trusted platform actionable ideas framing issues6 trusted platform hearing from the experts and...
TRANSCRIPT
Trusted Platform
Framing Issues
Actionable Ideas
Connecting Washington with the World
Letter From Our CEO
As I approach three years as President and CEO, there is much to celebrate. Penn’s Think Tank and Civil Societies Program rates us as the number one US Think Tank To Watch – high recognition for our talented staff.
Tom Nides, our new Chair, says we live close to the news cycle. Events in Ukraine, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Germany, Russia, China and around the world shape
what we do every day. We try to think around the news cycle – what’s happening and what does it mean? But also ahead of it: what’s coming up that will change the way we live? How can we help shape the conversation about cities or migration or surveillance?
Our programs include some of the best and smartest people in Washington. And we bring in voices from around the world – including young voices – to help us frame issues and develop actionable ideas. Connecting Washington with the world is what we do.
You will be hearing more from the Wilson Center about our plans to expand and get more global. What won’t change is our commitment to excellence.
There have been staff and Board changes. Mike Van Dusen stepped down as Executive Vice President, and he and former Board Chair Joe Gildenhorn will take on new responsibilities. They are invaluable.
Andrew Selee has been promoted to EVP and popular and experienced Washington-hand Tom Nides is new Board Chair. We are excited and ready to move ahead.
Jane Harman Director, President and CEO
Tom Nides became new Wilson Board Chair on Sept 30, 2013, succeeding Ambassador Joe Gildenhorn who ably served for 11 years. Nides has been Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley since February 2013. He was Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources from 2010 to 2013, serving as Chief Operating Officer of the Department.
Before joining the Obama Administration, Nides was the Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley, Worldwide President and Chief Executive Officer of Burson-Marsteller, and Chief Administration Officer of Credit Suisse First Boston.
Nides began his career on Capitol Hill as Assistant to the House Majority Whip and Executive Assistant to the Speaker. He later served as a Senior Vice President of Fannie Mae and as Chief of Staff to the United States Trade Representative.
President Obama Appoints New Chairman
The Wilson Center is the top “Think Tank To Watch” in the U.S., according to an authoritative survey, and one of the world’s top ten think tanks.
“We are thrilled to be the top U.S. Think Tank to Watch and to enter the top 10 think tanks worldwide for the fi rst time,” said Jane Harman, Director, President, and CEO of the Center. “This is great recognition for all the staff at the Center, and for our many scholars and supporters in Washington and around the world. We are building a global future for the Center, and that is being recognized.”
The Wilson Center has risen steadily in the last four years in the Global Go To Think Tank Index: 17th in 2010, 15th in 2011, 11th in 2012 and tenth in 2013. The Index is compiled by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Wilson Named Top U.S. Think Tank to Watch
TH E STA TE OF TH E BORD E R RE PORTA Comprehensive Analysis of the U.S.-Mexico Border
The
STA
Te o
f Th
e B
or
de
r r
ep
or
T, A
Com
preh
ensi
ve A
naly
sis
of t
he U
.S.-M
exic
o B
orde
r
The State of the Border report was made possible by
6 EU’s Catherine Ashton Headlines Global Europe Program Launch
8Wilson Center with Motion Picture Association Generates Media Buzz
15 What’s at Stake at the Polls and in the Streets
20 All Eyes on Russia
11 Jane Harman Debates John McCain on America’s Infl uence in the World
23 Journalists Predict the Year Ahead in Environment and Energy
23 Mexico Institute Publication Cited by Mexico’s Government
26 New Global Fellows Program Creates International Network
WILSON HIGHLIGHTS: INDEX
TRUSTED SPACEThrough its lasting commitment to its independent and nonpartisan founding principles, the Wilson Center has positioned itself as a trusted space for ideas, discussion, and debate. The Center’s provenance as a safe space for discussion of a wide range of public policy issues has encouraged policymakers, scholars, and lead-ers from around the world to reach out to the Center as an open forum to make their voices heard.
TRUSTED PLATFORM6
Hearing From the Experts and Policymakers
Catherine Ashton, EU High R epresentative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, spoke at the launch of the new Global Europe program on September 30. Jane Harman and Ashton discussed a broad range of issues concerning the EU’s security, economic, and immigration policies, and accession negotiations with post-Y ugoslav successor countries. They also explored critical issues from the UN General Assembly, such as Iran and Syria, and Ashton’s recent work on the B alkans, Egypt, and Somalia. This high-profi le event drew an audience of close to 300 people.
EU’s Catherine Ashton Headlines Global Europe Launch
In early November, Public Policy Scholar Michael Adler interviewed International Atomic Energy Agency Chief Yukiya Amano about the essential role of the IAEA in promoting the peaceful use of atomic energy worldwide and in helping to promote nuclear safety and monitoring national nuclear programs.
After the event, the Wilson Center hosted a press briefi ng with Amano that was attended by journalists from top domestic and international outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC, CBS, and CNN. The briefi ng was also carried live on C-SPAN and covered by press outlets across the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
On the Nuclear Watch
National Conversation: Governing in a Borderless World
A potent mixture of globalization, economic inequality, and political confl ict is shaking the foundations of global stability. In the December National Conversation “Governing in a Borderless World: Meeting the Challenge of Instability,” panelists discussed globalization and the resulting pressures on political structures in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Panelists included David Ignatius (Washington Post), Robert Kagan (Brookings Institution), and Wilson Center Distinguished Scholar Bruce Jentleson (Duke University). Steve Inskeep of NPR moderated the discussion.
In December, the Global Europe Program hosted the 9 th Annual Ion R atiu Democracy Symposium, “Political Dispossession of R oma in Contemporary Europe.” The symposium featured Angela K ocz e, renowned Hungarian R oma activist and 2013 recipient of the Ion R atiu Democracy Award. A number of distinguished guest speakers, including former U.S. Ambassador to R omania Mark Gitenstein, participated in discussions on civil society and
media representation of R oma in Europe, as well as the politics of R oma within the European Union.
The Ion R atiu Democracy Award recogniz es the work, ideas, and accomplishments of individuals throughout the world for their life-long commitment to promoting democratic values. Previous awardees include Aung San Suu K yi (Myanmar, 2012), and Adam Michnik (Poland, 2009 ).
Democracy Award Honors Hungarian Roma Activist
TRUSTED PLATFORM 7
Jane Harman was out front on the implications of Edward Snowden’s leaks about National Security Agency surveillance. In the Washington Post, she wrote about how the U.S. government can strike a balance between security and privacy. She also wrote on Reuters with Volker Perthes, Director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, about how the government should address the revelation that the NSA was listening in on German chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone conversations.
In October, Public Policy Scholar Georg Mascolo and New America Foundation senior advisor Ben Scott discussed the U.S.-Europe relationship after the Snowden leak. Their policy paper, “Lessons from the Summer of Snowden:
The Hard Road Back to Trust,” looks at the NSA’s antiterrorism intelligence measures and identifi es the policy problems of mass surveillance versus personal privacy.
