Great Decisions Discussion
Join us in America's largest discussion program on world affairs!
NEW LOCATION
NEW LOCATION
Fante's Coffee House
2501 Grinstead Drive, Louisville, KY, 40206
Doors Open at 5:30 pm
Programming begins at 6:00 pm
Drinks and food are encouraged during the discussion. Please feel free to check out Fante's Website here
The World Affairs Council hosts an annual Great Decisions Discussion Series, based on the Great Decisions Briefing Books from the Foreign Policy Association.
As America's largest discussion program on world affairs, this series offers a dynamic platform for understanding and addressing the most critical global issues facing the nation.
The program model is comprehensive, involving thought-provoking analyses from the Great Decisions Briefing Book, watching the enlightening video series, and actively participating in Discussion Groups.
The 2024 series features a curated selection of eight topics chosen by a panel of experts. They include: Mideast Realignment, Climate Technology and Competition, Science Across Borders, U.S.-China Trade Rivalry, NATO's Future, Understanding Indonesia, High Seas Treaty, and Pandemic Preparedness.
The dates for the entire series are as follows:
Mideast Realignment - February 21st
Climate Technology and Competition - April 23rd
Science Across Borders - June 12th
U.S. -China Trade Rivalry - August 14th
NATO’s Future - September 11th
Understanding Indonesia- October 9th
High Seas Treaty - November 13th
Pandemic Preparedness - December 11th
The 2025 series will go over a plethora of enthralling discussions written by leading experts in international affairs. There are no set-in-stone dates for next year’s discussions at this time. The 2025 topics entail:
American foreign policy at its crossroads (John Ikenberry)
The United States changing leadership of the world economy (Daniel Drezner)
Another discussion of U.S.-China relations (Jessica Chen Weiss and Ali Wyne)
International cooperation on climate change (John Busby)
An expanded discussion from the 2024 edition on NATO’s future and European security (Kori Schake)
AI and American national security (Julie George)
India’s expanding role in world affairs (Leslie Vinjamuri)
America’s policy in the Middle East, with a focus on Gaza (Daniel Kurtzer)
All discussants are required to read and actively participate in the facilitated discussions. If you are interested in facilitating any of the series, please contact us at contact@worldkentucky.org.
The Great Decisions Briefing book can be purchased from WAC during registration, or below, and picked up at our office or brought to the event.
Required Briefing Book
The program model involves reading the Great Decisions Briefing Book, watching the video series and meeting in a Discussion Group to discuss the most critical global issues facing America today.
Each year, eight topics are chosen by a panel of experts.
History of Great Decisions
The first "Great Decisions" group was launched in Portland, Oregon in 1954 by FPA's Vice President Roger Mastrude. Based on the so-called "Avon" model of face-to-face, active and informal conversation, participants would read a fact sheet on each of the eight topics before meetings, where they aired their respective views and opinions. FPA would tally up opinion ballots and report the results to the Department of State. The program gained media attention, was picked up by local schools, and soon gained national attention.
The grassroots, face-to-face model adopted by Great Decisions more than 60 years ago continues today, with tens of thousands of participants taking part in discussions nationwide annually.
UPCOMING DISCUSSIONS
UPCOMING DISCUSSIONS
June 12th
2501 Grinstead Dr, Louisville, KY 40206
Science Across Borders
Scientific advances benefit from collaboration between researchers, but what happens when material, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is controversial and important to a nation’s national security? Is there a middle ground between sharing information and denying access? How can we regulate cooperation?
August 14th
2501 Grinstead Dr, Louisville, KY 40206
U.S.-China Trade Rivalry
China’s economic rise and its current policies of increasing the role of the state in the economy have led some U.S. policymakers to seek to deny China access to U.S. technology and investment. This is seen as a necessary corrective to decades of predatory Chinese economic policies. Is this a wise strategy, and how effective can it be?
September 11th
2501 Grinstead Dr, Louisville, KY 40206
October 9th
2501 Grinstead Dr, Louisville, KY 40206
November 13th
2501 Grinstead Dr, Louisville, KY 40206
December 11th
2501 Grinstead Dr, Louisville, KY 40206
NATO’s Future
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has come under increased scrutiny, not because NATO troops are involved in the conflict, but because of its role in relations between Russia and its neighbors. Will expanding membership in NATO protect countries, or will it further provoke Russia?
Understanding Indonesia
Despite its large size, Indonesia remains virtually invisible to most Americans. But as one of the world’s largest democracies, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, and as an economic driver of ASEAN, why does it fly below the radar? What are current issues in U.S.-Indonesian relations, and what role can the country play in Asia?
High Seas Treaty
Areas of the seas beyond national jurisdiction comprise the high seas, which are facing a degradation of ecosystems due to climate change and the increase in human activities, such as shipping, overfishing, pollution, and deep-sea mining. The recently negotiated High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction treaty, will attempt to address these issues. How difficult will it be to convince nations to participate?
Pandemic preparedness
Looking back at the covid-19 pandemic, there are many lessons to take away in terms of domestic and international policies. Although this pandemic seems to have waned, how can we apply these lessons to future pandemics? Will countries cooperate, and will a consensus emerge on how to manage global health challenges?