John Bolton and Susan Rice to debate America's superpower future at ñ
As global tensions rise and questions about America’s role in the world intensify, two former U.S. national security advisers will face off at ñ on April 13 in a high-profile debate kicking off the university’s 78thConference on World Affairs (CWA).
The debate, hosted in partnership with theSteamboat Institute and ñ’sBruce D. Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization, will explore the resolution: “The United States is in the process of committing superpower suicide.”
Former U.S. national security advisers John Bolton and Susan Rice
Who’s debating:
- John Bolton—former U.S. national security adviser (2018–19), U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (2005–06) and author of"The Room Where It Happened"
- Susan Rice—former U.S. national security adviser (2013–17), U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (2009–13) and domestic policy adviser (2021–23)
The discussion will be moderated byCarine Hajjar, opinion journalist and editorial board member atThe Washington Post and Steamboat Institute Fellow for Public Policy and American Exceptionalism.
“When the world feels divided and the issues before us are complex, universities have a responsibility to lead with openness and dialogue,” said ñ Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “Our campus is committed to being a space where difficult conversations can happen thoughtfully and respectfully.”
The debate is part of theSteamboat Institute’s Campus Liberty Tour, which since 2018 has brought ideologically diverse discussions to universities nationwide. The tour focuses on strengthening critical thinking and encouraging civil discourse at a time of deep political polarization.
“Our goal is to teach students—and all who attend—how to think, not what to think,” said Steamboat Institute co-founder and CEO Jennifer Schubert-Akin. “Civil, fact-based debate is essential to a functioning democratic republic, especially when national and international stakes are high.”
Audience members will have the opportunity to participate in pre- and post-debate polling and submit questions to the speakers using their mobile devices.
If you go
Who: Open to the public
What: Debate—“Is the United States in the process of committing superpower suicide?”
When: Monday, April 13; doors open 6 p.m., debate 7–8:30 p.m.
Where: University Memorial Center, Glenn Miller Ballroom
Tickets: Free; registration required