GeoStrategy Initiative Analysis and Events

Read and watch the GeoStrategy’s timely reports, issue briefs, articles, events, and videos to assess the world’s biggest strategic issues. The GeoStrategy Initiative develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and its allies and partners. Its competencies in long-range foresight and strategy development are vital assets to government and business leaders as they navigate a complex and unpredictable world.

Analysis

In the News

Jan 27, 2016

Engelke Joins US Water Partnership to Discuss Promoting Transboundary Water Cooperation

By Peter Engelke

Listen to the full story here.

In the News

Jan 25, 2016

Burrows Joins KCRW to Discuss the Future of US Diplomacy in Syria

By Mathew J. Burrows

Listen to the full story here.

Syria

In the News

Jan 22, 2016

Stephan in Foreign Policy: The Peacebuilder’s Field Guide to Protest Movements

By Maria Stephan

Read the full article here.

In the News

Jan 22, 2016

Burrows in ISN: The Changing Face of Globalization

By Mathew Burrows

Read the full article here.

In the News

Jan 20, 2016

Burrows in The National Interest: Is America Ready for a Multipolar World?

By Mathew J. Burrows

Read the full article here.

United States and Canada

In the News

Jan 18, 2016

Stephan: How the World is Proving Martin Luther King Right about Nonviolence

By Maria Stephan

Strategic Foresight Initiative Nonresident Senior Fellow Maria J. Stephan cowrites for the Washington Post’s Monkey Cage on the surprising success of nonviolent campaigns and lessons learned from the past five years:

In the News

Jan 7, 2016

Global System on the Brink Report Featured in The Hill

By Atlantic Council

The Hill features a report written by the Brent Scowcroft Center on global energy and security in the coming decades:

Africa

In the News

Dec 17, 2015

Stephan: Keep on Trucking

By Maria Stephan

Strategic Foresight Initiative Nonresident Senior Fellow Maria J. Stephan cowrites for Foreign Affairs with former Ambassador to Ukraine William B. Taylor on whether striking truckers could usher in a Russian spring:

Russia

In the News

Dec 7, 2015

Burrows: Here’s the Playbook for Getting US-Russian Cooperation Back on Track

By Matthew J. Burrows

Strategic Foresight Initiative Director Mathew J. Burrows cowrites for The National Interest on how the United States and Russia can find common ground for cooperation, highlighting a recently released report by the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Foresight Initiative and the Moscow-based Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) that discusses how to find that common ground:

Russia

Event Recap

Dec 3, 2015

Global System on the Brink: Pathways Toward a New Normal

By Brent Scowcroft Center

On December 3, 2015, the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security launched a new report, “Global System on the Brink: Pathways toward a New Normal.” This joint global trends assessment conducted by the Scowcroft Center’s Strategic Foresight Initiative (SFI) and the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) observed potential channels […]

New Atlanticist

Dec 3, 2015

Five Questions: The World in 2035

Alexander Dynkin, Director of the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations, and Mathew Burrows, Director of the Strategic Foresight Initiative at the Atlantic Council, explain the ideas behind the new joint study of the world as it could be in 2035: Global System on the Brink: Pathways Towards A New Normal.  The co-authored […]

Report

Dec 2, 2015

Global system on the brink: pathways toward a new normal

By Dr. Mathew Burrows and Professor Alexander Dynkin

In keeping with previous forecasting works published by the Atlantic Council and the IMEMO, the study examines current trends and potential scenarios for global developments over the next twenty years.

Conflict Russia

Event Recap

Nov 5, 2015

Climate Change, Economic Resilience, and US National Security

By Global Energy Center

On Thursday, November 5 the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center and Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security hosted a discussion on the immediate impacts of climate change on US economic and national security.

In the News

Oct 13, 2015

Engelke on Urbanization as a Business Opportunity

By Peter Engelke

Capital Insights quotes Strategic Foresight Initiative Resident Senior Fellow Peter Engelke on how companies are now seeing increased urbanization as a business opportunity:

Issue Brief

Oct 8, 2015

Foreign policy for an urban world: global governance and the rise of cities

By Peter Engelke

In the latest FutureScape issue brief from the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security's Strategic Foresight Initiative, author Peter Engelke discusses the long-term economic, environmental, and policy implications of urbanization. Entitled "Foreign Policy for an Urban World: Global Governance and the Rise of Cities," the brief examines how urbanization is hastening the global diffusion of power and how cities themselves are increasingly important nodes of power in global politics.

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

In the News

Oct 6, 2015

Pavel and Engelke: US Strategy in a New Geopolitical Age

By Pavel and Engelke

Vice President, Arnold Kanter Chair, and Director of the Brent Scowcroft Center Barry Pavel and Strategic Foresight Initiative Resident Senior Fellow Peter Engelke cowrite for the Journal of Investment Consulting on the need for US leadership and strategic thinking: Read the full article here.

In the News

Sep 23, 2015

Cole on Chinese-American Relations

By August Cole

Brent Scowcroft Center Nonresident Senior Fellow August Cole joins WBUR’s On Point with Tom Ashbrook to discuss Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States:

China

In the News

Sep 15, 2015

Engelke and Sticklor: Water Wars: The Next Great Driver of Global Conflict?

