SMOKESCREENS: A Lunchtime Seminar with Joseph Slaughter

Join the Committee on Global Thought on February 29th for SMOKESCREENS: A Lunchtime Seminar with Joseph Slaughter.  This seminar will discuss Slaughter’s analysis of the intertwined histories of the rise of neoliberalism and our contemporary human rights language through  Julio Cortázar’s Fantomas versus the Multinational Vampires (1975). The superhero comic about a corporate plot to […]

Feb. 29th MA in Global Thought Information Session

  Join the Committee on Global Thought for a conversation on how an MA in Global Thought contributes to one’s academic and professional career. The Master of Arts in Global Thought takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical global issues. This academic program challenges students to engage with new concepts and generate innovative questions as […]

Where Is the University?

Please join the Committee on Global Thought for a workshop that explores the place of the university in today’s society. The place of universities in today’s world is more uncertain than ever. Broadly, and under dramatically different conditions, universities worldwide have de-emphasized their historical commitment the cultivation of critical thought and the pursuit of basic […]

Global Language Justice Book Launch

Join us for a Book Launch of Global Language Justice.  This event will be a panel discussion featuring Emily Apter (NYU), Brent Hayes Edwards, Irina Kalinka, Lydia H. Liu, Anupama Rao, and Charlotte Silverman, moderated by Reinhold Martin (all CU).

What If the Economy Worked for Democracy?

Columbia’s Center for Political Economy invites you to a discussion by leading scholars who bring their expertise in law, economics, classics, and political science to bear on this pressing question during a time of great uncertainty. Bridging traditional divisions that separate academic disciplines, this vital conversation will explore structural forces undermining shared prosperity, tradeoffs inherent […]

From Meiji to Now: The Making of Modern Japan

  Please join CGT Faculty Member Carol Gluck at the Asia Society, as she speaks on Meiji era Japan in a global context as part of the conversation, “From Meiji to Now: The Making of Modern Japan.” This program will focus on the transformations in politics, society, and culture Japan experienced during the Meiji era […]

Jan. 9th MA in Global Thought Information Session

Join the Committee on Global Thought for a conversation about the academic and professional aspects of the MA in Global Thought. The Master of Arts in Global Thought takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical global issues. This academic program challenges students to engage with new concepts and generate innovative questions as they examine the […]

Dec. 6th MA in Global Thought Information Session

Join Assistant Director of Academic Programs Farryl Last and Graduate Program Director Sarah Miller-Davenport in conversation with CGT Alumna Madeline Macdonald (Class of 2023) for a discussion about the academic and professional aspects of the MA in Global Thought. The Master of Arts in Global Thought takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical global issues. […]

Nov. 30th MA in Global Thought Information Session

Join Executive Director Beth Semaya and Graduate Program Director Sarah Miller-Davenport in conversation with alumni Alisa Schaible (Class of 2023) and Diya Radhakrishna (Class of 2023) about how the MA in Global Thought benefits both their professional and academic insights. The Master of Arts in Global Thought takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical global […]

A Global and Transhistorical View of Artificial Intelligence: Labor and Rights

This panel discussion on issues typically overlooked in recent debates on artificial intelligence brings together leading scholars of AI’s exploitative labor practices, and the embedded exclusionary injustices and uneven geographies. The event marks the beginning a robust conversation hosted by the Committee on Global Thought in partnership with other institutions at Columbia and beyond, about […]

MA in Global Thought Information Session

The Master of Arts in Global Thought takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical global issues. This academic program challenges students to engage with new concepts and generate innovative questions as they examine the complexities of our interconnected and always evolving world. Students take courses taught by members of the Committee on Global Thought, an […]

Lunchtime Seminar with Kusha Sefat

Join us on October 18th from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM for a discussion on Islamism and Post-Islamism in Iran with Kusha Sefat. Lunch is provided. No registration is required.

Global Thought Scholars Information Session II

Join us on Zoom to learn more about the Global Thought Scholars program. The urgent challenges confronting our world today require new and cross-cutting ways of thinking and acting. Global Thought Scholars are undergraduates who wish to engage in this work through participation in the work of the Committee on Global Thought and interdisciplinary collaboration […]

On the Trail of Capital Flight: Book Launch

Please join the Committee on Global Thought and Security in Context for a public panel and book launch of On the Trail of Capital Flight From Africa: The Takers and The Enablers (Oxford University Press 2022) by Professors Leonce Ndikumana and James Boyce. The book investigates the dynamics of capital flight from Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, and South […]

Global Thought Scholars Research Symposium

Please join us for the 2023 Research Symposium of the Global Thought Scholars Program. Students will present key findings of their summer research projects and discuss their experiences as Global Thought Scholars. The symposium will be followed by a reception.

Global Thought Scholars Information Session I

Join us on Zoom to learn more about the Global Thought Scholars program. The urgent challenges confronting our world today require new and cross-cutting ways of thinking and acting. Global Thought Scholars are undergraduates who wish to engage in this work through participation in the work of the Committee on Global Thought and interdisciplinary collaboration […]

Cooperation Democracy: A UCGT Conversation

Join the Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought (UCGT) for a conversation with Professor Bernard Harcourt about his new book, Cooperation.  This event is for undergraduates only.  

