The Forces That Move Nations: Leadership, Conflict, and Global Change, with Dr. Anne Clunan, Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School (NPS)

Thursday, November 5th, 2026

7:00 PM, Carpenter Hall at Sunset Center, Carmel

Community Night with the Library

The Forces That Move Nations: Leadership, Conflict, and Global Change, with Dr. Anne Clunan, Associate Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School (NPS)

What moves nations to act, adapt, or change course? Behind every major turning point in history are decisions shaped by ideas, competing interests, human judgment, and the realities of an ever-changing world. Drawing on history and international affairs, this program explores how governments navigate uncertainty, respond to conflict, and pursue national priorities in moments of consequence. By examining pivotal events and the leaders who shaped them, it offers insight into the forces that influence international relationships and the ways decisions made on the world stage continue to shape the lives of people around the globe.

Dr. Anne Clunan is an Associate Professor of the Institute for Regional and International Security (IRIS) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. Her interests focus on intersections among economic globalization, emerging technologies, national security, great power competition, and international change. Her primary country of expertise is Russia, although she has extensive knowledge of Europe, Ukraine, and Chinese economic and technology issues. She is the author of The Social Construction of Russia’s Resurgence and co-editor of two books on governance and biological weapons. Dr. Clunan has 20 years of experience working with international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in 26 countries transitioning from communism, and has worked in the U.S. Senate, U.S. Department of State, and British Parliament. She holds a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and a B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University.