On Shifting Ground

In April – shortly after triggering article 50 of the Lisbon treaty which started the process of withdrawing from the European Union – British Prime Minister Theresa May called for a snap general election to be held in June. There is no turning back on Brexit, but a strong win by the Conservative Party would give May a stronger mandate in executing it as she sees fit. May hopes to increase her majority in Parliament as she strives to negotiate a good deal for Britain, and local election results and polls indicate that this is a likely outcome.

The UK vote comes in the wake of the French elections, where pro-EU Emmanuel Macron won with 65% of the vote. One of his first public statements was to warn the UK to expect “tough” Brexit negotiations. Regardless of how the deal is cut, it will redefine the political and economic relationships between the EU and Britain, as well as the US, that form the bedrock of the Western alliance.

What is the future of the European Union, and how will the upcoming UK elections influence it? How will this impact the transatlantic US-UK relationship? Colin Brown, chairman of the British-American Business Council and Christophe Crombez, senior research scholar at Stanford’s The Europe Center and professor at KU Leuven in Belgium, will discuss prospects for Brexit, the European Union and international trade negotiations.

As part of our "Engage" series, this event features a post-discussion Q&A, when you will have the chance to participate directly with the speaker and gain incredible insights that you won't get anywhere else.

SPEAKERS

Colin Brown
Chairman, British-American Business Council

Christophe Crombez
Senior Research Scholar at Stanford’s The Europe Center and Professor at KU Leuven in Belgium

MODERATOR:

Kausik Rajgopal
Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company

For more information please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1734

Direct download: 06_12_17_UK_Elections.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 3:02pm PDT

According to recent studies by Pew Research, consumers are now just as likely to get their news from social media as from traditional news websites. And while some Americans are confident in their abilities to detect "fake news," two-thirds feel some confusion about navigating the facts in current issues and events.

What obligations do government and media have to filter fake news, and what steps have already been taken to prevent these stories from gaining undue attention? What is the future of journalism in this post-facts era? How can we know what is credible and what is not?

Joaquin Alvarado, CEO of the Center for Investigative Reporting, will share his thoughts about reporting in a time when our country is being confronted by an unprecedented assault on basic facts.

SPEAKERS

Joaquin Alvarado
CEO, Center for Investigative Reporting

Janine Zacharia
Former Jerusalem Bureau Chief and Middle East Correspondent, The Washington Post

MODERATOR:

Edward Wasserman
Dean, Graduate School of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1724

Direct download: 05_24_17_Fake_News.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 4:03pm PDT

Is American influence in Asia and around the world set to decline? In the years following the global financial crisis, the US has increasing ceded its leadership in the world, while China has rushed in to fill the gap left behind. Based on the inward-looking economic nationalism of the Trump administration, some say this trend is poised to accelerate.

Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times, terms this phenomenon “Easternization” - the tectonic shift of the world’s center of gravity from West to East, and from the US to China. Though obscured by the headlines of the day, in the not-so-distant future we may come to view this, as Rachman does, as the momentous transformation of the young century.

How is the growing wealth of Asian nations transforming the international balance of power? Will Trump’s temperament lead to war or peace with Asian nations? After striving for years to be a part of Europe, is Russia now returning to its Asian roots? How would a shift to the East shape all of our lives? This event is co-organized with the Mechanics Institute.

SPEAKER:

Gideon Rachman
Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, Financial Times

MODERATOR:

Carla Thorson
Senior Vice President, Programs, World Affairs

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1714

Direct download: 05_23_17_Gideon_Rachman.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:07pm PDT

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