Super Students: What Do the High-Achieving Children of Immigrants Tell Us About America?
1/10/12
Speaker: Stuart Anderson

Stuart Anderson's ground-breaking research shows that 70% of the finalists at the 2011 Intel Science Talent Search were children of immigrants. What does this tell us about the future of America?

Pakistan And The United States - On A Collision Course?
1/17/12
Speaker: Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy

The execution of Osama bin Laden by the U.S. on Pakistani soil triggered widespread resentment in Pakistan, but this was not the first major crisis in relations between the two countries. Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy will examine: What has soured between two former allies? How is this situation related to the expected withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, and to the Kashmir issue? He will speculate on what might prevent further deterioration in Pakistan-U.S. relations..

What Price Intervention?
1/24/12
Speaker: Dr. Michael Scheuer

Dr. Michael Scheuer will discuss why the American Founding Fathers believed that a noninterventionist foreign policy – which is not isolationism – would be the wisest course of action for the United States. He will also discuss the benefits the Founding Fathers expected America to accrue from such a policy.

The United States and Latin America
1/31/12
Speaker: Dr. Jorge Dominguez

Jorge Dominguez examines: What are U.S. interests in Latin America? Do they really matter? What are the main themes in U.S. policy toward the region? How inconsistent is U.S. policy toward the region from administration to administration? How should we assess Obama administration policy toward Latin America?

Skating On Stilts: Technology and Terrorism
2/7/12
Speaker: Stewart Baker

The new technologies that empower all of us also empower new forms of terrorism. Stewart Baker examines: Why does this happen and what can we do to prevent or mitigate this behavior?

Israel and the Impact of the "Arab Spring"
2/14/12
Speaker: Molly Williamson

Molly Williamson will review Israel’s neighborhood and the impact of the “Arab Spring”, already more than a year old. Williamson will explore issues of whether the Middle East is experiencing a revolution, many variations of awakening, or regime change without structural and institutional change.

Student Achievement and Global Competitiveness
2/21/12
Speaker: Dr. Russ Whitehurst

The U.S. has dropped to the second tier of countries in the proportion of young adults receiving college degrees and is in the middle of the pack in the performance of middle- and high-school students on international assessments. Dr. Russ Whitehurst will examine: What does this mean for jobs and competitiveness and what policies should states and the federal government pursue as remedies?

Russia's Presidential Elections: What They Mean for Russia and America
2/28/12
Speaker: Dr. Robert Barylski

Since the turmoil and chaos of the 1990s, Russian society has demanded strong presidential leadership and supported pragmatic, conservative domestic and foreign policies. By contrast, after our Cold War victory, Americans were excessively optimistic and drifted into a strategic and financial mess. Dr. Robert Barylski examines: What can America’s optimists learn from Russia’s pessimists?

Understanding China's Political and Economic Transformation
3/6/12
Speaker: Jonathan Pollack

China's economic and political emergence is among the defining transformations of global politics of recent decades. But how fully and accurately does the outside world understand the transitions underway within China? What political, social, and institutional forces are determining China's future power trajectory and the choices confronting China's leaders? What are the international implications of this internal transition? Amidst widespread expectations of the inexorable rise of Chinese power, what are the potential perturbing factors in China's future, and how could these shape Asian politics as a whole?

Crime, Activism, Espionage, and War in Cyberspace: The Challenge to Governments and Corporations
3/13/12
Speaker: John Serafini

As the recent attacks against corporations and governments illustrate, a sophisticated adversary is capable of penetrating even a well defended network. With increasing connectivity, corporations need to reassess how they view security by analyzing cyber crime, cyber activism, cyber espionage, and cyber war in order to move into the future with confidence.John Serafini will examine this issue.

The Inherent Tension Between Domestic Police and National Security Organizations: the Impact on Modern Threats
3/20/12
Speaker: Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker

Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker will discuss the fundamental differences between law enforcement and intelligence in the U.S. versus other nations in terms of philosophies, rules, and culture. These differences have major implications for combating terrorist threats.

Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Sustainable Government Finances
3/27/12
Speaker: Dr. Christian Weller

Large and widening budget deficits are forecast. Benefits to beneficiaries by Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid make up the largest share of government spending. Experts agree that reigning in the budget will require substantial reforms to these programs. Dr. Christian Weller will discuss ongoing efforts and evaluate their likelihood of success.