A New Year of Global Conversations and Connections

Dear Members, Supporters, and Community Partners,

Happy New Year from all of us at the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council! As we turn the page to 2025, we’re filled with excitement for the year ahead and deeply grateful for the energy and commitment you bring to our shared mission.

This January, we invite you to join us for Jeffrey Ding’s fascinating exploration of technology, power, and global competition—an essential conversation for understanding how innovation shapes our world. And looking further ahead, we’re thrilled to announce our Spring 2025 Climate Change Series, where we’ll dive into sustainable solutions, cultural change, and building resilience in the face of global challenges.

We also take a moment to honor the memory of Jim Leach, whose legacy of thoughtful global engagement continues to inspire our work. His passion for diplomacy and education remains a guiding light as we foster meaningful dialogue and international connections.

As we embark on this new year, we’re more committed than ever to bringing timely, impactful programs to our community—and we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for your ongoing support, which has fueled our work for over 40 years and ensures we can keep these conversations going strong.

Here’s to a year of discovery, action, and connection!

In partnership,

Peter Gerlach

Executive Director

Iowa City Foreign Relations Council

Wed. 01/29 @ 12PM - Technology & the Rise of Great Powers w/LUNCH - @ICPL

February 19 – U.S. Foreign Policy – Global Challenges – Location TBD

March 7 – Biomass Cookstoves in India: Climate and Cultural Change – ICPL

March 29 – Green Architecture: Building for the Future – Unitarian Universalist Society - Coralville

April 4 – Fostering Climate Resilience Together – ICPL

April 11 – When Archives Meet Authoritarianism – ICPL

May 1 – Repatriation and NAGPRA – UI Library, Shambaugh Auditorium

ICFRC is proud to announce our Spring 2025 Climate Change Series, bringing together experts, community leaders, and researchers to explore innovative strategies for addressing climate challenges locally and globally. Through engaging discussions, this series will highlight practical solutions and collaborative efforts to build a more sustainable future.

The series begins on March 7 with Dr. Meena Khandelwal’s talk, Cookstoves in India: Climate and Cultural Change (12–1 PM, Iowa City Public Library), examining how sustainable technologies intersect with cultural traditions in India.

On March 29, Green Architecture: Building for the Future (10–11:30 AM, Unitarian Universalist Society, Coralville) features Keith Porter, Sally Obernolte, and Deb Schoelerman discussing environmentally conscious building practices and their impact on communities.

The series continues on April 4 with Fostering Climate Resilience Together (12–1:30 PM, Iowa City Public Library), a panel featuring William Gutowski, Jr., Martha Durr, Brandi Janssen, Linda Shenk, and others. This session highlights collaborative efforts among researchers, tribal communities, and women farmland-owners to foster climate resilience in the Midwest.

With more programs to be announced, the Spring 2025 Climate Change Series offers a unique opportunity to engage with critical environmental topics and learn how local and global communities are working toward meaningful change.

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA DEPARTMENTS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND CENTER FOR ASIAN AND PACIFIC STUDIES

In this talk, focused on his new book, Technology and the Rise of the Great Powers, Jeffrey Ding joins virtually to offer a different explanation of how technological revolutions affect competition among great powers. Rather than focusing on which state was the first to introduce major innovations, he investigates why some states were more successful than others at adapting and embracing general-purpose technologies at scale.

Drawing on historical case studies of past industrial revolutions and statistical analysis, Ding develops a theory that emphasizes institutional adaptations oriented around diffusing technological advances throughout the economy. Applying GPT diffusion theory to analyze US-China competition in AI, Ding’s book derives novel insights into how today’s technological breakthroughs will affect the US-China power balance and the optimal strategies for the US and China to pursue.

Jeffrey Ding, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. His book Technology and the Rise of Great Powers, published with Princeton University Press, investigates how past technological revolutions influenced the rise and fall of great powers, with implications for US–China competition in emerging technologies like AI. Ding’s research has been published in European Journal of International Relations, Foreign Affairs, International Studies Quarterly, Review of International Political Economy, and Security Studies. He received his DPhil in 2021 from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and earned his BA in 2016 at the University of Iowa.

Technology and the Rise of Great Powers w/LUNCH

Wednesday, January 29th, 2025

12:00PM - 1:00PM

Iowa City Public Library

Also Streaming Online

As we welcome the new year, ICFRC extends a heartfelt thank you to Lynette Marshall and Jeffery Ford! Their dedication to the Iowa City community and ICFRC reflects the spirit of collaboration that makes our work possible.

Thanks to individuals like Lynette and Jeffery, ICFRC continues to bring impactful programs to the community, fostering global understanding and meaningful dialogue. Your support helps us start the year with renewed purpose, advancing our mission and enriching the lives of those we serve.

Climate change is one of the most complex challenges of our time and there is no answer yet in sight for solving the global commons dilemma before it is too late.

As time is running out, the presentation shows that progress and a chance to reform states' positions for finding a cooperative path to safe climate world is feasible through introducing alternative pathways - the groundswell of climate actions, clubs and coalitions. This presentation proscribes that a secretariat function could usher the alternative pathways into a formal process as a mechanism to unlock global cooperation and what is currently being done.

The Challenge of Our Century - Climate Change

When: ​October 20, 2015

Speaker: Todd Edwards, PhD

The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council mourns the passing of Jim Leach, a beloved and longstanding champion of thoughtful global engagement. As a U.S. Representative for the Iowa City area, he dedicated decades to advocating for an active and responsible role for the United States in world affairs.

Jim’s passion for internationally focused education and community engagement extended far beyond his political career. Whether teaching at Princeton or the University of Iowa’s College of Law and Political Science Department, he inspired countless students with his deep knowledge and unwavering belief in diplomacy and dialogue. These values resonate deeply with ICFRC’s mission and work.

To his family, friends, and the many ICFRC members who knew him personally, we extend our heartfelt condolences. Jim’s legacy will continue to inspire us, and he will be deeply missed.

Our programming is made possible by our supporters just like you who have helped us reach communities across Iowa for nearly 40 years. Learn more about how your support is helping uplift communities and raising awareness about issues affecting our world.

Are there topics and speakers you would like to see brought to our community? Are you interested in being one of our speakers?