The Stephenson Ocean Security Project invites you to the second annual CSIS Ocean Security Forum on January 7, 2020. The annual forum highlights how marine resources disputes, exacerbated by climate change and ecosystem collapse, drive instability in key regions of the globe. This year’s event will feature keynotes from U.S. Coast Guard leadership and key members of Congress and will highlight opportunities to improve security and human rights in the global fishing industry. Speakers will explore two themes: Opportunities to address human rights violations in the seafood supply chain through U.S. policy, emerging technologies, and corporate accountability. Implications of Chinese Belt and Road Initiative port investments on ocean sustainability and on the security and sovereignty of developing coastal states. Please follow us on Twitter @CSISOceans   Phil Stephenson, Founder, The Philip Stephenson Foundation Dr. Whit Saumweber, Director, Stephenson Ocean Security Project, CSIS Dr. Dyhia Belhabib, Principal Investigator, Fisheries, Ecotrust Canada Jonathan Hillman, Senior Fellow, Simon Chair in Political Economy, and Director, Reconnecting Asia Project, CSIS Philip Chou, Senior Advisor, Oceana Ernesto Fernandez Monge, Officer, Reducing Harmful Fisheries Subsidies, Pew Charitable Trusts Moderator: Tabitha Mallory, Affiliate Professor, University of Washington, and CEO, China Ocean Institute Roberta Elias, Director of Policy and Government Affairs, World Wildlife Fund Bradley Soule, Chief Fisheries Analyst, OceanMind Jenny Barker, Chief of Party, Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability, FishWise Amol Mehra, Managing Director, The Freedom Fund Moderator: Dr. Whit Saumweber, Director, Stephenson Ocean Security Project, CSIS Vice Admiral Daniel B. Abel, Deputy Commandant for Operations, U.S. Coast Guard Dr. Whit Saumweber, Director, Stephenson Ocean Security Project, CSIS This event is made possible with the generous support of the Philip Stephenson Foundation.

Human Rights - Audio

Second Annual Ocean Security Forum

 Thirty years ago, as communism crumbled across Europe, more than one million Chinese protesters gathered in Tiananmen Square in Beijing to demand greater political rights and more government accountability. After more than a month of rising demands and growing crowds, the Communist Party of China unleased a violent crackdown, killing hundreds, possibly thousands of Chinese citizens.    To mark this 30-year anniversary, CSIS’s Project on History and Strategy invites you to a discussion with Dr. Andrew J. Nathan of Columbia University, a leading scholar of Chinese politics and the sources of political legitimacy in Asia. Dr. Nathan will discuss the history of Tiananmen and explain how the legacy and lessons of 1989 have shaped Chinese politics over the past three decades.   Dr. Nathan is the author of several books on culture, rights and political participation in China and Asia more broadly. This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.

Re-examining the History of Tiananmen Square

Technology was once viewed as a liberating tool for individuals living under authoritarian regimes, yet today, illiberal governments around the world are developing, acquiring, and utilizing technologies to strengthen political control over their population. Perhaps more than any other authoritarian country, China is experimenting with new methods of integrating technology into its system of governance, with its near-total surveillance state in the western region of Xinjiang being the most extreme example.  Please join the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies and the CSIS Human Rights Initiative for a discussion of how technology is changing the way the CCP governs China. The event will feature panelists Josh Chin and Kate O’Keeffe of The Wall Street Journal, and Christina Larson of the Associated Press.This event is made possible through CSIS general support funds.

China's New Era in Techno-Governance

In this episode, Jude invites CSIS Director of the China Power Project Bonnie Glaser. They discuss how the ongoing events in Hong Kong are impacting Taiwan’s own relations with mainland China, as well as how the continued unrest can affect Taiwan’s presidential elections coming up in January 2020.

Taiwan's Close Watch on Hong Kong Protests

For one week last June, dozens of reporters in the USA Today network coordinated stories on migrants attempting to cross the U.S. southern border in the article "One deadly week reveals where the immigration crisis begins - and where it ends." Daniel Gonzalez, a long-time immigration reporter for The Arizona Republic, tells what they found, and recounts some of his interviews in Guatemala and Mexico’s southern border. Most Central American families, he found, are fleeing economic misery rather than persecution. They are also lured in part by U.S. asylum law, a trend that saw a massive increase in apprehensions in 2019, especially in May and June.

Family Time

This episode explores the current dynamics between China and India in light of Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi’s second informal summit in October 2019. Our guest, Dr. Tanvi Madan, analyzes the outcomes of this meeting and the key issues impacting the bilateral relationship. Dr. Madan explains India’s views on China’s Belt and Road Initiative and use of detention facilities in Xinjiang, as well as how U.S. policy toward India factors in to China-India relations. She also addresses continued points of contention like the Kashmir region and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Dr. Tanvi Madan is director of The India Project and a senior fellow for the Project on International Order and Strategy in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. Dr. Madan’s work explores Indian foreign policy, focusing particularly on India's relations with China and the United States. She also researches the intersection between Indian energy policies and its foreign and security policies.

Xi-Modi Summit in Chennai, India: A Conversation with Tanvi Madan

The Trump Administration has dramatically reduced the annual number of refugees that the U.S. will accept. Erol Yayboke of CSIS’s Project for Prosperity and Development tells us what being a “refugee” means in international law, and details the ebb and flow of post-World War II U.S. refugee policy. He also explains the effects the policy will have on Mexico and Central America, the largest sources of those seeking to enter the U.S. based on claims of violence and persecution.

