Brookings: Upcoming Events

Mobile Technology’s Impact on Political Campaigns in the U.S. and Around the World

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 -0500

Event Information

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

Mobile technology is playing an increasing role in U.S. politics. A 2010 study from the Pew Research Center found that 26 percent of Americans used their cell phones to learn about or participate in the 2010 mid-term elections. In the four years since the Obama campaign revolutionized the use of text messaging in politics, how has the connection between mobile technology and voter outreach changed in the United States and other countries around the world? How are mobile applications and geotargeting of ads affecting the political process? How has mobile technology influenced political reporting? And how are these advancements being used in elections internationally?

On February 14, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings will host a forum as part of the mobile economy project examining how mobile technology is being used to engage voters, raise money, deliver candidate messages, and help reporters cover campaigns, both in the United States and around the globe. The discussion will focus on the impact of mobile outreach on political fundraising, persuasion, outreach, and reporting in the United States and other countries around the world. Moderated by Darrell West, vice president and director of Governance Studies, a panel of experts will share their views and recent research on the ways mobile technology is reshaping the modern political campaign.

After the program, panelists will take questions from the audience. Participants may follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #TechCTI.

This event will be webcast live. To register for the live webcast, click here.

Participants

Introduction and Moderator

Darrell M. West

Vice President and Director, Governance Studies

Panelists

Clark Gibson

Professor and Chair, Department of Political Science
University of California, San Diego

Scott Goodstein

Founder/CEO
Revolution Messaging

Katie Harbath

Associate Manager, Policy
Facebook Inc.

Aaron Smith

Senior Research Specialist
Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project

Daniel Ureña

Managing Partner, MAS Consulting Group
Professor, Pontificial Comillas University

Campaign 2012: Afghanistan and Pakistan Policy

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500

Event Information

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

Register for the Event
The winner of this year’s presidential election will face major policy decisions on a wide range of issues. One of them is how to craft a foreign policy strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, two countries beset by development, governance, and security challenges as well as a tense relationship with each other. The increasing political influence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the continued existence of al-Qaeda sanctuaries in volatile border areas, and Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities pose an international security threat that extends beyond south Asia.

On February 15, the Campaign 2012 project at Brookings will hold a public discussion on Afghanistan and Pakistan, the second in a series of forums that will identify and address the 12 most critical issues facing the next president. Charles Hoskinson of POLITICO will moderate a panel discussion with Brookings Senior Fellows Michael O’Hanlon, Bruce Riedel, Vanda Felbab-Brown, and Elizabeth Ferris.

After the program, panelists will take questions from the audience. Participants may follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #BIAfPak.

This event will be webcast live. To register for the live webcast, click here.

To attend the event in person, please call the Brookings Office of Communications at 202.797.6105 or click here.

Participants

Introduction

Benjamin Wittes

Senior Fellow, Governance Studies

Panelists

Moderator: Charles Hoskinson

Reporter
POLITICO

Vanda Felbab-Brown

Fellow, Foreign Policy, 21st Century Defense Initiative

Elizabeth Ferris

Co-Director, Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement

Michael E. O'Hanlon

Director of Research and Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, 21st Century Defense Initiative

Bruce Riedel

Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy

Senegal’s Presidential Election: A Turning Point for Democracy and Economic Growth in West Africa

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:30:00 -0500

Event Information

Thursday, February 16, 2012
10:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

Register for the Event
Senegal—a nation long considered a leader in African democracy—will hold its presidential elections on February 26. In a recent and controversial court ruling, President Abdoulaye Wade received approval to pursue re-election for a third term in office despite a constitutional two-term limit. The decision has sparked public unrest and heightened discontent, although opposition candidates remain fragmented and unable to unify around a challenger.

On February 16, the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings will host a discussion on Senegal’s elections and their implications for democracy, economic growth and regional stability. Panelists include Mamadou Diouf, professor at Columbia University; Chris Fomunyoh, senior associate for Africa at the National Democratic Institute; and Vera Songwe, World Bank country director for Senegal, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Mauritania. Senior Fellow Mwangi S. Kimenyi, director of the Africa Growth Initiative, will provide the introductory remarks and Witney Schneidman, president of Schneidman and Associates International and a special guest with the Africa Growth Initiative will moderate the discussion.

