This photograph was taken by member Robb Evans.
Great Decisions
See the Calendar on the current semester for date and time of Great Decisions discussions.
The Spring 23 sessions will be in person at MxCC in Wheaton Hall room 205.
Park at upper lot for easier access.
Great Decisions is a discussion forum that follows a curriculum developed by the
Foreign Policy Association (www.fpa.org). The program is supported by the Great
Decisions program materials which presents basic information on each topic.
Participants read the topical section for that week, then come to the sessions to
discuss their various points of view with one another. Active participation is
encouraged, but not required.
This spring we will have 4 sessions using the Great Decisions materials and 1 open
discussions on current events – with the topics chosen by the participants.
In an age where our political discourse has become more polarized, Great
Decisions provides an excellent opportunity for open, fair, objective discussions -
and helps the participants understand multiple perspectives on these topics.
Here are the spring topics (as described by FPA):
1. Energy Geopolitics
Access to oil and gas has long held an influence over the politics of individual nations and their relations with others. But as more countries move toward sustainable energy, and supply chain shortages affect the availability of oil and gas, how will this change the way in which the United States interacts with the outside world? By Carolyn Kissane
2. War Crimes
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted in widespread charges of war crimes and calls for justice. But what exactly are war crimes? Opinions of what constitutes a war crime have evolved, as have ways to identify and punish the perpetrators. How will the war crimes committed in Ukraine be dealt with? By Francine Hirsch
3. China and the U.S.
For the past ten years, the United States and China have been locked in a competition for who has the greatest global influence. One major point of contention is the status of Taiwanese sovereignty, which has become even more relevant recently with the possibility that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may prompt China to take similar action regarding Taiwan. How will the United States engage a China which is increasingly seeking to expand its sphere of influence? By David Lampton
4. Economic Warfare
Waging economic warfare consists of a variety of measures from implementing sanctions to fomenting labor strikes. Such tools are utilized by states to hinder their enemies, and in the case of the United States have been used as far back as the early 19th century. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, economic warfare has been the main means for the west to challenge Russia. How effective will these sanctions be at convincing Russia to cease its war? By Jonathan Chanis
The sessions will be held on Thursdays from 9:30 – 11:30 AM. Participation is limited to 20, so register for the spring semester! Go to the SPRING 2023 page on the website to view or download the calendar and registration form for the spring semester.
Participants are expected to obtain the Great Decisions program materials from
FPA.ORG and to read the topic sections prior to each session. The materials are
purchased separately. The books are available in print
($35) and various e-book formats (est. $25). Contact the moderator for details
at budsielaff@sbcglobal.net and to reserve your space.
Moderator: Bud Sielaff, a retired business executive with degrees in engineering,
marketing and finance. Bud is a member of MILE and has been a moderator of the
Great Decisions program since Fall 2018. He has a business strategy
background, has had extensive international travels, and closely follows world
events as an interested citizen.
See the Calendar on the current semester for date and time of Great Decisions discussions.
The Spring 23 sessions will be in person at MxCC in Wheaton Hall room 205.
Park at upper lot for easier access.
Great Decisions is a discussion forum that follows a curriculum developed by the
Foreign Policy Association (www.fpa.org). The program is supported by the Great
Decisions program materials which presents basic information on each topic.
Participants read the topical section for that week, then come to the sessions to
discuss their various points of view with one another. Active participation is
encouraged, but not required.
This spring we will have 4 sessions using the Great Decisions materials and 1 open
discussions on current events – with the topics chosen by the participants.
In an age where our political discourse has become more polarized, Great
Decisions provides an excellent opportunity for open, fair, objective discussions -
and helps the participants understand multiple perspectives on these topics.
Here are the spring topics (as described by FPA):
1. Energy Geopolitics
Access to oil and gas has long held an influence over the politics of individual nations and their relations with others. But as more countries move toward sustainable energy, and supply chain shortages affect the availability of oil and gas, how will this change the way in which the United States interacts with the outside world? By Carolyn Kissane
2. War Crimes
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted in widespread charges of war crimes and calls for justice. But what exactly are war crimes? Opinions of what constitutes a war crime have evolved, as have ways to identify and punish the perpetrators. How will the war crimes committed in Ukraine be dealt with? By Francine Hirsch
3. China and the U.S.
For the past ten years, the United States and China have been locked in a competition for who has the greatest global influence. One major point of contention is the status of Taiwanese sovereignty, which has become even more relevant recently with the possibility that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may prompt China to take similar action regarding Taiwan. How will the United States engage a China which is increasingly seeking to expand its sphere of influence? By David Lampton
4. Economic Warfare
Waging economic warfare consists of a variety of measures from implementing sanctions to fomenting labor strikes. Such tools are utilized by states to hinder their enemies, and in the case of the United States have been used as far back as the early 19th century. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, economic warfare has been the main means for the west to challenge Russia. How effective will these sanctions be at convincing Russia to cease its war? By Jonathan Chanis
The sessions will be held on Thursdays from 9:30 – 11:30 AM. Participation is limited to 20, so register for the spring semester! Go to the SPRING 2023 page on the website to view or download the calendar and registration form for the spring semester.
Participants are expected to obtain the Great Decisions program materials from
FPA.ORG and to read the topic sections prior to each session. The materials are
purchased separately. The books are available in print
($35) and various e-book formats (est. $25). Contact the moderator for details
at budsielaff@sbcglobal.net and to reserve your space.
Moderator: Bud Sielaff, a retired business executive with degrees in engineering,
marketing and finance. Bud is a member of MILE and has been a moderator of the
Great Decisions program since Fall 2018. He has a business strategy
background, has had extensive international travels, and closely follows world
events as an interested citizen.
"Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; wisdom lies in their simplification." ~~ Martin H. Fischer