Conference on World Affairs

A forum on international affairs since 1948, the Conference on World Affairs is hosted annually at the University of C.U. campus and encompasses the arts, media, science, diplomacy, technology, environment, spirituality, politics, business, medicine, human rights, and more.

Jay Parker #CWA2015

Jay Parker #CWA2015

Re: causes of probs in ME, accelerated, dramatic change, vs uniqueness of probs only to Middle East. Change = terrifying, and insecurity yields “doubling down” in fundamental beliefs, or seek out new centers of power.

Jay- bc of explosion if info & nature of e-media, assumed growth would happen, but people look for sources that confirm already-held beliefs. We have few genuine Independents any more …CWA is absolutely critical for hearing from all/other sides in civil ways.

Malou- clearly not monocausal, but several are (1) twisted expression of Wahabbism; our military’s presence in ME (perceived as threat;

Joanne- offers solution to misunderstanding/hostility – honor craving for respect by other cultures.

by: Leanne Soucek and Students at the #CWA2015

CWA2015

Continuing on global terror panel #CWA2015

Continuing on global terror panel #CWA2015

Joanne went to trial if bombers in New York. “Why would they want to kill me and my children?”

Why this evil?

Could have responded with revenge… But chose to work to build cross cultural understanding: if globalization could be used as a solution, by understanding each other… What if??

What if Media only used: stories of collaboration? What if we stopped watching terrorism?

What if we used internet to collaborate internationally (vs. bombing?), had phone calls, dinners, what if we built relationships instead of more fear? What if we met in myriad ways & defeated global terror?

Security tightened… Fight terrorism …state-focused policy to fight non-state entity: Osama bin Laden…airport security, tv shows, films, computer games) (24, Homeland, American Sniper).

We don’t hear much about civilian deaths resulting from our efforts to defeat Muslim extremism. Role between military & diplomacy = very blurry…

“They are trying to stop the spread of Western mores…”

Fear generated by media-savvy tactics

by: Leanne Soucek and Students at the #CWA2015

Joanne Grady Huskey

The Globalization of Terror #CWA2015

Joanne Grady Huskey (Used to be a clown 🙂 ). She had taken her children for doc appt @ US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, 1998. Crawled out of basement hallway hole into wall of flames where car had been. 255 people killed. Al Qaeda debut. Husband survived because he was upstairs meeting with ambassador. For many in State Dept, that was 911….

From personal to global
Jay Parker (National Defense Univ.)
Malou Innocent
Isaiah Wilson (Ike) called away to Middle East
15 minutes each, then questions.

by: Leanne Soucek and Students at the #CWA2015