Politics and Governance

On October 17, The EastWest Institute (EWI) hosted a round-table discussion at its New York City headquarters featuring Vice Admiral Thomas S. Rowden, United States Navy. A Washington, D.C. native and graduate of the United States Naval Academy, VADM Rowden is a highly decorated officer who has served in numerous sea and shore assignments since joining the Navy in 1982. Vice Admiral Rowden's presentation emphasized the dramatic change in the U.S. Navy’s approach to global and regional risks over a relatively short period of time. 

Dr. William J. Parker III, EWI chief operating officer, moderated the well attended event where conversation focused on the paradigm change the U.S. Navy has undergone over the last thirty years. Discussion ranged from the Cold War maritime environment to the territorial disputes and cyber challenges the nation faces today.

In this video, Firestein spoke at Michigan State University on September 23 on "Framing the Dragon: China in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Campaign Discourse." Drawing upon history and original research, he outlined the evolution of how U.S. presidential candidates in recent years have framed China in their campaign discourse.

On September 28, Firestein appeared on NTDTV's Chinese-language current affairs program Focus Talk. Firestein commented on the results of the first debate of the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and answered questions about the candidates' stances towards China.

On September 30, Firestein appeared on Focus Talk, a Voice of America Mandarin Service current affairs program, to comment about the first Presidential debate. Speaking in Mandarin, Firestein commented on the importance of the presidential debates for the voter in revealing the qualities they look to most in a presidential candidate. In addition, Firestein emphasized the stark contrasts that the Republican and Democratic candidates have thus far presented to the voter, both in character and policy.

On September 30, Voice of America interviewed Firestein to discuss motivations behind the support of certain Chinese American groups' support of the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump. Joined by Robert Daly, Director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, Trump Campaign's Asian Pacific American Advisory Committee Advisor Cliff Zhonggang Li, and sociologist Xiaoxia Gong, Firestein highlighted that Chinese Americans share common considerations as other Americans.

On October 12, EWI CEO and President Cameron Munter met with Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić in Belgrade to discuss the situation in the region and future cooperation. 

Munter was in Belgrade for the Sixth Belgrade Security Forum, where he was part of the panel on "The New European Security Strategy: EU in a Global World and Its Transatlantic Partners."

Previously, the two met at EWI's headquarters in New York City for a discussion on September 21. Addressing a packed audience, Prime Minister Vučić discussed a range of issues, including his country's critical role in maintaining regional stability in the Balkans, linking Europe and Russia, the ongoing migrant crisis and Serbia's position as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East.

On September 14, David Firestein engaged in a lively discussion organized by IVY on foreign policy, especially the relationship between the United States and China. The event took place at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Click here for photos from the event.

In this session I will talk about an ethical Yezidi Kurdish leader called Nadia Murad. But let me first say a few words about what does ethical leadership mean? 

In my view it means being authentic, close to the people on the ground and above all not co-opted by established authorities who may use an ethical leader for their own narrow partisan interests rather than for the public good. 

As I said, Nadya is a Yezdi Kurdish activist from the Kurdistan region of Iraq. She is a survivor of the ISIS genocide on Yezidi Kurds in August 2014. Nadia lost her mother, brothers and many more family members during the genocide. In total, Nadya lost 18 family members.

Nadia has been nominated for the 2016 Václav Havel Prize. 

What makes Nadia unique is that, unlike some other Yezidi activists, she has not been co-opted by established Kurdish and Iraqi parties and authorities. Despite her international status and moral authority, she has remained herself and an integral part of her community. She hasn’t forgotten her root, and hasn’t become contaminated by the worst virus that is plaguing the Kurdish and Iraqi political parties and personalities, namely endemic corruption and becoming a mouthpiece and an apologist for a corrupt and authoritarian status quo. 

There are many more Nadias in the Kurdistan region and Iraq. To make a difference, it is our responsibility as peace building organizations to partner with these courageous and non-coopted community leaders, and not those who are apologists for a corrupt status quo.