Panel discussion Thursday to explore U.S presidency’s impact on global engagement

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

In a special event co-sponsored by the School of Global Studies and Partnerships and the College of Arts and Sciences, a three-person panel of experts from OSU will gather Thursday to address “Consequences of the Presidential Election on U.S. Global Engagement.” The discussion will be streamed online at 5:30 p.m. on OState.TV, with Dr. Randy Kluver — dean and associate provost of the School of Global Studies and Partnerships — acting as moderator.

“This session is about the impact of [the latest] election on the United States’s engagement with the world,” Kluver said. “The person in the White House has a huge impact on the globe, not just the U.S. They determine the tone, the issues, and to some extent, the outcomes of global events. So we chose this topic so that our community can better understand the challenges the U.S. faces around the world.”

Thursday’s event is part of the Global Briefing Series, an ongoing project from the School of Global Studies and Partnerships that usually hosts a few guests from around the nation each semester — from policy-makers to analysts to academics.

“These events provide an opportunity for our community to engage with people of deep and extensive experience and knowledge about very important issues,” Kluver said. “Just like The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts brings top artistic talent for our community to enjoy, the Global Briefing Series provides an opportunity for the OSU community to engage with top global thinkers in foreign policy.”

Kluver added, “Although we are physically distant from Washington, D.C., and other global capitals, we want to make sure that our students and faculty have the opportunity to interact with the very best that is out there.”

While the pandemic has changed some previous plans for the Global Briefing Series, Kluver was quick to point out the rich resources OSU has right here in Stillwater.

“We wanted to get OSU experts before the public eye, so that folks will understand the expertise that OSU offers,” Kluver said. “[This] is a great opportunity to hear from OSU experts about an important, but often overlooked, element of the U.S. presidency.”

The three panelists for Thursday’s event are School of Global Studies Academic Program Director Jami Fullerton (Topic: Challenges for U.S. Public Diplomacy Moving Forward), College of Arts and Sciences Dean Glen Krutz (Topic: Domestic Drivers of U.S. Foreign Policy), and political science associate professor Stephen Nemeth (Topic: American Security Issues After the Election).

Kluver explained that the speakers will have some prepared remarks, but the event is designed to be an open discussion and Q&A, with questions submitted from audience members. And while it will be “strictly non-partisan,” Kluver said, “every panelist will have their own perspective.”

“I believe it is a mistake to ask them to leave their opinions at home,” he continued. “We will not censor them, but we will ask all the panelists to be fair and balanced in their presentation, and to focus on constructive comments that are grounded in their research and expertise.”

A key aim of Thursday’s panel is to expand attendees' understanding of global issues and foreign policy, as so much of it is “limited to superficial things we hear on the news or on social media,” Kluver said.

“We want to provide an opportunity for OSU faculty to interact with a larger audience on an important issue of public interest,” he continued. “U.S. foreign policy is an incredibly important part of our presence in the world, and we have a number of experts at OSU who have great insight.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Gosney | College of Arts and Sciences | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu