An invitation has been extended to all Grand Strand Chapter members to attend the Great Decisions Program being held at Coastal Carolina University (CCU) on Saturdays during February. The Great Decisions Program is a Community Forum on International Affairs, National Security, and U.S. Foreign Policy. It is the oldest and largest grassroots world affairs educational program of its kind in the country. Begun in1954, it is the flagship program of the Foreign Policy Association, a non-partisan, non-governmental organization. The Great Decisions Program's goal is to discuss, debate, and learn about International Affairs, National Security, and U.S. Foreign Policy. The Great Decisions Program is for anyone who desires to gain a deeper understanding of the current challenges the United States faces in the world today, from the threat of global terrorism to environmental issues, globalization, and development. Teachers, educators, students, military personnel (active and retired), business people, service organizations and clubs, political organizations, and international community groups will all benefit by gaining a greater appreciation for the complex international issues we face as a nation today. Feel free to attend any one or all of them. Details of each program are provided below.

Great Decisions Program

Sponsored by Coastal Carolina University, the Edgar Dyer Institute for Leadership and Public Policy, the Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning (OLLI), and the CCU Center for Global Engagement

February 3-24, 2018, Saturdays 10:00 am12:00 pm

Johnson Auditorium, Wall College of Business

119 Chanticleer Drive East

Conway, SC 29526

Turkey: A Partner in Crisis, February 3

Speaker: Dr. Nora Fisher Onar, Assistant Professor, Department of Politics, CCU

Of all NATO allies, Turkey represents the most daunting challenge for the Trump administration. In the wake of a failed military coup in July 2016, the autocratic trend in Ankara took a turn for the worse. One year on, an overwhelming majority of the population considers the United States to be their country’s greatest security threat. In this age of a worsening “clash of civilizations” between Islam and the West, even more important than its place on the map is what Turkey symbolically represents as the most institutionally Westernized Muslim country in the world.

U.S. Global Engagement and the Military, February 10

Speaker: Captain George Fust, U.S. Army, Duke University and U.S. Military Academy, West Point

The global power balance is rapidly evolving, leaving the United States at a turning point with respect to its level of engagement and the role of its military. Some argue for an “America First” paradigm, with a large military to ensure security, while others call for a more assertive posture overseas. Some advocate for a restoration of American multilateral leadership and a strengthened role for diplomacy. Still others

envision a restrained U.S. role, involving a more limited military. How does the military function in today’s international order, and how might it be balanced with diplomatic and foreign assistance capabilities?

Media and Foreign Policy, February 17

Speaker: Dr. Misti Williams, Lecturer, Department of Communication, Media, and Culture, CCU

State and non-state actors today must maneuver a complex and rapidly evolving media landscape. Conventional journalism now competes with user-generated content. Official channels of communication can be circumvented through social media. Foreign policy is tweeted from the White House and “fake news” has entered the zeitgeist. Cyberwarfare, hacking and misinformation pose complex security threats. How are actors using media to pursue and defend their interests in the international arena? What are the implications for U.S. policy?

Global Health: Progress and Challenges, February 24

Speaker: Dr. Fredanna McCormack McGough Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Health Sciences, CCU.

The collective action of countries, communities and organizations over the last 30 years has literally saved millions of lives around the world. Yet terrible inequalities in health and wellbeing persist. The world now faces a mix of old and new health challenges, including the preventable deaths of mothers and children, continuing epidemics of infectious diseases, and rising rates of chronic disease. We also remain vulnerable to the emergence of new and deadly pandemics. For these reasons, the next several decades will be just as important—if not more so—than the last in determining wellbeing across nations.