South Asia

The South Asian subcontinent has long been plagued by religious and sectional strifeterrorism, and on the brink of nuclear war in 2000. Delve into the realities of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India with a special focus on U.S. foreign policy.

The U.S. now considers this part of the world one of its most important foreign policy issues.

Latin America

The U.S. has considered the Western Hemisphere its special domain since the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. Consider current issues affecting our policy in a region stretching from the U.S.-Mexico border to the southernmost tip of Argentina.

May include Cuba; a consideration of the hemisphere’s only true third-world country, Haiti; an examination of the rise of populist anti-U.S. governments in Venezuela and Bolivia as well as the issues surrounding the recent earthquake; narco-terrorism in Colombia; and border and immigration issues in Mexico.

Eastern Europe

There have been success stories – Hungary and Poland – as well as laggards by any standard – Belarus and Moldova. War ravaged the former Yugoslavia for years, while the Baltic States have become model democracies.

This section will answer many questions including: Is Russia reasserting itself among its former republics and satellite states? What will become of Ukraine? Will NATO and EU membership transform life for those left behind? How will these states deal with the increasing presence of Muslim nationals and criminal syndicates? Retired and active Foreign Service Officers and Ambassadors will lead all three sections.

Program in association with the American Foreign Service Association, established in 1924.

Washington, DC

From the sophisticated ambiance of Georgetown to the bohemian rush of Adams Morgan, D.C. is a world-class city offering visitors an unparalleled blend of history, politics and culture. One of our nation's magnificent metropolitan creations, it is home to grand monuments, humbling memorials, and some of the country’s most visionary architecture.