Every year CIR presents two series consisting of three or four lectures each that are designed to provide background and help put newspaper headlines in context.  Speakers, who are typically experts brought from outside of New Mexico, address topics of current international interest.  Speakers include academics, ambassadors, cabinet members, governors and journalists, most of whom are familiar from appearances on nationally televised talk and analysis shows.

Lectures are open to all, and members receive discounted admission and a discount for the purchase of the series of lectures.  Students are admitted FREE.

Last time, the lecture series was entitled Terrorism Ten Years Latter.  It was designed to shed light on how terrorism has developed in the past decade and how military, diplomatic, and psychological strategies for dealing with it have evolved and should continue to evolve.

Four lectures are planned for this spring to examine critical countries and critical issues we may not understand:

1. The New Ottomans - Turkey’s Muslim Nationalists
Speaker: Professor Jenny White, Boston University

2. Pakistan – Four Futures for a Troubled Relationship
Speaker: Professor Timothy Hoyt of the U.S. Naval War College

3. Saudi Arabia -  A Problematic Ally?
Speaker: Emile Nakhleh or Toby Jones

4. Egypt in Revolution
Speaker: Professor Nathan Brown of George Washington University

Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt are critical to United States’ diplomatic efforts, global business interests and the general public for many different reasons.  Some of these countries are already a source of concern and in others troubles may lie just over the horizon.  If something goes awry in any one of them, consequences for the U.S. can be very serious—even disastrous.  The better informed we are about the politics, economics and problems of these countries, the better able we will be to address the challenges these states continue to pose.

Cost for the lectures:  CIR Members – $15 each or $48 for a series of four lectures; Non-Members and Guests – $20 each.  Book the lectures below or phone CIR at 982-4931.