Despite extensive health advancements following the Spanish Flu, HIV, and SARS pandemics, the world is still highly vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases. In fact, the number of outbreaks has more than tripled in the last forty years. Without coordinated public health action, experts predict that the next pandemic—one with the potential to take millions of lives and cost the global economy billions of dollars—is not a matter of “if, but when”.

International humanitarian disasters have become a grim reality that frequents our newsfeeds. To address the numerous challenges and extensive needs for post-disaster recovery, major donor countries have spent decades developing and perfecting the legal framework around assistance delivery. Despite those efforts, regulatory barriers remain under significant stress as the nature and evolution of humanitarian disasters grow more complex.

Since the June summit between American President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, progress on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has been sporadic. Both leaders have made cautious moves aimed at trust building, while North and South Korea have concurrently taken even bolder steps toward conciliation

The United States has been the dominant global power for over a quarter of a century, yet it has struggled to realize its lofty vision for a more peaceful and prosperous world. Relations with China and Russia have soured, the European Union is wobbling, and violent extremism continues to spread, all in the face of US efforts to maintain international stability.

Nestled in the heart of the Middle East, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has played a pivotal role in the struggle for peace in the region. While neighboring Syria, Israel, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia have attracted an array of headlines—from sectarian disputes to proxy wars and social media revolutions—Jordan has not gone unscathed from the tensions surrounding it.

The center appears to be collapsing across Latin America. In Colombia, Ivan Duque’s tough stance on the FARC peace deal and the economy swept him into office in June. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s left-wing populism delivered a historic electoral victory in Mexico this past July. And Jair Bolsonaro’s outspoken, far-right platform has made him a frontrunner for Brazil’s presidential election in October. Twenty years after Hugo Chavez took power with a populist agenda, Venezuela is in turmoil.

The United States remains one of the strongest democratic nations in the world, it is by no means immune to democratic backsliding. As the American public becomes more polarized on issues such as press freedom and US-Russia relations, the question of how core democratic commitments is being even more sharply presented.

The Trump administration has implemented shifts in economic policy—retreating from multilateral trade negotiations, deploying tariffs, and passing a huge tax reform bill—that have already made their mark on America’s economy and Americans’ daily lives. The great debate now is around these policies’ long-term impact.

From the ruins of World War II the United States led the creation of an international order based on strong alliances, free and open markets, and a commitment to democracy and human rights. But today this order, and the historic peace and prosperity it has underpinned for seven decades, is unravelling—a process that has dramatically accelerated since the election of President Trump and his America First agenda.

Each year a prominent scholar, former senior policymaker, or public intellectual known for contributions to Asia’s economic and political development and/or international relations speaks at the Council on Global Affairs.

Iran’s relations with Russia and China have helped it form a bulwark against Western efforts to isolate it. From political exchanges and international trade agreements to military cooperation, closer cooperation among the “triple axis” on these issues would have critical implications for US interests and the Western liberal order it has championed for decades.

The so called ISIS caliphate may have lost swaths of territory, but thousands of its surviving members and the broader jihadist movement continue to exist. The tensions and drivers that provided a breeding ground for ISIS and al-Qaeda to operate from within and beyond the Middle East are still present.

As two of the nation’s top policymakers and regulators, Sheila Bair and Hank Paulson were at the frontlines fighting to contain the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Ten years later, the country’s economic situation could not be more different: the unemployment rate is at historic lows, corporations are flush with cash, and there has been consistent economic expansion.

While unemployment decreased steadily and growth picked up, inflation consistently undershot the Federal Reserve’s inflation goal of 2 percent. Until this May, that is. Recent data revealed that, for the first time in six years, inflation was on target.

Millennials are becoming the most influential consumers in America and the world. They are taking over the US workforce and some are soon to be the recipients of the largest wealth transfer ever. Their financial behaviors—how they spend, save, and invest money, manage student debt, prepare for retirement, and secure sustainable wealth—are crucial indicators of global economic trends. And their embrace of digital banking, cryptocurrency, and even robo-advisors are disrupting the entire...

On November 15 United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May announced details of the draft Brexit deal she has negotiated with the European Commission. Council members were invited to join a conference call with expert analysts to discuss the deal, and its political and economic ramifications for the UK. 

There is no more serious task a president can undertake than to lead a nation into war. Those presidents who held the office during wartime have sometimes needed to shelve their domestic policy ambitions. In addition, presidents of war have also had to contend with challenges from the Constitution’s War Powers Clause, Congress, the media, anti-war protestors and even their closest advisors during conflict. How has the scope of Presidential power evolved over the course of America’s conflicts?

Proponents of globalization promised a world of shared prosperity and universal liberal values. But the political upheavals of recent years have been driven by a sense that globalization failed to deliver. Rising inequality and the fissiparous effects of technology have created fertile ground for populists with promises to “take back” control of their nations from globalist elites and outside forces. Does today’s political climate of distrust and division spell the end of the age of globalism?

The largest port city in Europe, the City of Rotterdam, has a culture of embracing novel ideas from around the world. Through the promotion of a circular economy and energy transition, Mayor Aboutaleb has set an ambitious goal to significantly reduce waste and energy consumption in Rotterdam by 2022. What can global cities learn from Rotterdam’s plan as the world pursues shared goals of economic prosperity and clean energy?

Why are money matters a taboo for many women? Research continues to show that women earn less than men and that men are four times more likely than women to ask for a raise – and when women do ask, they receive 30 percent less than men. Women are also less likely to invest, generating an investment gap between genders that can reach as high as $1 million over time. What role does gender inequality play in money and finance? How can we demystify money and empower women through financial...

Identity has become a defining—and divisive—political concept around the world. But as demands for recognition based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, and gender have risen in prominence, these narrower identities are conflicting with the universal values of liberal democracy, argues Francis Fukuyama. What is driving the focus on identity in politics today? And can identity be molded in a way that supports rather than undermines democracy?

The theft of emails from Democratic National Committee servers prior to the 2016 presidential election may have changed the course of American democracy. But election meddling is only one facet of a broad and pervasive cyber threat to the United States, argues David Sanger, with government servers, military networks, and critical infrastructure all infiltrated by foreign powers. What does the age of cyber warfare mean for US democracy and security?

Climate change has commanded global attention for decades – but critical solutions at scale have yet to be implemented. While policy and protest continue to dominate the dialogue, photographers and documentarians have witnessed the extraordinary effects of climate change on the front lines. Can visual arts cut through the politics and rhetoric to engage the public and galvanize action on one of the most complex and pressing issues of our time?

The burgeoning US-China trade war promises to dominate headlines this year, but the larger story of China’s economy is just as intriguing. A structural transition from a manufacturing-led economy to a services- and consumer-based one is proceeding apace. Though that may have its own impact on the labor force, it will also create the largest middle class the country has ever seen.

Distrust in digital news media is on the rise. The digital revolution has reshaped American news habits, making information readily available and engaging. Yet, concerns over misinformation and “fake news”, objective reporting sources, news feed algorithms, and the security of users’ data are increasing among the public. What role do journalists, news dissemination platforms, and consumers have in identifying and countering false information?