Dear Colleagues-

 

ISA kicks off Wednesday in San Francisco, soon to be home to the Fifth
Annual Fred Friendly Seminar in International Affairs!  This year the topic
sits at the intersection of climate change, growing populations, security,
and economic development.  We are going to role-play a scenario on food
security and agro-imperialism in the Horn of Africa.  The panelists are
assigned to "be" a person or organization and have to stay in character for
the duration, while thinking on their feet to answer questions about what
they would do when faced with a difficult situation.  The audience will also
be assigned a role such as UN General Assembly or members of the press, and
will vote at the end.  In the words of Fred Friendly, the intent is "to make
the agony of decision making so intense that you can escape only by
thinking." 

 

This might be our last FFS for a bit.  So far they have all been focused on
issues of environmental security, but I am thinking of taking a year off to
alter the scenario format and expand the purview to include more topics in
international relations, and so expand our audience.  In an era when facts
apparently mean less and less to decision making, this format offers some
real value in illustrating how people use often-incomplete information to
determine (possibly life-or-death) policy.

 

Of course we drew the 8:15am slot Thursday, but those of you who are looking
for something different at ISA should enjoy this - hope to see you there!

 

-Beth

__________________________________________________

Elizabeth L. Chalecki, PhD

Asst Professor, International Relations

Department of Political Science | University of Nebraska - Omaha

ASH 275D | 6001 Dodge St. | Omaha, NE 68182

402.554.3613 | [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> 

Skype: bchalecki13

Non-Resident Research Fellow | Stimson Center | Washington, DC

 



 

 

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