Wilson Center Addresses Post-Snowden U.S. Security Policies
The Brazil Institute hosted a well-attended two hour session on U.S.-Brazil relations with former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Thomas Shannon, now a senior State Department advisor. “This is a busy town, and a town with divergent interests and a variety of interests. Keeping our elected leaders and our
thought leaders focused on our larger neighborhood—our own hemisphere—is sometimes a challenge, but I think the Woodrow Wilson Center and the Brazil Institute have done spectacular work,” noted Shannon in his remarks. The session was carried live on C-SPAN.
Ambassador Thomas Shannon Speaks on U.S.-Brazil Relations
In a September ceremony in New York, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos received the Wilson Center’s Award for Public Service. “Throughout his life, President Santos has been committed to serving the public good by fostering democracy, security, and peace in Colombia,” said Jane Harman. “He has demonstrated courage and leadership in shaping Colombia’s future as a secure and prosperous nation.”
Colombia’s President Receives Wilson Center Public Service Award
“The hemorrhaging leaks by Edward Snowden…have left the U.S. government reel-ing…. Yet it is far better to explain what the United States will do—and will not do—and to rebuild shattered trust between our country and other world leaders.”
Jane Harman, Washington Post
TRUSTED PLATFORM8
Unique Insights into History
The Wilson Center held a sparkling celebration of A. Scott Berg’s new book on President Woodrow Wilson, attracting an audience of Washington media, politicians, and academics. The event, hosted by the Motion Picture Association of America, generated media comment on Bloomberg News and in the New York Times. The event was addressed by Jane Harman; MPAA chairman and former Connecticut senator Chris Dodd; and Rep David Price (D-NC), a historian with deep knowledge of the 28th president. Berg held a question-and-answer session with Harman and Dodd, sparking many comments—and much laughter—from the audience.
Praise From New York Times
“On Thursday night, we sat
around, talking about the lawyer and
constitutional expert in the White
House, a leader both didactic and
charming, peacenik and hawk; the
Ivy League academic who improb-
ably ascended to the Oval Offi ce on
brains, not beholden to anyone; the
Democrat, eager to fi ght economic
inequality and help the 99 percent,
who would give a government bailout if he had to; the dapper man with
large ears, elegant speeches he wrote himself, a love of golf.
We sat around talking about Woodrow Wilson.”Maureen Dowd in The New York Times
TRUSTED PLATFORM 9
A Revealing Look at North Korea’s Cold War History
On September 13, Columbia University professor Charles K. Armstrong launched his newest book, Tyranny of the Weak: North Korea and the World, 1950–1992. The book, whichexamines North Korea’s foreign relations during the Cold War, draws on material held and produced by the Wilson Center. Using both documents from the North Korea International Documentation Project and Cold War International History Project scholarship published by the Woodrow Wilson Center Press, Armstrong looks at North Korea’s alliances, attempted partnerships with the West, and delicate balancing act between China and the Soviet Union.
Digital Archive AwardWilson Center Unveils Prized Avner Cohen Collection
The History and Public Policy Program Digital Archive won the American Historical Association’s 2013 Roy Rosenzweig Prize for Innovation in Digital History. This prestigious annual award is given to recognize innovative and freely available new media projects that refl ect thoughtful, critical, and rigorous engagement with technology and the practice of history. The Digital Archive brings together a vast trove of once-secret documents relating to the Cold War, North Korea, and nuclear proliferation. Much more than just an archive, the site curates a variety of topics into compelling narratives, timelines, and images.
In October, the Nuclear Proliferation International History Project (NPIHP) released the Avner Cohen Collection, which represents nearly two decades of research on the history of Israel’s nuclear program. During his work, Dr. Avner Cohen, foremost expert on the secretive Israeli program, collected nearly two hundred oral interviews and tens of thousands of pages of archival and other documents that provide a window into the otherwise closed Israeli nuclear records.
As a Wilson Center public policy scholar between 2008 and 2010, Cohen worked with several nuclear historians to develop NPIHP as a research hub for future scholarship on nuclear history. In 2011, he left his personal research archive with NPIHP in order for the materials to be preserved, cataloged, digitized, and ultimately posted online as part of the Wilson Center’s Digital Archive.
The Avner Cohen Collection, now being published, will allow future scholars to reap the benefi ts of Cohen’s exhaustive research on Israel and the bomb. Key interviews from the archive include a dramatic eyewitness account of a closed-door discussion where Golda Meir overruled defense minister Moshe Dayan, halting preparations to use nuclear weapons during the 1973 Yom Kippur war. The release was featured in the New York Times and Foreign Policy, as well as Haaretz and other major Israeli papers.
Once-Secret Documents Shed Light on Execution
The December 2013 execution of Jang Song Thaek, uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a high-ranking fi gure in the ruling Korean Workers’ Party, came as a shock to many. However, James Person, coordinator of the North Korea International Documentation Project, suggests that there are strong parallels between Jang’s downfall and the party purges carried out by his father-in-law Kim Il Sung in 1967. In his most recent e-Dossier (no. 15), Person draws on NKIDP’s newly obtained and translated Romanian and East German documents to shed new light on these pivotal events and show their connections to North Korea today.
TRUSTED PLATFORM10
Ground Truth Briefi ngs Bring Expert Insights
This year we have held fourteen of our Ground Truth Briefi ngs, an exciting new format that helps frame critical issues with great immediacy by responding quickly to major current events. The Briefi ngs tap into the resources of Center Scholars, Fellows, and experts who are in hot spots around the globe.
This series has analyzed key global events such as the Iran nuclear negotiations, the German election, political changes in Egypt, and China’s Party Plenum with experts
including Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, Georg Mascolo, Former Editor-in-Chief, Der Spiegel; Gilead Sher, Israel’s Negotiator at the 2000 Camp David summit and the 2001 Taba talks; Nabil Fahmy, Former Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S. and now Egyptian Foreign Minister; Trevor Manuel, South African Cabinet Minister; Amr Moussa, Former Secretary of the Arab League and Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Washington and the World
changes in Egypt, and China’s Party Plenum with experts changes in Egypt, and China’s Party Plenum with experts changes in Egypt, and China’s Party Plenum with experts
April 15, 2013Crisis in Syria: The
View from Beirut
June 17, 2013A Conversation and Analysis of the Iranian Presidential Election
July 1, 2013Egypt on the Brink
July 11, 2013Egypt in Crisis
July 23, 2013Israel-Palestine
Peace Talks
September 23, 2013Germany Decides
October 18, 2013Iran’s Nuclear
Program: Is a Deal Possible?
November 12, 2013A U.S Iranian Deal: Real Progress or the Key to an Empty Room?
November 13, 2013Can Xi Jinping Tackle Reform?
November 25, 2013Iran’s Nuclear Negotiations: The Consequences of Success or Failure for U.S Interests
December 2, 2013 Ukraine and Europe:
A Turning Point?
December 6, 2013Biden in Asia: Clearing the Air?
December 16, 2013Euromaidan: Voices from the Streets of Kyiv
December 17, 2013South Africa After Mandela: The Legacy and the Reality?
December 19, 2013 Egypt’s New Constitution: Step
Forward or Step Back?
January 13, 2014Sochi: Olympic Flame in the Caucasus
January 14, 2014 South Sudan: A Way to End Confl ict?
