We will have a limited amount of briefing books available for purchase ($15 - cash or check only) or for checkout. If you wish to purchase a briefing book, visit the Service Desk.
Upcoming Events
Lecture/Speaker
Learn from experts about a variety of topics that hit close to home and span the globe.
Great Decisions, a project of the Foreign Policy Association, is a grassroots world affairs education program which brings together Americans from across the nation to discover and discuss foreign policy issues.
Disclaimer(s)
Accessibility
Individuals requesting accommodation for disabilities should contact the Library's ADA Manager Stacey Bialek at 920-686-3008 or sbialek@manitowoc.org. Reasonable accommodations will be made as quickly as possible, often within a week.
Lecture/Speaker
Learn from experts about a variety of topics that hit close to home and span the globe.
Great Decisions, a project of the Foreign Policy Association, is a grassroots world affairs education program which brings together Americans from across the nation to discover and discuss foreign policy issues.
Disclaimer(s)
Accessibility
Individuals requesting accommodation for disabilities should contact the Library's ADA Manager Stacey Bialek at 920-686-3008 or sbialek@manitowoc.org. Reasonable accommodations will be made as quickly as possible, often within a week.
Lecture/Speaker
Learn from experts about a variety of topics that hit close to home and span the globe.
Great Decisions, a project of the Foreign Policy Association, is a grassroots world affairs education program which brings together Americans from across the nation to discover and discuss foreign policy issues.
Disclaimer(s)
Accessibility
Individuals requesting accommodation for disabilities should contact the Library's ADA Manager Stacey Bialek at 920-686-3008 or sbialek@manitowoc.org. Reasonable accommodations will be made as quickly as possible, often within a week.
Lecture/Speaker
Learn from experts about a variety of topics that hit close to home and span the globe.
Great Decisions, a project of the Foreign Policy Association, is a grassroots world affairs education program which brings together Americans from across the nation to discover and discuss foreign policy issues.
Disclaimer(s)
Accessibility
Individuals requesting accommodation for disabilities should contact the Library's ADA Manager Stacey Bialek at 920-686-3008 or sbialek@manitowoc.org. Reasonable accommodations will be made as quickly as possible, often within a week.
About the Program
Great Decisions, a project of the Foreign Policy Association, is a grassroots world affairs education program which brings together Americans from across the nation to discover and discuss foreign policy issues. Over the course of eight weeks, scholars will introduce each issue, and participants may explore their own views and those of the group.
PLEASE NOTE: Great Decisions 2026 will be presented in a hybrid format—offered in-person in MPL’s Balkansky Community Room, as well as livestreamed simultaneously online on both our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/manitowoclibrary) and YouTube channel (unless otherwise indicated).
This program is made possible with great sponsors like:
- League of Women Voters of Manitowoc County
- Manitowoc Public Library Foundation
- Manitowoc Public Library
- Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
And participants like you!
2026 Speakers & Topics
Upcoming Events:
February 2: Trump Tariffs and the Future of the World Economy
Speaker: Pablo Toral, PhD, Beloit College
Topic: Trump’s aggressive trade and tariff policies have shaken global economic norms. What’s the rationale behind this radical shift in economic policy, and what are the implications for multilateral trade and geopolitics?
February 9: Ruptured Alliances and the Risk of Nuclear Proliferation
Speaker: Martin Farrell, PhD, Ripon College (Retired)
Topic: U.S. alliance skepticism may drive countries like Japan and South Korea to reconsider nuclear options. What are the implications of the Trump administration’s rethinking of the U.S. alliance system for regional and global security? Will this new uncertainty alter the way allies and rivals in various regions make decisions about security and nuclear weapons?
February 16: U.S.-China Relations
Speaker: Shale Horowitz, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Topic: Relations with China remain tense, with tariffs, military modernization, and pressure on Taiwan. Does Trump have a coherent China policy, and will his tariffs on Rare Earth minerals be effective? What are America’s strategic options?
February 23: Ukraine and the Future of European Security
Speaker: Yoshiko Herrera, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Topic: With reduced U.S. support for NATO and Ukraine, Europe faces strategic uncertainty. The Trump administration has signaled an intention to reduce its security role in Europe. What are America’s stakes in NATO and Europe’s strategic dilemmas, and how might Europe respond?
March 2: Multilateral Institutions in a Changing World Order
Speaker: Amitabh Pal, Journalist/former Editor of The Progressive, Adjunct Professor at Edgewood College, Madison
Topic: Can multilateralism survive amid shifting global power and rising nationalism? This chapter examines the future of global cooperation across trade, health, and finance.
March 19: America and the World: Trump 2.0 Foreign Policy
Speaker: Beth Dougherty, PhD, Beloit College
Topic: Trump’s return has marked a break from 80 years of U.S. foreign policy leadership, embracing an “America First” approach. This chapter explores the risks of isolation and diminished influence in relation to Trump 2.0 foreign policy.
March 16: U.S. Engagement of Africa
Speaker: Heinz Klug, S.J.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School
Topic: Africa’s geopolitical role is growing. What lessons can the U.S. learn from China’s presence there, and how might it strengthen ties, especially with leading nations like Nigeria? What tools of statecraft might the U.S. bring to its engagement with Africa?
March 23 *ONLINE ONLY*: The Future of Human Rights and International Law
Speaker: Alise Coen, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Topic: As democracy and human rights retreat globally—and the U.S. pulls back—how can civil society and legal norms remain effective in a divided world? What is the role and force of international law in this era of impunity?