Engage Globally, Think Locally: Great Decisions 2010

Global Engagement as a concept and component of foreign policy can often seem like inside baseball, a potentially wonky set of topics reserved for inside-the-Beltway Washington types whose jobs its is to formulate and implement foreign policy.  But is should not be so limited in its scope – and it cannot if it is going to be effective; citizens must be involved in one way or another.  I have written about the International Visitors Leadership Program and student exchanges, for example, as ways that global engagement can and should involve a wide cross-section of citizens.

Now add the Foreign Policy Association’s (FPA) Great Decisions program.  FPA describes it in the following way:

A Great Decisions Discussion Group is composed of interested individuals who want an opportunity to learn and participate in the foreign policy decision-making process. A Discussion Group forms when one person organizes others in his or her community, job, group of friends or school who are interested in discussing international issues.  Meetings take place at homes, schools, community centers, churches and libraries. Participants consider discussion groups a “safe” environment because they provide everyone with the opportunity to speak. Each participant’s point of view carries equal weight and everyone is encouraged to share opinions and ideas. Consensus is not a goal. Discussion Group participants do not attempt to “convert” participants, because there is a mutual respect for each member’s experiences, value systems and beliefs. The true focus of the Discussion Group is the critical examination of all issues and opinions, each recognized as equally valid.

I participated in a Great Decisions discussion group several years ago and it was a wonderful and useful experience on many levels.  The topics are timely and well covered by the Great Decisions briefing book and DVD. Furthermore, my group developed a chemistry that allowed for a supportive atmosphere of collegiality but, at the same time, a rigorous exploration of controversial topics.   I remain in contact with some of the participants many years later and have worked with some on international projects.

The new briefing book and DVD have now been released and you can learn more about them here.If you are interested in more information on the Great Decisions program you can go here and information about how to find a discussion group in your area is here.