TRUSTED PLATFORM 11
Capitol Hill Testimony Shares Wilson Center Expertise
Latin American Program Director Cynthia Arnson joined a panel of expert witnesses—including Álvaro Uribe, former president of Colombia— in testifying before the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere about challenges to the region’s democratic structures. Arnson emphasized contemporary threats to democratic governance in the Western Hemisphere. She also spoke about the policy changes needed to support democracy, such as improving citizen security, combating organized crime and corruption at all levels of society,
and fostering inclusionary growth and development to benefi t the region.
At another hearing of the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Mexico Institute Director Duncan Wood offered testimony on the North American Free Trade Agreement. Wood supported the idea of deepening North American economic integration to compete more effectively on a global scale, improving the effi ciency, and economic potential of the North American region.
“The problem with the U.S. narra-tive is not that we are underplaying the terror threat. We are inadequately explaining our agenda to people in the U.S. – and in the region. If we leave a vacuum, the bad guys fi ll it with their narrative,”
Jane Harman in testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee.
Jane Harman participated in a BBC World Debate titled “Has America Lost Touch with the World?” with Senator John McCain, Prince Turki al Faisal, and Alexei Pushkov of Russia. The debate took place in Davos at the World Economic Forum.
Harman Leads BBC World Debate
TRUSTED PLATFORM12
Wilson Stars in Best Books of 2013
The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Economist, each included several Wilson Center books among their Best Books of 2013. In the New York Times, two of the fi ve best nonfi ction books chosen were written by Wilson Center scholars. Four of the 50 notable works of nonfi ction selected by The Washington Post were written by Wilson Center scholars.
Awards and AccoladesTwo Publications Receive Top Think Tank Marks
The Global Go To Think Tank Index rankings highlighted two Wilson Center reports in the list of best policy/ study reports produced in 2013:
Thinking Regionally to Compete Globally: Leveraging Migration & Human Capital in the U.S., Mexico, and Central America is a j oint Migration Policy Institute/ Wilson Center report on regional migration. It outlines a forward-looking, pragmatic agenda for the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, providing key fi ndings and recommendations for policymakers in the United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Backdraft: The Con� ict Potential of Climate Mitigation and Adaptation warns that efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change may have unexpected negative consequences. This ECSP report suggests ways to minimiz e the risks of violent confl ict and political instibility arising from climate responses.
The Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP) has established itself as a leading forum on innovative storytelling about why population matters to development and security.
ECSP’s documentary fi lm “Healthy People, Healthy Environment”
premiered at the DC Environmental Film Festival; and won a prestigious Silver Telly Award. It has been screened in the United States, Africa, and Asia for world leaders, Congressional staff, U.S. health and development policymakers, reporters, and donors.
Storytelling Is Serious Business
FRAMING ISSUESThrough deep scholarship and policy expertise, the Wilson Center works to frame the critical issues that affect people in the United States and abroad. From its established concentration on U.S.-Russian relations to its new and evolving perspectives on historical and current events, the Center continues to expand its strengths in multiple areas of excellence.
FRAMING ISSUES14
Latin American Elections at the Wilson Center
African Elections
The Africa Program launched an interactive Elections Guide to provide critical information on all national elections taking place in Africa. With comprehensive and obj ective research, analysis, and election data, the guide covered presidential and legislative elections in 12 countries. It included commentary on Ibrahim B oubacar K eï ta’s electoral conquest after a year of instability in Mali, R obert Mugabe’s successful re-election bid in Z imbabwe, and future presidential contests in Guinea-B issau and Madagascar. A wide range of users, including college students, democracy practitioners, academics, and policymakers, found value in using the elections guide as a key reference work. The Africa Program
intends to keep the Elections Guide as a living document to be updated regularly with
results from past elections and analysis for future elections.
What’s at Stake at the Polls...
On January 30, the Lati n American Program and the B raz il Institute brought together experts on B raz il, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, El Salvador, Uruguay, and V enez uela to discuss these countries’ elections in 2013 and 2014. The event looked at the social challenges and cleavages that these countries face; took stock of three important elections that took place in 2013 in Chile, Honduras, and V enez uela; and looked ahead to what 2014 might bring for the electorates of B raz il, Columbia, El Salvador, and Uruguay.
guide as a key reference work. The Africa Program intends to keep the Elections Guide
A F RI C A PROG RA M
GUINEASummary of Upcoming Elections
L E G I SL A TI VE
September 24, 2013
The prospective elections in May have been a source of instability in Guinea since they were first postponed in 2007. The last legis-lative elections were held in June 2002. The legislature was dissolved by military leader Moussa Dadis Camara in December 2008 and February 2010, the interim government appointed a 155 member National Transition Council (CNT) that has since acted in the legislature’s place1. In April 2012, the elec-tion was postponed indefinitely by President Alpha Condé, who cited the need to ensure the election would be “transparent, credible and democratic.”2 The elections have recent-ly been postponed again, after initially being scheduled for May 12, 2013. While President Condé first signed a decree on April 13, 2013 fixing a new date for June 2013, strong oppo-sition protests accusing President Condé of manipulating the polls led to a UN-mediated agreement setting the final election date to September 24, 2013.3
Some important steps forward have been taken since the 2010 presidential polls, which, despite being deemed legitimate by domestic and international observers,4 were also the cause of political conflict and increased eth-nic tensions.5 A new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was created in September 2012, and some dialogue started between Condé’s government and the oppo-sition through the “Inclusive Framework for Political Dialogue.” However, this progress has yet to lead to any concrete results. Talks ceased after March 2012, with many import-ant divisive issues left unresolved.6
The two main causes of dispute have been accusations of favoritism based on ethnicity, on the part of the President, and squabbles over the electoral system (see Driving Is-sues). To overcome these issues, the Govern-ment must make a real effort to engage with the opposition leaders. Holding the election before this has been done could lead to vio-
E L E C TI ON A NA L Y SI S
intends to keep the Elections Guide as a living document to be updated regularly with
intends to keep the Elections Guide
Some important steps forward have been taken since the 2010 presidential polls, which, despite being deemed legitimate by domestic and international observers,4 were also the cause of political conflict and increased eth
A new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was created in September 2012, and some dialogue started between Condé’s government and the opposition through the “Inclusive Framework for Political Dialogue.” However, this progress has yet to lead to any concrete results. Talks ceased after March 2012, with many important divisive issues left unresolved.
