E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues

China in Africa: The New Scramble by Richard Behar

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:00:00 CST

Europe's rapid colonization of Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries came to be known as the "Scramble for Africa." Is China's increasing involvement in Africa the 21st century version? From Algeria to Zambia, from aluminum up the resource ladder to zinc, Behar, an award-winning investigative journalist, will discuss an economic model that is at once formidably efficient and tragically flawed and how China's new "scramble for Africa" is interlocked with America's economy. | Richard Behar has garnered 20 journalism awards over a career spanning 25 years. He was called "one of the most dogged of our watchdogs" by the late syndicated columnist Jack Anderson. Behar spent nine years with Fortune magazine, preceded by six years at Time and six years at Forbes. Prior to that, he was a stringer/researcher at the New York Times. Behar has also done assignments for BBC, CNN, FoxNews.com, Fast Company, and PBS.

China: Fragile Superpower by Susan Shirk

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:30:00 CST

Once a sleeping giant, China today is the world's fastest growing economy -- a dramatic turn-around that alarms many Westerners. Shirk's 2007 book, "China: Fragile Superpower," explored the troubling paradox faced by China's leaders: the more developed and prosperous the country becomes, the more insecure and threatened they feel. Shirk, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for China, knows many of today's Chinese rulers personally and has studied them for three decades. In her Thompson Forum lecture, Shirk will give an update on the state of China's internal politics and the fears that motivate its leaders. Susan L. Shirk is Director of the University of California's Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, and Professor at UC-San Diego's Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies. A leading authority on China, she has written numerous books and articles on this subject, including pieces that have appeared in Washington Post, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal.

Shouting Across the Chasm: Chinese and American Netizens Clash in Cyberspace by Kaiser Kuo

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:00:00 CDT

The year 2008 offered unprecedented opportunities for Chinese and Anglophone Internet users to communicate. They were standing nose to virtual nose, but they were not, by any means, seeing eye-to-eye. Using the Internet as a starting point, Kaiser Kuo delves into a number of issues at the heart of disagreements on the people-to-people level. Born in the U. S. to Chinese parents, Kuo lives in China and identifies equally as American and Chinese. Formerly director of digital strategy for the Beijing office of a global advertising agency, Kuo has worked as a technology and business writer for publications such as Time, TimeAsia, China Economic Review, Asia Inc., and the South China Morning Post, and currently serves as an advisor for Youku.com, a leading video sharing company in China. Kuo co-founded China's most famous rock band, Tang Dynasty, and continues to be active in the Chinese music scene.

China's Trade and Soft Power Relationships with Asia and the United States - Reason to Worry? by Doug Bereuter

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:45:00 CDT

The persistent issue of the United States' trade deficit with China is becoming more controversial as American manufacturing jobs are lost. Within that controversy lies the less-examined issue of the role of foreign investment in and the contribution of China's Asian neighbors to Chinese exports. Couple that with China's increasing focus on enhancing its soft power - often defined as the ability of a country to persuade others to do what it wants without force or coercion - and interesting questions arise. Is increasing Chinese soft power a zero sum game for the U.S.? Is the Chinese model of economic growth and political stability increasing attractive to the developing world? Doug Bereuter is uniquely qualified to provide insights into these questions and more. As President and CEO of The Asia Foundation, Bereuter oversees an organization with 17 offices across Asia focused on improving civil society, women's empowerment, economic reform and development, international relations and more. Bereuter joined The Asia Foundation in 2004 following his resignation as Congressman representing Nebraska's First District, a position he held for 26 years. While in Congress, Bereuter co-founded the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and chaired a task force on the transition of Hong Kong and the House Delegation to the 40-country NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Citizenship in a Global Age by Colin G. Campbell

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:00:00 CST

The idea of global citizenship is old as Athens. But to this day it remains a political ideal, not a practical reality. The world does not issue you a passport or guarantee you rights. Yet, the values implied by global citizenship - broad awareness, intelligent engagement, etc. - have become more compelling than ever. In the final lecture of the 20th anniversary season for the Thompson Forum, Colin G. Campbell discusses citizenship and its history, the development of American citizenship and the challenges of citizenship in the era of globalization.

Illegal Immigrants: Path to Citizenship? by Dr. Michael Olivas & Dr. Vernon Briggs

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:00:00 CST

Estimates of the number of illegal immigrants in the United States range from 11 million to more than 20 million. Most recommendations for immigration reform center on the issue of a path to citizenship for these people. Opponents say this is amnesty, a strategy which proved ineffective in previous immigration legislation. Supporters say legalization is both a necessity and a moral obligation. In the second annual Wilson Dialogue, Dr. Michael Olivas, William B. Bates Distinguished Chair of Law at the University of Houston, and Dr. Vernon Briggs, Professor Emeritus in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, will discuss the issue of a path to citizenship.

