Please join us for a presentation and armchair discussion with Alex de Waal, the author of “Mass Starvation: The History and Future of Famine.” Considered one of the leading experts on Sudan and the Horn of Africa, de Waal has crafted a comprehensive history of modern famines and the factors that influence their origins, duration, and severity in his latest book. This work is particularly timely with an unprecedented number of countries facing possible famine conditions in 2018—Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, and Ethiopia.   De Waal refutes the persistent belief that famines are the result of natural disasters and overpopulation. Instead, he argues that famines are man-made. De Waal analyzes connections between the international community’s political decisions and the trajectory and severity of mass starvation. How could the United States and other global leaders play a more effective role in preventing and responding to famines? With better policies to strengthen democracy and governance, address the root causes of conflict, and ensure humanitarian access, can famine be eradicated?   The book will be available for purchase at the event.