Reimagining the University: Local Knowledge, Global Change

Reimagining the University explores the historical foundations, contemporary patterns, and possible transformations of the modern research university. Moderated by Shahrzad Sabet (COMIT/NYU) and Benjamin Schewel (COMIT). Join us on June 30th for a conversation with Richa Kumar and Miguel Altieri for a discussion centered around ties between local knowledge and global change. Register for the online […]

Strengthening Party Control and Coordination over Social Policy in China: The 2023 Formation and Roles of the Central Social Affairs Department of the Chinese Communist Party

While social policy and social affairs have long been under Party control in China, new developments at and after the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in October 2022 now promise to further strengthen that control and coordination. In this talk, Professor Mark Sidel, a longtime specialist in civil society and nonprofit issues in China, […]

Film Screening of “Zwigato” with Director Nandita Das

About the film: The film is set in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It explores the life of Manas, an ex-factory floor manager and his family. After losing his job, Manas is forced to work as a food delivery rider, grappling with the app on his phone and the world of ratings and incentives. He struggles to make […]

Reimagining The University

Reimagining the University This series explores the historical foundations, contemporary patterns, and possible transformations of the modern research university. Co-sponsored by the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University, the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University, and the Center on Modernity in Transition. To learn more about the series and register for the […]

The Fight for Representation: The State of Chinese Americans Survey

Chinese Americans are historically underrepresented in politics and policy, and underserved in healthcare, education, and social services. How do you work to solve these problems? The first step is getting clear and concise data on Chinese Americans, one of the fastest growing populations in the U.S. Chinese Americans have diverse backgrounds and diverse needs – […]

Refugee Cities Symposium on the Urban Dimensions of Forced Displacement

The Refugee Cities Working Group at the Center for the Study of Social Difference, Columbia University, presents an interdisciplinary public symposium, “Refugee Cities: Urban Dimensions of Forced Displacement.” The Refugee Cities Working Group’s concerns lie at the intersection of urban studies on the one hand and, on the other, the humanistic and social justice-oriented study […]

Worlds at Waste: The Crisis of Water in the Subcontinent

The focus of this day-long workshop, “Worlds at Waste: Water,” is to reflect on recent climate events that have caused massive displacement in southern Pakistan, southwest India, and Bangladesh. It aims to bring together scientists and social scientists to help look through the lens of historical pasts, politics, and embedded presents. Devastation and displacement from […]

CGT Lunchtime Seminar with Qin Gao

Join us on April 5th for a Lunchtime Seminar with Professor Qin Gao to discuss how the composition and dynamics of social policy change in the Xi Jinping era, and their impact on income inequality. The conversation will focus on Gao’s research regarding urban policy in China.  Lunch is provided. For more information about the […]

Power | Culture: Fields of Vision, Fields of Practice

Columbia University Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought presents: Power | Culture: Fields of Vision, Fields of Practice Friday, March 31, 2023, 10:00 AM EST – 12:00 PM EST Join the Undergraduate Committee of Global Thought for a conference on the interplay of power and culture in a global context. Global social and political movements illustrate […]

Paulo Freire in the Arab World: A Lunchtime Seminar with Silvia Ferabolli

Please join the Committee on Global Thought on March 7th for a conversation with Silvia Ferabolli, discussing the influence of Paulo Freire in the Arab World.  To get access to the reading material beforehand or any additional questions, please email cgtmail@gmail.com. For more information, please visit cgt.columbia.edu.

Reimagining Global: The Place of the University

Universities, with their borders constantly shifting, their scale and scope expanding and contracting, have long been sites of encounter, imagination, and exchange worldwide. How to reclaim the place of knowledge production, or to reinvent its meaning, at a time when globality in its various, contradictory forms is experiencing a crisis on several fronts? In what […]

M.A. in Global Thought: Virtual Information Session

M.A. in Global Thought PROSPECTIVE STUDENT VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSION FEBRUARY 10TH | 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM ET REGISTER HERE The Master of Arts in Global Thought takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical global issues. This academic program challenges students to engage with new concepts and generate innovative questions as they examine the complexities […]

M.A. in Global Thought: Virtual Information Session

M.A. in Global Thought PROSPECTIVE STUDENT VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSION JANUARY 12TH, 2023 | 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM ET REGISTER HERE The Master of Arts in Global Thought takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical global issues. This academic program challenges students to engage with new concepts and generate innovative questions as they examine the […]

Discussing the Still-Unfolding Chilean Constitutional Journey

Join us for a discussion with Professor Alvez facilitated by Dr Jackie Dugard (senior lecturer at ISHR, and sister iSERP member) Amaya Alvez Marín is a Law Professor in the Faculty of Legal and Social Sciences at the University of Concepción in Chile, where she focuses on Constitutional Law and Human Rights. She is also […]

M.A. in Global Thought: Virtual Information Session

M.A. in Global Thought PROSPECTIVE STUDENT VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSION DECEMBER 5TH, 2022 | 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM ET REGISTER HERE The Master of Arts in Global Thought takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical global issues. This academic program challenges students to engage with new concepts and generate innovative questions as they examine the […]

CGT Lunchtime Seminar with Maurício Santoro

Join Maurício Santoro to discuss his book, “Brazil-China Relations in the 21st Century: The Making of a Strategic Partnership.” This book explores the bilateral relationship between Brazil and China in modern history, environment, economics, and contemporary Brazilian politics.  This seminar will cover how China has become Brazil’s largest trading partner, importing commodities and exporting manufactures and […]

Lunchtime Seminar – Rooted Globalism: Arab-Latin American Business Elites and the Politics of Global Imaginaries

On November 1st, author Kevin Funk will discuss the launch of his new book, Rooted Globalism: Arab–Latin American Business Elites and the Politics of Global Imaginaries. Based on extensive fieldwork in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, Funk illuminates how these elites navigate their Arab ancestry, Latin American host cultures, and roles as protagonists of globalization.  Fayerweather […]

Book Launch and Panel Discussion with Kian Tajbakhsh

Join author Kian Tajbakhsh in a panel discussion about his most recent book, “Creating Local Democracy in Iran: State Building and the Politics of Decentralization.” With a combination of historical, political, and financial field research, it explores the multifaceted dimensions of local power and how various ideologically opposed actors shaped local government as an integral […]

Reimagining Global: Are Extreme Crises the Only Way Forward?

