Current Global Issues

This lecture examined the many dimensions of the U.S.-China geopolitical contest and provided some suggestions on how both America and China can handle this contest better.

In this discussion, Severine Autesserre, award-winning author, peace builder and researcher, spoke about her new book—which draws upon in-depth field research in twelve different conflict zones to challenge popular beliefs and scholarly ideas about war, peace, and conflict resolution.

Acclaimed Chinese dissident artist and activist Ai Weiwei joined Sabine Eckmann, William T. Kemper Director and Chief Curator of the Kemper Art Museum, for a conversation on Ai’s wide-ranging and critical practice.

Kendall, curator of Asian Ethnographic Collections at the American Museum of Natural History, delivered the Morrell Memorial Lecture in Asian Religions on“Gods and Things in Four Asian Places.”

Easterling, chief of the Scientific Services Division of the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration’s (NOAA) will deliver a presentation on “A Scientific View of Climate Change.”

On February 17, 2015 at 6 p.m. in Graham Chapel, Reza Aslan, delivered the Washington University Foreign Policy Engagement Lecture on faith, extremism and democracy.

Widely published in both professional journals as well as general media, McArthur’s work has appeared in publications as varied as The Lancet and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition to The Economist, The Globe and Mail and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

In this discussion, titled “Understanding Afghanistan: Insights from the New York Times,” the New York Times’ Istanbul bureau chief, Carlotta Gall, shared insights about Afghanistan.

On April 14, 2015 at 5 p.m. in Umrath Hall Lounge, veteran journalist Carla Power talked about “Reading the Quran at Starbucks: An American Secular Feminist and a Traditional Muslim Scholar Find Commonalities.”

Ferguson Councilman Wesley Bell’s recent upset of Robert McCulloch’s 28-year-run as St. Louis County Prosecutor was a stunning victory for the underdog running on a platform to reform its criminal justice system.

that scientific progress is dependent upon a plurality of perspectives; that when inquiry is open to many disparate points of view, it’s more open to critical analysis and thus more objective.

Through his several books on the growth, preparation and consumption of food, Michael Pollan has shown us the way toward food enlightenment. Now with his 8th book, he is leading us on another enlightened journey, one that holds the promise of peace of mind for millions suffering from serious mental disorders such as PTSD.

Legomsky’s law school text, “Immigration and Refugee Law and Policy,” has been the required text at 185 law schools. He is frequently called upon by governments and the media to weigh in on policies that affect immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. The former WashU law school professor — who has enjoyed emeritus status since retiring in 2015 — has appeared before Congress on a number of occasions, most recently before the House and the Senate Judiciary committees on the legality of President Barack Obama’s immigration executive actions.

Robert Sagastume’s journey, from arriving in America as an adolescent on a visa, to becoming undocumented, to receiving rights under the DACA law, and finally, obtaining a green card, illustrates the challenging plight of children caught in America’s immigration morass through no fault of their own.

Nicole Cortes got her first glimpse into the St. Louis Latino community as an undergraduate, and in doing so, discovered that there weren’t many Spanish-speaking lawyers around.

Three WashU experts explore how drone technology is changing our world in a discussion that promises to bring intriguing insights. “Technology, Ethics, and Laws” featuring Humberto Gonzalez, Neil Richards, and Meredith Malone, at 5:30 p.m. March 31 in Steinberg Auditorium. At 5 p.m. please join us for a reception and viewing of the exhibition on which the discussion will be based: “To See Without Being Seen: Contemporary Art and Drone Warfare,” in the Kemper Art Museum.

Even before the U.S. imposed new restrictions for asylum seekers and refugees, the path to citizenship or legal residency for immigrants has been circuitous at best; there is no “line” to get in legally. Even those who enter our country legally find their future and safety are anything but guaranteed, with the resulting need for attorneys with experience in this field. To make matters worse, immigrants often do not have the means to retain a lawyer.

The 2019 Holocaust Memorial Lecture featured a presentation by Jason De León, professor of anthropology at UCLA, entitled ‘Understanding the Current Politics of Migrant Life andDeath along the U.S.-Mexico Border.’ De León uses ethnographic analysis, forensic science and archaeological research to study the lives and deaths of migrants in the Sonoran Desert.

As a result of a Peace Corps stint in Botswana, empathy with the plight of farmers took hold early in Jack Kloppenburg’s life, as well as an appreciation of locally-produced food, and led to a lifelong study of plant breeding and seed production and to a strong commitment to promoting local, sustainable food systems.

Michelle Oberman, the Katharine and George Alexander Professor of Law at Santa Clara University, presented on the battle over abortion law.

As a journalist, Parenti has reported extensively from Afghanistan, Iraq, and various parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In addition to The Nation, Parenti’s articles have appeared in Fortune, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Middle East Report, London Review of Books, and Mother Jones.

The Compton/Ferguson lecture series, established decades ago with endowed funds to support programs covering topics in science, has ended its hiatus and is reappearing this fall under the title, Science Matters.

Retired Col. Frank Sobchak discussed lessons from the Iraq War. Col. Sobchak is co-author of the “U.S. Army in the Iraq War” report, the first U.S. government history of the war.