Diplomacy and foreign affairs

Join the Weiser Diplomacy Center and Ford Career Services for an information session with Ken Roy, the Ford School’s Diplomat in Residence (DIR), a U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officer offering State Department career, internship, and fellowship information. 

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 Weiser Diplomacy Center is thrilled to welcome Dr. Vera Songwe. With a wealth of experience spanning prestigious institutions such as the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, United Nations, Federal Reserve Bank of Minnesota, and the Brookings Institution, Dr. Songwe brings unparalleled expertise to the Ford School. Her accolades include being honored as the African Icon of the Year in 2022 by the African Bankers Association, recognition among the '100 Most Influential Africans' by Jeune Afrique in 2021, and inclusion in Forbes Magazine's list of the top 50 most influential African Women in 2019. Additionally, she was recognized by the Financial Times as one of the 25 Africans to watch.

Come meet Marc Sommers, a University of Michigan alum and an award-winning writer with extensive field experience in 22 countries!With over three decades of field experience in 22 war-affected nations, Marc brings a wealth of insight to the table. His efforts span a range of critical issues including youth, conflict, education, gender, systemic exclusion, and violent extremism. Join us for a breakfast and conversation Open House where Marc will share his remarkable journey with Ford students!

Exploring the heart of conflict: Join our discussion with Ambassador Susan Page and Professor Yazier Henry to uncover the underlying reasons driving discord. Gain valuable insights to deepen your understanding, approach conflicts more effectively and explore strategies for promoting peace and resolution.

Meet Mark Jacobson, a seasoned veteran who has made significant contributions to NATO, the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and held key roles at the Department of Defense. Mark's journey spans academia and military service.

The Weiser Diplomacy Center will host a policy simulation at the Ford School this fall. In this exercise, students will learn about the crisis in Cyprus and be tasked with using diplomacy to address a variety of urgent issues in this scenario.

Join Brent McIntosh, UM alumna and former Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs for a discussion of the power, limits, and risks of economic sanctions as a tool of U.S. statecraft and the evolution of institutions of global financial coordination.

Join the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia for a conversation with Ukrainian-born retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, former Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council. We'll examine the current state of the war and its impacts on the Ukrainian people; the implications for global security; and prospects for peace and rebuilding.

Bollywood megastar Aamir Khan and the 2016 film Dangal helped reduce India-China tensions, illustrating India’s intangible soft power through the circulation of Bollywood as a malleable cultural form. 

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former president of Poland visits the University of Michigan to speak on the global impact of Russia's war on Ukraine.

Visiting Belgian diplomats in conversation with U-M students about transatlantic relations and the challenges the E.U. is facing right now. 

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.   

An epic account of the Navy SEALs of Alpha platoon, the startling accusations against their chief, Eddie Gallagher, and the courtroom battle that exposed the dark underbelly of America’s special forces–from a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter.

The fourth webinar of the North American colloquium will discuss new approaches to countering nationalist extremism in North America.

Dr. Bama Athreya is an expert on international labor issues, gender and social inclusion, business and human rights and will run a student workshop style discussion on using trade to address forced labor worldwide.

Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service (Retired) Colonel James T. (Tom) Faust will reflect on his career in the military and civilian service.

Students will break into groups to reconcile the various conflicting mandates of the state and international actors, seeking ways forward that respect international legal obligations.

The heyday of the human rights movement—the 1990s—is well behind us. At its peak, the human rights movement was the most captivating ideology of its time. 

The Brookings Institution's Africa Security Initiative will host a panel of experts—including Ambassador Susan D. Page, a professor of practice at the Ford School— to discuss the future of the Sudans, and what the United States and its partners can do to support them.

This two-part workshop will provide students with a hands-on opportunity to develop and apply crucial design, planning, and management skills using a United States foreign aid project in Central America as a case study.

Former Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun will discuss diplomatic options on the Korean Peninsula and the implications for relations between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea.

This symposium will bring together students from the University of Michigan and partner universities in the Midwest to learn from leading experts about the U.S.-Korea relationship and to engage in a diplomatic simulation on North Korea.

Ambassador Rakolta will reflect on his experience as U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and his work on the historic Abraham Accords.

National Museum of American Diplomacy and the Weiser Diplomacy Center will host a virtual simulation for all Ford School students focused on an international migration crisis.

Nationalist extremism poses mounting challenges around the world, including in North America. This web-based panel discussion will focus on the policy tools and frameworks available for countering nationalist extremism in Mexico, Canada and the United States.

This panel discusses how nationalism and extremism pose mounting challenges around the world, including in North America.

An expert panel will explore elements of U.S.-China relationship in 2021. Ambassador Gerald Feierstein will moderate conversation with Ambassadors Sylvia Stanfield, Craig Allen, and David Shear.