Great Decisions is America’s largest discussion program on world affairs. It’s sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association, which was founded in 1918. The Nevada County AAUW Branch group meets once a month, every 4th Tuesday from 10 to noon. Please contact Susie Monary-Wilson at 530–470-9272 or by email: monarywilson@msn.com for more information.

February 2024 topic “NATO,” led by Carol McMillan & Vicky Hines

January 2024, first meeting of the year; topic: “Mideast realignment”

Topics for 2025, starting in January:

•  American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads-This chapter will explore the contours of the U.S. foreign policy debate as it plays out in a world of multiple and escalating crises and domestic polarization.
• U.S. Changing Leadership of the World Economy-Under President Biden, the U.S. has advanced new ideas about trade, technology, industrial policy, competition with China, and the organization of the world economy. For most of the postwar era, the U.S. has tied its global leadership to cooperative agendas aimed at creating a more open world trading system, but that has apparently come to an end. What are America’s options and opportunities as a leader of the world economy? How will America’s “foreign policy for the middle class” and strategic competition with China impact its leadership role? How can the postwar rules and institutions of the world economy be made safe for economic nationalism and great power competition?
• U.S.-China Relations-Washington’s relations with Beijing have reached an ominous low ebb. Both American political parties have identified China as the country’s preeminent geopolitical challenger and, in the eyes of many, a systemic threat. What is driving this deterioration of Sino-American relations, and what are America’s strategic options in the face of Chinese power and ambition?
• International Cooperation on Climate Change-The 2015 Paris Agreement established a UN-sponsored framework for negotiations on climate change and global warming. In subsequent COP meetings, experts and political leaders have come together seeking common cause for this growing global crisis. What is the future of these efforts, and what have they yielded? What is the U.S. role in fostering cooperation on climate change? In a divided country, what are the possible futures for American policy leadership?
• The Future of NATO and European Security-European security is more uncertain than it has been for decades. Putin’s Russia has launched a war with Ukraine on its doorstep, and America’s uncertain role as leader of NATO and security provider has been called into question with the failure of Congress to pass supplemental military support for Ukraine. What are Europe’s options, and how might developments on both sides of Western Europe – in Ukraine and across the Atlantic – impact its choices? What are America’s stakes in NATO and Europe’s strategic dilemmas?
• AI and American National Security-The AI revolution is the leading edge of a larger high-tech revolution which promises to transform the world. Experts argue that international cooperation is needed to expand the opportunities these new technologies hold while protecting societies from their dangers. What are the key policy debates in this area, and what are the opportunities and limits on global AI rules of the road? How will the AI revolution impact American national security? What are its policy options to secure the benefits of AI and guard against its dangers?
• India: Between China, the West, and the Global South-India is an emerging major power in world affairs, occupying a pivotal position between China, the United States, and the Global South. Its population size, economy, and geopolitical location ensure that it will be an influential voice in debates and political struggles over global order. What are India’s choices and opportunities for regional and global leadership? How will it maneuver between China and the United States, and what is its role as a voice of the Global South? What opportunities exist for Washington to work with India?
• After Gaza: American Policy in the Middle East-The war in Gaza has brought the region to a crossroads. What are the possible outcomes of the war, and how might the United States use its influence to shape a long-term settlement that leaves both Israel and the Palestinians in a better position? How might Arab states in the wider region be brought into a settlement? What are America’s interests in the Middle East and how can it advance them?

The 8-session program involves reading the Great Decisions briefing book provided by the Foreign Policy Association, usually about 10 pages per session, meeting in a discussion group to watch a 20-minute DVD featuring an overview by foreign policy expert Jeffrey Morton, PhD, and then discussing the most critical global issues facing America today. We cover one chapter per month.

The cost has been $46, which includes workbook, video, materials shipping costs, as well as room rental. Members can opt not to receive the printed workbook, but to work with digital copies, which reduces some of the cost.