After the program, the panelists will take audience questions. Participants may follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #AGISenegal.

» Read "Around the Halls: 2012 Senegal Presidential Election" -- Africa Growth Initiative experts dissect the political climate throughout Senegal, including the country's external relationships, the youth vote, prospects for democracy, and post-election outcomes.

Participants

Introduction

Mwangi S. Kimenyi

Director, Africa Growth Initiative

Moderator

Witney Schneidman

Special Guest, The Brookings Institution
President, Schneidman & Associates International

Panelists

Mamadou Diouf

Director, Institute for African Studies
Professor, African Studies and History, Columbia University

Chris Fomunyoh

Senior Associate for Africa
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs

Vera Songwe

Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Country Director, Senegal, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Mauritania, The World Bank

Integrating Europe’s Muslims

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0500

Event Information

Friday, February 17, 2012
11:00 AM to 12:30 PM

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

Register for the Event
Over the next 20 years, Europe’s Muslim population is projected to grow from 17 million to nearly 30 million, which would represent 7 to 8 percent of all Europeans. In his new book, The Emancipation of Europe’s Muslims (Princeton, 2012), Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Jonathan Laurence argues that rising integration problems and fears about terrorism have led governments to assertively step up efforts to engage their Muslim communities and incorporate them into the institutional, political and cultural fabrics of European democracy. However, these governments still have critical steps to take before integration can be judged a success.

On February 17, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings (CUSE) will host a discussion to explore the integration of Muslims in Europe and how it is linked to the ongoing struggle for religious and political authority in the Muslim-majority world. Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja and Professor Peter Mandaville of George Mason University will join Jonathan Laurence in the discussion. Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Omer Taspinar will provide introductory remarks and moderate the discussion.

After the program, panelists will take audience questions.

Participants

Introduction and Moderator

Ömer Taşpınar

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe

Panelists

Jonathan Laurence

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe

Peter Mandaville

Associate Professor of Political Science
Founding Director, Center for Global Studies, George Mason University

Erkki Tuomioja

Minister for Foreign Affairs
Republic of Finland

Why—and Which—Manufacturing Matters: Innovation and Production in the United States

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:30:00 -0500

Event Information

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Falk Auditorium
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC

Register for the Event
Despite massive job losses in the last decade, U.S. manufacturing remains critical to the nation’s economic future and requires a new era of policy attention. Thus, it is essential that the U.S. reach consensus on the importance of manufacturing and then move aggressively to maintain the nation’s facility for novel product innovation while upgrading the capacity for continuous incremental and process improvements.

On February 22, the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings will host a forum exploring the type of manufacturing the nation is most likely to retain and build, as well as a policy framework for strengthening high-wage, export-intensive production in America. Brookings and CONNECT Innovation Institute scholars will present new arguments from complementary research studies assessing production activities and innovation. A panel of CONNECT researchers—including experts from the private sector and academia—will present their policy recommendations, focusing on the experiences of specific industries for supporting both radical and incremental innovation in U.S. manufacturing. Following the panel, Irwin Jacobs, co-founder of Qualcomm, Inc. and a member of CONNECT Innovation Institute, will offer a keynote address.

After each panel, speakers will take audience questions. Participants may join the discussion on Twitter using the hashtag #usmfg.

Participants

Welcome

Peter Cowhey

Dean, School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California, San Diego
Chairman, CONNECT Innovation Institute

Bruce Katz

Vice President and Director, Metropolitan Policy Program

Presentation

Susan Helper

Carlton Professor of Economics
Case Western Reserve University

Howard Wial

Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program

Panel Discussion

Moderator: Robert Atkinson

Founder and President
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Dan Breznitz

Associate Professor, The College of Management and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Georgia Institute of Technology

Erica R.H. Fuchs

Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering and Public Policy
Carnegie Mellon University

Elisabeth Reynolds

Executive Director, Industrial Performance Center
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Josh Whitford

Associate Professor of Sociology
Columbia University

Keynote Speaker

Irwin Jacobs

Co-founder and Former Chairman, Qualcomm
Member, CONNECT Innovation Institute