Notes from Afghanistan by Sarah Chayes

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:00:00 CST

Sarah Chayes has been living and working in Kandahar, Afghanistan since 2001, when she covered the fall of the Taliban for National Public Radio. In 2002 she left journalism to help rebuild the shattered country whose fate will help determine the shape of the 21st century, working first with Afghans for Civil Society, and currently with Arghand, a cooperative producing fine skin-care products from local fruits, nuts and botanicals. The Washington Post described her book, "The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan After the Taliban," as "sharply observed, fearlessly told." Prior to her assignment in Afghanistan, Chayes reported for NPR in the Balkans, North Africa and the Middle East. Along with members of her NPR team, she was recognized by the Foreign Press for her reporting in Kosovo.

Bridging the Gap: Globalization without Isolation by F.W. de Klerk

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:00:00 CST

During his time as president of South Africa, F.W. de Klerk released Nelson Mandela from prison, and initiated and presided over the dismantling of apartheid, the adoption of South Africa's first fully democratic constitution and the first-ever multiracial elections. In 1993, Mandela and de Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize. One of the most influential statesmen of our time, de Klerk founded and is currently chairman of the Global Leadership Foundation, a consortium of former heads of state dedicated to promoting peace, democracy and development worldwide by providing confidential peer-to-peer advice to governments around the world.

America and the World, 1962 to 2008: Contrasts and Contradictions by Ted Sorensen

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:00:00 CST

Theodore C. 'Ted' Sorensen, former special counsel and adviser to President John F. Kennedy and a widely published author on the presidency and foreign affairs, practiced international law for over 36 years as a senior partner, and now of counsel, in the prominent U.S. law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Former chairman of the firm's International Practice Committee, he has represented U.S. and multinational corporations in negotiations with governments all over the world and advised and assisted a large number of foreign governments and government leaders, ranging from the late President Anwar El Sadat of Egypt to former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa. Sorensen is a Lincoln native and graduate of UNL and the University of Nebraska College of Law. His memoirs, "Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History," were published in May, 2008.

Democracy and Religion: America and Israel by Ronald Dworkin

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:00:00 CDT

Ronald Dworkin has a unique ability to tie together abstract philosophical ideas and arguments with concrete everyday concerns in law, morals and politics. Dubbed "Mr. Justice" by the Times of London, Dworkin's pioneering scholarly work has had worldwide impact. He is a Professor of Philosophy and Law at New York University and a Professor of Law at University College London. In 2007, Dworkin was awarded the prestigious Holberg International Memorial Prize by the University of Bergen, Norway for outstanding scholarly work in the humanities. Dworkin has written influential articles on matters of public political controversy for many years. Among his many acclaimed books are: "Taking Rights Seriously," "Justice in Robes" and "Is Democracy Possible Here? Principles for New Political Debate."

Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership by David Gergen

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:00:00 CDT

Commentator, editor, teacher, public servant, best-selling author and adviser to presidents, David Gergen has been an active participant in American national life. He served as director of communications for President Ronald Reagan and also held positions in the Nixon, Ford and Clinton administrations. Gergen currently serves as editor-at-large at U.S. News & World Report and as a regular television commentator. He is also a professor of public service at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and director of its Center for Public Leadership. In 2000, he published the best-selling book, "Eyewitness to Power: The Essence: of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton."

Nebraska's Water Future: Feast or Famine by Bruce Babbitt

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:00:00 CDT

Bruce Babbitt was Governor of Arizona from 1978-87 and Attorney General of Arizona from 1975-78. As governor, he brought environmental and resource management to the forefront in the state. He negotiated and steered to passage the Arizona Groundwater Management Act of 1980, which remains the most comprehensive water regulatory system in the nation. He was also responsible for creation of the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Appointed Secretary of the Interior by President Clinton, Babbitt led the creation of the forest plan in the Pacific Northwest, restoration of the Florida Everglades, passage of the California Desert Protection Act, and legislation for the National Wildlife Refuge system. As a certified fire fighter, he brought his front line experience to creating a new federal wild land fire policy that emphasized the role of fire in maintenance and restoration of natural ecosystems. He pioneered the use of habitat conservation plans under the Endangered Species Act and worked with Clinton to create 22 new national monuments. He is the author of "Cities in the Wilderness," recently issued by Island Press, in which he lays out a new vision of land use in America. He currently serves as a director of the World Wildlife Fund.

