When the theme for the annual Baker Peace Conference was chosen last year, organizers did not foresee how pertinent it would be.
But with parts of the Middle East and Northern Africa in the throes of revolution, America turned its head in awareness of what it means. To the U.S. and foerign nations, to democracy and tyranny and for the economies of many nations, failed states come with innumerable consequences.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Failed States: A New World Disorder,” which will focus on military, diplomatic, economic and political challenges that
rise with fallen states.
Retired general Anthony Zinni will deliver the keynote speech tomorrow night to kick off the conference that will continue until Friday.
Zinni retired in 2000 after commanding the U.S. Central Command. He was involved with coordinating diplomatic agreements with Somalia, Pakistan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. He also mediated disputes between Israel and Palestine, as well as Indonesia and the Philippines, according to the Contemporary
History Institute.
Ingo Trauschweizer, an assistant history professor at Ohio University, said Zinni was heavily involved with the end of the Gulf War and other major conflicts in recent history and was wary of the potential for the Middle East to incubate terrorists before 9/11 and has since been a strong critic of war efforts there.
“(Zinni is) someone with really deep insight into an area we get militarily drawn into more,” Trauschweizer said.
Topics to be discussed are: Failed States and Fragile Societies, The Future of War and Development of Human Rights.
Scholars and professionals from different perspectives ranging from history and economics to sociology and the military will sit on the panels.
“We try to avoid unilateral themes that only historians would be interested in,” Trauschweizer said.
The conference is funded privately by the Baker family and has been held annually for more than 25 years.
Organizer and OU assistant history professor Steven Miner said that the conference has done well in finding pivotal people to come speak.
“If you turn on CNN or MSNBC, you’ll see a host of people who have been here for one of our peace conferences,” Miner said.
Miner added that attendance has always been steady, but he hopes more people will come out to the conference.
“It’s a mix, we have a lot of graduate students and more serious undergrads. We also have a good representation of community members,” Miner said.
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