Happy Dog Takes on the World

"Pax Americana" commonly refers to the decades of relative peace experienced amongst the world's most powerful nations after World War II. This peace is often attributed to the United States' stability, economic strength, and preponderance of power - and, arguably, its position as a moral center, dedicated to preserving freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law through respect and "soft power," not violence.

But is Pax Americana coming to an end? Externally, the rise of authoritarianism, mass migration, the threat of a global trade war, and the emergence of China as a world power threatens the United States' leading position in the world. Domestically, the growing political divide between the two major parties, the decline of American manufacturing, and the ballooning national deficit all weaken America's ability to exert leadership on the global stage. What do all these changes mean for the future of the global order? Can this era of peace be maintained?

Join us, the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, Global Cleveland, International Partners in Mission, and the Northeast Ohio Consortium for Middle Eastern Studies (NOCMES) for a conversation on how we can view the changing global order, and what an end of the Pax Americana might mean for the United States and its relationship to the world.