Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies

Former FBI Director Robert Mueller delivers this year's Payne Lecture. His presentation covers the 12 years he spent leading the FBI in the aftermath of 9/11. The Payne Lectureship is sponsored by the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. It is named for Frank E. Payne and Arthur W. Payne, brothers who gained an appreciation for global problems through their international business operations. The position is given to someone with an international reputation as a leader, with an emphasis on visionary thinking; a broad, practical grasp of a given field; and the capacity to clearly articulate an important perspective on the global community and its challenges.

Sigrid Weigel leads an exploration of Benjamin Watson's image based epistemology and its preconditions in visual arts and media history. Robert Harrison serves as a moderator and provides a response to Sigrid Weigel's lecture. (February 28, 2013)

Anne Aghion addresses consciousness in the world by discussing her award winning film "My Neighbor, My Killer." (November 9, 2012)

Steven Kleinman, Eyal Press, Yusef Komunyakaa, and Debra Satz discuss consciousness in the world by discussing problems of toleration and intervention. (November 9, 2012)

Abraham Verghese, Fady Joudah, and Mark Johnson address consciousness and modes of witnessing conscience by discussing how conscientious action presents itself on a day to day basis. (November 9, 2012)

Sheri Fink, Colin Dayan, and David Palumbo-Liu discuss conscience's role in witnessing and narrating events. The panel focuses on moral quandaries in journalism ethics and animal rights. (November 9, 2012)

Kent Greenawalt, Jay M. Bernstein, and Nancy Ruttenberg address consciousness under the Secular/Religious divide by discussing how morality is dependent upon conscientious action. (November 8, 2012)

Nathan Chapman, Steven Knapp, Arnold Eisen, and Nancy Ruttenberg discuss consciousness under the Secular/Religious divide by discussing how religion and conscience operate in modern society. (November 8, 2012)

Jack Rakove, Michael J. Perry, and Derek Webb dicuss consciousness under the American context by discussing how freedom of speech and the conscience influence and effect each other. (November 8, 2012)

Andrew Murphy, Mark Valeri, and Caroline Winterer address consciousness under the American context by discussing how religion shaped and impacted the pre-revolutionary conscience. (November 8, 2012)

Amir Eshel, Tobias Wolff and Abbas Milani lead a discussion about the writing of Salman Rushdie and how they think his religion led to how he lived his life and how he was perceived in various cultures. (November 28, 2012)

Professor Margaret Cohen illuminates how the documentary narratives of 1920-1950's dive pioneers turn to a poetic imagery of marvels and enchantment to express aspects of human perception. (January 23, 2013)

Robert Harrison investigates the surprising longevity and relevance of Dante's Divine Comedy in contemporary society. He discusses the poem's ontology, language of the divine, and its relation to the modern crisis of faith. (November 16, 2011)

A panel of distinguished individuals discuss and debate the Cuban Missile Crisis from several perspectives. They describe the event's impact on the world and talk about what history has taught us since then. (October 22, 2012)

Omer Bartov gives a lecture, "My Blood or Yours: Historicizing Atrocity as a Path to Reconciliation," followed by "A Memory of One's Own: History, Political Change and the Meaning of 1977," by Mitchell Cohen. (May 18, 2012)

Elazar Barkan gives a lecture, "Beyond Accountability: The Role of Historical Memory in Conflict Resolution," followed by Simon Glendinning's philosophical approach to the conditions of forgiveness in, his lecture "I Forgive You." (May 18, 2012)

Gregory Khalil gives a lecture, "America, Prolepsis and the 'Holy Land': Writing a Cultural History Beyond the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" followed by "Neutralizing History and Memory in Divided Societies," by Bashir Bashir. (May 17, 2012)

Derek Penslap, Yael Zerubavel, and Alon Confino give lectures on Zionism and provide unique perspectives on the Israeli-Palestine conflict. (May 17, 2012)

Fatma Muge Gocek explores the Turkish denial of the Armenian genocide, followed by a lecture by Heidemarie Uhl on the recent developments in the way that Western Europe remembers the Holocaust. (May 17, 2012)

Gabriel Motzkin examines the differences between history and memory, event and narrative, and collective and individual memory, and applies this debate to the Holocaust and the ongoing political process in Israel. (May 17, 2012)

Amir Eshel and Gabriel Motzkin outline the goals, questions, purpose, and some of the material of the two-day "History and Memory: Global and Local Dimension" conference. (May 17, 2012)

Stanley Chia, Senior Technology Consultant at Vodafone Group R&D, discusses how companies should strive to reach the Chinese market in the developing economy. (May 24, 2010)

Håkan Eriksson, Chief Technology Officer at Ericsson, talks about the increasingly connected nature of the world and how (especially in the developing technological markets like China) this will change the way the products are shaped. (May 24, 2010)

Olivier Glauser, Managing Director of Steamboat Ventures, discusses investing in the Chinese technology market and how innovation is occurring in a different area than what is expected in United States markets. (May 25, 2010)

Richard Hsu, Managing Director at Intel Capital China, discusses the future for Chines markets and how the internet might adapt in order to fit the developing needs. (May 25, 2010)