The two main causes of dispute have been accusations of favoritism based on ethnicity, on the part of the President, and squabbles over the electoral system (see Driving Issues). To overcome these issues, the Government must make a real effort to engage with the opposition leaders. Holding the election before this has been done could lead to vio
A F RI C A PROG RA M
ETHIOPIASummary of Upcoming Elections
PRE SI D E NTI A L
October 2013 [ projected] 1 2
Ethiopia’s 2013 presidential election comes on the heels of parliamentary contests in 2010. These elections, like many before them, were dominated by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic F ront (EPRDF ), which took 499 of the 547 Parliamentary seats up for grabs, and all but one of the 1,904 seats nationwide in regional elections. Parties opposed to EPRDF took just 2 seats in Parliament, leading opposition groups to al-lege that the elections had not been held fair-ly. In the upcoming elections, however, Ethio-pia seeks to elect its third president to follow Girma W olde-Giorgis, who will be obliged to bow out after two six-year terms. Though no candidates have officially declared their candi-dacy, the most prominent potential candidate is Olympic gold medalist Haile Gebrselassie, who has publicly discussed the possibility of running for president. 3 W hile the EPRDF is
expected to maintain a grip on Ethiopian pol-itics, the opposition appears stronger than it has been in the past. After opposition groups held rare protests in July 2013 over concerns about human rights and the high costs of liv-ing, it appears that the presidential race may be more competitive than other elections in Ethiopia’s recent history.4
Summary of Previous E lections
L egislative E lections – May 23, 20105 The House of People’s Representatives
Population and number of registered voters: 6
• Total population: 85,237,338 (July 2009 estimated)
• Registered Voters: 29,170,867 (May 2010)
E L E C TI ON A NA L Y SI S
results from past elections and analysis for future elections.
expected to maintain a grip on Ethiopian politics, the opposition appears stronger than it has been in the past. After opposition groups held rare protests in July 2013 over concerns about human rights and the high costs of living, it appears that the presidential race may be more competitive than other elections in Ethiopia’s recent history.4
Summary of Previous E lections
L egislative E lections – May 23, 2010The House of People’s Representatives
Population and number of registered voters:
Total population: 85,237,338 Total population: 85,237,338 Total population:(July 2009 estimated)
Registered Voters: 29,170,867 Registered Voters: 29,170,867 Registered Voters:
A F RI C A PROG RA M
EQUATORIAL GUINEASummary of R ecent Elections
PA RL I A M E NTA RY
May 26, 2013
100 seats in the House of People’s Representatives (Cámara de los Representantes del Pueblo)1
In an effort to “distance itself from its inter-national image of a dictatorship,” the oil-rich nation plans to hold legislative elections in May that aim to address a number of re-forms. 2 This election would be the first since more than “97 percent of voters approved a series of constitutional reforms in a No-vember 2011 referendum.” The opposition criticized the referendum and its legitimacy, as it allows incumbent the President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, to handpick his successor.3 Equatorial Guineans will vote on many ballot initiatives, including presidential term limits and creating an office of the vice president.4 Also, constituents will elect sen-ators for the first time, thereby establishing an upper house of the legislature.5 Moreover, opposition members are growing increasing-
ly frustrated as the President and his party, the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), continue to maintain a super majority over the House of People’s Representatives. After this election, the PDGE is expected to retain its overwhelming majority in the House and win a majority in the Senate as well.
Summary of Previous E lections
Parliamentary E lections – May 26, 2013
Population and number of registered voters:
Total population: 704,001 (July 2010 est.)
Registered Voters: 292,585 ( 2009 )
E L E C TI ON A NA L Y SI S
Honduras Elections
The Latin American Program followed the November 2013 elections in Honduras closely. LAP hosted an event about the Honduran presidential election, which featured a former U.S. Ambassador and representatives of IRI, NDI, and the media. Eric Olson, LAP associate director, was widely quoted in media sources including Latin Pulse, Washington Times, GlobalPost, Honduras Weekly, Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, and NPR. Olson discussed the lingering effect of the 2009 coup, allegations of electoral fraud, the role of the military, economic concerns, and policy prescriptions for crime reduction.
He also wrote articles on Honduras for the Wilson Center website and for the Miami Herald, describing the divisions within Honduras, explaining the stakes for international actors, and providing recommendations for recovering from these conditions of polarization and distrust.
Chilean elections
On November 21, Cynthia Arnson spoke on NTN24 and MundoFox about Michelle Bachelet and the Chilean presidential elections.
FRAMING ISSUES 15
Wilson Center experts have been weighing in on the political unrest in Ukraine. The Kennan Institute’s Will Pomeranz and Matt Rojansky have provided timely commentary on the street demonstrations in protest against the Ukrainian government’s decision to suspend further association with the European Union.
“ ...it has become clear that a strong, diverse and increasingly vocal plurality of Ukrainians will not accept their country’s continued isolation from the West. The authorities have confronted street protestors with shocking violence, and have offered no signifi cant politi-cal concessions. Yet the prospect of real reform driven by the EU association has now become
a key symbol for Ukraine’s national identity.”—Matt Rojansky
Kennan Institute Commentary on Protests in Ukraine “The popular revolt that shook the country and paralyzed
hundreds of Brazilian cities for days earlier this year took the government and the opposition by complete surprise. It was mobilized by social media, with no participation of political parties or unions. Provoked by excessive use of police force against students asking for free fares on the poor public transportation system of São Paulo, the country’s largest metropolis, the protests turned quickly into a very loud cry for more and better services that affect the quality of life of millions of members of a new middle class, whose emergence in the past decade has transformed Brazil’s social landscape and created new demands.”
—Paulo Sotero, on Fareed Zakaria’s GPS
Rousseff Changing Course in Brazil
... and in the Streets
FRAMING ISSUES16
Madiba: A Belief in Humanity
I have taken the liberty of using the familiar family name for Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. I do so because the fi rst time we met, sitting together in the back seat of a limo driving from Cape Town airport to the Mount Nelson Hotel in downtown Cape Town, this legendary gentleman, less than a year out of an imprisonment of 27 years, made me feel at home....
As we rounded the curve by the University of Cape Town, the vista opens to reveal the city in the distance, Table Mountain looming behind, and the harbor out to the right with Robben Island in the far, hazy distance. Mandela turned to me and said: “As a youth, I climbed that mountain,” pointing at Table Mountain, “and every day I was out there,” sweeping his hand towards Robben Island, “I looked back at the mountain and knew that I would stand on top of it again.” The accessibility, casual intimacy and humanity that I was privileged to experience that day has, in fact, made an entire nation and world feel they were members of his family and can call him Madiba. That, in fact, was the remarkable effect he had on everyone who met him, enemies as well as friends.
But, my most memorable moment, and the one that shows the mettle of the man, was a conversation in Blair House, the offi cial
residence for visitors to the White House. Mandela was on his fi rst state visit as President to see President Clinton. ... When he approached me, and I reached out to introduce myself, Madiba stopped me in mid-sentence and told me how much he had appreciated the conversation we had almost 5 years earlier as we rode from the airport to Cape Town.
I tell this story, not because of what it meant to me, but because it exemplifi ed the very essence of Mandela’s being: an engagement in the humanity of all—“Ubuntu” in the Nguni languages of Southern Africa—and a commitment to fi ght oppression that would deny that humanity. Stories abound about his precise recall, phoning former colleagues on his release and remembering the names and ages of their children, asking about health issues, and citing incidents and conversations from almost 30 years before. He truly cared for humanity and set an example beyond our imagining of how to live an unselfi sh life. His commitment to that concept was
the saving grace for a South Africa that could have erupted in irretrievable violence.
“As a youth, I climbed that mountain,” pointing at Table Mountain, “and every day I was out there,” sweeping his hand towards Robben Island, “I looked back at the moun-tain and knew that I would stand on top of it again.”
Nelson Mandela, to Steve McDonald, Senior Advisor to the Africa Program
On December 5, Steve McDonald of the Africa Program wrote a short piece commemorating the life of Nelson Mandela (1918–2013). Excerpts are reprinted here.
