Hannah Arendt Ideas Forum Introduces Students to Global Policy Ideas and Practitioners

“Why is China so obsessed with Taiwan?” “Do you think if the US didn’t provide weapons to Ukraine, others would?” “Some conflicts get more media coverage than others. Why do you think that is?” 

These were just a few of the insightful questions students asked at the recent Hannah Arendt Humanities Network's Ideas Forum on “The Future of American Leadership on the World Stage,” held at Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) in Washington, DC. 

This was the third edition of an annual two-day event that connects network early college and undergraduate students to a diverse set of policy professionals offering career advice and commentary on a range of contemporary policy issues. Organizers want students and faculty to “hear people who are globally influential, ask questions, and begin to think: How could my work play more of a role in this conversation?” said Walter Russell Mead, Professor of Foreign Affairs and the Humanities at Bard College and a lead organizer of the forums.  

In panel discussions that ranged from nuanced policy debates to practical career tips, specialists working at the UN and the US government, in think tanks and in journalism, weighed in on controversial issues pertaining to the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, all in relation to current US foreign policy values. 

Jackson Lopez, a junior studying global international studies at Bard College, said a heated debate during a panel about the China-Taiwan conflict was a highlight for him. As Mead, Michelle Murray, Associate Professor of Politics at Bard College, Iida Rentaro, Diplomat at the Japanese Embassy in the US, and Chiahao Hsu, instructor of International Relations and Political Theory at National Sun Yat-sen University, discussed the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) claims on Taiwan, a teacher from Bard DC interrupted Hsu, affirming their support for Taiwan’s reunification with the PRC. The comment was met with both nods of approval and some visible squirming from students in the room. 
 Lopez said he already appreciated all the background information and perspectives speakers offered on the conflict and its effect on US-China relations. “Then all of a sudden, the questions got intense. Should we be critical of the US? Does the US want to keep other countries weak? The panel took this really interesting turn where the conversations got really deep and nuanced, and all of a sudden it was extremely fun,” he said.

During another panel, Kori Schake, Senior Fellow and Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, spoke about the importance of working with strong mentors and provided practical tips for networking. When questions about failure and rejection arose, Schake encouraged students, saying, “Every successful person I know has experienced failure. Because if you don’t fail, you’re not pushing yourself enough.” 

One high school student from Bard Baltimore attended the forum with uncertain hopes for figuring out her career path. “When I walked in, I was like, ‘What is foreign policy?’ she said. “One speaker was talking about climate, and another was talking about weapons and technology. That led me to ask, if they could do different things, but under the same umbrella, is there a chance for me in this?” By the conclusion of the forum, she said, “I wasn’t thinking about a career in foreign policy until now.”

Students and faculty can learn more about the HAHN Ideas Forums here. 

Post Date: 06-09-2023