McConnell Center kicks off fall schedule with focus on foreign affairs

(Aug. 8, 2017) Louisville, Ky. – The McConnell Center will host three free events as part of its fall 2017 “Friends or Foes: U.S. Foreign Policy in Russia & China” public lecture series.

“In this time of regional crises that threaten to grow into global concerns, the McConnell Center is pleased to bring several experts to campus to discuss current U.S. foreign policy challenges and put them into historic context,” said Dr. Gary Gregg, director of the McConnell Center.

All events will begin at 6 p.m. ET in Ekstrom Library’s Chao Auditorium (lower level) - directions.

Thursday, Sept. 7: In “Doomed to Rivalry: Understanding Russia’s Relations with the West,” Andrei Tsygankov, PhD, will consider Russia’s historic paths of cooperation, defensiveness and assertiveness with the U.S. This public talk will concentrate on contemporary developments following Vladimir Putin’s return as President of Russia, the Ukraine crisis and the election of Donald Trump.
Monday, Sept. 11: New York Times bestselling author Paul Kengor, PhD, will discuss his recent book, “A Pope and a President: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Extraordinary Untold Story of the 20th Century.”
Thursday, Sept. 14: In “The China Challenge: Formulating U.S. Policy and Strategy toward the People’s Republic of China,” Christopher Yung, PhD, director of East Asian Studies at the Marine Corps University, will highlight the need to set aside traditional means of evaluating the nature of a threat and formulating and coordinating U.S. policy toward China.

The non-partisan McConnell Center, created at the University of Louisville in 1991, prepares Kentucky’s top undergraduate students to become future leaders; offers civic education programs for teachers, students and the public; and conducts strategic leadership development for the U.S. Army. It also houses the papers and archives for U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sec. Elaine L. Chao.

For more than 25 years, the Center has awarded more than $3.9 million in scholarship awards to more than 250 students. Its lectures, books, studies and conferences have garnered international attention, and the American Council of Trustees and Alumni has named the Center “an oasis of excellence in higher education.”

For more information, contact GlyptusAnn Grider Jones at 502-852-4579 or visit McConnellCenter.org.