Our Chancellor, Dr Fiona Hill, met with staff, students and friends of the University as part of a panel discussion on the Trump administration and the end of American power.
Acclaimed international foreign policy expert Dr Hill was part of an engaging and thought-provoking panel conversation, followed by audience questions, on Tuesday 10 June at Waterside, the new home of Durham University Business School. The event was very well attended by more than 200 students, alumni, staff and some regional visitors.
This event was the second opportunity for members of the University community to meet with Fiona and engage with her in an academic discussion on the Trump administration. The first was shortly after the US election results in November, when the discussion was not only around the result, but also their wider significance, both domestically and for foreign policy in the US, the UK, and Europe.
The event was introduced by Professor Janet Stewart, Executive Dean of Durham’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the discussion was led by Professor Barbara Keys from our Department of History. Joining the Chancellor was Professor Anoush Ehteshami, Senior Fellow from our Global Policy Institute.
Professor Keys' career has taken her around the world. After receiving her PhD in History from Harvard University, she taught at the University of Melbourne and has held the position of visiting fellow in several US and European institutions, most recently at Stanford University. She specialises in personal diplomacy and international human rights and is currently finishing a book for publisher Simon & Schuster on Henry Kissinger’s reputation.
Professor Ehteshami is the Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Chair in International Relations, Senior Fellow in our Global Policy Institute, and former Director of our Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. He was the founding Head of our School of Government and International Affairs in 2004, becoming the first Dean of Internationalisation in 2009.
The panel considered the effects of the current administration and whether it was likely to have significant long-term impact on what have been the sources of America's economic and geopolitical power, and if so, what are the likely long-term consequences.
Professor Keys then led the discussion to consider this question in relation to specific topics and events, including:
The panel concluded by discussing the effect of President Trump’s policies on Universities, both in the US and here.
This event was organised by Professor Lucian Hudson, Executive Director of Communications, External Affairs and his Marketing & Communications Team, supported by Event Durham. The audience was joined by a group of politics A-level students from Gosforth Academy.
About Dr Fiona Hill
Chancellor Fiona Hill was born in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, the daughter of a coal miner. She is an acclaimed foreign affairs specialist, author and former presidential advisor to George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. She served on the US National Intelligence Council from 2006 to 2009 and was a member of the US National Security Council from 2017 to 2019. She is a passionate advocate of the transformative power of education.
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