World Affairs Conversations

Retired senior US diplomats, Ambassador William Courtney (Moscow, Kazakhstan, and Georgia), and Jon Gundersen  (Moscow, Ukraine, and Estonia) discuss the current Ukraine/Russia crisis--how it came about, where we stand now, and possible outcomes.

Christian Curriden, Rand Corp Defense Analyst discusses how North Korea has moved from Pariah State to a major challenge.  Are there any viable options other than crossed fingers and hopes for the best?   

Immigration professional Gil Jacobs discusses current immigration issues--Afghanistan and Haitian refugees--in the light of US policy, politics, and the inscription on the base of the Statue of Liberty. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore." 

Ambassador Christopher Goldthwait discusses  'lessons learned' during his Government career and how he is now 'applying' those lessons as an entrepreneur in the international private sector.

World Affairs Council of Charleston member George Pope offers a primer on cyber currencies--Bitcoin for Beginners. Pope provides a basic overview on What are Bitcoins? Why is everyone so excited? Why should I care? 

World Affairs Council of Charleston President George Pope discusses the emerging and frightening international issue of rare earth elements which are essential to virtually all electronic systems and devices, the emerging renewable energy sector, and most importantly, the US National Security industrial sector. And, as it turns out, the rare earth market is controlled by a country which is not a p...

Strategies for International Development (SID) Executive Director Charles Patterson and Program Director Judith Russo discuss SID's  innovative 'farmer to farmer' approach to economic development in Guatemala.

World Affairs Council of Charleston resident South Asia expert Al Thibault discusses the farmer revolt in India. Initial protests by rice and wheat growers from northern India have now spread across the country while the federal government refuses to repeal recently passed 'agricultural reform' laws which impact nearly 15% of India's $2.9 trillion economy and about half its workforce.

Ruthie Ravenel of Daniel Ravenel Sotheby's International Realty discusses the impact of the global Covid-19 Pandemic on local, national, and international residential real estate markets, and what 'indicators' real estate professionals will be following as we, emerge from the pandemic.

J. Huggins, Executive VP and Regional President of United Bank, discusses how his 'regional' financial institution is coping with, and preparing for the end of, the Covid-19 Pandemic--a fascinating insight into how, in all likelihood, financial institutions around the world are dealing with the same issue.

Dr. Brian Norris of Denison University discusses the impact of Bolivia's socialist Government and massive Chinese 'Belt and Road' investments on Bolivian relations with other Latin American countries, and with the the United States. Should we be worried?

The international world comes close to home as Tucker Morris of Morris Financial Concepts takes us through year-end considerations on taxes (positive news actually), portfolio management (rebalancing and taking tax losses as appropriate), and making sure our Estate Plan is up to date. 

Jonathan Hillman, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and director of the Reconnecting Asia Project, discusses his new book, The Emperor's New Road, which has been described as "the world's most ambitious and misunderstood geoeconomics vision."

When money speaks, conscience stays silent. (Russian proverb) Peter Wild has spent a career in anti-money laundering efforts. In this conversation, he provides an introductory primer into this $2 trillion a year criminal enterprise.

Dr. Melford Wilson, Vice President of Winthrop University, discusses his forty years of traveling and working in China, all of which is covered in his new book 'Here Comes China.'

Dr. Bryan Ganaway, College of Charleston Honors College Associate Dean, continues his presentations on WW I and its impact on our lives today, one hundred years later. In this discussion, Dr. Ganaway discusses China, Japan, and how WW I signaled the beginning-of-the-end of colonialism in South Asia.  

James Melville served as US Ambassador to Estonia 2015-2018 and is now Associate Dean at the Language, Culture, and World Affairs Department of The College of Charleston. In this podcast, Ambassador Melville discusses his Foreign Service career and the transition to Academia.

On June 15, hundreds of Chinese and Indian military clashed in brutal hand-to-hand combat on the disputed India/China border. Twenty India soldiers were killed. China has not announced casualties.   South Asia analyst and expert, Al Thibault, explains origins of the border dispute, offers an overview on 'what we know' about this incident, and discusses possibilities on 'what happens now.'

Allan Mustard, US Ambassador to Turkmenistan (2015-2019), discusses the strategic importance of that country to US interests in Central Asia an offers insights into an "Ambassador's life"  in that country

Katherine Zimmerman, Resident Fellow of the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threat Project discusses  the tough decisions facing the U.S. policy establishment as the terrorist threat grows in Sub-Sahara West Africa. It is yet another terrorist related dilemma that involves ISIS, al Qaeda, Boko Haram, China, Russia, the European coalition led by France, and the Governments of the Africa co...

Bill Clifford, President and CEO of the World Affairs Councils of America, discusses the current and future programs and potentials.

Dr. Cynthia Arnson, Director of the Latin American Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC discusses Venezuela--a 60 percent economic collapse since 2013, a 90 percent poverty rate, and some four million citizens fleeing to neighboring countries--and what it means for the region, the US, and the world.

Greg Poling of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington discusses China's island by island move into the South China Sea. Some analysts seek darkly of Beijing's long term ambitions. Should we be concerned?

Charleston World Affairs Council member George Pope recently attended the subject conference in Washington DC. Herein is his "trip report."

Ambassador Kenneth Yalowitz discusses the Arctic, where due to climate change, the ice cap melts year by year. The result: new shipping lanes; interest in developing oil and mineral resources; opening ports on long frozen islands; expansion and possible militarization of existing ports. The changing Arctic thus has long-term national security implications as the U.S., Canada, Russia, China, Norway...