Iowa City Foreign Relations Council

Vlora Konushevci is a poet, translator, and essayist from Kosovo whose work spans the literary, cultural, and linguistic bridges of the Balkan region. She is the author of the acclaimed poetry collection Lavdi Vetes, a bold exploration of selfhood and identity. As editor and translator, she has curated two notable bilingual anthologies Poetry Without Borders (Albanian-Serbian), which fosters dialogue across historical divides, and Magma (Albanian-English), introducing Albanian voices to a broader international readership. She also published a short-story collection Martesat, valixhet dhe ngarkesat e tjera (Marriages, suitcases and other burdens) in 2025, a spare, unsentimental portrait of post-war Kosovo. With quiet irony and tight, clear prose, Konushevci turns departures, waiting rooms, and half-open doors into acts of witness and stubborn survival. Her poetry and translations have appeared in a range of respected literary journals including The Common, Songs of Eretz, and European Literature Network. Konushevci has received multiple literary awards for her original work and is a respected voice in Kosova's cultural press. Beyond her creative contributions, she serves as a certified translator for both national and international institutions, playing a key role in intercultural communication and diplomacy. Her participation in this program is made possible through the generous support of the University of lowa's Office of the Vice President for Research and the Graduate College. Presented in partnership with Oaknoll. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

The United States is a nation of immigrants, or so the saying goes. Most people are familiar with this idea. Far fewer know that the United States has deported more people than any other nation. Join Dr. Adam Goodman and Dr. Lina-Maria Murillo for a conversation about the history of mass deportation during the past 150 years. How have public officials' used force, coercion, and fear to purge immigrants from the country and exert control over those who remain? Who has pushed for and profited from expulsion? What have been the human costs of deportation campaigns? And what have been the innovative strategies people have adopted to fight against removal and redefine belonging?. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

Anni Fjord, a Danish nurse with over 45 years of experience working in both Denmark and international crisis zones, shares insights from her extensive career with Médecins Sans Frontiéres (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders. Her presentation explores the diverse roles and challenges faced by medical professionals in the field, including responding to natural disasters and conflict zones, collaborating with local health workers, and leading international teams under pressure. Anni will also reflect briefly on her recent 2025 mission to Gaza, offering a glimpse into the realities of delivering healthcare in one of the world's most complex humanitarian environments. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

The 100-mile-wide Taiwan Strait, which separates the small democratic island of Taiwan from the People's Republic of China, has emerged as one of the world's most volatile geopolitical flashpoints. As tensions between China and the United States continue to rise, the risk of conflict-either deliberate or accidental-has become a subject of serious concern. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to assert control. President Xi Jinping has directed the People's Liberation Army to be ready for a possible invasion of Taiwan by 2027. Meanwhile, the United States continues its long-standing "One China" policy, accompanied by a deliberately vague stance of "Strategic Ambiguity" -- a posture that has left key questions about American military intervention unanswered. Former President Biden publicly declared that the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the event of an attack, though those remarks were later tempered by his staff. Adding to the stakes, Taiwan plays an outsized role in the global economy: a single Taiwanese company manufactures over 90% of the world's most advanced microchips-components that power everything from smartphones to artificial intelligence systems. This presentation examines the underlying interests of the United States, China, and Taiwan; the potential pathways to conflict; and the far-reaching consequences for global security, diplomacy, and technology. Featured speaker: Ron McMullen Ambassador Ronald McMullen is a career diplomat with over 30 years of service as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer. He has lived, worked, or traveled in more than 100 countries and brings a wealth of global experience to discussions of international relations, diplomacy, and strategic conflict. Known for his captivating storytelling and deep insight, Ambassador McMullen brings global complexity into focus and makes the most pressing international issues accessible and compelling for public audiences. He is a native of Northwood, lowa, and holds a doctorate in political science from the University of lowa. Presented in partnership with Oaknoll. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

Since 2007, Frontier Co-op's Well Earth program has been the foundation of the co-op's responsible sourcing efforts, fostering long-term relationships with suppliers around the world. In this program, speakers share how the Norway, Iowa-based company ensures the long-term sustainability of its supply chain by investing in their partners and communities at origin to improve their social and environmental impact. Presented in partnership with Frontier Co-op and 100 Grannies. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

