The Institute Of World Politics

This lecture event is part of the 12th Annual Kościuszko Chair Spring Symposium in honor of Lady Blanka Rosenstiel sponsored by the Kościuszko Chair in Polish Studies and the Center for Intermarium studies. About the lecture: This talk will provide a broad overview of Germanic expansion into Eastern Europe which provides the historic background to Hitler’s Eastern Dream. About the speaker: Joseph Poprzeczny holds a Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Western Australia, where he also majored in Economics. He has been a part-time tutor (American and Soviet Politics), 1971-1972, at the University of Western Australia; full-time Teaching Fellow (British and Chinese Economic History), 1973-1975, Monash University, Melbourne; and part-time tutor (South-East Asian history course), 1982, Murdoch University, Perth. He has worked for various federal politicians as an electoral officer and researcher. This eventually led him to become a journalist with various State and national publications bef

This lecture is part of the 12th Annual Kościuszko Chair Spring Symposium in honor of Lady Blanka Rosenstiel sponsored by the Kościuszko Chair in Polish Studies and the Center for Intermarium studies. About the lecture: The current crisis in Ukraine has understandably evoked not only worldwide sympathy for the appalling plight of the Ukrainian people but also admiration for the magnanimous Polish response to the consequent mass exodus of refugees. These developments, however, serve to obscure the complex historical reality of Polish-Ukrainian relations in the modern era. This presentation offers an objective and impartial assessment of a generally tense and often violent symbiosis. About the speaker: Peter Stachura held a Personal Chair in Modern European History at the University of Stirling (UK), where he was also Director of The Centre for Research in Polish History. He is now Director of the independent Research Centre for Modern Polish History and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, London. Profe

This lecture is part of the 12th Annual Kościuszko Chair Spring Symposium in honor of Lady Blanka Rosenstiel sponsored by the Kościuszko Chair in Polish Studies and the Center for Intermarium studies. About the lecture: In Ukraine, Russia has presently redeployed a trusty Soviet propaganda trope: “liberation from Nazism.” This narrative is, of course, mendacious. Yet, every lie contains a kernel of truth. Our objective here is to extract it and put it in its proper context. We shall consider “liberation” and “Nazism” separately. “Liberation from Nazism” is standard Soviet cliche originating in the Second World War. However, Moscow also lustily employed it during the crushing of the Polish Poznan uprising in June 1956, the Hungarian insurrection in November 1956, and the Czechoslovak upheaval in August 1968. In fact, throughout its history, the USSR justified its imperialist aggression invariably in terms of bringing “liberty” and annihilating evil. Usually, the target was “fascism/Nazism/Hitlerism” but

This lecture is part of the 12th Annual Kościuszko Chair Spring Symposium in honor of Lady Blanka Rosenstiel sponsored by the Kościuszko Chair in Polish Studies and the Center for Intermarium studies. About the lecture: In early 1919, newly reborn Poland was virtually a landlocked country. Border conflicts caused by the geopolitical earthquake of World War I had brought international trade to a standstill. The only hope for economic relief and humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged nation was access to the Baltic sea through German-controlled Danzig. In the late winter of 1919, the small Mission to Danzig, led by the first chief of the American Relief Administration in Poland, Colonel William R. Grove, and the versatile Chief Delegate of the Polish Government, Mieczysław Jałowiecki, would play an indispensable role in opening Poland's economy to the world, before the decisive showdown with Bolshevik Russia in 1920. About the speaker: Nicholas Siekierski earned his PhD at the Tadeusz Manteuffel Institute of His

In this video, Dr. Marcin Romanowski discusses "Current Discussions on the Rule of Law in Poland – In Light of Changes in the Judiciary after 1989." This lecture is part of the 12th Annual Kościuszko Chair Spring Symposium in honor of Lady Blanka Rosenstiel sponsored by the Kościuszko Chair in Polish Studies and the Center for Intermarium studies. About the lecture: Since 2015, the United Right (Zjednoczona Prawica) has won the presidential and parliamentary elections twice, gaining a majority that allows for self-rule. The reforms, in particular in the area of the judiciary, met with fierce resistance from liberal and post-communist opposition parties and judges from higher courts. The central institutions of the European Union (the Commission, the EU Parliament, and the CJEU) are also involved in the dispute, interfering – in the opinion of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal – with the constitutional competencies of the EU Member States in a way that goes beyond scope of the competences conferred upon the

Dr. John Lenczowski gives a lecture on "Strategic Deception and Active Measures." This is the 10th Annual Ronald Reagan Intelligence Lecture sponsored by The Institute of World Politics. About the speaker: Dr. John Lenczowski is Founder, President Emeritus, and Chancellor of The Institute of World Politics, an independent graduate school of national security, intelligence, and international affairs in Washington, D.C. From 1981 to 1983, Dr. Lenczowski served in the State Department in the Bureau of European Affairs and as Special Advisor to Under Secretary for Political Affairs Lawrence Eagleburger. From 1983 to 1987, he was Director of European and Soviet Affairs at the National Security Council. In that capacity, he was principal Soviet affairs adviser to President Reagan. He has been associated with several academic and research institutions in the Washington area, including Georgetown University, the University of Maryland, the American Enterprise Institute, the Ethics and Public Policy Center, the