A Life that Shaped a Century
FRAMING ISSUES 17
Resilience: The Next Big Thing
Diversity by Design
Resilience and Renewal in the Global Community
2014 promises to be a superlative year— and that’s not necessarily a good thing, given the rate of “super” disasters wreaking havoc around the world. Complex, extreme emergencies like Super Typhoon Haiyan are becoming more frequent, more systemic, and more destructive. B y fi nally getting serious about resilience, we might reduce our vulnerability, restore our communities, and rebuild back better, instead of j ust picking up the pieces.
The new Global Sustainability and R esilience Program (GSR P) supports the development of inclusive, fl exible, and equitable networks that help vulnerable communities and nations adapt to global transformations.
• R oger-Mark De Souz a was invited to j oin the “R esilience Academy,” convened by Munich R e and the United Nations, as part of a select group of 26 Global R esilience L eaders who will provide leadership in resiliency thinking and application for the next fi ve years.
• Notre Dame’s Global Adaptation Index, launched at the Wilson Center by corporate and security leaders, made news for its new data showing that the world’s poorest countries are likely a century behind the world’s wealthiest countries in their ability to deal with climate change.
The Royal Society, the UK’s leading scientifi c academy, invited the Wilson Center to organize an all-day briefi ng of thought leaders and scientists working on resiliency to inform its forthcoming report on ecosystem resilience. This will provide the scientifi c basis for policymaking in the United Kingdom on resilience.
A Royal Request
The Wilson Center’s Global Sustainability and R esilience Program is on the frontlines of the new science and policy of resilience.
Challenging stereotypes and conventional wisdom, two North American communities aren’t simply “managing” diversity, they are benefi tting from it in signifi cant ways
Diversity by Design, an article written by urban studies expert B lair R uble, features video, infographics and beautiful imagery to tell the success stories of Arlington, V irginia, and Markham, O ntario. It describes how each community has reached out to new residents and built connections that convert diversity from a supposed liability to a hard-edged practical asset.
FRAMING ISSUES18
All Eyes on RussiaA Chilly Climate for the Russian President
“Although Russia is grouped with some of the worst offenders in the assessments of international rights watchdogs—Freedom House puts it in the same “not free” category as North Korea, Iran and Cuba —a far bigger problem for the Kremlin is the perception that Russia is moving in the wrong direction relative to the rest of Europe and even many former Soviet states.... [Putin’s] defenders point to the objective improve-ments in quality of life, economic freedom, freedom to travel and security that Russians have enjoyed since Putin took offi ce.... As Russia’s economic growth slows to a near halt thanks largely to corruption, and as stories about the narrowing of public space and civil liberties in Russia proliferate, the Kremlin’s abil-ity to secure desirable outcomes abroad will decline precipitously.”—Matt Rojansky, in World Politics Review, January 14
R ussian president V ladimir Putin’s December amnesty for more than 20,000 prisoners, including the dissident punk rockers Pussy R iot, detained Greenpeace activists, and most surprisingly, oligarch turned anti-K remlin icon Mikhail K hodorkovsky, set off a media frenz y over its connection to the upcoming Sochi O lympics. The K ennan Institute’s Matt R oj anksy and Will Pomeranz kept the Wilson Center out front of the story with features in the Washington Post, World Politics Review, R euters, and CNN.com.
“A new prime minister and ministerial shuffl e may be in the offi ng — if only to give Putin some political separation from
the country’s messy realities. Putin probably also needs to do something more dramatic to jump-start Russia’s stagnant economy and revive his stalled domestic agenda. His natural inclination might be to squeeze the current system even harder — but as Putin’s own comments suggest, that system has already exhausted itself. For Russian politics, 2014 promises to be an interesting year.”
—Reuters, December 31, 2013
Will Pomeranz on Putin’s (Un)happy New Year
FRAMING ISSUES 19
Vice President Joe Biden’s tour of East Asia in December came as relations between China, Japan, and South Korea continued to worsen. The Asia Program organized a Ground Truth Briefi ng to address the issues raised by Biden’s visit, and Asia Program Associate Shihoko Goto participated in a conference in Morocco to discuss the deteriorating situation with Middle Eastern offi cials.
U.S. economic relations with the Asia-Pacifi c region are also rapidly evolving, and the Asia Program’s January conference on U.S. trade pacts attracted nearly 200 people, many of them senior U.S. government offi cials and policymakers as well as foreign dignitaries.
Focus on the Pivot to Asia
Expert Opinions on Asia
In November, the Kissinger Institute and the Asia Program launched a new joint initiative: “Weighing the Rebalance: 2013 to 2015.” The program brings Asia-Pacifi c experts to Washington to analyze the future of Chinese, American, and other crucial roles in the region.
The inaugural lecture by Professor Hugh White (Australian National University) looked at Australia’s role in the U.S.-China relationship, expanding on his September Foreign Affairs article on the topic.
Kissinger Institute and the Asia Program Open New Forum
policy Brief Series
P A K I ST A N ’ S UR B A N I Z A T I O N
ASIA PROGRAM
ASIA PROGRAM
ASIA PROGRAM
This policy brief series seek s to share with a wider au dience the proceeding s of a N ovember conference at the W oodrow W ilson Center that explored the challeng es presented by pak istan’ s rapid u rbaniz ation. The W ilson Center’ s Asia prog ram tak es g reat pleasu re in ack nowledg ing su pport provided by the Fellowship Fund for Paki-stan for the conference, this policy brief series, and the long er volu me of essays to be pu blished in 2 0 1 4 .
J anuary 2 0 1 4
U RBA N TRA NSPORT PL A NNI NG : M OVI NG PE OPL E A ND TH E E C ONOM Y M urtaz a H aid er
• L earn from past failu res in u rban transit planning , which has been plag u ed by u ntested technolog ies, hig h costs, poor implementation, and the elimination of affordable transport services.
• Address the varied transport needs of the middle class. The u pper middle class seek s comfortable pu blic transit and is willing to pay hig her prices, while the lower middle class prefers lower-cost, less lu xu riou s transit. Transit planners shou ld not force standardiz ed transit services on commu ters whose willing ness to pay varies considerably.
• redu ce the disproportionate level of transport infrastru ctu re spending allocated to au to-mobiles, and dedicate more fu nding to pu blic transport, walk ing paths, bicycle lanes, and other areas where needs are g reatest. I n pak istan, most u rban transport needs have little to do with au tomobiles.
Policy Recommendations
R ecommend ations continued on nex t page
1J ih ad ist V iolence: T h e I nd ian T h reat
J I H A D I ST V I O L EN C E: T H E I N D I A N T H R EA T
B y Steph en T ank elEd ited b y M I ch ael K ugelman
The Asia Program is currently producing a number of books and briefs detailing issues in Pakistan
Senior Program Associate Michael Kugelman is frequently sought out for his commentary on Pakistan and Afghanistan. His commentary “Five Resolutions for U.S. South Asia Policy in 2014” was published in Foreign Policy. Asia Program Public Policy Scholar Ali Riaz testifi ed before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the political crisis in Bangladesh.
Kugelman Writes on South Asia
Program Associate Shihoko Goto has been leading on China-Japan relations, writing about the two nations’ struggle for infl uence in Africa and the ongoing dispute between Tokyo and Beijing on claims to the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. Her commentaries have been published in The Globalist and on CNN.com.
