GREAT DECISIONS 2026
Wednesday evenings at 6:30PM
March 4 – April 8 (No session April 1)
March 4, 2026: U.S. – China Relations
Speaker: Mr. Richard Rocamora, former VP and General Manager of Cooper Power Systems in Shanghai, China
Relations with China remain tense, with tariffs, military modernization, and pressure on Taiwan. Does Trump have a coherent China policy, and will his tariffs on Rare Earth minerals be effective? What are America’s strategic options?
March 11, 2026: America and the World: Trump 2.0 Foreign Policy
Speaker: Beth Dougherty, PhD, Beloit College
Trump’s return has marked a break from 80 years of U.S. foreign policy leadership, embracing an “America First” approach. This lecture will explore the risks of isolation and diminished influence in relation to Trump 2.0 foreign policy.
March 18, 2026: The End of an Era: Trump’s Tariffs in Historical Perspective
Speaker: Pablo Toral, PhD, Beloit College
Trump’s aggressive trade and tariff policies have shaken global economic norms. What’s the rationale behind this radical shift in economic policy, and what are the implications for multilateral trade and geopolitics?
March 25, 2026: The Future of Human Rights and International Law
Speaker: Dr. Mark Berlin, PhD, Marquette University
As democracy and human rights retreat globally—and the U.S. pulls back—how can civil society and legal norms remain effective in a divided world? What is the role and force of international law in this era of impunity?
April 8, 2026: Multilateral Institutions in a Changing World Order
Speaker: Dr. Lucia Kovacikova, PhD, Marquette University
Can multilateralism survive amid shifting global power and rising nationalism? This lecture will examine the future of global cooperation across trade, health, and finance.