Background papers are written for the Council’s annual World Affairs Institute, which is a major student conference focusing on issues of great importance to U.S. interests and policy.

Note: To view the background papers, you will need Acrobat Reader 3.0 or higher. Click here to download a free copy of Acrobat Reader.

The New Administration: Foreign Policy Challenges (2008)
Terrorism. Nuclear proliferation. China. Russia. Climate change. The Middle East. A global economy more fragile and interdependent than we imagined.How does the next President begin to assess and prioritize each of these, as well as all the other issues? How will he balance our international engagement with a pressing domestic agenda? How should he decide which diplomatic tools to employ? In other words, how does he create and implement an effective foreign policy for the United States?

China: What Does the Future Hold? (2007)
China is experiencing substantial economic growth, even if the exact scale of that growth is in dispute. Growth brings opportunities, jobs, and more growth. Growth also creates demand for goods and services, and for more opportunities. It also creates greater demand for energy, which places greater stress on the environment.

India at Center Stage (2006)
After decades of being all but ignored by the rest of the world, India now finds itself the center of attention. Along with China, India is the investment destination of choice for multinational corporations, especially those based in the U.S. New Delhi, the capital of India, has become a revolving door of foreign leaders, each one eager to form a “strategic partnership” with India. In a word, India’s got buzz.

Iran and the World: What Kind of Future? (2005)
Iran is an important country both in the region and to the U.S and the rest of the international community.This paper is meant to serve as a background of Iran’s historical experiences, domestic politics, economics, and social concerns, as well as relations with the United States and the world.

Global Trends: Implications for the United States (2004)
This paper covers some key global trends, their resulting implications for international relations, and the role of the U.S. in addressing potential conflicts.

Russia and the U.S.: Cooperation or Confrontation? (2003)
This paper examines the internal transition in Russia in political, economic, and social terms, and highlights some of the major issues confronting the relationship between the U.S. and Russia.

Europe in Transition: Responding to New Challenges (2001)
Before the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11th, European and American interests seemed to be drifting apart. This paper highlights how this relationship has evolved since World War II, Europe’s challenges in a post-Cold War and post-September 11th world, and some of the implications for U.S. policy.

Globalization: What is It? Why Does it Matter? (2000)
This paper briefly covers some principal forces that drive globalization and examines major issues and policy choices raised by globalization in the context of the world, our country, and our region. An outline of the tools needed navigate successfully in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected is also included.

Africa in Transition: Prospects for a New Century (1999)
Promoting political development, encouraging economic development and managing conflict are challenges to nation-building in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper covers those three issues, as well as the impact societal issues will have on regional growth and  how this will define U.S. policy towards Africa. This paper focuses on sub-Saharan Africa. Countries bordering the Mediterranean are usually considered within the context of the Middle

Individual opinions expressed by presenters or in resources quoted in the background papers are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.