China and Japan Vie for Infl uence
FRAMING ISSUES20
Out Front in the Middle East
Robin Wright Wins Exclusive Interview with Iran’s Foreign Minister on Iran Nuclear Deal
In an exclusive wide-ranging interview with TIME in Tehran on Dec. 7, Distinguished Scholar Robin Wright interviewed Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif about how the Geneva nuclear deal came together, how the government has to appear to Iran’s own parliament not to undermine the interim pact, and how any new sanctions passed by the United States Congress would kill the deal.
Peace and War: The View From Israel
In this panel discussion, Amos Yadlin, Director of the Institute for National Security Studies, Tel Aviv and former chief of Israeli military intelligence; Gilead Sher, former Israeli Chief Peace Negotiator; and Michael Doran of Brookings discussed Israel’s current challenges and opportunities and the future of the U.S.-Israeli relationship.
Egypt’s Predicament After Two Revolutions
In this packed event, Mona Makram-Ebeid, former member of Egypt’s Shura Council and a distinguished lecturer in the political science department at the American University in Cairo, spoke about the effects of the 2011 and 2013 revolutions on Egyptian society and discussed a possible roadmap for the way forward. Makram-Ebeid remarked that the revolutions in 2011and 2013 created three major changes in Egyptian society: the emergence of a culture of political participation, the heightened violence against Coptic Christians, and the erosion of women’s rights.
media mentions
Aaron David Miller: 58 media mentions, 31 interviewsHaleh Esfandiari: 2 media mentions, 11 interviewsMichael Adler: 22 media mentions, 5 interviews
Our Wilson Center Middle East experts have appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” a number of NPR programs, BBC World News, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Al Jazeera, Al Hurra, Sky News, Arise TV, WTOP and numerous other radio and television programming.
11266Interviews
*Media mentions are quotes or articles
12 Publications Produced Since October 2013
Media Taps Into Middle East Program
ACTIONABLE IDEASAcross all programs and in all areas of research, the Wilson Center has embraced its mission of developing relevant, actionable ideas for the policy community. By building on its trusted brand and looking to the issues and needs of the moment, the Center will continue to shape the future of public policy debate. With 100 graduates already through its ground breaking bipartisan Congressional Foreign Policy Fellowship Program (above), the Center is looking forward to hosting both its first Alumni Event featuring New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman, and its third class of Fellows.
ACTIONABLE IDEAS22
Global Violence Against Women: Finding Solutions
Delivering Success in Maternal Health
Too many women continue to die in childbirth from preventable causes, despite measurable improvement. Delivering Success, the Maternal Health Initiative’s latest report, urges faster
progress in reducing pregnancy-related deaths and complications by taking steps like improving access to and quality of care for women worldwide.
The Security of the Future: Environment, Demography, and Development
ECSP continues to contribute to groundbreaking research on non-traditional security issues of climate,
food, and demography and their links to confl ict.
The Future Can’t Wait, published by National Defense University, calls for increased focus on futures anal-ysis within the development and security sectors. The outcome of the Symposium on Future Develop-ment Challenges held at the Wilson
Center in November 2011, the book includes chapters by ECSP’s Geoff Dabelko and Wilson Center Global Fellow Richard Cincotta on integrated development and demographic links to security planning. The book “is the rare and welcome exception, a genuine breath of fresh air. It is the kind of project that should become the norm in Washington, challenging all of us to look beyond what one participant describes as the tyrannies of the in-box, the demand for immediate results, the focus on a single sector; and reliance on uni-dimen-sional measures of success.” – Anne-Marie Slaughter, President & CEO of New America Foundation
The ECSP Report Harvesting Peace: Food, Confl ict, and Cooperation recommends that food assistance and peacebuilding programs work together to better accomplish their goals. “Hungry people are unhappy people, as we saw in many of the Arab Spring countries. The politics and food se-curity need to be tackled together – and Harvesting Peace helps explain how,” said Jane Harman.
From human traffi cking to wartime rape, violence against women is a widespread and persistent human rights and humanitarian problem. Wilson Center Fellow Alison Brysk discussed the scope of the problem, root causes, and possible solutions in this CONTEXT interview with host John Milewski.
Taking Control of Their Futures
Panelist Jane Harman at POLITICO’s Women Rule Summit
“You can’t buy it. Your mother can’t give it to you. Your kids — and
I have four of them — can certainly inspire you (and grandkids are
much better than kids by the way). But you gotta go out there and
you’ve got to have the passion and
the drive to go... Everybody in this
room needs to be fi erce. Do we
understand this? You need to fi ght
for what you want.”
Jane Harman at the Women Rule Summit
ACTIONABLE IDEAS 23
The Mexico Institute has been tracking the Mexican government’s reform agenda, including one reform that will open Mexico’s oil and gas sectors to foreign and private investment for the fi rst time in 75 years. The 2012 Mexico Institute report “A New Beginning for Mexican Oil” has set the tone for the current debate, and was used by the Mexican government to explain the importance of energy reform to key thought leaders.
The Mexico Institute has also provided critical commentary on Mexican
government reform, publishing its analysis in print and online and serving as an advisory voice for major multinational companies. The institute also worked with the offi ce of Vice President Joe Biden in the lead up to his 2013 trip to Mexico, and institute staff have briefed members of Congress on Mexico issues and testifi ed on border management and migration.
The Security of the Future: Environment, Demography, and Development
Mexico’s Energy Reform Foretold
Reporters Predict the Year Ahead in Environment and Energy
Securing Our Natural Resources
China Environment Forum Advises Chinese Ministry of Water Resources
China’s air pollution and other environmental problems continue to make headlines but the China Environment Forum (CEF) has long been convening energy and environment experts to address China’s pollution and energy challenges. CEF’s ChokePoint: China initiative has a built a new network of business, NGO, research and government experts in the United States and China to focus on the water-energy nexus problems facing China. Recently, CEF advised the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources on new measures designed to regulate water consumption in the coal sector.
The China Environment Forum recently published its latest issue from its China Environment Series with articles written by experts who work on the ground in China in energy and water challenges. The issue has been read by more than 2,000 people online.
TH E STA TE OF TH E BORD E R RE PORTA Comprehensive Analysis of the U.S.-Mexico Border
The
STA
Te o
f Th
e B
or
de
r r
ep
or
T, A
Com
preh
ensi
ve A
naly
sis
of t
he U
.S.-M
exic
o B
orde
r
The State of the Border report was made possible by
CHINAENVIRONMENT
SERIES12ENVIRONMENT12ENVIRONMENTSERIES12SERIES
SPECIAL WATER AND ENERGY ISSUE
Fracking, the war on coal, urban growth, and toxic spills: an all-star panel of environmental journalists predicted the year’s top stories for a record crowd of more than 225 people while 300 watched online. The second annual event co-sponsored by the Society of Environmental Journalists drew substantial social media coverage as well as a post in the Dot Earth blog from The New York Times.
“In just one year, the in-house audience has more than doubled. The online viewing generated enthusiastic comments from coast to coast. It is abundantly clear that this event is rapidly becoming a headline in and of itself as stakeholders realize they cannot afford to miss it. As a result, there is no doubt this event - without intending to - helps establish the agenda on environmental issues for the coming year.”
Jeff B urnsideK O MO 4 News, Seattle
ACTIONABLE IDEAS24
STIP Policy Briefs Foreshadow Government IT Problems
The Science and Technology Innovation Program (STIP) works at the cutting edge of many issues and its research has often been in advance of policy developments.