The world today is more turbulent, more polarized, and more at-risk than in decades. Paradoxically, the many existential threats to our universe—natural and manmade—require global collaboration if we have any chance of success. How, then, should we think about the concept of “global” today?  What do we need to do to create a more collective vision of the world that will […]

M.A. in Global Thought: Prospective Student Virtual Information Session

M.A. in Global Thought Prospective Student Virtual Information Session TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022 | 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM ET REGISTER HERE The Master of Arts in Global Thought takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring critical global issues. This academic program challenges students to engage with new concepts and generate innovative questions as they examine […]

Lunchtime Seminar – The First 21st Century: From Globalization to Fragmentation

To explain the various forms of domestic and global turbulence that have emerged in recent years, Prof. Jean-Marie Guéhenno argues that we need to understand that we are living in a period of profound social crisis defined by a backlash against traditional political institutions as well as a neoliberal, hyper-individualist ideology. In this Lunchtime Seminar, […]

“Last Call at the Hotel Imperial”: A Conversation between Deborah Cohen and Adam Tooze

Join acclaimed historians Deborah Cohen and Adam Tooze in a conversation about Last Call at the Hotel Imperial. Hailed by the New Yorker as “effervescent,” Cohen’s recent book explores a globe-trotting set of interwar American reporters who raised the alarm about the rise of fascism and rewrote the rules of journalism along the way. Last Call […]

The Meddlers: Sovereignty, Empire, and the Birth of Global Economic Governance

To understand international economic institutions’ origins and the ideas and dynamics that shaped their controversial powers, we must turn back to the explosive political struggles that attended the birth of global economic governance in the early twentieth century. Join Jamie Martin for a lecture and panelists Jack L. Snyder, Mark Mazower, and Susan Pedersen on […]

Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought: Talk with Professor Neil Aggarwal

On September 21, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Professor Neil Aggarwal, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia and Research Psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute will join the Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought to discuss “Exploring Power-Culture Dynamics in a Global Context: Lessons from Cultural Psychiatry.” This will kick-off the UCGT’s exploration of this year’s theme […]

CGT Virtual Book Talk

The Committee on Global Thought Presents: CGT Virtual Book Talk A Discussion With Best-Selling Author and CGT Alumna ‘17 Nikki Erlick THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 | 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM ET   The Committee on Global Thought invites M.A. in Global Thought alumni and the Class of 2023 to an exclusive virtual book talk […]

Mass Intellectuality? An ICLS Annual Conference 2022

The Committee on Global Thought proudly Co-Sponsors: Mass Intellectuality? An Institute for Comparative Literature and Society Annual Conference 2022 April 20 and 22, 2022 Long viewed as an engine of sociality mobility, the university is in crisis. Our day-long convening will inaugurate ongoing reflection on themes regarding the university as infrastructure and ideological apparatus including: […]

CGT Lunchtime Seminar with Yasmine Ergas

Yasmine Ergas, Rosalind C. Morris

Was Gender Liberal? Tuesday April 12 | 12:30-1:30 PM ET On Tuesday, April 12th, spend your break with Professor Yasmine Ergas and Professor Rosalind C. Morris as they discuss the role of gender in liberal thought. For over a decade, illiberal governments and movements have not only targeted gender rights but also so-called “gender ideology”, […]

The Urgency of Global Ethics

Columbia University Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought presents: The Urgency of Global Ethics: Notions of Justice in an Interconnected World Friday, April 8, 2022, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET   Join the Undergraduate Committee of Global Thought for a conference on the Urgency of Global Ethics. The rise of globalization has complicated our understanding […]

New Utopias: How Would You Make the Most of Your Longer Life?

Dr. Vishakha N Desai, Linda Fried, Isabella Aboderin, John Beard

The Committee on Global Thought is a Co-Sponsor of: New Utopias: How Would You Make the Most of Your Longer Life? In a utopia, our “golden” years are filled with strong social bonds, good health. and security. How do you envision your last third of life? With great gains in longevity in the 20th Century, […]

CGT Lunchtime Seminar with Nikhar Gaikwad

Nikhar Gaikwad, Andreas Wimmer

Join Professor Nikhar Gaikwad as he discusses how labor mobility in the global economy reshapes the identities and attitudes of migrants. Moderated by Professor Andreas Wimmer, the discussion will illustrate how globalization holds the potential for altering intergroup relations in the developing world. Register Here

Global Youth Summit on Climate Action

Tell your story, share your ideas, scale our solutions in a conversation led by youth, for youth. The Global Youth Summit on Climate Action will bring together young people from around the world to examine the global climate crisis from multiple local perspectives. By going beyond the narratives and popular figures that dominate media coverage […]

A Conversation on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in International Affairs

Tiffany Batiste, Aasha Shaik, Hayat Aljowaily, Vishakha N. Desai

The Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought presents: A Conversation on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in International Affairs Tuesday, March 29, 7-8pm ET   The field of international affairs ⁠— which spans across governments, international organizations, non-profits, and academic institutions ⁠— continues to grapple with how to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels. Join […]

CGT Lunchtime Seminar with Perry Mehrling

Perry Mehrling, Katharina Pistor

Money and Empire: Charles P. Kindleberger and the Dollar System Perry Mehrling Moderated by Katharina Pistor Monday, February 21 | 12:00 to 1:00 PM ET The CGT Lunchtime Seminars are an informal forum for scholars to discuss current research assessing issues of global importance with members of the Columbia community, including students. Learn more about the […]

The Model International Mobility Convention: Migrants, Refugees and Responsibility Sharing

Michael Doyle, Janine Prantl, Mark Wood, Dorothea Koehn

THE COMMITTEE ON GLOBAL THOUGHT IS A PROUD CO-SPONSOR OF: The Model International Mobility Convention: Migrants, Refugees and Responsibility Sharing In this session Professor Michael Doyle, Dr. Janine Prantl and Mr. Mark Wood will be speaking about the Model International Mobility Convention and about responsibility-sharing by culpability and capability. Prof. Michael Doyle will begin the session by discussing the need for the convention as well […]