David Lam, Managing Director for WI Harper, discusses the developing internet market in China and how an investment company like WI Harper looks to support the growth of the new market and make it a successful endeavor. (May 25, 2010)

York Chen, Founding Managing Partner at iD Tech Ventures, discusses the changing global economy and how this might affect markets in both the US and China. (May 25, 2010)

At the end of a four-day visit to the United States, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Stanford to discuss the importance of international cooperation for meeting the challenges of the 21st century. (April 15, 2010)

A panel of experts discuss the crises that exist in the countries of Chad, Myanmar (Burma), Sudan and Zimbabwe. They examine the relationships between them and Chinese interests. (February 19, 2009)

U.S Ambassador Richard Williamson, former special envoy to Sudan, discusses foreign policies of China, the United States and Sudan. His talk covers such topics as genocide, peacekeeping and conflicts around the world. (February 20, 2009)

A panel of experts discuss the foreign policy agenda for China, the United States and the international community moving forward. The panel focuses mostly on Chinese involvement in Africa as well as Myanmar (Burma). (February 20, 2009)

Seth Silverman offers an introduction at the start of the conference on China in the 21st Century: China's Strategic Role in International Concern. Then, the conference begins with a panel discussion on Chinese Foreign Policy. (February 19, 2009)

Ariel Levite, former Principal Deputy Director General (Policy) at the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission, gives a lecture entitled “A Moment of Truth for Nuclear Energy." Levite speaks on the reality of a nuclear renaissance. (February 18, 2009)

Highlists from Stanford's Center for Health Policy and Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research conference, "Better Health, Lower Cost: Can Innovation save Health Reform?" Mark Smith, Melinda Moree, and Paul Wise are featured. (September 16, 2008)

Highlists from Stanford's Center for Health Policy and Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research conference, "Better Health, Lower Cost: Can Innovation save Health Reform?" Alan Garber, Peter Orszag, and Brook Byers are featured. (September 16, 2008)

Media coverage of Islam and Muslims, especially since 9/11, has featured violence and the threat of violence. In his opening lecture, Professor Hefner explores a different reality "beyond the headlines." (April 28, 2008)

Madeleine Rees, Head of the Women's Rights and Gender Unit, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, speaks about the increase in the Trafficking of Women around the world today. (April 17, 2008)

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Mr. Waldemar Pawlak discusses economic security, sustainable development, clean energy and energy security, better regulations, and greater innovativeness. (April 30, 2008)

Alejandro Toledo, Kantathi Suphamongkhon, and Michael H. Armacost provide an international perspective on the 2008 United States presidential campaigns. (May 8, 2008)

During the Cold War, China was regarded in many corners of Southeast Asia as a sponsor of subversion and communist insurgency. Most Southeast Asian governments now embrace China, but “hedge” by setting up fall-back security options. (May 28, 2008)

A resurgent Russia is shaking Europe to its core. At the NATO summit in Bucharest, Russia in effect exercised a veto for the first time on the alliance' decision-making, by blocking expansion to Ukraine and Georgia. (May 2, 2008)

Arroyo recounts the crafty political maneuvers used by leaders of economic reform in Asia during these pivotal eras:  China under Deng Xiaoping; India in the 1990s; Thailand under General Prem Tinsulanonda; Vietnam's Doi Moi, and more. (May 6, 2008)

While the EU is continuing on its path toward more integration, various regions in several of its member states are demanding more autonomy. This evolution seems most pronounced in Belgium, which is going through a political crisis. (May 1, 2008)

Dr. David M. Lampton puts China's current trajectory and its conceptions of power in their historical contexts, and discusses how China's neighbors are responding to the PRC's growing strength. (May 29, 2008)

In the aftermath of the financial collapse of August 1998, it looked as if Russia's day as a superpower had come and gone. That it should recover and reassert itself after less than a decade is an economic and political miracle. (May 5, 2008)

Of the changes Japan has enacted to corporate laws over a decade, none may be more contentious than adoption of true outside directors and empowered committees in the boardroom. Has adoption of this system resulted in an increase of value? (May 14, 2008)

This presentation focuses on the changing pattern of venture capital (VC) investments in Japan. Michael Korver addresses issues related to venture capital, entrepreneurship and innovation in Japan. (April 24, 2008)

In a telling presentation about the challenges of diplomacy and providing humanitarian aid, Mr. Armitage discusses several examples of U.S. humanitarian assistance, detailing how such actions relate to both policy goals. (February 7, 2008)

Steven E. Koonin has served as chief scientist of BP, the world's second largest independent oil company, since 2004. As chief scientist, Koonin is responsible for BP's long-range technology plans and activities. (February 4, 2008)

Vietnam has become the newest "Asian tiger." The US played a leading role in negotiating Vietnam's January 2007 entry into the World Trade Organization and the 2001 US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement. (Oct 2, 2007)

Elez Biberaj is a 27-year veteran of the Voice of America. Obrad Kesic is a Senior Partner with TSM Global Consultants, LLC. Mr. Kesic is also currently working with the Balkan countries. (January 11, 2008)