Ford School

In the year since the Hamas attack on Israel, the deadly conflict has widened into crises beyond Gaza -- in the West Bank, Lebanon, and Yemen. Two experts with long experience in Middle East policymaking return to the Ford School for a substantive policy conversation about the conflict and the broader implications for the region, and the ways in which U.S. policy and policymakers are acting and reacting to the crises. This event is open to Ford School students, faculty, and staff, and will be streamed live and on-demand.

Join us for an inside look at how the FBI is tackling the evolving threats to U.S. elections, from cyberattacks to terrorism. Deputy Director Abbate will discuss the FBI's latest strategies and hard-earned lessons in defending democracy.

The Ford School is pleased to present U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink for the 6th annual Arthur Vandenberg Lecture. Ambassador Brink will give brief remarks on the situation in Ukraine as it enters its third year of war with Russia, followed by a conversation with Weiser Diplomacy Center Director Susan D. Page. 

Democracy around the world is both robust -- two billion people will be able to cast a ballot in 2924 -- and fragile, as threats to the voting process, to the structures of democratic society, and to the voters themselves afflict many nations. 

The Ford School is pleased to present Ambassador Julianne Smith, U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO, for the 5th annnual Arthur Vandenberg Lecture: "NATO today: Confronting the crisis in Ukraine and adapting to meet global challenges"

Key dates and deadlines for the November 8 election, plus how to register and vote.

A panel of former ambassadors hosted by the Weiser Diplomacy Center and the American Academy of Diplomacy will focus on the implications of the war in Ukraine globally and for NATO, Europe, Russia and China.

A discussion of the diplomacy between the United States, key NATO allies, and Russia surrounding the war in Ukraine.   

Michigan will hold its primary election on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, and the Ford School strongly encourages all eligible voters to make their voices heard.

Michigan will hold a regular election on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, and voters may have measures or candidates on their local ballots. The Ford School strongly encourages all eligible voters to make their voices heard.

Representative Elissa Slotkin of Michigan's 8th district joins the Ford School for a special event, in partnership with Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies (LRCCS).

Join us for a special pair of discussions on foreign policy priorities and global challenges with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), facilitated by Ford School Dean Michael Barr.   

Two Parents Circle-Families Forum members—an Israeli and a Palestinian—will join us to tell their personal stories of bereavement and explain their choice to engage in dialogue instead of revenge.

In this session, learn about the wide range of opportunities for students to engage with real-world policy issues in the classroom and through research, activities, and workshops.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss explores the rise in far-right radicalization through the physical and virtual spaces where hate is cultivated while discussing her new book Hate in the Homeland.

Michigan will hold elections on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, and the Ford School strongly encourages all eligible voters to make their voices heard.

Amid continuing uncertainties around the U.S. retreat from Afghanistan, journalists Robin Wright and Jawad Sukhanyar will give their perspectives on the evolving situation, in conversation with Lynette Clemetson, Director of Wallace House.

The series, open to U-M students, faculty, and staff, is designed to foster dialogue on important issues of U.S. public policy. Facilitated by faculty discussants Susan Page and Javed Ali, this session focuses on the need for diversity in one of the nation’s oldest government agencies. 

The attacks on September 11, 2001 irrevocably changed how the United States conducts counterterrorism and national security operations. Join our expert panelists for a discussion of 9/11 and how it has shaped our international affairs landscape over the past 20 years.

The 2020 United States presidential election will be held Tuesday, November 3, 2020. (Polling location times vary by state)

Join us for a conversation on current relations between the United States and China and possible paths forward given COVID and the upcoming U.S. elections. Panelists will include Kenneth Lieberthal, senior fellow emeritus at Brookings, Mary Gallagher, professor of political science, and Ann Lin, associate professor of public policy. Ford School Dean Michael Barr will moderate the discussion. 

Join the Weiser Diplomacy Center and the Ford School for a discussion with David Miliband, President of the International Rescue Committee and former Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom. 

Due to COVID-19, this event has been canceled.   

Due to COVID-19, this event has been canceled.  We are working to reschedule this event.

Please join us for a talk with Denis McDonough, former White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama, in conversation with Associate Professor John Ciorciari, director of the Weiser Diplomacy Center and International Policy Center.

This Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundation Lecture will examine the nexus between labor rights and trade—a crucial topic as U.S. and global trade arrangements are being renegotiated. It will feature a conversation between two experts who have long worked to advance worker’s rights in the context of global trade—Dr. Bama Athreya, a visiting policy expert at the Weiser Diplomacy Center, and Ford School Professor of Practice Sander Levin. 

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice will reflect on her career and on her new memoir, Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For.