Youth in India and China: Hopes and Anxieties Amidst Global Change

Vivan Marwaha, Zak Dychtwald, Dr. Vishakha N. Desai

The Committee on Global Thought Presents: Youth in India and China: Hopes and Anxieties Amidst Global Change A Conversation Between Authors Zak Dychtwald and Vivan Marwaha Moderated by Dr. Vishakha N. Desai, Chair of CGT and President Emerita of Asia Society THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM ET   Young people […]

How Rights Went Wrong: Why Our Obsession With Rights Is Tearing America Apart

Jamal Greene

THE COMMITTEE ON GLOBAL THOUGHT IS A PROUD CO-SPONSOR OF: Labor Rights in the Fissured, Gig, and Algorithmic Economy: Exploring the regulation of work and the protection of workers’ rights in the changing global economy Among the most vexing questions for modern times is how to think about the rights of individuals under conditions of […]

Labor Rights in the Fissured, Gig, and Algorithmic Economy: Exploring the regulation of work and the protection of workers’ rights in the changing global economy

Kate Andrias , Ruth Dukes, Guy Mundlak, Brishen Rogers

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: Labor Rights in the Fissured, Gig, and Algorithmic Economy: Exploring the regulation of work and the protection of workers’ rights in the changing global economy Around the globe, the workplace is increasingly fissured and work has become ever more precarious as companies rely on subcontracting, […]

The Way Forward? Art Museums and the Age of Crises

Vishakha N. Desai, Dr. Arjun Appadurai, Anne Pasternak, Kamini Sawhney, Matthew Teitelbaum

The Committee on Global Thought Presents: The Way Forward? Art Museums and the Age of Crises Part of Politics of Visual Arts in a Changing World, a project of the Committee on Global Thought   Friday, December 10, 2021 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET Even before the Covid crisis forced museums to close […]

Technologies of Power Series | MEMORY | Praxis & Resistance

Majd al-Shihabi, Emran Feroz, Sarah Hamid

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: MEMORY | Praxis & Resistance This year, as the US surpasses half a million deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic fascists attempt a coup, the country will also mark the 20th anniversary of the US-led Global War on Terror. How did global and national […]

WTO 2.0: The Return (to Prominence) Through the JSI: The road to renewed policy relevance for the multilateral trading regime passes through a re-orientation of its legislative activity, and the manner in which it will engage with free-trade area

Petros C. Mavroidis, Brad McDonald, Michele Ruta

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: WTO 2.0: The Return (to Prominence) Through the JSI: The road to renewed policy relevance for the multilateral trading regime passes through a re-orientation of its legislative activity, and the manner in which it will engage with free-trade area The WTO (World Trade Organization) has […]

Technologies of Power Series | TRACE

Zainab Bahrani , Rosie Bsheer, Priya Satia

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: TRACE This year, as the US surpasses half a million deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic fascists attempt a coup, the country will also mark the 20th anniversary of the US-led Global War on Terror. How did global and national politics coalesce into this […]

CGT Lunchtime Seminar with Bernard E. Harcourt

Bernard E. Harcourt, David K. Park

On Worldly Philosophers and Cooperation Bernard E. Harcourt Moderated by David K. Park Friday, November 19 | 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET The CGT Lunchtime Seminars are an informal forum for scholars to discuss current research assessing issues of global importance with members of the Columbia community, including students. Learn more about the CGT […]

International Dispute Resolution: Transnational Litigation and International Arbitration

George Bermann

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: International Dispute Resolution: Transnational Litigation and International Arbitration With the steady increase in international transactions and relationships comes an increase in international disputes. The principal means of resolving such disputes are litigation in national courts and international arbitration before a privately selected arbitrator or panel […]

Technologies of Power Series | OPACITY | The Arts of War

Simone Browne, Ronak K. Kapadia, Nada Shabout

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: OPACITY | The Arts of War This year, as the US surpasses half a million deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic fascists attempt a coup, the country will also mark the 20th anniversary of the US-led Global War on Terror. How did global and […]

The Future of Liberal Democracy in the Era of Surveillance Capitalism and Digital Authoritarianism

Anu Bradford

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: The Future of Liberal Democracy in the Era of Surveillance Capitalism and Digital Authoritarianism This lecture will examine the ideological origins, societal implications, as well as the relative global influence of three contrasting regulatory approaches towards the digital economy: the US’s techno-libertarianism, China’s digital authoritarianism, […]

Technologies of Power Series | ENCLOSURE | States of Surveillance

Darren Byler, Charlton McIlwain, Helga Tawil-Souri

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: ENCLOSURE | States of Surveillance This year, as the US surpasses half a million deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic fascists attempt a coup, the country will also mark the 20th anniversary of the US-led Global War on Terror. How did global and national […]

The State of the World Economy in the Age of COVID and Beyond

Adam Tooze, Raghuram Rajan

The Committee on Global Thought presents: The State of the World Economy in the Age of COVID and Beyond A Conversation Between Raghuram Rajan and Adam Tooze Tuesday, October 19, 2021 | 5:30 – 6:30 PM ET Adam Tooze, CGT Member and author of “Shutdown: How Covid Shook the World’s Economy,” and Raghuram Rajan, Former […]

(Co-Sponsor) The Ascent of the Middlemen: How middlemen came to be the largest and most powerful companies in the world, why it matters, and what can be done

Kathryn Judge

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: The Ascent of the Middlemen: How middlemen came to be the largest and most powerful companies in the world, why it matters, and what can be done Amazon and Walmart are the two biggest revenue generators and two biggest employers in the United States. Their […]

