As co-chair of the LISD Fall 2018 Seminar Series on Emerging Foreign and Security Dimensions, Ambassador Christian Strohal and Professor Wolfgang Danspeckgruber will chair the private seminar on emerging security challenges from strategic developments, inter-state and intra-state perspectives, self-determination, climate and environmental issues, to migration and leadership challenges in the region spanning from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The seminar will offer an overview about some of the key institutions in security and foreign relations in the Northern Hemisphere: the EU, the OSCE, and ASEAN.  The seminar will explain the institutional set up, look at the origins and institutionalization, examine security challenges through the prism of the organizations; offer specific insights on negotiations and interactions and pursue a comparative perspective with an emphasis of involving diplomatic and political practitioners from within and outside the organization. To attend, please RSVP to Rana Ibrahem.

Amb. Christian Strohal is the former Special Representative for the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship 2017. Prior to that Ambassador Strohal served as Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights from 2003 to 2008. In his previous career, the Austrian diplomat worked as representative to the UN Commission on Human Rights, as a delegate to the UN General Assembly, and as a representative to the EU Working Group on Human Rights. From 1994 to 2000, he was Director for Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, and Minority and Gender Issues at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Immediately before joining the ODIHR, he headed the Austrian Embassy in Luxembourg. Under Amb. Strohal's direction, the ODIHR moved towards longer-term and more-inclusive planning, responding to several new challenges and demands on the office's capacity as well as the creation of a fully fledged Human Rights Department, as well as the Tolerance and Non-discrimination Department.

The seminar is now accepting applications student fellows to participate in the seminar. Fellows will be selected through a competitive application process. To RSVP or for further information regarding each module please contact Rana Ibrahem ([email protected](link sends e-mail)) and Johnathan ([email protected](link sends e-mail)).

(i.) The OSCE, The EU, ASEAN - The Institutions and Relevant Dimensions; Thursday to Saturday, September 27-29, 2018, Public Roundtable, Thursday, September 27.

(ii.) Challenges and Crises in the OSCE Realm: from Vancouver to Vladivostok; Thursday to Saturday, October 18-20, 2018, Public Roundtable, Thursday, October 18.

(iii.) The Emerging Quadripartite Relationship: USA - EU/Europe – Russia - China; Thursday to Saturday, November 15-17, 2018, Public Roundtable, Thursday, November 15.

Note: Participating students are required to attend from Noon Friday to Saturday, complete brief assignments/commentary (ca 2,000 words) after each seminar and compose a ca 6,000-word final paper by end of Fall Semester. Selected papers will be presented at an international meeting abroad at Spring 2019.