Foreign Policy

Research Interest

Complicating Simple Stories about Chinese AI

March 3, 2026

March 5, 2026 | 5 - 6:30 pm | 306 Soda Hall

China looms large in US conversations about AI policy. But often the stories that spread about Chinese AI are oversimplified—"China is poised to overtake the US in the AI race," "DeepSeek proved that chip export controls have failed," "AI is one area where the US and China should obviously cooperate." Since reality is usually more complicated, this talk, featuring Helen Toner (Georgetown CSET) in conversation with...

Rupture: The U.S. and the Fate of World Order Speaker Series - Rupture #2: Security

February 19, 2026

March 5, 2026 | 12:30 - 2 pm (lunch talk) | 223 Philosophy Hall

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IIS Spring 2026 Speaker Series

Rupture: The U.S. and the Fate of World Order

Rupture #2: Security
What are the prospects for American security when strong alliances are shaken?

The bedrock of American foreign policy and national security -...

The Evolution of US-China Competition

February 13, 2026

February 24, 2026 | 6:30 - 8 PM | 223 Philosophy Hall

On Tuesday, February 24th, at 6:30 PM in Philosophy Hall, Room 223, the Alexander Hamilton Society, a student-led organization, will host Frank Lavin, former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore and senior U.S. trade official, now affiliated with the Hoover Institution.

Ambassador Lavin will speak on “U.S.–China Competition,” examining its evolution and future implications. The discussion will be moderated by Professor Vinod Aggarwal, a UC Berkeley political scientist specializing in international...

Daniel J. Sargent

IIS Faculty Co-Director, Associate Professor
History
Goldman School of Public Policy
Daniel J. Sargent is associate professor at the University of California, where he is jointly appointed in the Department of History and the Goldman School of Public Policy. He is a historian who specializes in U.S. foreign policy and the history of international relations. His research has explored how states and decision makers adapt to long-term changes in their international environments, including the historical advance of globalization. He is presently interested in how the United States has strived, over the long arc of its history, to constitute and sustain international order,...

February 26: Junta on the Defense - Making Sense of Myanmar in 2026

January 28, 2026

February 26, 2026 | 12:30 - 2:00 PM | 223 Philosophy Hall

Nearly 80 percent of Myanmar’s territory is now either contested or controlled by anti-junta resistance groups. Aung Kyaw Moe, Deputy Minister of Human Rights for Myanmar’s pro-democracy government-in-exile, will offer an analysis of Myanmar’s rapidly evolving conflict and political landscape, explaining the advance of resistance forces over the past year.

He will discuss the regime’s recent elections, widely considered a sham to entrench junta rule. What does the electoral process mean...

February 10: "Who's Flying This Thing?" Thoughts on U.S. military action in Venezuela, the “Donroe” Doctrine, and U.S. relations with Latin America

January 16, 2026

February 10, 2026 | 12:00 - 1:30 PM | 223 Philosophy Hall

After a career of federal service as a Marine Corps pilot and American diplomat, and with long experience in journalism and the not-for-profit sector, Ambassador Feeley possesses a unique view on both the tactics and strategic thinking of the Trump Administration. His critical observations stem from principle, experience and a firm belief that national security affairs and American interests should always incorporate technocratic expertise, independent of political leadership.

The...

So You Want to Change the World: Building an Activist Career Amidst Disruption and Opportunity

February 21, 2025
Bennett Freeman

So You Want to Change the World: Building an Activist Career Amidst Disruption and Opportunity

Bennett Freeman

Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley

February 21, 2025

Thanks to Tom Laqueur for that generous introduction. Tom was a young Assistant Professor of History whose honors historiography seminar inspired me as...

Hector Cardenas

Professor of Practice in Public Policy
Goldman School of Public Policy

Hector Cardenas is a continuing lecturer at the Goldman School of Public Policy, the President and CEO of The Ergo Group and serves on the board of directors of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations (Comexi). His international interests include comparative regulatory regimes, development cooperation, sustainability and North American economic integration. He teaches a course in US-Mexico Policy Relations at GSPP.

Rebecca Herman

Associate Professor
History

Rebecca Herman is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley. She has received grants and fellowships from the Social Science Research Council, the Mellon Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Council on Library and Information Resources. Prof. Herman studies modern Latin America, along with U.S.-Latin American relations, environmental and international history.

Sébastien Malo

Ph.D. Student
Environmental Science, Policy, & Management

Sébastien Malo is pursuing a PhD in climate policy. His research focuses on the intersection of the international political economy of decarbonization and international security.