(Co-Sponsor) Technologies of Power Series | PLACE | Land & Geographies of Power

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: PLACE | Land & Geographies of Power This year, as the US surpasses half a million deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic fascists attempt a coup, the country will also mark the 20th anniversary of the US-led Global War on Terror. How did global […]

UCGT Global Thought Lab: Global Corporate Social Responsibility

Chloe Autio, Khendrick Beausoleil, Morgan Grant

The Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought Presents: Global Thought Lab A Conversation on Global Corporate Social Responsibility Thursday, October 7 | 5:30 – 6:30 PM ET Join the UCGT for an interactive discussion on the role of corporations and corporate interests in global social good in order to understand what their social responsibilities are, not […]

CGT Lunchtime Seminar with Anjuli Fatima Raza Kolb

Anjuli Fatima Raza Kolb, Joseph Slaughter

Epidemic Empire: Colonialism, Contagion, and Terror, 1817-2020 Anjuli Fatima Raza Kolb Moderated by CGT Member Joseph Slaughter, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University Monday, October 4 | 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET The CGT Lunchtime Seminars are an informal forum for scholars to discuss current research assessing issues of global importance […]

Undergraduate Talk on Contested Memory and Mass Violence: Understanding the Experience of the Comfort Women

Carol Gluck

The Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought presents Talks with Professors Contested Memory and Mass Violence: Understanding the Experience of the Comfort Women Professor Carol Gluck Co-sponsored by the Alliance for Historical Dialogue and Accountability  In this second event in the Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought’s exploration of the Politics of Memory, Professor Carol Gluck […]

(Co-Sponsor) Toward Sustainable Corporate Governance: Where Are We Headed? At What Speed?

John C. Coffee Jr. , Pierre-Henri Conac, Luca Enriques, Jennifer Hill

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: Toward Sustainable Corporate Governance: Where Are We Headed? At What Speed? Europe and the United States are moving in the same direction, but at different speeds, toward a model of sustainable corporate governance. In the United States, corporate law is a matter of state law […]

(Co-Sponsor) Technologies of Power Series | GEOPOLITICS | What is US Empire?

Samar Al-Bulushi, Darryl Li, John Muthyala

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: GEOPOLITICS | What is US Empire? This year, as the US surpasses half a million deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic fascists attempt a coup, the country will also mark the 20th anniversary of the US-led Global War on Terror. How did global and […]

(Co-Sponsor) Harnessing Our Mutual Responsibilities to Solve Global Challenges

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: Harnessing Our Mutual Responsibilities to Solve Global Challenges 2021 “Rise or Fall Together” Interdependence Summit  As the Delta variant spreads across the world, a global end to the pandemic still seems far from clear. A recent climate change report provides a grim prognosis without […]

(Co-Sponsor) Is Global Capitalism Governable?: Exploring the legal, social, and economic complexities of governance in the 21st century

Katharina Pistor, Olabisi D. Akinkugbe, Mariana Pargendler, Rashmi Venkatesan, Angela Zhang

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: Is Global Capitalism Governable?: Exploring the legal, social, and economic complexities of governance in the 21st century After the collapse of the socialist system, there seem to be no viable alternative to capitalism: A system based on private ordering of economic relations backed and arbitered […]

Technologies of Power Series | INTIMACY | The Intimacies of War

Moazzam Begg, Nick Estes , Caren Kaplan

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: INTIMACY | The Intimacies of War This year, as the US surpasses half a million deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic fascists attempt a coup, the country will also mark the 20th anniversary of the US-led Global War on Terror. How did global and […]

Academic Resources Fair 2021

CGT at the 2021 Academic Resources Fair Join the Committee on Global Thought at the virtual 2021 Academic Resources Fair on August 31. Learn about our academic programs as well as opportunities for engagement at both the graduate and undergraduate level! Join here between 3 pm and 5 pm ET on August 31! Explore the […]

World As Family: Where is home? Organized by youth, for youth

Vishakha N. Desai, Shagun Sethi, Junjie Ren, Yasmine Rejeb

Join this conversation to explore the book “World As Family” and discuss multi rooted belonging with young people from across the globe! About this event A Vedic phrase asks us to “treat the world as family.” In our age of global crises—pandemics, climate crisis, crippling inequality—this sentiment is more necessary than ever. Through her personal […]

Columbia Global Book Series: “World as Family: A Journey of Multi-Rooted Belongings” with Vishakha Desai

Vishakha N. Desai, Irina Bokova, Safwan M. Masri

The Columbia Global Book Series Presents In association with the Committee on Global Thought World as Family: A Journey of Multi-Rooted Belongings Monday, June 7 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET A Vedic phrase asks us to “treat the world as family.” In our age of global crises—pandemics, climate crisis, crippling inequality—this sentiment is […]

BOOK LAUNCH: World As Family: A Journey of Multi-Rooted Belongings

Vishakha N. Desai, Fernando Reimers

World As Family: A Journey of Multi-Rooted Belongings  Friday, May 7, 2021, 12:00 PM ET CGT Chair Vishakha N. Desai will join Professor Fernando Reimers of Harvard University to discuss her new book, “World As Family: A Journey of Multi-Rooted Belongings.” A Vedic phrase asks us to “treat the world as family.” In our age […]

Vaccine Equity: The Interdependence Challenge of Our Time

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Dr. Margaret “Peggy” Hamburg

One Shared World Presents: Vaccine Equity: The Interdependence Challenge of Our Time Talks with Professors | Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus & Dr. Margaret “Peggy” Hamburg Wednesday, May 5, 2021, 11:00 am-12:00 pm ET Although COVID-19 vaccines are showing tremendous efficacy against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it’s becoming increasingly clear that a vaccination strategy that does not […]

Apocalypse Pending: Religion, Politics, and Social Media (Panel 4)