Despite all the caveats about how much we do not know about the records practices of authoritarian governments, it is clear that they directly affect archives in a number of distinct ways: greatly increasing the production of some documentation; creating political climates that lead to self-censorship and, therefore, lack of records creation, withholding the release of current records, and tightly controlled access to archives. The continued public unmasking of authoritarian practices by journalists and researchers create important resources for those committed to a freer, more open view of the past. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

Researchers, sovereign tribal communities, and women farmland-owners will discuss how they are collaborating to foster climate resilience through the newly established Central Midwest Climate Opportunities and Learning Team (CM CO-Learn), funded by the NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships program, that supports Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. This panel brings together a tribal community member, a woman farmland owner, and several project researchers to share what they are learning from each other, what tangible climate-wise action is underway, and how these strategies participate in global efforts to adapt to a changing climate. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

An inspiring panel discussion exploring the intersection of sustainability and design with Keith Porter (Stanley Center for Peace and Security), Sally Obernolte (Neumann Monson Architects), and Deb Schoelerman (Unitarian Universalist Society-Coralville). Together, they delve into the transformative role of sustainable building practices in addressing climate change. Highlights include a closer look at Stanley's International Living Building Challenge-certified facility and how people interact with these transformative green spaces. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

A new immigrant and refugee welcome center is opening in Polk County in 2025. The hub for refugees and immigrants, which has been designed with community input to create an inclusive environment, will feature professionals who provide confidential and sensitive spaces, services related to employment, housing and education, and transition programs for new Iowans living in the capitol. Mak Suceska, the Center's Manager of Operations, and Stephanie Moris, Director of the Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa, will share more about this first-of-its-kind hub in Iowa and the county's plans for supporting its foreign-born population, the largest growing demographic in the state. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

Historically, industrialized countries have created our climate crisis but have yet to take responsibility for the development dilemmas associated with climate change. The solutions proposed at the international level have largely prioritized technical fixes, including new cooking technologies and carbon credit accounting. Highlighting perspectives from below -- the lives and livelihoods of marginalized people -- illuminates several problems with these approaches. Using feminist and anthropological methods to study biomass stoves and efforts to improve them in India, Dr. Khandelwal identifies problems related to carbon market solutions and their associated power dynamics to shed new light on the nexus of cooking technologies, biomass-based livelihoods, gender, and climate change and to expand the kinds of solutions we imagine as possible. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

Will China or the US lead the way in the Fourth Industrial Revolution? To answer this question, leading thinkers and policymakers in both countries draw lessons from past technology-driven power transitions that center the moment of innovation -- the eureka moment that sparks astonishing technological feats. In this talk, focused on his new book, Technology and the Rise of the Great Powers, Jeffrey Ding, PhD offers a different explanation of how technological revolutions affect competition among great powers. Rather than focusing on which state was the first to introduce major innovations, he investigates why some states were more successful than others at adapting and embracing general-purpose technologies at scale. Presented by the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council in partnership with University of Iowa Departments of Political Science and Center for Asian and Pacific Studies. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

Since 2010, Viktor Orban has consolidated power as prime minister of Hungary, a central European country whose democratic institutions he has weakened primarily through a form of governance he terms "illiberal democracy" as well as through the nationwide advancement of Christian nationalism. Iowa City Foreign Relations Council Executive Director Peter Gerlach talks with guest Ben Novak, a former reporter for the New York Times (2018-2022) who was based in Budapest, Hungary, and a research affiliate at the Central European University Democracy Institute. They discuss the intersections of modern Hungarian politics and religion, how the people there are impacted by Orban's autocratic policies, and why some here in America view Orban's leadership as a model for the United States in 2025 and beyond. The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council presents this event as part of its Democracy Series. Watch other programs from this series along with over 250 other ICFRC programs at citychannel4.com/icfrc. The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council is a community passionate about learning, connecting, and engaging with international issues that promotes understanding by hosting forums with diverse, global voices and perspectives. For more information, please visit icfrc.org.

