Global Conversations: Shifting Alliances in the Middle East

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From a proxy war in Yemen to an ongoing civil war in Syria, a number of conflicts have shaken the traditional alignments in the Middle East to their core. As alliances between state and non-state actors in the region are constantly shifting, the U.S. has found itself between a rock and a hard place. Diplomat in Residence Mary Curtin will lead a discussion on what the U.S. can do to secure its interests in the region without causing further damage and disruption, especially when circumstances are far from black-and-white.

Mary T. Curtin is Diplomat in Residence at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. She worked as a U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Officer from 1986 to 2011, serving in five overseas assignments including Poland, Tunisia, Mali, Chile, and Washington, D.C. Throughout her career she kept a focus on how the U.S. could help promote democracy and human rights through bilateral and multilateral efforts. She was political counselor at the U.S. Mission to the European Union and oversaw mission engagement efforts regarding NATO and Afghanistan.

Produced in partnership with the Friends of the Minneapolis Central Library.