The Great Issues Committee has invited academic scholar and international relations expert Michael Cox to speak at the first event of the spring semester.
Cox’s lecture, entitled “President Obama and the End of the American Empire,” is scheduled to take place on Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. in the Wool Ballrooms in the Busch Student Center. Though Cox has not yet arrived on campus, his lecture, with the title alone, has already sparked controversy.
Colin Shevlin, Chair of GIC, said he expects the lecture to foster an opportunity for debate on campus, acknowledging that Cox may introduce controversial topics to the University community. Shevlin said Cox will discuss the decline in prominence of the United States in the international arena.
“The mission of GIC is to expose students to issues that are happening in the world,” Shevlin said.
Cox is the author of several books and also edits academic journal articles that regard international relations and foreign policy. He has presented lectures to various business organizations, military and intelligence personnel and senior executives in the United States, Brussels, Beijing, Paris, Rome and Madrid for the past 20 years.
Even though his resume is packed with prominent speeches, Cox is familiar with presenting to college audiences.
He is currently the Chair of the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics and has held positions at Queen’s University of Belfast, California State University at San Diego and the College of William and Mary in Virginia.
Cox has most recently researched the foreign policy of the United States and the role the country plays in the international economy. He also discusses the role China plays in the future of the global economy.
His presentation to the University will address the impact of the Obama administration in regard to the global economy, human rights and world security.
“Students that attend will definitely be presented with a challenging look at the role of the United States in world politics,” said student Michael Harris, a member of GIC.
Harris had the opportunity to attend the same lecture while he was taking a summer course at the London School of Economics, which he said lead to him to suggest inviting Cox to speak at SLU.
“Cox has a unique perspective of the current geopolitical climate, and the impact the Obama administration has had and will have throughout the rest of his term,” Harris said. “The topic itself is particularly controversial, and I would definitely encourage all students to attend, even those that are not specifically interested in American politics.”
Although Cox may present controversial topics to the University community, Shevlin also encourages all students to attend regardless of political ideology.
“I hope that even if people don’t agree with his stance, that they take away a different kind of perspective of the United States,” Shevlin said. “I think it’s good to consider other perspectives and maybe think about the place and power of the United States in the world.”
