OLLI0146 - Great Decisions 2023

Course Description

Great Decisions is a discussion-based course built around an annual publication of the Foreign Policy Association; a non-profit organization founded in 1918 dedicated to inspiring the American public to learn more about the world. The Great Decisions class was offered in the spring of each year until the COVID pandemic. OLLI at Vanderbilt is pleased to bring the class back this year. The Great Decisions publication contains eight chapters, each focused on a different foreign policy issue or subject of international importance written by experts in the field. This year only six of the eight chapters will be discussed. Accordingly, the course will run for six weeks rather than eight as in the past. The discussion will be facilitated again by Keith Simmons, but as in the past each class will have a co-facilitator who has expertise in the subject area under discussion. The topics to be covered this year are: War Crimes: What are they? How can they be prosecuted?; China and America: Back to the Future?; Economic Warfare and U.S. Policy: Economic Sanctions; Political Trends in Latin America; Iran at a Crossroads; Military Tactics and Strategy in Ukraine. There is homework to this course. Participants are expected to read and be prepared to discuss the topics covered by the publication and under discussion in each class. The registration fee will include the cost of the Great Decisions publication, which will be provided to all participants. Course enrollment is limited to 50.