Monday, January 25, 2016
Is Russia Punching Above Its Weight? –Center for Strategic and International Studies
Time: 10-11:30am
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036(map)
The past year has seen Russia deploying military forces to Syria to bolster the Assad regime, continuing a robust series of exercises on its western borders, and continuing to face accusations of military involvement in East Ukraine. Ruslan Pukhov, Director of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies in Moscow, will discuss Russia’s goal and its activities, the extent to which these are commensurate with its real military capabilities, and the technological, economic, and demographic foundations on which those capabilities rest.
Islam, Gender, And Extremism : Muslim Women In The Fight Against ISIS And Beyond– New America Foundation
Time: 12:15-1:45pm
Location: New America740 15th Street NW Suite 900 Washington, DC 20005(map)
ISIS has attracted an unprecedented number of women to jihadist extremism while simultaneously carrying out a brutal campaign of sexual violence against women under its control. Yet much of the discussion of community responses remains the province of men. As calls for counter-narratives to ISIS proliferate and theological arguments against ISIS are mobilized – what role will Muslim women play in contesting ISIS’ interpretation and in shaping today’s Muslim communities more broadly? Asra Nomani is an investigative journalist who worked for fifteen years at the Wall Street Journal and conducted an in-depth investigation into the murder of her friend and colleague Daniel Pearl. She is the author of Standing Alone: An American Woman’s Struggle for the Soul of Islam (2006) and co-founder of the Muslim Reform Movement, an organization that advocates for secular governance, gender parity, and social justice. Nadia Oweidat is a Senior Non-Residential Fellow at New America. She holds a D.Phil. in Oriental Studies from the University of Oxford and teaches Islamic Thought and Extremism at Georgetown University. Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr. Oweidat worked as a Research Associate at the RAND Corporation where she led several research projects. Her expertise spans a wide range of contemporary issues such as the Arab Spring, countering violent extremism, the relationship between Iran and the Arab world, the radicalization of Muslim youth, and Internet trends among Arabic speakers. Ani Zonneveld is the founder and president of Muslims for Progressive Values and, through its #ImamforShe initiative, campaigns to empower Imams and religious leaders across the world to stand up for the rights of women and girls in their community as an inoculation against extremism. A full bio of Ms. Zonneveld can be found here. New America is pleased to welcome Ms. Nomani, Dr. Oweidat, and Ms. Zonneveld for a discussion of gender, Muslim communities, and the fight against ISIS.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Navigating Against Cyber Attacks: Nonprofits & Data Security– Forum One
Time: 12:30-2pm
Location: OpenGov Hub1110 Vermont Ave NW #500, Washington, DC 20005(map)
Large Event Room
In 2015 alone, hackers gained access to more than one hundred million personal records stored by organizations from Anthem Health Insurance to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. With cyber criminals relentlessly targeting organizations of all sizes in the private and public sectors, it is clear that nonprofits are also not safe from the threat of data breaches. While many nonprofits have implemented firewalls and https protocols for sensitive digital information, paper-based forms or processes for encrypting and anonymizing personally-identifiable data remains a huge challenge. In other cases, nonprofits may find themselves altogether ill-prepared, with inadequate data security policies and practices in place to safeguard against digital attacks. Join Forum One on January 26th for a panel discussion with data security experts to share anecdotes, best practices, and approaches to addressing this critical challenge.
Iraqi Youth: Agents Of Change Or Soldiers Of Conflict?– United States Institute of Peace
Time: 1-2:30pm
Location: US Institute of Peace2301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. (map)
Please join USIP and IREX for a webcast event with two Iraqi university leaders who work closely with youth on issues of employment and opportunity. These representatives provide unique insight on the perspectives of young Iraqis and their involvement in civil society, the public sector and attitudes toward violent extremism. The two speakers will be joined by USIP’s Linda Bishai, who works to engage youth in civil society and political dialogue and who will discuss effective options for constructive alternatives to violent extremism. Join the conversation on Twitter, and pose questions for the panel, with #IraqiYouth.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Investing In Sustainable Infrastructure– Center for Strategic and International Studies
Time: 2-3pm
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036(map)
Please join us at CSIS for an expert panel discussion on meeting infrastructure demands around the world. According to the World Bank’s Global Infrastructure Facility, the unmet demand for infrastructure around the world is estimated to be above $1 trillion per year. Meeting the financing need for bankable and sustainable projects must be a priority, for both governments and the private sector, in the coming decades. In addition to financing needs, donors and the private sector must work together to build capacity and provide technical assistance that will ensure continued success long after the individual projects have been completed. Panelists will discuss ways in which infrastructure can become a driver of development and stability, and how targeted investments in smart projects and capacity building can produce measurable results to pave the way for sustainable economic growth in low and middle-income countries. Additional details to follow. Please RSVP to ppd@csis.org at your earliest convenience.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
The Future Of ISIS: Lessons From Other Insurgencies– RAND Corporation
Time: 6pm
Location: RAND1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202 (map)
‘ISIS will become more deadly before it dies,’ says RAND counterterrorism expert Seth Jones. In an exclusive conversation with RANDNext, Jones will discuss what history indicates about the future for ISIS. He draws on a study of insurgent groups since World War II, looking at their strategies, tactics, structure, outside support, and how they eventually ended. Jones will explain why ISIS might increasingly turn to terrorism abroad as it faces an uphill military battle and loss of territory in Syria and Iraq. He will talk about the threats posed by U.S. and European nationals returning to their home countries from Syria, and he will address concerns about accepting Syrian refugees. If you are interested in attending this event or learning more about our young professionals network, RANDNext, please email us at RANDNext@rand.org.
The Closing Of The Russian Mind: Freedom Of Expression In Putin’s Russia- Atlantic Council
Time: 4-5:30pm
Location: Atlantic Council1030 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005 (map)
Room: 12th Floor (West Tower)
As political controls tighten over freedom of expression in Russia, the Atlantic Council and PEN America have the pleasure to host four prominent Russian writers who will provide the audience with an inside view on how censorship and the closing of the creative space are used by the Kremlin to control discourse. The panelists will also discuss how the international community can support Russian intellectuals standing up for free expression and help defend open discourse in present-day Russia. We hope you can join us for this important and timely discussion.
Friday, January 29, 2016
Cyberspace And National Security Issues Today–Institute of World Politics
Time: 11:30am-1pm
Location: Institute of World Politics1521 16th Street NW Washington, DC (map)
Featuring Lt. Gen. Edward C. CardonCommanding General, U.S. Army Cyber Command and Second Army. To be followed immediately by a Cyber Intelligence Institute Discussion Panel with IWP’s Cyber Intelligence subject matter experts in government and private sector organizations. Register
The Navy’s Vision For Unmanned Systems– Center for Strategic and International Studies
Time: 10-11am
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies1616 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036(map)
The Maritime Security Dialogue brings together CSIS and U.S. Naval Institute, two of the nation’s most respected non-partisan institutions. The series is intended to highlight the particular challenges facing the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, from national level maritime policy to naval concept development and program design. Given budgetary challenges, technological opportunities, and ongoing strategic adjustments, the nature and employment of U.S. maritime forces are likely to undergo significant change over the next ten to fifteen years. The Maritime Security Dialogue provides an unmatched forum for discussion of these issues with the nation’s maritime leaders.
The Pandora Report 