Join us for a thought-provoking webinar series that brings together distinguished experts to discuss key security challenges impacting the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. Each session delves into the complexities of global security, offering insights into the factors shaping today’s geopolitical landscape.

The series is hosted by Dr. James M. Minnich, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and professor at DKI APCSS. With 37 years of military service and deep expertise in U.S. security policy in the Asia-Pacific, Dr. Minnich draws on his 15 years of experience in Korea, including his role as the 37th Secretary of the UN Command Military Armistice Commission. A recognized Koreanologist, Dr. Minnich holds a doctorate from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree from Harvard University and is widely respected for his scholarly contributions to regional security. His leadership in these discussions ensures a rich and informed dialogue.

Upcoming Dialogue

Episode 28: Law and Rising Seas: Navigating Ocean Change

Join us for an enlightening discussion on the existential threats to Pacific Island Nations. This pivotal discussion on “Law and Rising Seas: Navigating Ocean Change” will focus on the strategic and existential challenges faced by Pacific Island nations amid rising sea levels and climate change. This episode promises to delve into the transformative legal measures needed to safeguard these nations’ sovereignty, territorial integrity, and human security. Our distinguished guest, Dr. Joanna Siekiera, an esteemed international lawyer and authority on the legal implications of ocean change for small island states, will provide expert insights. She will discuss innovative legal strategies to navigate the complexities of international maritime law and global environmental governance.

Oct 7, 2024, 7:30 AM in Hawaii

Register to watch live on Zoom

Can a nation chart its own course amidst global superpowers? Join the dialogue.

Discover how Malaysia navigates the delicate balance between the U.S. and China in Security Nexus Dialogue: Malaysia between Giants. Featuring Southeast Asia expert Elina Noor, this event explores Malaysia’s strategic diplomacy, ASEAN’s evolving role, and the impact of technology on governance and security in a contested Indo-Pacific.

Oct 10, 2024, 2:00 PM in Hawaii

Register to watch live on Zoom

Episodes

Webinar Book Recommendations

Episode 27: “Navigating Tensions in the South China Sea”

  • On Dangerous Ground: America’s Century in the South China Sea by Gregory B. Poling (Oxford University Press, 2022).
    The South China Sea Dispute: Philippine Sovereign Rights and Jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, written and published by Antonio T. Carpio (2017).

Episode 26: “Shared Waters, Shared Futures: Cooperative Approaches to Water Security in the Indo-Pacific”

  • The Three Ages of Water: Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future by Peter Gleick (PublicAffairs, 2023).

Episode 25: “Bangladesh in Turmoil: The Revolution, Its Fallout, and the Road Ahead”

  • Pathways of Autocratization: The Tumultuous Journey of Bangladeshi Politics by Ali Riaz (Routledge, 2024)

Episode 24: “North Korea-Russia Alliance: Economic and Geopolitical Implications”

  • North Korea’s Foreign Policy: The Kim Jong-un Regime in a Hostile World, Scotty Snyder and Kyung Ae Park, editors (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022)

Episode 23: “China’s Strategic Culture: Confucianism or Realpolitik?”

  • “River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze” by Peter Hessler (HarperCollins, 2010)
    “Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China” by Peter Hessler (HarperCollins, 2009)

Episode 22: “Jihadist Terrorism in the Indo-Pacific: Resurgence and Resilience in the Post-Caliphate Era”

  • “The Islamic State in Khorasan: Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the New Central Asian Jihad” (Hurst, 2018)

Episode 21: “From Promises to Reality: Analyzing the 2024 Indian Elections”

  • India, Bharat, and Pakistan: The Constitutional Journey of a Sandwiched Civilization by J. Sai Deepak (Bloomsbury India, 2022)
    India that is Bharat: Coloniality, Civilisation, Constitution by J. Sai Deepak (Bloomsbury India, 2021).

Episode 20: “India’s Security Outlook in Modi’s Third Term”

  • “Unequal: Why India Lags Behind Its Neighbours” by Swati Narayan “Whole Numbers and Half Truths: What Data Can and Cannot Tell Us about Modern India” by Rukmini S “The Saffron Storm: From Vajpayee to Modi” by Saba Naqvi “Midnight’s Borders: A People’s History of Modern India” by Suchitra Vijayan

Episode 17: “Outlaw Empires: The Rise of Motorcycle Gangs and the Global Security Threat”

Episode 16: “Ukraine War, Global Power Shifts, and Security Implications for the Indo-Pacific”

  • Dr. Azizian recommended two insightful books for a deeper understanding of the conflict: “The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History” by Serhii Plokhy (W. W. Norton & Company, 2023) provides a detailed account of the war’s historical and cultural contexts, helping readers understand the conflict’s deeper roots. “Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence” by Yaroslav Trofimov (Penguin Press, 2024) offers a contemporary perspective on the war based on firsthand experiences and in-depth reporting from the front lines.