Michael Butter, Marc-André Argentino, Camille Robcis

The Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities present: Apocalypse Pending: Religion, Politics, and Social Media Panel 4 Tuesday, April 20, 2021  2:00pm featuring Michael Butte and Marc-André Argentino, moderated by Camille Robcis “Apocalypse Pending: Religion, Politics, and Social Media” explores the growing popularity of conspiracy thinking in our current moment and its […]

Historical Dialogue: Interpretation and Telling the Story

Banu Pekol, Johann Peiris, Kaltrina Krasniqi, Sarah C. Bishop

The Committee on Global Thought and The Institute for the Study of Human Rights present Historical Dialogue Interpretation and Telling the Story Featuring Banu Pekol, Johann Peiris, Kaltrina Krasniqi; moderated by Sarah C. Bishop NEW DATE: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM The focus of this panel is to explore the multiple […]

Design Session with Professor Laura Neitzel

Laura Neitzel

Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought presents Design Session with Professor Laura Neitzel Thursday, April 15, 2021 | 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET Every Columbia University student needs to know about our interdependent and interconnected world regardless of major or future career goals. What do you need to learn about the world? How should we […]

Speaker Series: Racism & International Organizations with Miguel Ángel Moratinos

Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Daniel Naujoks

Racism and International Organizations 2021 Speaker Series Miguel Ángel Moratinos | April 14, 2021 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET About the Speaker H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General holding the post of High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) since January 2019- present. In February 2020, Mr. […]

Master Class with Tala Hadid, Bette Gordon and Rosalind Morris

Bette Gordon, Rosalind Morris, Tala Hadid

MASTER CLASS WITH COLUMBIA SOA ALUMNA TALA HADID Friday, April 9 | 3:00 – 5:30 PM ET Hosted by Professors Bette Gordon (Film) and Rosalind Morris (Anthropology) Tala Hadid will discuss her film House in the Fields, a quiet and poetic documentary depicting rural life in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. The film portrays the close relationship of […]

UCGT Core Committee Information Session

UCGT Core Committee Information Session Thursday, April 8 | 8:00 PM ET The Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought invites you to join us for an information session about the Core Committee. Come learn how you can engage issues of global relevance to better address the challenges facing our world today; help shape how international affairs are thought […]

Radicalizing Her: Why Women Choose Violence

Nimmi Gowrinathan, Dipali Mukhopadhyay, Lila Abu-Lughod

A discussion of Radicalizing Her with author Dr. Nimmi Gowrinathan 4:15-5:45 pm EST, Monday, April 5 Respondent: Dipali Mukhodpadhyay (University of Minnesota) Moderator: Lila Abu-Lughod (Anthropology) Co-sponsored by the Institute for Research on Women, Gender, and Sexuality and the South Asia Institute Though the female fighter is often seen as an anomaly, women make up nearly […]

The Protest and The Recuperation: A Preview

Hosted by the Wallach Art Gallery and the Forum The Forum is proud to partner with the Wallach Art Gallery to present a public preview of their summer 2021 exhibition, The Protest and The Recuperation, curated by Betti-Sue Hertz, Director and Chief Curator of the gallery. The exhibit, which features 10 contemporary artists from around the […]

Speaker Series: Racism & International Organizations with Noureddine Amir

Noureddine Amir, Daniel Naujoks

Racism and International Organizations 2021 Speaker Series Noureddine Amir | April 1, 2021 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET About the speaker: Dr. Noureddine Amir serves as chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and chair of all UN human rights committees, a total of nine treaty bodies that oversee […]

Sex(ism) and the City: Gender bias in urban design

Shagun Sethi, Juliana Velez Duque

Sex(ism) and the City: Gender bias in urban design Shagun Sethi and Juliana Velez Duque Leading Cities is excited to showcase research fellows’ work on gender bias in urban design and the perception of safety in urban spaces. Tuesday, March 30, 2021 | 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM ET This webinar presents the research of […]

COVID: Notes From the First Year with a Gender Lens

Khara Jabola-Carolus, Susana Martínez-Restrepo, Terry McGovern, Mignon Duffy

COVID: Notes From the First Year with a Gender Lens Khara Jabola-Carolus, Susana Martínez-Restrepo, Terry McGovern, and Mignon Duffy Moderated by Yasmine Ergas, Director of the Specialization on Gender and Public Policy, Columbia University Thursday, March 25, 2021 | 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM ET As the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic ends and […]

CGT Lunchtime Seminar with Ben Orlove

Ben Orlove, Reinhold Martin

The Concept of Adaptation Ben Orlove Moderated by Reinhold Martin, Professor of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, Columbia University Tuesday, March 23, 2021 | 12:30 to 1:30 PM ET  Review Professor Orlove’s Presentation:  The CGT Lunchtime Seminars are an informal forum for scholars to discuss current research assessing issues of global importance with members […]

CGT Lunchtime Seminar with Durba Mitra

Durba Mitra, Yasmine Ergas

Indian Sex Life: Sexuality and the Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought Durba Mitra Moderated by Yasmine Ergas, Director of the Specialization on Gender and Public Policy, Columbia University Tuesday, March 16, 2021 | 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM ET The CGT Lunchtime Seminars are an informal forum for scholars to discuss current research assessing […]

Historical Dialogue: Space for Reconciliation

Dilpreet Bhullar, James Miles, Simon Li, Felisa Tibbits

The CGT is a proud co-sponsor of: The focus of this panel is to explore how to build spaces for reconciliation in narrow or shrinking civic spaces and what are the issues that are not being discussed in the panelists’ fields of work and their approach. Panelists: Dilpreet Bhullar, Associate Editor at the Visual Arts […]