About the lecture: Author, James Farwell will review the precepts of strategy and leadership that the military uses, and applies them to the business world. This presentation will show commercials that companies use, and that the book describes, in terms of effective communication and loyalty-building strategy. About the speaker: James P. Farwell is an author, attorney, and national security expert who has advised the U.S. Government on global initiatives and actions, communication strategy, cyber policy development and authorities, and cyber security. He holds a B.A. from Tulane University, a J.D. in Law from Tulane University, and a D.C.L.S. in Comparative Law from the University of Cambridge (Trinity College). He is an Associate Fellow at King’s College, London, and a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. He is a Visiting Scholar at A.B. Freeman Tulane School of Business.

About the lecture: David Satter discusses the origins of Russia’s war on Ukraine, its likely evolution, and what the U.S. can do to help Ukrainians prevail. About the speaker: David Satter is a former Russia scholar, Moscow correspondent (Financial Times of London), and author of five books on Russia and the Soviet Union.

This event is a part of the Intermarium Lecture Series at The Institute of World Politics. About the lecture: On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched a war on Ukraine. Building upon its aggressive strategy, which began in 2014, Russia continues its attack, encroaching upon Ukraine’s sovereignty and leaving disaster in its wake. Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz will discuss the situation and give insight into what is going on in Ukraine. About the speaker: Dr. Marek Jan Chodakiewicz holds the Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies at The Institute of World Politics and leads IWP’s Center for Intermarium Studies. At IWP, he also serves as a Professor of History and teaches courses on Contemporary Politics and Diplomacy, Geography and Strategy, Mass Murder Prevention in Failed and Failing States, and Russian Politics and Foreign Policy. He is the author of Intermarium: The Land Between the Black and Baltic Seas and numerous other books and articles. He holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University and has previous

About the lecture: Nearly two-thirds of Algeria’s population is under the age of 35. Growing up during or soon after the violent conflict that wracked Algeria in the 1990s, and amid the powerful influences of global online culture, this generation views the world much differently than their parents or grandparents do. An exploration of this generation, their hopes for the future, and the frustrations that brought them into the streets en masse since 2019 reveals much about the politics, economy, and society of North Africa’s sleeping giant—and its future. The event is moderated by Dr. Zak Allal (’18), non-resident scholar at IWP. About the speaker: Andrew G. Farrand is a non-resident senior fellow covering North Africa at the Atlantic Council and author of The Algerian Dream (2021). He lived and worked in Algeria from 2013 to 2020, implementing youth development programs across the country alongside a range of creative projects. “An expert on North Africa” (The New Yorker), he is the translator of Inside th

This event is sponsored by the Asia Initiative Lecture Series at The Institute of World Politics. About the lecture: Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow The World is a gripping history of China’s deteriorating relationship with Hong Kong, and its implications for the rest of the world. For 150 years as a British colony, Hong Kong was a beacon of prosperity where people, money, and technology flowed freely, and residents enjoyed many civil liberties. In preparation for handing the territory over to China in 1997, Deng Xiaoping promised that it would remain highly autonomous for fifty years. An international treaty established a Special Administrative Region (SAR) with a far freer political system than that of Communist China―one with its own currency and government administration, a common-law legal system, and freedoms of press, speech, and religion. But as the halfway mark of the SAR’s lifespan approaches in 2022, it is clear that China has not kept its word. Universal suffrage and free elections have not been inst

About the lecture: The U.S. has been through three waves of de-industrialization since the 1970s. Manufacturing sectors — ranging from cars to machine tools, semiconductors to electronics, and pharmaceuticals and personal protective equipment — have weakened in comparison to our economic competitors. The deficits in U.S. capacity manifested itself during the first year of COVID on the medical front. Other U.S. shortfalls should be the subject of deep national concern with respect to our aerospace and defense sectors, which provide much of the country’s military systems and critical infrastructure. Dr. Jeb Nadaner will discuss the U.S. industrial base, its relative decline, and where it’s going. About the speaker: Dr. Jeffrey (Jeb) Nadaner is the Executive Director of SAFE’s Commanding Heights initiative, which is focused on advancing and defending U.S. and allied critical supply chains. He also served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Policy, the Director of the USMC Krulak Center

This event is part of the China Series sponsored by The Institute of World Politics. About the lecture: With the rise of totalitarian China, it is more important than ever to understand a historical tendency towards the concentration of not only political, but economic and informational forms of power. Dr. Anders Corr’s latest book, The Concentration of Power: Institutionalization, Hierarchy & Hegemony, is a theoretical analysis of trends in world history that he has developed over the past thirty years of international research and scholarship. He argues that from the beginning of the archeological and textual evidence in history, power is organized around twelve theories of hierarchy that affect every segment of society. From international politics, to unions, associations, corporations, and the military, Dr. Corr breaks them down and provides readers with a sense of what the world could face if we allow hierarchy to continue its historical development toward a global and illiberal hegemony. Be it in Chin

