The Young Initiative invites foreign policy experts and guest speakers to campus to engage in discussions on international relations and the global political economy with students and faculty.
Past Young Initiative Events
Young Initiative speakers give students and faculty an opportunity to expand their understanding of global issues. The Young Initiative sponsors several speakers and student events each academic year highlighting particular aspects of global affairs and the global political economy. The Young Speakers program is devoted to highlighting the work and success of eminent international affairs experts and Oxy alumni in public service and academia.
The last academic year has proven to be exceptionally productive for the Young Initiaitve at Occidental College.
This past Monday, February 9th, 2015, Dr. Kathryn Sikkink visited Occidental College to give a talk entitled "Human Rights as a Tool for Emancipation." I had the pleasure of hearing both her official talk, given to Occidental’s first-year class as a part of the Core Program’s lecture series, as well as attending a smaller lunch between Dr. Sikkink and students. Dr.
View the full talk given by Dr. Kathryn Sikkink here. For more information, please see blog post above.
In his talk on "The Costs and Consequences of Torture," Doug Johnson examined the morality and logic of US foreign policy decisions that led to the use of torture in Guantanamo Bay. In authorizing torture, the United States had to break our own eighth amendment and the fifth amendment.
Speakers: Prof. Kantathi Suphamongkhon and Amb. Stephen Bosworth
Moderator: Amb. Derek Shearer
Speakers: Ambassador Barbara Bodine, Ambassador Cameron Munter, Ambassador Chris O’Connor
Moderator: Professor Huss Banai, Occidental College
