Student groups host talk to explore American international influence

The Tufts Economics Society, Tufts Financial Network (TFN) and SovereigNET will come together to host “The Future of American Superpower: Implications for Security, Politics and Markets" tonight. The event will feature Ian Bremmer, founder and president of the Eurasia Group, and James Stavridis, dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, who will discuss America’s changing role on the global stage.

This event, for which the planning process began last semester, is the result of senior Josh Poretz's efforts, according to Adjunct Assistant Professor of International Business Relations at the Fletcher School and Co-Head of SovereigNET Patrick J. Schena. 

“[Poretz's] determination and commitment have been instrumental in bringing together TFN, Fletcher’s Institute for Business in the Global Context and SovereigNET among others to plan and organize the event,” Schena told the Daily through an email.

Poretz explained that, ideally, Stavridis and Bremmer will discuss their perspectives on what America’s role will be in the coming years' world order at the event.

“Hopefully the audience just gets to see two very experienced, knowledgeable people share their perspectives on everything,” he said.

In an email to the Daily, Bremmer offered a preview of his thoughts on America’s role in a global context and how it will be most consequential during the lives of college-aged students.

“It will be the erosion of U.S.-led global standards, a fragmentation of everything from views on human rights, to governance of the Internet; from the free market to the dollar,” he said. “Globalization will continue; Americanization will not.”

Schena also explained that Bremmer’s forthcoming book, "Superpower: Three Choices for America's Role in the World," to be published in May, will be available for students to order at the event.

Tufts Economics Society's sponsorship will cover complimentary books for registered participants, according to Tufts Economics Society President Tyler Epstein, a senior.

Poretz interned at Bremmer’s company, Eurasia Group, the summer after his first year at Tufts and said he has been working to find the funding to bring Bremmer to campus ever since.

“I think Ian [Bremmer] is a really exciting guy,” he said.

Poretz added that there will be time set aside for questions at the end of the conversation.

“Ian is one of those guys [who] you can literally ask anything and he’ll give you a pretty intelligent answer,” he said.

He explained that in their conversation, Bremmer and Stavridis will discuss the influence of politics on global economics.

Schena said he believes that these topics are very important issues to talk about, especially with the upcoming presidential election.

“The role of U.S. leadership in world affairs has important consequences and is a particularly relevant topic especially as we approach the 2016 Presidential election,” he told the Daily in an email. “We believe this event and the conversion will make an meaningful contribution to this theme of the future of American superpower."

“The Future of American Superpower: Implications for Security, Politics and Markets" -- which Poretz expects will draw an even mix of both Fletcher and undergraduate International Relations students -- will take place tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Cabot ASEAN Auditorium.