A Little Like a Refugee

African creatives are using their talents to represent the region and reshape African narratives. Host Judd Devermont chats with innovators Fati Abubaker, (Independent photojournalist) and Mike Achode (Crudo Volta), as well as academic Lindsey Green-Simms (American University) about perceptions of the continent and opportunities to impact U.S. policy. Plus, guests examine the rise of xenophobic violence in South Africa and what the Pope’s visit to Africa means for the future of the Catholic Church.

Express Yourself

The ongoing violence in northeastern Nigeria continues to generate substantial humanitarian consequences and shows no signs of abatement. The Government of Nigeria has been inconsistent in its campaign, alternating between disengagement and the disproportionate use of force to counter Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa. Its response to humanitarian challenges have been equally problematic; Nigerian officials have herded civilian populations into so-called garrison towns. This policy misdiagnoses the underlying drivers of the conflict and is deeply counterproductive. It has created fear and distrust in part because the government has alleged that civilians who chose not to move are Boko Haram sympathizers. This approach has implications for U.S. policy toward Nigeria in general and its assistance programs in the northeast region in particular. The panel will examine North East Nigerian current conflict dynamics, government policies toward the region, and opportunities and challenges for U.S. political, security, and humanitarian engagement. Panelists will include: Brandon Kendhammer, Ohio University; Fati Abubakar, Documentary Photographer & Public Health Worker; Ambassador Alexander Laskaris, former Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagement, U.S. Africa Command; Dafna Hochman Rand, Vice President for Policy and Research, Mercy Corps   Moderator: Judd Devermont, Director, Africa Program, CSISThis event was made possible through the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Rethinking Nigeria's Response to the Boko Haram Crisis

How does cyber conflict affect civilians? The threat and risks of cyber conflict are increasing, but it is unclear how principles of international humanitarian law apply. Cyber attacks can be precise in their effect, but many have caused unanticipated consequences, disrupting shipping companies, national healthcare systems or city services. With the advent of the internet of things, where many more devices and services will be vulnerable to cyber attack, civilian populations are more connected and digitally exposed than ever. Does increasing cyber conflict between states risk unanticipated humanitarian costs? Conversely, could cyber operations reduce the risk to civilian populations by giving states an alternative to traditional kinetic options? What kind of rules are possible to best reduce risk and guide state behavior?  Join us for an interactive discussion of the humanitarian implications of cyber conflict. Panelists will include: Colonel Gary Corn, Director and Adjunct Professor, American University, Washington College of Law; Shanthi Kalathil, Senior Director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies, National Endowment for Democracy   Moderator: James Andrew Lewis, Senior Vice President and Director, Technology Policy Program, CSIS   This event was made possible through the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Humanitarian Implications of Cyber Conflicts

The CSIS Asia Program cordially invites you to "Reincarnation in Tibetan Buddhism: The Importance of Religious Freedom" Featuring remarks byLobsang Sangay President of the Central Tibetan Administration Followed by a discussion moderated by Michael J. Green Senior Vice President for Asia and Japan Chair, CSIS; Director of Asian Studies, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University This event was made possible through general support to CSIS.

Reincarnation in Tibetan Buddhism: The Importance of Religious Freedom

This week, Jude and Andrew discuss last Sunday’s mass migration of Hong Kong protesters in a peaceful march, and what it might indicate for the future. They also analyze the growing role of social media within the conflict, as well as within potential cyber threats from China, and how the White House and U.S. Congress is—or isn’t—responding to it all.

Influence Operations

Host Amy Lehr talks with Hadiya Masieh. Hadiya joined Islamist group Hizbut Tahrir when she was in college. After a decade, she severed those ties, dedicating her time and energy to speaking out against the ideas promoted by such radical groups. She uses her insights and experience to deter young people from taking the same path, using technology as one tool in that effort.

Preventing Radicalization: A Personal Perspective

Initiatives and partnerships to promote “ethical A.I.” are proliferating within the A.I. community. While ethics provide a critical framework in addressing challenges posed by A.I., it is not a replacement for human rights. Host Amy Lehr discusses the human rights impact of A.I. and what governments and companies can do to make human rights integral in the design and use of A.I. with guests David Kaye, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, and Vivek Krishnamurthy, Counsel in the Boston office of Foley Hoag LLP and lecturer on law at Harvard Law School as part of the Berkman Klein Center.

A Human Rights-based Approach to A.I.

The Human Rights Initiative at CSIS invites you to an armchair discussion on transatlantic human rights cooperation with the EU Special Representative on Human Rights.   The EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, will discuss the EU’s human rights priorities and opportunities for transatlantic cooperation.  He will focus on the EU’s approach to issues such as the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, additional ways to protect human rights defenders and civil society amidst rising authoritarianism, and human rights abuses across the world including in China.    At a time when the need for multilateral institutions is being questioned, the EU remains deeply committed to them.  Why does the EU continue to believe that these institutions are essential to defending our values and interests, and how can the EU and US work together to improve the human rights situation globally?This event is made possible through general support.

Transatlantic Human Rights Cooperation: An Armchair Discussion with the EU Special Representative for Human Rights

Human rights are an important component of the stability and security of any state. CSIS examines critical issues affecting human rights and human security around the world, as well as opportunities to enhance and broaden support for universal freedoms. CSIS research on this topic is led by the Human Rights Initiative (HRI). Find the latest research from our scholars and CSIS events on this topic below.

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Human Rights - Audio

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