This insightful webinar underscored the far-reaching implications of the Ukraine war, emphasizing the need for vigilant and adaptive security strategies in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Dr. Minnich and Dr. Azizian’s discussion provided valuable perspectives on how nations can navigate the shifting global power landscape and enhance their security postures in response to emerging threats. Episode 15: “The Philippines Builds Security, Faces Challenges”

  • Professor Virginia Bacay Watson (Recommended on May 25, 2024) 1521: Rediscovering the History of the Philippines by Judy Robinson (New Degree Press, 2022) Bound by War: How the United States and the Philippines Built America’s First Pacific Century by Christopher Capozzola (Basic Books, 2020).

Episode 14: “The Great Game of Digital Dominance”

  • Professor John Hemmings (Recommended on May 6, 2024) “Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology” by Chris Miller (Scribner, 2022)

Episode 13: “Competing in the Gray Zone”

  • Professor Sam Mullins (Recommended on April 9, 2024) “Braw, Elisabeth. “The Defender’s Dilemma: Identifying and Deterring Gray-Zone Aggression.” AEI Press, 2022. Galeotti, Mark. “The Weaponisation of Everything: A Field Guide to the New Way of War.” Yale University Press, 2022. Jonsson, Oscar. “The Russian Understanding of War: Blurring the Lines between War and Peace.” Georgetown University Press, 2019. Rid, Thomas. “Active Measures: The Secret History of Disinformation and Political Warfare.” Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020. Weiner, Tim. “The Folly and the Glory: America, Russia, and Political Warfare 1945–2020.” Henry Holt and Co., 2020.

Episode 12: “Bolster Resilience and Restore Trust in the Information Environment

  • Professor Beth Kunce (Recommended on April 9, 2024) Sharot, Tali. The Influential Mind: What the Brain Reveals About Our Power to Change Others. Henry Holt and Co., 2017. Kahane, Adam. Collaborating with the Enemy: How to Work with People You Don’t Agree with or Like or Trust. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2017. Brown, Brené. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House Publishing, 2018.

Episode 11: “North Korea Beyond the Headlines, Unveiling the Reality with Glyn Ford”

  • “Hinge Points: An Inside Look at North Korea’s Nuclear Program” by Siegfried S Hecker (Stanford University Press, 2023) “Black Girl from Pyongyang: In Search of My Identity” by Monica Macias (Duckworth, 2023) “Becoming Kim Jong Un: A Former CIA Officer’s Insights into North Korea’s Enigmatic Young Dictator” by Jung H. Pak (Ballantine Books, 2020) “North Koreans In Japan: Language, Ideology, and Identity” by Sonia Ryang (Routledge, 1997)

Episode 10: “Australia’s First Female Commando: A Tale of Resilience”

Episode 9: “Fishing for Security from Sea Slavery”

  • Ms. Anny Barlow (Recommended on February 25, 2024) “The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier” by Ian Urbina (Deckle Edge. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, August 20, 2019)

Episode 8: “Myanmar: Three Years of Conflict, What’s Next”

  • Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd (Recommended on February 12, 2024) “An Unlikely Prisoner: How an Eternal Optimist Found Hope in Myanmar’s Most Notorious Jail,” by Sean Turnell (Penguin Random House in November 2023)

Webinar Episode 7: Taiwan’s Post-election Strategic Future

  • Prof. Mike Burgoyne (Recommended on March 25, 2024) “Unofficial Diplomacy: The American Institute of Taiwan: A Memoir” by David Dean (Xlibris, 2014)

Episode 6: “Power Play in South Asia”

  • Prof. Shyam Tekwani (Recommended on January 16, 2024) “India Is Broken: A People Betrayed, Independence to Today” by Ashoka Mody (Stanford University Press, February 2023)

Episode 5: “Nuclear Indo-Pacific”

  • Dr. Lami Kim (Recommended on December 18, 2023) “Nuclear Politics: The Strategic Causes of Proliferation” by Alexandre Debs and Nuno P. Monteiro (Cambridge Studies in International Relations, Series Number 142, December 2016)

EPISODE 4: “China’s Perspective of Indo-Pacific Security”

  • Yun Sun (Recommended on December 4, 2023) “U.S.-Taiwan Relations: Will China’s Challenge Lead to a Crisis?” by Ryan Hass, Bonnie Glaser, and Richard Bush (Brookings Institution Press, April 2023)

EPISODE 3: “The Changing Nature of Security in the Face of Climate and Environmental Disruption”

  • Srini Sitaraman (Recommended on November 20, 2023) “The Origins of the Syrian Conflict: Climate Change and Human Security” by Marwa Daoudy (Cambridge University Press, March 2020)
  • Ethan Allen(Recommended on November 20, 2023) “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, April 2013, Paperback)
  • Sebastian Kevany(Recommended on November 20, 2023) “The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century” by George Friedman (Blackstone Publishing, January 2009)

EPISODE 2: “Beyond Borders: Indo-Pacific Health Security Cooperation”

  • Dr. Sebastian Kevany (Recommended on November 6, 2023) “Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future” by Lawrence O. Gostin (Harvard University Press, September 2021)