February 02, 2021
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On January 6, 2021, supporters of President Trump violently stormed the Capitol after attending a rally on the National Mall where Trump defended his belief that the election had been “stolen” from him. Five people died. Many saw it as inevitable, a cumulation of four years of President Trump and his administration testing the invisible boundaries of American democracy. Others called it a failed coup attempt. Regardless, the violence shocked the world, with many global leaders publicly expressing their anger and sadness while maintaining their belief in the strength of American democratic institutions.
But coups are not uncommon worldwide. According to the Pew Research Center, more than 75 countries (including a few that no longer exist – Czechoslovakia, North and South Yemen, and South Vietnam) have experienced at least one successful coup since World War II. Overall, while military and self-coups are on the decline, they still occur in the modern era: in 2013, Egyptian General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stormed the presidential palace riding his tank, toppling the first democratically civilian-elected President, Mohammed Morsi. In 2017, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was removed as president and party leader of ZANU-PF.
In the United States, Americans have struggled to define and comprehend what happened. Was it a riot? An uprising? A coup? And, perhaps more importantly, could it happen again? It’s unfamiliar territory for a nation committed to a peaceful transfer of power.
Join us as experts discuss the what it takes to overthrow a democracy, and offer some perspectives on what happened in the United States on January 6.
Panelists
- Naunihal Singh, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, U.S. Naval War College, and author, “Seizing Power: The Strategic Logic of Military Coups” - Emily Berman, J.D., LL.M.
Associate Professor, University of Houston Law Center
Moderator
- Tony Ganzer
Host/Producer, WCPN
The livestream will be available at cityclub.org at 7:30 p.m.
ADMISSION
Documentary songwriting is a powerful vehicle for telling women's stories. It turns difficult experiences into beautiful music, and through collaboration it creates lasting bonds between participants. These real, truthful stories can help connect even more people.
ACTIONS
An Uneasy Ambiguity: A New Path for U.S. – China Relations
Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Ivan Kanapathy is the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. From 2018 to 2021 he served on the White House’s National Security Council staff as director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia and deputy senior director for Asian affairs.
Why America’s Army Can’t Win America’s Wars: Ukraine, Afghanistan, and the Future of Conflict
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
John Nagl is Associate Professor of Warfighting Studies at the Army War College. A West Point graduate and retired Armor officer, he attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, earning his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in International Relations. His doctoral dissertation was published as “Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam.”
Nigeria: What is At Stake for Africa’s Largest Economy Facing Challenging 2023 Elections?
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Oge Onubogu is senior program officer for Africa Programs at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) where she leads programming in Nigeria. In this position, she provides leadership, strategic management, and oversees the design and implementation of projects to promote inclusion and community security by partnering with policymakers, civic leaders, and organizations in Nigeria.
Brazil’s Presidential Elections and Implications for U.S. – Brazil Bilateral Relations
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Liliana Ayalde is Senior Adviser in the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In her 38-year career as a Foreign Service Officer, she was dedicated to foreign affairs, development, defense and security in Latin America and the Caribbean. She served as the U.S. ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil from 2013-2016.
The Evolving World Order: How Geopolitics Shape American Security
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Richard Fontaine is the Chief Executive Office of the Center for a New American Security. Prior to CNAS, he was foreign policy advisor to Senator John McCain and worked at the State Department, the National Security Council (NSC), and on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Topic: U.S. – Saudi Arabia Relations
Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Dr. Courtney Freer is Visiting Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Emory University. Her academic work focuses on the domestic politics of the Arab Gulf states and Islamism.
What if…?: Scenarios for the Future of Ukraine
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Liana Fix is a Resident Fellow, German Marshall Fund; Professor, International Affairs, Koerber Foundation in Berlin. She is a historian and political scientist, and her work focuses on Russia and Eastern Europe and European security.
Topic: Global Food Security
Date in May to be determined
Speaker: To be announced in the new year
Foreign Policy Forum COVID-19 Guidelines
In light of the ongoing evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of our members, speakers, and staff remain a priority for the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. We ask that all Foreign Policy Forum attendees agree to maintain vigilance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by:
- Refraining from attending Foreign Policy Forum events if you:
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- Agreeing to comply with requests, such as masking, if necessary, made by CCWA staff to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Questions? Contact Amy Moniot, Manager of Programming at amoniot@ccwa.org or 216.255.9006.
VENUE INFORMATION
Who Am I As a Leader?
Cleveland and the Global Economy
Social & Political Change Around the Globe
Diplomatic Toolkit in Action
Who Am I As a Leader?
Cleveland and the Global Economy
Social & Political Change Around the Globe
Diplomatic Toolkit in Action
ADDITIONAL EVENT MATERIALS
A documentary song comes from a person's actual, lived experience. DocSongs document the emotions of that experience through music and share it with the world.
A documentary song comes from a person's actual, lived experience. DocSongs document the emotions of that experience through music and share it with the world.
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