This event is part of the Intermarium Lecture Series sponsored by The Institute of World Politics. About the lecture: On December 13, 1981, the Communist regime imposed martial law in Poland. The objective was to crush “Solidarity,” a Polish national liberation movement which was masking as the Soviet Bloc’s first independent, self-governed trade union. Thousands were imprisoned, and hundreds died when the red riot police and military assaulted industrial plants, mines, offices, and universities. Inspired by John Paul II and assisted by the Catholic Church, the Poles resisted underground. Afterwards the Communists claimed that they saved Poland from a Soviet invasion. They had no choice but destroy “Solidarity” because the Soviets were going to attack otherwise. However, Moscow preferred for Warsaw to restore order itself. In fact, Poland’s Communist dictator General Wojciech Jaruzelski himself begged the Kremlin to intervene. Ultimately, Jaruzelski himself carried out the Soviet Union’s orders and destro

This event is co-sponsored by the Movement for the Renaissance of Vietnam, the National Bureau of Asian Research and The Institute of World Politics About the Lecture: “Conquest Without War: The Threat of Communist Chinese Political Influence Operations” is focused on the multifaceted threat of Communist Chinese influence operations: propaganda, disinformation, psychological disarmament operations, commercial cooptation of business leaders, and influence over politicians, the media, Hollywood, and academia. About the Speaker: Dr. John Lenczowski is the Founder, President Emeritus, and Chancellor of The Institute of World Politics, a Graduate School of National Security, Intelligence, and International Affairs based in Washington, D.C. with a satellite campus in Reston, VA.

About the lecture: In today’s competitive world our prosperity and our way of life depend on unity among the world’s democracies. Given the strength of the transatlantic economy and the success of NATO, the dynamic relationship between Europe and America is the engine of the global economy and the force supporting the rules-based world order. How we grow together or if we grow apart will determine our individual and collective fate. About the speaker: Michael Ryan served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy in the Pentagon following a distinguished career in the United States Air Force and the Senior Executive Service. A graduate of the Air Force Academy, Colonel Ryan began his career as a fighter pilot flying the A-10 in Europe during the Cold War. His extensive background in World Affairs includes service at NATO headquarters, the U.S. Mission to the European Union, U.S. European Command headquarters, and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He is a graduate of th

The 24th Annual Pearl Harbor Day Lecture. About the lecture: The discussion will examine the current security environment, the growth of Chinese military capabilities, and efforts by the United States and its allies and partners to strengthen deterrence and compete more effectively below the threshold of armed conflict. About the speaker: General Joseph L. Votel is a retired U.S. Army Four Star officer and most recently the Commander of the U.S. Central Command – responsible for U.S. and coalition military operations in the Middle East, Levant and Central and South Asia. During his 39 years in the military, he commanded special operations and conventional military forces at every level. His career included combat in Panama,Afghanistan and Iraq. Notably, he led a 79-member coalition that successfully liberated Iraq and Syria from the Islamic State Caliphate. He preceded his assignment at CENTCOM with service as the Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and the Joint Special Operations Command. Votel

About the lecture: The May 2021 conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas generated headlines around the world. However, much of the reporting ignored the history, funding, political dynamics, and other key components of the story. Jonathan Schanzer explores the hidden headlines of the recent conflict, while drawing lines between the history of decades past and current events in one of the most volatile territories in the Middle East. About the speaker: Jonathan Schanzer, former terrorism finance analyst at the United States Department of the Treasury, is senior vice president for research at Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He is the author of the new book Gaza Conflict 2021: Hamas, Israel and Eleven Days of War. Purchase book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1956450017/.

About the lecture: Just because the “Russian collusion” between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former US President Donald Trump turned out to be a hoax, it doesn’t mean that Russia did not intervene in 2016 election, and in two subsequent elections. Not only Moscow’s covert influence operations poisoned American politics, the Kremlin also sowed confusion about the real Russian threat to the United States. In today’s presentation, Ms. Koffler will speak about Putin’s long-range plan— his “playbook”—to destabilize, weaken and subdue the United States, preparing for the war that he believes is inevitable. She will also reveal how unprepared the U.S. lumbering bureaucracy is to defend America from Putin’s threat. About the speaker: Rebekah Koffler, the author of Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America, is a former intelligence officer who served as a Russian Doctrine & Strategy specialist in the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2008 until late 2016. She has delivered classified briefings t

About the lecture: Syria has seen an internecine civil war for the last decade. It has involved 4 out of the 5 Permanent Security Council members on either side of the conflict making it international, throwing to the wind the cardinal principles of the UN Charter particularly, sovereignty, non-interference, and self-defense. It sets an extremely retrograde principle for the conduct of international relations. About the speaker: Ambassador Rajendra Abhyankar is Visiting Professor at the College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University, Lafayette. From 2012 to 2019, he was Professor of Practice of Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University. Amb. Abhyankar was in the Indian Foreign Service from June 1968 and retired in August 2005. He was Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2001 to 2004, retiring as Ambassador to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg. He has been Indian Ambassador to Cyprus, Syria, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Consul General in San F