The first class meeting following the successful completion of AU's immersive week in Belgium went on quite well, despite the students and professors juggling several logistical complications. With Daylight Savings coming to the United States two weeks before it takes effect in Europe, the AU students had to move the class to 1pm LT to match up with their KU Leuven counterparts. The class had to be held entirely on Zoom as following a week abroad, a few positive COVID tests had emerged among the students.
The class began with the first Transatlantic Policy Memorandum presentation (TPM), on the topic of Security, specifically looking at the issue of burden-sharing in defense spending and the role of NATO. To read the full memorandum, please check out the post entitled, "Transatlantic Policy Memorandum 1."
The students then enjoyed a mini lecture from guest speaker Professor Michael Smith of the University of Warwick in the UK, and KU Leuven, entitled "International Structures, Agency, and Transatlantic Order in an Insecure World." Professor Smith discussed international structures as drivers of transatlantic relations, key mechanisms in the evolution of the transatlantic order, the transatlantic order and the search for a "new agenda," and the new and old forces of transatlantic relations in an insecure world, specifically citing the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Following Professor Smith's insightful and timely lecture, the next Security TPM group presented their topic, "Fighting Online Radicalization: How the Transatlantic Alliance can Secure its Future." To view this full memo, please check out the TPM posts, and see "Transatlantic Policy Memorandum 2."
Despite the lingering jet lag and post-break tiredness, the students enjoyed an engaging and insightful class meeting.
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