For God's Sake by Richard Cizik

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:30:00 CDT

Known as "The Green Evangelist," Reverend Richard Cizik calls climate change a crisis of "biblical proportions." Cizik is vice president for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). His responsibilities include setting NAE's policy direction on issues before Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court, as well as serving as a national spokesman on issues of concern to evangelicals. A conservative both politically and religiously, Cizik is on a mission to convert tens of millions of Americans to the cause of conservation, using a right-to-life framework and spreading the doctrine of "creation care" to evangelical Christians. Thanks to his leadership, NAE released a manifesto urging its members to adopt eco-friendly living habits and exhorting the government to lighten America's environmental footprint. The organization also circulated a charter calling on its member network and top-level Beltway allies to fight global warming. Educated in political science and public affairs, Cizik also received a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary and an honorary Doctorate of Ministry in Christian Leadership from the Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. Cizik was ordained by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in 1992 and, in addition to his work for NAE, maintains an active preaching and speaking schedule.

Winning the Oil Endgame by Amory Lovins

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:00:00 CDT

Physicist Amory Lovins is the Co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), an independent think-and-do-tank that creates abundance by design. RMI works with individuals and organizations of every imaginable kind to help them use energy and resources efficiently while being ever-better stewards of the environment. Published in 29 books and hundreds of papers, Lovins' work has been recognized by a MacArthur Fellowship and a Time "Hero for the Planet" Award among many others. He advises governments and major firms worldwide on advanced energy and resource efficiency, and has led the technical redesign of $30 billion worth of facilities in 29 sectors to achieve very large energy savings at typically lower capital cost. The "Wall Street Journal" named Mr. Lovins one of thirty-nine people worldwide "most likely to change the course of business in the '90s"; "Newsweek" has praised him as "one of the Western world's most influential energy thinkers"; and "Car" magazine ranked him the twenty-second most powerful person in the global automotive industry.

Ethanol: Fueling Debate by Douglas Durante & Jerry Taylor

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:00:00 CDT

Douglas Durante has worked in the fields of energy, transportation, and the environment since 1977. He was the Director of Public Affairs for the National Alcohol Fuels Commission and served as a Special Assistant in the Office of Alcohol Fuels at the U.S. Department of Energy. Mr. Durante has served on numerous state and federal advisory committees, including Chair of the Fuels Subcommittee of the Federal Biomass Advisory Committee and on the Governors' Ethanol Coalition's Biomass Advisory Committee. He also served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Fuels Advisory Committee, and the Department of Energy's Business Roundtable Advisory Group. In 1987, Durante helped form the Clean Fuels Development Coalition (CFDC), a non-profit organization. The CFDC works in support of renewable alcohols and has a broad-based membership including automotive, agricultural, and other alternative energy interests. Jerry Taylor is the most widely cited and influential right-of-center critic of federal energy and environmental policy in the nation. Taylor is a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal and National Review and has published op-eds in the Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and virtually every other important newspaper in the country. He is a regular guest on CNBC and Bloomberg Radio and has also appeared frequently on the major news networks as well as CNN, NPR, MSNBC, Fox News, Public Radio International, and the BBC. Taylor has served on numerous congressional advisory bodies and has testified frequently on Capitol Hill regarding various energy and environmental policy matters. He is the author or coauthor of numerous policy studies and has contributed to several anthologies, including "Energy & American Society - 13 Myths," "Market Liberalism: A New Paradigm for the 21st Century," "The Cato Handbook for Congress," "China as a Global Economic Power: Market Reforms and the New Millennium," and "Earth Report 2000: Revisiting the True State of the Planet."

Grounded: A Reflection on the Use of Life and Land by Joel Sartore

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 09:00:00 CDT

A life-long Nebraskan, photographer Joel Sartore has covered everything from the remote Amazon rainforest to beer-drinking, mountain-racing firefighters in the United Kingdom. In addition to his celebrated work for National Geographic, which often focuses on conservation, endangered species, and land use issues, Sartore's work has been featured in Time, Life, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, and numerous books. Sartore and his career have been the subject of several national broadcasts, including "National Geographic Explorer," the "NBC Nightly News," NPR's "Weekend Edition," and "CBS Sunday Morning," as well as an hour-long PBS documentary, "At Close Range."

