Meets monthly. Exchange ideas about thought-provoking foreign policy
issues facing America today in this informal, non-partisan discussion.
Participants should pick up a copy of the Great Decisions 2018 Briefing Book
in the holds area of the main library and read the corresponding
chapter prior to each meeting. Discussion is led by Professor Gary
Midkiff. Register for each month separately. Registration required.
March 23 - Chapter 1: The waning of Pax Americana?
During the first months of Donald Trump’s presidency, the U.S. began a
historic shift away from Pax Americana, the liberal international order
that was established in the wake of World War II. Since 1945, Pax
Americana has promised peaceful international relations and an open
economy, buttressed by U.S. military power. In championing “America
First” isolationism and protectionism, President Trump has shifted the
political mood toward selective U.S. engagement, where foreign
commitments are limited to areas of vital U.S. interest and economic
nationalism is the order of the day. Geopolitical allies and challengers
alike are paying close attention.