Between Radical Promise & Despair: Dalit Literature & Movement in Karnataka

Devanoora Mahadeva, Prithvi Datta Chandra Shobhi

THE CGT IS PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR: Ambedkar Initiative, Spring 2021 Understanding Systemic Racism: Art and Politics Between Radical Promise & Despair: Dalit Literature & Movement in Karnataka Featuring Devanoora Mahadeva (writer) and Prithvi Datta Chandra Shobhi (KREA) Read the introductory statement and watch the archive of the Fall 2020 web series here. The Ambedkar lecture […]

Eight Ways of Thinking Unsettlement

Listen to speaker voice notes at the tab above. Part of the project on Unsettlement, an initiative of the CGT A follow-up discussion to last November’s “Insecure Zones: Reflections from Africa and the Indian Ocean,”  hosted by the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University and the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WISER), […]

Interdisciplinary Applications in Art, Museums and Collections

The Committee on Global Thought is a proud co-sponsor of: REGISTER The focus of this panel is to explore the multiple ways to bring together the affected communities, specifically through oral histories and visual exhibitions. The panelists will discuss how oral history or visual art are used to understand the experiences of perpetrators and survivors […]

The Role of the Radical Writer

Meena Kandasamy, Dhanya Addanki

THE CGT IS PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR: Ambedkar Initiative, Spring 2021 Understanding Systemic Racism: Art and Politics The Role of the Radical Writer Featuring Meena Kandasamy (writer and activist), moderated by Dhanya Addanki (writer and archivist) Register here Read the introductory statement and watch the archive of the Fall 2020 web series here. The Ambedkar lecture […]

Tech for Social Good?

Jessica Fjeld, G.S. Hans, Mark Hansen

The Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought presents: Tech for Social Good?  The rapid rise of tech giants and information networks has had global consequences, from the information-sharing fueled rise of conspiracy-driven populism, to disparate calls for regulatory responses to disinformation and hate speech, to questions on how AI can be used to infringe upon […]

The Dalit Panthers and Literary Insurgence

Suraj Yengde, Yogesh Maitreya

THE CGT IS PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR: Ambedkar Initiative, Spring 2021 Understanding Systemic Racism: Art and Politics The Dalit Panthers and Literary Insurgence Featuring Suraj Yengde (Harvard University), Yogesh Maitreya (Panther’s Paw Publication), and others TBA Register here Read the introductory statement and watch the archive of the Fall 2020 web series here. The Ambedkar lecture series […]

Understanding Systemic Racism: Art and Politics (Web Series)

Institute for Comparative Literature and Society

The CGT is proud to co-sponsor: Ambedkar Initiative, Spring 2021 Understanding Systemic Racism: Art and Politics Web Series Read the introductory statement and watch the archive of the Fall 2020 web series here. Thursday, February 11 10:00-11:45 AM EST “Ambedkarite Aesthetics and Contemporary Art Practice” (WATCH) Yashadatta Alone (JNU) and Prabhakar Kamble (Mumbai-based artist and […]

The Loss of Hindustan: A Book Panel

Manan Ahmed, Vishakha N. Desai, Purnima Dhavan, Ayesha Ramachandran

A panel discussion with CGT Member Manan Ahmed (History) on his new book, The Loss of Hindustan: The Invention of India  Friday, January 29, 10:10am – 12:00pm Panelists: Vishakha N. Desai (Chair, Committee on Global Thought) Purnima Dhavan (History, University of Washington) Ayesha Ramachandran (Comparative Literature, Yale University) Co-sponsored by the Committee on Global […]

Interdependence in Action: Building a New Framework for Solving Global Problems

James Mwangi, G. John Ikenberry, Omar Almutawa

The Committee on Global Thought is proud to sponsor: Interdependence in Action: Building a New Framework for Solving Global Problems On Thursday, December 17th from 9:00-10:00am EDT, come hear from distinguished global leaders and experts, including James Mwangi, Executive Director of Dalberg, G. John Ikenberry, Princeton Professor of Politics and International Affairs, and Omar Almutawa, former […]

The Perilous Public Square: Structural Threats to Free Expression Today

Americans of all political persuasions fear that “free speech” is under attack. This may seem strange at a time when legal protections for free expression remain strong and overt government censorship minimal. Yet a range of political, economic, social, and technological developments have raised profound challenges for how we manage speech. New threats to political […]

Light in Dark Times: Alisse Waterson & Charlotte Hollands in Conversation with Naeem Mohaiemen

Hosted by The Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities At a time when young people are questioning academic studies’ relevance in a dark world, anthropologist Alisse Waterson and artist Charlotte Hollands have teamed up to create a Graphic Novel Light in Dark Times: The Human Search of Meaning – a unique merging of drawing, anthropology, […]

Insecure Zones: Reflections from Africa and the Indian Ocean

Part of the project on Unsettlement, an initiative of the CGT This joint workshop constitutes the inaugural event in the new program of ‘Critical Concepts and Regional Issues’ of the Project on ‘Unsettlement’, hosted by the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University, and co-sponsored by the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WISER), and the Department […]

From the Local to the Global: Business, Debt, Coronavirus

Saskia Sassen, Perry Mehrling, The Hon. Elizabeth S. Stong, Antonia Menezes

Hosted by the Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought Presented in conjunction with the Alexander Hamilton Society and the Columbia University Journal for Politics & Society Throughout the country, and the world, the coronavirus has devastated small businesses. Thousands have already shuttered their doors, and millions more face closure and bankruptcy in the coming  and months. […]

On the Edge of the Settled World

Carlos Fernando Chamorro Barrios, Nikos Pilos, Shahidul Alam, Rosalind C. Morris

Hosted by the project on Unsettlement, an initiative of the Committee on Global Thought Outreach Partners: Columbia School of the Arts; The Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities Today, millions of people are stranded in states of permanent displacement. They live in places that lack infrastructures of permanence, but must often reside there […]