Faith, Philosophy and Medicine: Reflections on Maimonides by Sherwin Nuland

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 10:00:00 PDT

Sherwin B. Nuland, M.D., is Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Yale University School of Medicine and a Fellow at Yale's Institute for Social and Policy Studies. He is the author of nine books, including "Doctors: The Biography of Medicine," "The Wisdom of the Body," "The Mysteries Within," "Lost in America: A Journey with My Father," and "The Doctors' Plague: Germs, Childbed Fever, and the Strange Story of Ignac Semmelweis." His book "How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final Chapter" won the National Book Award and spent thirty-four weeks on the New York Times best-seller list.

The Great Shift of Wealth and Power to the East by Clyde Prestowitz

Fri, 9 Feb 2007 10:00:00 PDT

Clyde Prestowitz is founder and President of the Economic Strategy Institute, a Washington think-tank influential in the areas of international trade policy and specialized in how key sectors of the U.S. and world economy adapt to change, in particular the effects of globalization. Mr. Prestowitz served as counselor to the Secretary of Commerce in the Reagan Administration and led many U.S. trade and investment negotiations with Japan, China, Latin America, and Europe. His latest book, "Three Billion New Capitalists: The Great Shift of Wealth and Power to the East," deals with the economic rise of Asia and the upcoming rebalancing of the world economic order and its impact on the United States. He is also the author of "Rogue Nation: American Unilateralism and the Failure of Good Intentions" and the best-selling book on U.S.-Japan relations, "Trading Places."

America: the Road Ahead at Home and Abroad by George McGovern

Thu, 9 Nov 2006 10:00:00 PDT

George McGovern was a United States Congressman, Senator, and the Democratic nominee for the 1972 presidential election. After leaving the Senate in 1980 he was a visiting professor at a number of institutions, including Columbia University, Northwestern University, Duke University, Cornell University and the University of Berlin. He served as President of the Middle East Policy Council from 1991-1998, when President Bill Clinton appointed him U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. In 2001, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan named him honorary United Nations Global Ambassador on World Hunger.

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 10:00:00 PDT

Azar Nafisi, author of the national bestseller "Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books," is the director of the Dialogue Project at the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C., where she is a professor of aesthetics, culture, and literature, and teaches courses on the relation between culture and politics. She held a fellowship from Oxford and taught English literature at the University of Tehran, the Free Islamic University and Allameh Tabatabai University in Iran.

The role of the U.N. in U.S. Foreign Policy by Ambassador John Bolton

Fri, 8 Sep 2006 10:00:00 PDT

Bolton was appointed by President George W. Bush as U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations on Aug. 1, 2005. Prior to his appointment, Bolton served as Under secretary of state for arms control and international security from 2001-2005. He was senior vice president of the American Enterprise Institute and spent many years of his career in public service, serving as assistant secretary for international organization affairs at the Department of State, 1989-1993; assistant attorney general, Department of Justice, 1985-1989; assistant administrator for program and policy coordination (1982-83) and general counsel (1982-83), U.S. Agency for International Development.

America and the World Economy by Peter G. Peterson

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 10:00:00 PDT

The Lewis E. Harris Lecture on Public Policy and the E.N. Thompson Forum present Peter G. Peterson, chairman and co-founder of The Blackstone Group and founding president of The Concord Coalition, a bi-partisan citizen's group dedicated to building a constituency of fiscal responsibility. Peterson was Assistant to President Nixon for International Economic Affairs and was named Secretary of Commerce by Nixon in 1972. Peterson is the author of several books, including "Running on Empty: How the Democratic and Republican Parties are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do about It" (2004).

The United States of Europe by T.R. Reid

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 10:00:00 PDT

T.R. Reid is the Rocky Mountain bureau chief for The Washington Post. He has become one of the nation's best-known correspondents through his coverage of global affairs. Reid has written six books in English and three in Japanese. His most recent book, "The United States of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy" (2004) has become a national best-seller.

The Paradox of National Liberation: India, Israel and Algeria by Dr. Michael Walzer

Wed, 2 Nov 2005 10:00:00 PDT

Dr. Walzer is a leading American political theorist who has been a professor of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey since 1980. His recent books include "Arguing about War" (2004) and "Politics and Passion" (2005).

Beyond Disbelief: A Different View of Christianity by Dr. Elaine Pagels

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 10:00:00 PDT

Dr. Pagels is a preeminent scholar of religious history who teaches at Princeton University. Her best-selling books, "The Gnostic Gospels" and "Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas," raise provocative questions about the basic beliefs of the Christian tradition and the social role of religion in the modern world. NOTE: By contractual arrangement with Dr. Pagels, the archived file of her lecture is available only to UNL and its associated research centers and extension offices. If you try to download this file from an Internet address outside UNL, you will be denied access.