The problems experienced by the government’s Affordable Care Act website, for example, refl ect a traditional IT development approach, which often leads to schedule delays, poor function, and budget overruns. These problems were foreseen by STIP Commons L ab scholar Z ach B astian’s 2012 policy brief “Too B ig to Succeed: The Need for Federal IT R eform.” B astian argued that the federal government should embrace agile development and open-source software, encourage small business participation, and create a more innovative IT culture. Although the government has worked to repair the ACA website and make it more functional, the
STIP policy brief makes the case for a better approach to large government IT proj ects.
In 2012, the STIP Commons L ab also published two briefs, “O n Cybsersecurity, Crowdsourcing, and Social Cyber-Attack” and “Towards Trustworthy Social Media and Crowdsourcing.” These briefs warn of the potential misuse of social media and crowdsourcing to foment strife and undermine stability. O ne of the authors also used social media to investigate terrorist activity in B enghaz i. These briefs also preceded the 2013 hacking of the Associated Press Twitter account by the Syrian Electronic Army, which caused a stock market panic seconds after a forged tweet falsely reported a bombing at the White House. This new fi eld of research is called “cognitive cybersecurity.”
Driving Research on High-Tech Topics
A Trusted Partner in Public Science
In November, the STIP Commons L ab hosted “New V isions for Citiz en Science,” the fi rst in a series of roundtables and reports on open innovation. The keynote speakers were EPA Deputy Administrator B ob Perciasepe and Assistant Director K umar Garg of the White House O ffi ce of Science and Technology Policy. The White House subsequently prioritiz ed citiz en science and crowdsourcing in the Second O pen Government National Action Plan.
STIP Draws Attention of the White House
Do-It-Y ourself B iology (DIYbi o) is a global movement bringing biotechnology to the masses – moving biology from industry and university labs into individual homes and shared spaces where people gather to conduct experiments, share ideas, and teach others. STIP has been actively engaged in the DIYbi o community addressing issues of
biosafety, biosecurity and overall governance around this innovative and rapidly evolving technology movement. STIP is a trusted partner within the DIYbi o community and is frequently asked to speak on their behalf to the larger biosecurity community.
DIY-biology equipment that can extract and analyze DNA – total cost: $700
ACTIONABLE IDEAS 25
In partnership with NPR, one of America’s leading media organizations, The National Conversation will continue in 2014 to drive the debate in Washington, DC on the most crucial topics of the day. The National Conversation, our most high-profi le event series, examines the overarching themes of U.S. international and domestic policy. It draws on prominent guests and experts from all sides of the political sphere to provide thoughtful, intelligent explorations of challenging issues with the goal of informing the national public policy debate.
Did You Know?
Participants in one of the online games highlighted in STIP’s “New Visions for Citizen Science” report identifi ed a protein that is crucial to the reproduction of the AIDS virus.
Mexico Partnership with Forbes
Getting Our Ideas Out
The Mexico Institute has partnered with Forbes.com, as a trusted contributor. Our fi rst posts have detailed changes to Mexico’s oil industry, and the importance of U.S.-Mexico-Canada regional economic integration. So far these two posts have had over 26, 000 views. This partnership will help expand the reach of the Mexico Institute to a broader audience beyond Washington.
Asia Program Works with USAID
O ver the years the Asia Program has developed a reputation for its Pakistan work, which goes well beyond traditional security issues and extends to critical matters of natural resources and economic development. In December, USAID told the Asia Program staff that USAID-Pakistan has used—and continues to use— Asia Program reports on Pakistan’s water crisis and food insecurity as a critical tool in their program design.
STIP has received several major grants to start new projects and continue its current research on citizen science. The Synthetic Biology Project won a $180,000 grant to participate in SYNENERGENE, an EU-supported international consortium, and it won a National Science Foundation grant to collaborate with the MIT Center for International Studies. Both grants will enable STIP to develop partnerships on responsible synthetic biology research
and innovation. The Commons Lab also won a $600,000 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to continue its work on mass collaboration, often referred to as “crowdsourcing.” All of these grants promote STIP’s work to encourage new fi elds for scientifi c research and promote citizen science among key domestic and international policymakers.
STIP Finds U.S. and International Partners in Science
National Conversation
ACTIONABLE IDEAS26
From heads of state to Pulitz er Priz e winners, from world class academics to rising stars, Wilson Center scholars provide a vital link between the worlds of learning and public policy. The 150 distinguished specialists annually hosted by the Center conduct independent research on the most pressing challenges facing the United States and the global community. Through its residential scholars, half of whom come from abroad, the Wilson Center brings the world to Washington
to enrich our policy debate and develop actionable ideas.
The Center’s extraordinary alumni, now numbering over 3000, range from preeminent historians John Gaddis and Gordon Wood, to j ournalists Thomas Friedman, David Wessel and Geoffrey Goldberg, and from diplomats Nicholas B urns and Marc Grossman to former Tunisian minister for women’s affairs Li lia Labi di and U.S. Trade R epresentative Charlene B arshefsky.
The Wilson Center appointed 43 Global Fellows in December. This new program aims to help connect Washington, the United States, and the world through a global network of scholarship and policy ideas.
Wilson Center Global Fellows were chosen based on their achievements as authorities in their fi eld, which includes public service, j ournalism, business, academia, and civil society. These non-residential fellows will contribute to the ongoing work of the Center’s programs and serve as an integral part of the overall intellectual community of the Wilson Center.
Global Fellows Connect Washington with the World
“This effort will build a global brain trust to help us frame the big is-sues and offer actionable ideas for policymakers around the world...”
“Our networks are the best in town – and I am thrilled about this new initiative.”said Jane Harman, Director, President, and CEO of the Wilson Center.
2013-2014 Residential Scholars pose in Memorial Hall with Jane Harman
Scholars Provide Vital Link
Countries RepresentedUnited States, Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Cô te d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Israel, Japan, K enya, K yrgyz stan, L ebanon, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Z ealand, Pakistan, Poland, R ussia, South K orea, Ukraine
LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY
The Wilson Center’s strength lies in the hard work and dedication of its staff and scholars. Its strategic focus on sound scholarship and innovative policy ideas continues to inspire those who want to make a difference in how others view the past, present, and future.
WILSON CENTER28
Hail and Farewell to Michael Van Dusen
New Leadership
At the end of 2013, Mike Van Dusen retired from his position as the Wilson Center’s executive vice president and COO. He will remain as senior advisor for the Center’s new initiative to engage its vast alumni network. Andrew Selee is the new executive vice president, and Blair Ruble has replaced Selee as the vice president of programs.
“Mike has been my rock,” said Jane Harman. “His leadership has been critical to the growth of the Center over the past 15 years, and his wisdom and friendship have been invaluable to me personally. We are glad that Mike will build an active
alumni program and excited about the new leadership. Andrew Selee and Blair Ruble are both immensely talented individuals who can increase the Center’s impact on global issues.”
The Middle East Program has created a new annual lecture series to honor Mike Van Dusen’s commitment to the Middle East and constant support of the Middle East Program since its inception in February 1998.
