A more constructive relationship between NATO and Russia might have prevented many wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, the former Yugoslavia, Libya, Syria and beyond that have not been in US or Russian interests. The lecture will discuss John Braithwaite’s forthcoming book with Bina D'Costa on Cascades of Violence that goes to this question. Leadership by smaller countries, civil society and universities can play a useful role in preventive diplomacy by improving the constructiveness of elite diplomatic relationships among Washington, Moscow, Beijing and Brussels. In some ways the challenge is a technocratic one of getting better at identifying in advance more of the wars which are likely to become lose-lose-lose-lose for Washington-Moscow-Beijing-Brussels. Ideas are advanced for sharpening that technocratic competence. It is in these relational and technocratic tasks where peaceloving leaders in small countries have a comparative advantage.

John Braithwaite is a Distinguished Professor and Founder of RegNet (the Regulatory Institutions Network) at the Australian National University. Since 2004 he has led a 25-year comparative project called Peacebuilding Compared. He also works on business regulation and the crime problem. His best known research is on the ideas of responsive regulation and restorative justice. Reintegrative shaming has also been an important focus. John Braithwaite has been active in the peace movement, the politics of development, the social movement for restorative justice, the labour movement and the consumer movement, around these and other ideas for 50 years in Australia and internationally

Free attendance.
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Venue:  Room 24.S01 (Basement)
Mercè Rodoreda building · Google Maps