Expectations for democracy in South Africa have been shaped by a longer history of citizenship linked to white supremacy. The concept of relational citizenship is an important way of thinking about political belonging which requires reflection on the different kind of political imagination people in places like South Africa have who have experienced sustained oppression and how we might learn from it in the United States. Presented by Brady G'sell, Ph.D., and Thuto Thipe, Ph.D., and hosted by Sunday Goshit. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

Europe still lacks a "European" public sphere and a media system that serves it. As was the case during the 2019 EU parliamentary election, the 2024 contest exhibited regional differences in the themes covered by national media and their emphasis on European-wide issues. Most voters' choices of representative MPEs reflected national politics and perceived interests, and relatedly, the ideological divides that positively or negatively assessed European-wide problems. The dominant reliance on social media for news contributed both to reinforcing and enhancing the existing political and ideological polarization in most EU member nations. As such, unevenly across the continent, they also further splintered the national public spheres, diminishing the prospects of "manufacturing of consent" on several issues important to the European Union. Peter Gross is professor emeritus and former Director of the University of Tennessee's School of Journalism and Electronic Media (2006-2016). His research focus is East and Central Europe society, media and journalism. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

A compelling discussion featuring the 2024 WPI international journalists as they share their experiences covering elections in various political environments. The panel explores the critical role of the media during tense electoral periods and how these journalists navigate political pressures and the ethical challenges they encounter while reporting on elections worldwide. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

A compelling discussion featuring the 2024 WPI international journalists as they share their experiences covering elections in various political environments. The panel explores the critical role of the media during tense electoral periods and how these journalists navigate political pressures and the ethical challenges they encounter while reporting on elections worldwide. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

Palestinian and Jewish Iowans share their personal stories and experiences of identity, oppression, solidarity, and hope from inside Palestine and in the US. The speaker panel includes Palestinians who grew up in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and from the diaspora. They are; Dr. Deema Tota, Yaser Abadagga, Mona Odeh, Dani Love Misyuk, and Samanth Brotman. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org. To watch other ICFRC programs, please view our extensive collection at citychannel4.com/icfrc.

The root of the Russo-Ukrainian War is not geopolitical competition, but the multifaceted divergence between Ukraine and Russia over the past 30 years. In February 2022, Russian missiles rained on Ukrainian cities, and tanks rolled towards Kyiv to end Ukrainian independent statehood. What are the roots of this war, which has upended the international legal order and brought back the specter of nuclear escalation? How did these supposedly "brotherly peoples" become each other's worst nightmare? Maria Popova is an Associate Professor of Political Science at McGill University, Scientific Director of the Jean Monnet Centre Montreal, and Editor of the Cambridge Elements Series on Politics and Society from Central Europe to Central Asia. Her work explores the rule of law and democracy in Eastern Europe. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a humanitarian nonprofit organization supporting individuals impacted by conflict and displacement. The IRC operates in 52 countries internationally and 30 offices in the United States. Sarah Terlouw, IRC's Executive Director in Iowa, will speak about her 15-year career supporting refugees and other conflict-affected populations. She will share her experiences overseas and the transition to working domestically, focusing on the opening of the IRC in Iowa in 2022 and the organization's expansion into Iowa City in October 2023. Aimerance Makunda, originally from the DRC and an Iowa City resident since 2012, also speaks. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org.

Digital democracy uses digital technologies to promote and strengthen democracy, including accessing information, participating in political discussions, and holding elected officials accountable. Young people increasingly use digital technologies to participate in democracy, using social media to organize protests, raise awareness, and contact their elected officials. Jean-Desire Kouassi is a digital communications professional passionate about using technology to promote positive change. He has a bachelor's degree in English literature and linguistics from the University Alassane Ouattara in Bouake, Cote d'Ivoire, and a professional certification in social media marketing from Kirkwood Community College in the United States. Kouassi also has experience developing and implementing effective digital communication strategies in various sectors, including health, the press, international relations, family planning, technology, and civil society. He deeply advocates for internet access, quality digital education, and democracy, actively participates in policy initiatives, and leads digital literacy projects to promote positive change in these areas. Kouassi has earned me numerous national and international awards and is a firm believer in the power of digital technologies to connect people, create change, and build a better future. For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org.