The Wilson Center has benefi tted from eleven years of selfl ess leadership by Ambassador Joe Gildenhorn as our board chair. Joe and his wife, Alma, have been an integral part of the success of the Center over the last decade. Their understanding of the unique role of this nonpartisan offi cial, national memorial and their generosity set a high standard. We have deep appreciation for all Amb. Gildenhorn has done for the Wilson Center, and are delighted they will chair the Wilson National Cabinet, an actively engaged support group for the Center.
A Salute to Joe and Alma Gildenhorn
WILSON CENTER 29
In July 2013, Andrew Selee published What Should Think Tanks Do?: A Strategic Guide to Policy Impact. The book, published by the Woodrow Wilson Center Press and Stanford University Press, is the fi rst practical guide specifi cally tailored to think tanks, policy research, and advocacy organizations. Selee drew on extensive interviews with members of leading think tanks, as well as cutting-edge thinking in business and nonprofi t management, to provide strategies for think tanks to improve their ability to shape policy and public opinion.
On November 13, the Wilson Center held an event to celebrate the publication. Speakers included Selee and several think tank directors and senior staff: Anne-Marie Slaughter (New America Foundation), James McGann (Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, University of Pennsylvania), Steven Bennett (Brookings Institution), and Lawrence MacDonald (Center for Global Development). The speakers discussed the challenges that think tanks face and shared their experiences in the world of public policy.
Andrew Selee’s Think Tank Book Receives Glowing Praise
New Vice President of Development Named
Gary Offi cer has joined the Wilson Center to serve as vice president for global engagement and chief development offi cer. Through his fundraising efforts, he has successfully secured multimillion-dollar commitments for philanthropic and mission-based organizations in the United States and globally. For seven years, until 2013, he was the president
and CEO of Rebuilding Together, one of the nation’s largest nonprofi t housing organizations, and increased more than seven fold the organization’s size during his tenure there. He has a strong interest in international relations, and has lived in the United States, England, Jamaica, and Canada.
The Wilson Center started its Fiscal Year 2014 with two highly-successful Woodrow Wilson Awards Dinners. On October 9, Vicki and Roger Sant and Katherine and David Bradley were presented with the Award for Public Service at a gala in Washington. On October 30 at The Pierre Hotel in New York City, the Award for Corporate Citizenship was presented to Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis, while the Award for Public Service was given to Mary and David Boies.
David Rubenstein and General David Petraeus chaired the respective dinners, which netted a combined total of $1.9 million for the Center’s unrestricted budget. The two high-profi le events were very well-attended by business and community leaders. Media personalities in attendance included Wolf Blitzer, Barbara Walters, and Brian Williams. Public offi cials included House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, Senator Susan Collins, and NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, among others.
Wilson Center Begins Fiscal Year with Highly-Successful Award Dinners
WILSON CENTER30
Spreading the Word About Wilson
Over the last year, the Wilson Center has grown across all areas of communication– which is seen most strikingly in our explosive growth in social media.
170,000 vistors to the New Security Beat Blog
4 Million Web Pages Viewedby 228 different countries and territories
“It’s a great resource—the best tip service around.”Former Los Angeles Times reporter and authorK en Weiss.
Our experts published over 150 op-eds in our top
5 target outlets in 2013averaging more than 3 per week
4.5 Million Individuals
Viewed our Facebook Page
3.6 Years The cumulative amount
of time spent watching our videos in 2013
Email open rate is
8% Higherthan non-profi t average
2XOur email click-through rates are twice the industry average
Communications Report
WILSON CENTER 31
33% more visitors to our website than 2011
600,000VIEWS
since the last Board meeting10%
media appearances are up
Our audio visual services and TV shows have also been overhauled. We’ve launched a social media campaign to promote them, and will be marketing the shows aggressively to PBS and NPR stations.
500,000We have earned
472% Increase in individuals following
us on Facebook
people have read our publications on Scribd
on BuzzFeed, by younger audienceThe Comms team created their
FIRST INTERACTIVE ARTICLE allowing for a more immersive
and visually compelling experience
Print/Online Media Mentions up
22.59%Compared to last year
43.2%more TV and radio broadcast interviews than 2012 50% increase in bookings
for TV studio to 300 sessions annually
AV department is piloting new short-form video series
ON CYBERSECURITY, CROWDSOURCING, AND SOCIAL CYBER-ATTACKBy Rebecca Goolsby, Ph.D., Office of Naval Research
Civil unrest and social media have become indelibly
linked with the advent of the Arab Spring. And yet,
the history of civil unrest and the expansion of pub-
lic expression have a much longer history. As Nate
Silver observed, the invention of the printing press
itself helped to spur civil conflicts, religious wars,
and ethnic contests:
The instinctual shortcut that we take when we
have “too much information” is to engage with it
selectively, picking out what we like and ignoring
the remainder, making allies of those who have
made the same choices and enemies of the
rest. …Martin Luther’s Ninety-five Theses were
not that radical; similar sentiments had been
debated many times over. What was revolu-
tionary…is that Luther’s theses…were repro-
duced at least three hundred thousand times by
Gutenberg’s printing press.1
Social media’s amazing capability to spread infor-
mation at extremely high volumes and velocities is
policy memo series
vol 1
Social media is responsible for much positive change in the world. But these new tools can be used by bad actors to foment strife and undermine stability, as seen during violent incidents in the Assam state of northeast India in July 2012. Cybersecurity efforts must take into account the growing potential for cyber-attack using social media, where hoax messages are incorporated into a stream of otherwise legitimate messages, and understand how quickly mobile apps and text services can disseminate false information. Authorities and volunteers must develop a healthy skepticism about information derived from these systems and new research and tools are needed to facilitate the self-policing of social media.
A F RI C A PROG RA M
GUINEASummary of Upcoming Elections
L E G I SL A TI VE
September 24, 2013
The prospective elections in May have been a source of instability in Guinea since they were first postponed in 2007. The last legis-lative elections were held in June 2002. The legislature was dissolved by military leader Moussa Dadis Camara in December 2008 and February 2010, the interim government appointed a 155 member National Transition Council (CNT) that has since acted in the legislature’s place1. In April 2012, the elec-tion was postponed indefinitely by President Alpha Condé, who cited the need to ensure the election would be “transparent, credible and democratic.”2 The elections have recent-ly been postponed again, after initially being scheduled for May 12, 2013. While President Condé first signed a decree on April 13, 2013 fixing a new date for June 2013, strong oppo-sition protests accusing President Condé of manipulating the polls led to a UN-mediated agreement setting the final election date to September 24, 2013.3
Some important steps forward have been taken since the 2010 presidential polls, which, despite being deemed legitimate by domestic and international observers,4 were also the cause of political conflict and increased eth-nic tensions.5 A new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was created in September 2012, and some dialogue started between Condé’s government and the oppo-sition through the “Inclusive Framework for Political Dialogue.” However, this progress has yet to lead to any concrete results. Talks ceased after March 2012, with many import-ant divisive issues left unresolved.6
The two main causes of dispute have been accusations of favoritism based on ethnicity, on the part of the President, and squabbles over the electoral system (see Driving Is-sues). To overcome these issues, the Govern-ment must make a real effort to engage with the opposition leaders. Holding the election before this has been done could lead to vio-
E L E C TI ON A NA L Y SI S
