, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is controversial and important to a nation’s national security? Is there a middle ground between sharing information and denying access? How can we regulate cooperation?

U.S. -China trade rivalry By Jonathan Chanis

China’s economic rise and its current policies of increasing the role of the state in the economy have led some U.S. policymakers to seek to deny China access to U.S. technology and investment. This is seen as a necessary corrective to decades of predatory Chinese economic policies. Is this a wise strategy, and how effective can it be?

NATO’s future By Sarwar Kashmeri

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has come under increased scrutiny, not because NATO troops are involved in the conflict, but because of its role in relations between Russia and its neighbors. Will expanding membership in NATO protect countries, or will it further provoke Russia?

Understanding Indonesia  By Charles Sullivan

Despite its large size, Indonesia remains virtually invisible to most Americans. But as one of the world’s largest democracies, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, and as an economic driver of ASEAN, why does it fly below the radar? What are current issues in U.S.-Indonesian relations, and what role can the country play in Asia?

High Seas Treaty By FPA editors

Areas of the seas beyond national jurisdiction comprise the high seas, which are facing a degradation of ecosystems due to climate change and the increase in human activities, such as shipping, overfishing, pollution, and deep-sea mining. The recently negotiated High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty, will attempt to address these issues. How difficult will it be to convince nations to participate?

Pandemic preparedness By Carolyn Reynolds

Looking back at the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many lessons to take away in terms of domestic and international policies. Although this pandemic seems to have waned, how can we apply these lessons to future pandemics? Will countries cooperate, and will a consensus emerge on how to manage global health challenges?

Further discussion material can be found at several Great Decisions Facebook pages or the Great Decisions Website:   http://www.fpa.org/great_decisions/