Global Security Challenges - A View from Down Under

Dr. John Blaxland from Australia National University will speak at the MIT Security Studies Program's Wednesday Seminar.

Summary: Today we face an unprecedented spectrum of challenges including unrestricted great power competition, looming environmental catastrophe, a range of domestic and international governance challenges and the accelerating effects of the fourth industrial revolution.  US political and economic upheaval complicates matters further. The net result is a poly-crisis. So, what does it look from the view of one of a close US ally like Australia? And how best to adapt to this poly-crisis? Drawing on Blaxland's scholarship on international security affairs, coupled with insights from his experience as an Australian living in DC, this historically informed presentation offers a 'Down Under' perspective - a 'so what?' on the broad range of shared contemporary security issues.