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Cryptocurrency is revolutionizing the global financial system and shaking up our perception of trust. Joseph Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum, says the digital currency’s open-source, decentralized system is the opposite of what we’re used to — a bank-led financial system built in backrooms. “It’s a new kind of trust foundation for the planet,” he says. In a conversation with...
The grand European experiment of a shared currency, economy, and joint governance — a Nobel Peace Prize-worthy idea that has kept the continent at peace longer than ever before — today faces unprecedented tests, including Brexit, terrorism, a new anti establishment government in Italy, and rising nationalism fueled (at least in part) by a flood of immigrants from the Syria...
NATO, Brexit, terrorism, and the rise of populism in Europe.
Tens of thousands of men and women have left comfortable, privileged lives to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria—and kill for it. The highest-ranking American currently fighting for ISIS is John Georgelas, a Texan whose dad was a US Air Force colonel. Who are the Westerners who join ISIS? Where do they come from? What do they believe? And most importantly, what can w...
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg describes the challenges the alliance faces today.
As the world watches refugee families stream out of Ukraine, there is a renewed urgency to meet the needs of children caught in conflict zones — not just the basics of food and shelter, but also their emotional needs as they experience displacement and worse. How do we provide them the tools to cope with their circumstances? What initiatives are helping to mitigate the tra...
Recent years have seen the wane of the threat of ISIS, even as white supremacists carry out more violent attacks across the globe, from Christchurch, New Zealand, to Charlottesville, VA. What leads someone down the path of political extremism, what causes them to become violent, and how do authorities or community leaders help stop — or reverse — extremism?
Recent years have seen rising political extremism in both Europe and the United States, from Neo-Nazi rallies in Charlottesville to ISIS jihadists in Brussels. One of the hardest challenges facing counterterrorism officials is what to do with the thousands of extremists who, for a variety of reasons, decide to step back from the battlefield. Hear former extremists discuss...
The world is different in 2022. As we begin to emerge from a global pandemic we’re faced with a barrage of new crises that are shaking nations to their core: war, food shortages, broken supply chains, bioterrorism, energy shortages, and inflation. Will data-driven intelligence, now a critical component for countries, business managers, and economic enterprises large and sm...
At the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival, we dug into some of the most important and fascinating issues of our time, from rebuilding trust in our institutions and the promise and peril of A.I. to the ingredients of a good life and the emerging geopolitical order — plus so much more!
As the threat of terrorist attacks collides with Europe’s worst migration crisis since WWII, anti-migration sentiments are at an all-time high. With the world closing its doors, the number of migrants is only set to increase. Experts predict upwards of 500 million people will be uprooted as a result of climate change—almost half of them from Sub-Saharan Africa. Invariable...
In a time of uncertainty, rapid change, and disruption, who is best positioned to move society forward? Many are losing faith not only in government, but in the institutions of journalism, nonprofits, and higher education. What role should these organs of civil society play in today’s fractured world, and how can people of good will come together to best make a difference?...
Cities are responsible for 70 percent of global carbon emissions, and by 2050, two out of every three people will live in one. Fortunately, cities are getting serious about environmental footprint — New York announced its own Green New Deal, Melbourne aims to be carbon neutral by 2020, and Los Angeles will use 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. Mayors are often more nim...
Demagogues promise a return to an imaginary past. The opposite of demagogues — politicians — focus on visions of a glorious future. The New Yorker’s Masha Gessen, author of The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia, explores a number of such visions — visions of a more equal, sustainable life, visions of the common good and inclusive politics — as express...
How the clothing industry can change to help the planet.
Norman Lear and Khizr Khan on liberty, democracy, and enduring American values.
The hard work of diplomacy, often mostly invisible, is arguably more important now than ever. In a shifting geopolitical landscape characterized by the emergence of Russia and China as significant rivals to the United States, new dangers threaten the American idea and an American-led world order. And yet, our diplomatic muscles have atrophied. Ambassador William Burns, pre...