By Peter Engelke

Strategic Foresight Initiative Resident Senior Fellow Peter Engelke and Stimson Environmental Security Program Nonresident Research Fellow Russell Sticklor write for The National Interest on the importance of water in global geopolitics in the twenty-first century: 

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

Issue Brief

Sep 2, 2015

Toward a sustainable peace in the South China Sea

By Wei-Teh Li

This issue brief argues that SCS countries need to work toward a "mutual confidence" and "mutual dependence" end state. In particular, the paper focuses on sharing meteorological data to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, including search and rescue operations, foreign disaster relief goods delivery, and medical care.

China Indo-Pacific

In the News

Aug 11, 2015

Manning and Burrows: Will an Inverted US-China-Russia Triangle Reshape World Order?

By Mathew J. Burrows and Robert A. Manning

Brent Scowcroft Center Resident Senior Fellow Robert A. Manning and Strategic Foresight Initiative Director Mathew J. Burrows write for Nikkei Asian Review on how a changing balance between the United States, Russia, and China is reshaping the world order:

China Russia
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Events

Public Event Mon, April 13, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

Philanthropy and the future of food security
Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment Resilience & Society
Public Event Wed, March 4, 2026 • 9:30 am ET

War with Iran and its geopolitical implications
Conflict Iran Middle East National Security
Public Event Tue, February 10, 2026 • 12:00 pm ET

Global Foresight 2036: What will the next decade bring?
China Economy & Business Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia
Online Event Tue, December 9, 2025 • 11:30 am ET

Making sense of the National Security Strategy
Americas Europe & Eurasia Indo-Pacific National Security
Online Event Tue, November 11, 2025 • 1:00 pm ET

From risk to resilience: The future of food security in the Americas
Americas Brazil Climate Change & Climate Action Economy & Business
Online Event Fri, June 20, 2025 • 4:00 pm ET

Sweden’s foreign minister on the 2025 NATO Summit agenda
Europe & Eurasia NATO Northern Europe Politics & Diplomacy
Online Event Tue, October 29, 2024 • 6:00 pm ET

Elections 2024: Congressman Mike Turner on geopolitics and the next US president

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Congressman Mike Turner, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, lays out his expectations of the foreign policy challenges facing the next administration and what lies ahead for the 119th Congress.
Economy & Business Elections Politics & Diplomacy Resilience & Society
Public Event Thu, October 10, 2024 • 3:15 am ET

Elections 2024: Sen. Mark Warner on the global risks facing the next president

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—The Virginia lawmaker outlines how a future administration can prepare for and respond to geopolitical challenges.
Economy & Business Elections Politics & Diplomacy Resilience & Society
Public Event Mon, September 9, 2024 • 11:30 am ET

Elections 2024: Senator Chris Murphy on the future of Democratic foreign policy

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Senator Chris Murphy discusses the future of Democratic foreign policy ahead of the 2024 US presidential election.
Economy & Business Elections Politics & Diplomacy Resilience & Society
Public Event Wed, June 26, 2024 • 8:00 am ET

Reporters at risk: Latin America and the Caribbean
Americas Caribbean Civil Society Conflict
Public Event Wed, June 12, 2024 • 2:00 pm ET

The art of diplomacy: Historic agreements that changed the world
Crisis Management International Organizations Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense
Public Event Fri, April 26, 2024 • 1:00 pm ET

Report launch: The sixth domain and the role of the private sector
Conflict Cybersecurity Infrastructure Protection National Security
Public Event Thu, March 14, 2024 • 2:00 am ET

Reporters at risk: On the frontlines in Ukraine and Gaza
Civil Society Conflict Europe & Eurasia Middle East
Public Event Mon, February 26, 2024 • 5:00 pm ET

Redefining US strategy with Latin America and the Caribbean for a new era
Americas Brazil Caribbean Central America
Public Event Mon, February 12, 2024 • 2:00 pm ET

Countering China and Russia in Latin America and the Caribbean
Caribbean China Freedom and Prosperity Latin America
Public Event Wed, October 18, 2023 • 6:00 am ET

Combating food insecurity and malnutrition: A national security imperative
Civil Society National Security Politics & Diplomacy Resilience
Public Event Wed, March 8, 2023 • 4:00 pm ET

A conversation with Stephen J. Hadley | Hand-Off: The foreign policy George W. Bush passed to Barack Obama
China Europe & Eurasia Iran Iraq
Online Event Tue, February 8, 2022 • 9:00 am ET

Report launch | Global Strategy 2022: Thwarting Kremlin aggression today for constructive relations tomorrow
Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Geopolitics & Energy Security NATO Rule of Law
Flagship Event Mon, December 6, 2021 • 11:00 pm ET

Is it time for an Alliance of Democracies?
Australia European Union France Germany
Public Event Fri, October 23, 2020 • 12:00 pm ET

Report Launch – States on the cusp: Tackling global illicit trade’s threat to society and governance
Africa Corruption Economy & Business Latin America
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The GeoStrategy Initiative, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, leverages strategy development and long-range foresight to serve as the preeminent thought-leader and convener for policy-relevant analysis and solutions to understand a complex and unpredictable world. Through its work, the initiative strives to revitalize, adapt, and defend a rules-based international system in order to foster peace, prosperity, and freedom for decades to come.

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The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world.

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