Foreign Policy

Oct. 12 Talk | A Day in the Life at the U.S. Department of State

September 16, 2026
Public Talk with Brad Potter, Senior Analyst for the Center of Global Security Research Speaker Bio

A. Bradley Potter is a Senior Analyst at the Center for Global Security Research (CGSR) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He is also a Visiting Scholar in the Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His scholarship examines wartime decision-making, war termination, nuclear strategy, and U.S. foreign policy.

Prior to joining CGSR, Dr. Potter...

Sep. 17 Talk | The Once and Future World Order - Why Global Civilization Will Survive the Decline of the West

September 10, 2026
Public lecture by Professor Amitav Acharya Distinguished Professor of International Relations, American University The Institute of International Studies & the Goldman School of Public Policy are pleased to welcome Prof. Amitav Acharya for a public talk at IIS. Since the dawn of the twenty-first century, the West has been in crisis. Social unrest, political polarization, and...

Aug. 26 Event Recap | Europe, the U.S. & the Future of the Transatlantic Relationship

September 7, 2026

On Wednesday, August 26th 2026, Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States, joined leading UC Berkeley scholars for a discussion on the future of the transatlantic partnership. This is part of the EU Ambassadors Book Collection initiative “Words That Unite, Stories That Connect.”

Attendants posing for a picture

The conversation explored:...

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

April 17, 2026

April 30, 2026 | 12:30 - 2 PM | 223 Philosophy Hall

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Rupture #4: Multilateralism

How may global governance and multilateral cooperation evolve in a world without US leadership?

Thursday, April 30, 2026
223 Philosophy Hall
12 - 2:30 PM
*Lunchtime talk*

Panelists:

Philip Yun - IIS Senior Fellow and President, Commonwealth Club of California Steve Vogel - UC Berkeley Professor of Political Economy Amy Hawthorne - Expert...

Politics of the Red Sea: A Conversation with Ethan Chorin of Red Sea Futures

April 16, 2026

April 28, 2026 | 12:30 - 2:00 PM | 223 Philosophy Hall

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Join IIS and Ethan Chorin, Founder and Director Red Sea Futures, for a lunchtime talk to discuss the intense competition between regional and global powers in the Red Sea. Over one fifth of the world’s trade passes through this critically important waterway.

The...

Headed for a Cliff? Steering Safe Tech in an Era of Deregulation

March 14, 2026

April 8, 2026 | 12:30 - 2:00 PM | 223 Philosophy Hall

*Lunchtime talk*

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Mary Saunders in conversation with Debra Miller Glass, PhD

As artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum technologies, and other innovations rapidly advance, global standards - rather than binding regulations - are increasingly shaping how these tools are developed, governed, and deployed.

Join IIS for a conversation...

Surviving Rupture: California’s Subnational Diplomacy in Today’s World with Evan Reade

March 30, 2026
April 17, 2026| 12:30 – 2 PM | 223 Philosophy Hall Join IIS to learn how the State of California is navigating international cooperation and standing as a global leader during a period of global rupture. About Evan Reade:

Evan Reade ('79) is a career diplomat and national security professional with over three decades of service across the U.S. Department of State, the National Security Council, and the U.S. military. His foreign service postings span four continents, including assignments as Deputy Counselor for Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, First Secretary at...

China's Rare Earth Monopoly

April 2, 2026

April 14, 2026|1:00PM-3:00PM |223 Philosophy Hall

China's Rare Earth Monopoly: Hong Kong Finance and Threats to Taiwan & the Pacific

Organizer: Hong Kong Affairs Association of Berkeley

Learn how Beijing’s dominance in rare earth mineral mining is enabled by Hong Kong’s USD-pegged markets, banking networks, dollar clearing, and sanctions evasion. Join us for an assessment of risks to Taiwanese security, and potential countermeasures via the US led Rare Earth Alliance.

Panelists:

-Ray Wong...

Ask a North Korean: A Conversation with Defector Charles Ryu

March 30, 2026

April 16, 2026 | 12:30 – 2 PM | 223 Philosophy Hall

Join IIS for an open and honest conversation about life, escape, and starting again with Charles Ryu, a North Korean defector, speaker, and founder of Freedom Bridge Foundation. Charles Ryu is a North Korean defector who rebuilt his life in the United States after surviving multiple escape attempts. Today, he shares his story to help others better understand life inside North Korea and the challenges many face when starting over.

Through his work, Charles has reached a global audience, offering a rare, firsthand perspective on one...