LATE JANUARY EVENTS AT CHATHAM HOUSE, ST JAMES
Chatham House has been the home of the Royal Institute of International Affairs for nearly nine decades. Their mission is to be a world-leading source of independent analysis, informed debate and influential ideas on how to build a prosperous and secure world for all.
Upcoming Events:
1.) Robot Proof: How to Protect Jobs in an AI Future
22 January 2018 | 18:00 - 19:00
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the scope of machine learning is growing at an accelerated rate. It has been estimated that by 2035 economic growth will increase by an average of 1.7 per cent across 16 major industries as a direct effect of AI technology. It is now within a machine’s abilities to perform high-skilled human functions, such as coordinating legal research, analysing vast swaths of data and helping with day-to-day business administration. What does this mean for the future of jobs? And is there any way that people can protect their livelihoods from the expanding reach of AI and thus safeguard their financial futures?
Joseph Aoun, president of Northeastern University, will argue that this growth in AI does not have to result in a widespread fear of the future. He will propose that the best way to prepare for the inevitable effects of AI on industry is to teach the next generation of students to fill societal needs that even the most sophisticated artificial intelligence agent cannot, outlining the ways that society and the education system can prepare future workers to adapt and thrive in an AI economy.
Participants:
Joseph Aoun, President, Northeastern University; Author, Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Chair: Charles Arthur, Technology Editor, The Guardian (2009-14)
2.) The Rohingya Crisis: Past, Present and Future
23 January 2018 | 13:00 to 14:00
In the summer of 2017, following intensified ‘clearance operations’ by the Myanmar military against the Rohingya community in Rakhine state, more than 18,500 men, women and children fled across the border to Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi aid workers claim that on a single day in September 70,000 people – almost 10 per cent of the Rohingya population – crossed the border in less than 24 hours. Although the origins of, and responsibility for, the violence remain fiercely contested by the government, the human cost of the crisis is evident, with Amnesty International now estimating that over 600,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh.
This event will begin with a screening of a short documentary, Testimonies of a Massacre: Tula Toli, capturing displaced Rohingya in their first moments of arrival at the Bangladesh border. Filming up close in the midst of the chaos, filmmaker Shafiur Rahman presents evidence to suggest that, with the assistance of local village chiefs, the violence was pre-planned by the military. Following the screening, the panellists will analyse the history of the Rohingya in Myanmar, unpack the crisis as it unfolded and then discuss the potential future for those who have survived. How can this humanitarian crisis be brought to an end? And will any such resolution see the Rohingya refugees able to return safely to their homes?
Participants:
Penny Green, Professor of Law and Globalisation, School of Law, Queen Mary University of London
Shafiur Rahman, Documentary Filmmaker, Testimonies of a Massacre: Tula Toli
Stephen Twigg MP, Chair, International Development Committee
Chair: Dr Champa Patel, Head, Asia Programme, Chatham House
3.) Libya: Can the UN-Led Process Succeed?
24 January 2018 | 13:00 to 14:00
The Libyan Political Agreement (LPA), which concluded in December 2015, sought to create a unity government to bring an end to Libya’s governance crisis. However, the LPA has not been recognized by the House of Representatives while others, most notably General Khalifa Hafter, commander of the Libyan National Army, also have political aspirations.
In seeking to break the impasse, the new UN special envoy, Ghassan Salamé, has laid out an ambitious plan to renegotiate the LPA and create an interim government before holding elections. But what chance does this plan have of succeeding? Speakers will provide their perspectives on Libya’s shifting political landscape, assessing Salamé’s proposals and the major developments likely to take place in 2018.
Participants:
Abdul Rahman AlAgeli, Associate Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House
Tim Eaton, Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House
Alison Pargeter, North Africa & Middle East Expert
Chair: Sami Zaptia, Co-Founder, Libya Herald
4.) Chatham House Forum: How Does Protesting Work in the Age of Social Media?
24 January 2018 | 18:00 to 19:00
The recognisable hashtags #BlackLivesMatter, #RefugeesWelcome and #BringBackOurGirls offer just a few examples of how online platforms are increasingly used to accelerate the growth of political and social movements.
In recent years, social media has changed the way in which activists are able to organize themselves, promote their message and mobilize support globally for physical demonstrations.
However, while social media has an obvious role in raising the profile of particular issues, are online tools such as petitions and hashtags more effective than traditional methods in affecting real change and impacting policy outcomes? Or are those involved simply ‘clicktivists’ who show no more commitment than pressing a button?
Professor Jacquelien van Stekelenburg will argue that while online networks have increased political participation, by allowing participants to frame their ideas through interactions with allies and opponents, physical protests remain vital to achieving change in the age of social media. During the discussion, she will outline how online and offline campaigns can be effectively combined to deliver maximum political impact.
Participants:
Professor Jacquelien van Stekelenburg, Faculty of Social Sciences, Social Change and Conflict (SCC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
5.) The Global Threat Landscape: Assessing the World’s Most Pressing Security Issues
25 January 2018 | 18:00 to 19:00
Over the last decade, new and evolving security concerns have confronted nation states and the international community. But which threats are most pressing and how can governments address and prioritise such a broad range of often interconnected security issues?
Drawing on his extensive experience within the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service, Douglas Wise will articulate a framework for understanding the global threats within the US and the West more broadly. Which specific security issues should be at the forefront of policy discussions? How do these issues interact with one another and what should be the role of both international and civil society organisations in mapping and combatting these global threats?
Participants:
Douglas Wise, Senior Intelligence Service, CIA (1989-2016); Deputy Director, Defence Intelligence Agency, (2014 -16)
Chair: Dr Jacob Parakilas, Deputy Head, US and the Americas Programme, Chatham House
About Chatham House Forums
Each Chatham House Forum considers a question around an important contemporary debate in international affairs. An expert speaker will offer a polemic in response - providing their answer to this question and outlining the key arguments that have convinced them of their position.
The audience then have the chance to query and challenge the speaker’s views in a Q&A session during the second half of the event. Each event will be followed by a reception with the speaker, allowing attendees to continue the conversation.
Location: Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE
Event details and booking information: Please click here
