MIT Center for International Studies

On Monday, March 16, we hosted Focus on Eurasia: Putin's War Against the West with John J Sullivan, former US ambassador to the Russian Federation. @MIT_SSP's Carol Saivetz and @HistoryMit's Elizabeth Wood (@ElizWoodMIT) co-chaired the discussion. Watch the talk here: youtube.com/watch?v=bzHBTw… @MIT_SHASS

TODAY: Join us for Focus on Eurasia: Putin's War Against the West with John J Sullivan, former US ambassador to the Russian Federation, at 4:30 PM in MIT E25-111 or via webcast. Learn more here: calendar.mit.edu/event/putins-w…

There's still time to register for our Focus on Eurasia event: Putin’s War Against the West: A Conversation with the Former US Ambassador to the Russian Federation on March 16 at 4:30 PM in MIT Building E25-111. Learn more here: calendar.mit.edu/event/putins-w… @MIT_SSP @MIT_SHASS

Joanne Lin, Fulbright Fellow at @MIT_CIS, discusses Asia’s stance in the shifting global balance of power created by the United States’ global retreat, examining how major and middle powers may choose to hedge, align, or lead in global affairs. Watch her insights here: channelnewsasia.com/watch/insight-… @MIT_SHASS

The MIT–Japan Program and @mit_nse are hosting “Beyond 3.11: Tohoku Moving Forward” on March 16 at 5:00 PM, marking the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and highlighting the extraordinary recovery of the Tohoku region. Learn more about the event and how to RSVP here: cis.mit.edu/events-seminar… @MIT_SHASS

Build for Ukraine 2.0, a four-week hackathon co-led by the MIT-Ukraine Program, united students, researchers, and Ukrainian collaborators to prototype solutions shaped by wartime conditions. Learn more about the hackathon here: cis.mit.edu/news/hackathon… @MIT_SHASS

Join us on March 16 at 12 PM in MIT Building E40-496 for our Global Research & Policy Seminar: The Culture of Disaster Preparedness: Lessons from Japan. Miho Mazereeuw (@MITarchitecture) and Eiichii “Eddie” Kato will examine Japan’s culture of preparedness in the wake of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. This event is co-sponsored by the MIT-Japan Program. A Zoom option is available. Learn more about the event and how to register here: bit.ly/DisasterPrepar… @MIT_SHASS

SSP Senior Research Associate @DrJimWalshMIT speaks with @TheHankyoreh about the wider ramifications of the US and Israel’s ongoing war with Iran. 📰Read the full interview: hani.co.kr/arti/english_e…

Register now to attend our Focus on Eurasia seminar, Putin's War Against the West with Ambassador John J Sullivan, former US deputy secretary of state and former US ambassador to the Russian Federation. Learn more about the event here: bit.ly/FocusonEurasia… @MIT_SHASS @MIT_SSP

The deadline to apply for our CIS PhD Student Research Grants is on March 13! CIS PhD Student Research Grants provide funding for PhD student research projects that focus on international studies and require travel for field research and/or visits to archives. Learn more about the grants and the application requirements here: cis.mit.edu/opportunities/… @MIT_SHASS @MITPoliSci

2026 Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow Dafna Rand (@dafnahrand) and @MIT_SSP Faculty Affiliate Caitlin Talmadge weigh in on what the ensuing war after the US-Israeli military operation means for Iran and what’s at stake internationally and domestically. Read their insights published by @BrookingsInst here: brookings.edu/articles/after… @MIT_SHASS

Join us on Monday, March 16 at 4:30 PM in E25-111 for our Focus on Eurasia seminar, Putin's War Against the West, featuring John J Sullivan, former US ambassador to the Russian Federation. Carol Saivetz (@MIT_SSP) and Elizabeth Wood (@ElizWoodMIT, @HistoryMit) will serve as co-chairs for the discussion. Learn more about the event and how to register here: bit.ly/FocusonEurasia… @MIT_SHASS

Suzanne Berger, Institute Professor and founding faculty director of @MISTIatMIT, co-directs MIT’s MIT Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM), a platform centered on revitalizing US manufacturing. Read more about her work with the initiative in a MIT Technology Review spotlight: technologyreview.com/2026/02/24/113… @MIT_SHASS

“Xi has purged all of these people and, obviously, it’s framed as their lack of loyalty to Xi and to the party,” @fravel says. He was citied in a @nytimes piece about changes in China's military. nytimes.com/2026/02/24/wor… @MITPoliSci

Join us on March 2 at 12 PM in MIT E40-496 for our Global Research & Policy Seminar: Digital Nomads and the Politics of Remote Work in Mexico and Puerto Rico with Héctor Beltrán (@MITanthropology). This seminar is co-sponsored by MIT-Mexico. A Zoom option is available. Learn more about the seminar and how to RSVP here: cis.mit.edu/events-seminar… @MIT_SHASS @MISTIatMIT

Congratulations to Erik Lin-Greenberg (@eriklg) for receiving the 2026 Best Book Award from the Conflict Processes Section of the American Political Science Association. Lin-Greenberg’s “The Remote Revolution: Drones and Modern Statecraft” studies drone use and its impact on military and state action.

On Tuesday, February 17, we hosted Starr Forum: The Future of US-China Relations with Nicholas Burns (@RNicholasBurns), former US ambassador to China. Yasheng Huang (@MITSloan) moderated the discussion. Watch the talk here: youtu.be/I4eCGo1d4rM?si… @MIT_SHASS

Join us on Monday, February 23 at 12 PM in MIT E40-496 for our Global Research & Policy Seminar: Sanction Spillover and Trade Diversification with Christina L. Davis, director of the Program on US-Japan Relations at @Harvard. A Zoom option is available. Learn more about the seminar and how to register here: calendar.mit.edu/event/sanction… @MIT_SHASS

Mihaela Papa, director of research and principal research scientist at CIS, discusses the debates around de-dollarisation by BRICS countries, and argues that the US intervention in Venezuela was driven by other geopolitical interests rather than BRICS-led de-dollarisation. Read her commentary here: opendemocracy.net/en/us-venezuel… @MIT_SHASS

“If our objective is regime change, then bombing them is not going to lead to regime change,” says Senior Research Associate @DrJimWalshMIT on @WBUR @hereandnow about the recent US-Iran talks.