Democracy and AI: Civics in a New Age

Tim Hwang

The UCGT presents: A Conversation with Tim Hwang How is the influence of big tech and artificial intelligence on governing systems evolving? What are some of the most pressing associated challenges for liberal democracy? How will these forces shape geopolitics? Join the Undergraduate Committee on Global Thought for a conversation with FiscalNote Founder and CEO […]

Partner Program: Memorial to Enslaved Laborers

Gregg Bleam, Franklin Dukes, Eric Höweler, Eto Otitigbe, Diane Brown Townes, Mabel O. Wilson, Meejin Yoon, Farah Jasmine Griffin

Thursday, October 8, 6:30 pm Register This conversation explores the history, form, and process behind the creation of the powerful new Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at the University of Virginia. The grounds—designed by Thomas Jefferson and now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site—were built and maintained by 4000 enslaved men, women, and children. The […]

Contested Legacies: Public Monuments in Global Perspective

Marie-Louise Jansen, Shahid Vawda, Zeynep Çelik, Colin Wayne Leach, Vishakha N. Desai, Harriet F. Senie, Ravina Aggarwal

Part of Politics of Visual Arts in a Changing World, an initiative of the Committee on Global Thought Made possible through the generous support of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts A discussion with scholars and activists on the various issues surrounding the removal of public monuments across the globe in the wake of […]

Rise or Fall Together: The OneShared.World Interdependence Summit 2020

Vishakha N. Desai

Event Video https://youtu.be/eMIKtR56-gw — The CGT is excited to share news about its partnership with OneShared.World on their upcoming RISE OR FALL TOGETHER: The OneShared.World Interdependence Summit 2020!  CGT Chair Vishakha Desai joins some of the world’s most inspiring people, including World Health Organization COVID-19 coordinator David Nabarro, National Geographic Explorer and leading environmentalist Enric […]

Turning Points: Joseph Stiglitz and Thomas Piketty in Dialogue

Joseph Stiglitz, Thomas Piketty, Sylvie Kauffmann

  Turning Points: Joseph Stiglitz and Thomas Piketty in Dialogue Moderated by Sylvie Kauffmann A live virtual transatlantic event September, 10th 2020 | 1:00-2:15 pm EST (New York) | 19:00-20:15 GMT+2 (Paris) REGISTER HERE *This is a simulcast event to be broadcast live on Zoom and also on YouTube and Facebook. A simultaneous French translation will be […]

Cities at War: Global Insecurity and Urban Resistance

Mary Kaldor, Saskia Sassen, Steve Coll, Safwan Masri

Warfare in the twenty-first century goes well beyond conventional armies and nation- states. In a world of diffuse conflicts taking place across sprawling cities, war has become fragmented and uneven to match its settings. Yet the analysis of failed states, civil war, and state building rarely considers the city, rather than the country, as the […]

Roma and the Global: The Contemporary Context

Vishakha N. Desai, Christiana Grigore

Event description courtesy of the Roma Peoples Project at Columbia University.  This special event for the Roma Peoples Project’s online educational festival—On Roma Matters & Other Compelling Stories—is a conversation between Dr. Vishakha Desai and Roma Peoples Project founder, Cristiana Grigore. Building on Dr. Desai’s expertise in the field of global thought, the conversation will […]

Uptown People’s Assembly

Vishakha N. Desai

View the recording of the event: The Committee on Global Thought is proud to participate in the Uptown People’s Assembly hosted by Columbia University’s Wallach Art Gallery. The event will act as a generative space of listening and sharing as the United States and the world face the two raging pandemics of public health and […]

The Ages of Globalization Book Launch

Jeffrey D. Sachs, David Lawler, Safwan Masri

David Lawler in conversation with Jeffrey D. Sachs. Chaired by Safwan Masri. View the video of the event here. Today’s most urgent problems are fundamentally global. They require nothing less than concerted, planet wide action if we are to secure a long-term future. But humanity’s story has always been on a global scale. In his […]

Lunchtime Seminar: The Morals of the Market: Human Rights and Neoliberalism

Jessica Whyte , Joseph Slaughter

Join Professor Jessica Whyte of the University of New South Wales as she discusses her new book, The Morals of the Market. Drawing on detailed archival research on the parallel histories of human rights and neoliberalism, Professor Whyte uncovers the place of human rights in neoliberal attempts to develop a moral framework for a market […]

UCGT: Paths to Litigating Human and Civil Rights

Hannah Flamm, Alexia D. Korberg, The Hon. Elizabeth S. Stong

Every day, litigators in the United States fight against encroachments on people’s human and civil rights. Guest speakers Hannah Flamm, Managing Attorney, Detained Minors Project at The Door’s Legal Services Center, and Alexia D. Korberg, Partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, discussed their career paths and work. Hannah represents detained and non-detained youth […]

Beyond the Secular West

Akeel Bilgrami, Prasenjit Duara, Sudipta Kaviraj

A Book Talk on Akeel Bilgrami’s “Beyond the Secular West”

#bringbackourgirls

Helon Habila , Brian Larkin, Shobana Shankar, Nicholas Lemann

A discourse on Islamist militancy in Africa.

Turkey in the World

Orhan Pamuk, N. Turkuler Isiksel, Mark Mazower, Carol Gluck

A Global Hot Spot on Turkey

Til Debt Do Us Part

Bob Swarup, Perry G. Mehrling

Lessons for a deglobalizing world from the last 25 centuries of financial crisis

Global Think-in: Populisms Now

John Judis, Federico Finchelstein, Xiaobo Lu, Nadia Urbinati, Lawrence Liang, Carol Gluck

A Global Think-in on the global populism phenomenon

Commencement 2016

The University Commencement ceremony of the 262nd Academic Year.

GSAS Convocation

Andrew Gelman

This ceremony celebrates the accomplishments of all MA candidates in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Class of 2016.