Centennial Speaker Series

Nine Questions for the World

This series, which commemorates CFR's centennial, will feature some of today's biggest thinkers including Margaret MacMillan, Anne Applebaum, Nicholas Stern, Minouche Shafik, Nicholas Eberstadt, Michelle McMurry-Heath, Elizabeth Perry, and Fei-Fei Li.

CFR President Richard Haass will lead conversations on the future of democracy, globalization, climate change, and other issues that will define the century.The series also aired as a podcast called Nine Questions for the World.

 
Presider
Richard N. Haass
President, Council on Foreign Relations; Author, The World: A Brief Introduction

Past Events

Centennial Speaker Series Session 1: What Are the Lessons of History for Our Era?
Margaret MacMillan
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 2: Can Democracy Survive?
Anne E. Applebaum
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 3: Will Climate Change Us Before We Change It?
Nicholas Stern
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 4: Balancing the Role of Government and Markets
Minouche Shafik
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 5: Comparative Demographic Trends & Their Implications
Nicholas Eberstadt
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 6: What Are the Potential Benefits and Risks of Biotechnology?
Michelle T. McMurry-Heath
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 7: Will the 21st Century be China's?
Elizabeth J. Perry
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 8: Will Technology Save Us or Threaten Us?
Fei-Fei Li
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 9: The Future of World Order
Richard Haass
Fareed Zakaria
Play

Refugees and Displaced Persons

How Does the U.S. Refugee System Work?
The United States has long been considered a safe haven for refugees from around the world, but this could change following the Trump administration’s decision to suspend the country’s decades-old refugee resettlement program.

by Diana Roy, Claire Klobucista and James McBride May 16, 2025

United States

The U.S. Trade Deficit: How Much Does It Matter?
President Trump has made reducing U.S. trade deficits a priority, but economists disagree over how much they matter and what to do about them.

by CFR.org Editors April 23, 2025 Renewing America

Trade

The Contentious U.S.-China Trade Relationship
President Donald Trump’s trade war with China that began in his first administration has snowballed into greater tensions between the world’s biggest economies, but experts say completely decoupling from one another is likely impossible.

by CFR.org Editors April 14, 2025

Top Stories on CFR

Human Rights

The Trump Visit and the Black Boxes of the Gulf
The Trump visit to the Gulf showed no understanding of the invaluable asset that support for human rights represents for the United States.

by Elliott Abrams May 18, 2025 Pressure Points

Trade

Back From the Brink. Where Next?
The United States and China narrowly avoided a trade war by agreeing to a ninety-day pause on steep tariffs. The truce is not a bona fide trade deal, but the stage is now set for serious negotiations on a potentially broader and longer-term agreement.

by Michael Froman May 16, 2025

United States

What Is Birthright Citizenship and Could the Supreme Court End It?
The Trump administration’s efforts to nullify birthright citizenship for millions of U.S.-born children could overturn a nearly 160-year legal precedent.

by Diana Roy May 14, 2025