Backchannel: The Newsletter of FPRI

Launched in 2005, the Project on Democratic Transitions began with a primary focus on the political transformations of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The goal was to better understand both the successes and failures of democratization in these countries, and to draw practical policy conclusions from this analysis.

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FPRI is proud to announce that General James Mattis, USMC (Ret.) will receive the 9^th Annual Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Service at the organization’s 2013 Annual Dinner. General Mattis will also deliver the keynote address at the event, which will be held in Philadelphia – the birthplace of the Marine Corps – on Monday, November 18, 2013. His topic: Reflections of a Combatant Commander in a Turbulent World.

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FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS: The modern Middle East, as we knew it, was formed in the aftermath of World War I, yet we are now facing an upheaval on possibly the same scale of that seminal period in history. In this intensive weekend-long conference for high school teachers, we will explore the historic developments of our time in the larger historical context of another era -- with lectures by the best scholars in the country. Teachers will complete the weekend with a much deeper appreciation and understanding of the Middle East and the implications for US foreign policy. APPLICATION DEADLINE: August 1, 2013 (best to apply early).

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FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS: Once upon a time, Philadelphia made a historic contribution to the world and to the development of freedom. The question “Did it happen in Philadelphia by accident?” gives us an opportunity to explore what precisely happened here, while also gauging the cultural, political and economic prerequisites to the development of liberal societies, and what that means for the historic transitions of our own time. APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 15, 2013 (best to apply early).

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On Saturday and Sunday, April 20-21, 40 high school teachers from 24 states will participate in a conference on "Great Captains in American History," focusing on great American military leaders from General Washington to General Petraeus.

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The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) is pleased to announce the launch of “The Philadelphia Papers” -- a new series of E-Books devoted to illuminating the foreign policy and national security issues of the day.  With expert analysis from FPRI’s global network of scholars, the Philadelphia Papers will seek to bring the best of scholarship to bear on issues of policy import.

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The Spring 2013 edition of Orbis addresses a number of timely issues. FPRI Senior Fellow Jakub Grygiel begins by discussing the real meaning of educating for national security. He contends that national security requires more than technical skills. Rather it depends on a solid understanding of, and appreciation for, the state’s civilizational underpinnings—the religious beliefs, political ideals, and moral virtues. An education for national security must start from the desire to learn and understand one’s own national culture and tradition to be able to identify what one is supposed to defend.

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This event will be broadcast on CSpan 3 the weekend of March 23-34

Saturday March 23 at 9 am ET
Sunday March 24 at 4 pm ET

or you can watch anytime on the CSpan website.

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PHILADELPHIA -– The Foreign Policy Research Institute was recently named as the nation’s top think tank with a budget under $5 Million, and 19^th in the world according to the 2012 Global Go To Think Tank Index.  Overall, FPRI ranked as the 33^rd best think tank in the U.S.

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FPRI is proud to announce the return of the Stanley and Arlene Ginsburg Lecture Series for Winter-Spring of 2013. This series was made possible by a generous grant from Stanley and Arlene Ginsburg. It is sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute, and co-sponsored and hosted by the National Liberty Museum. All events will take place at the National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Read more...