Mayors have to take care of their populations, and sometimes that means going to other countries. A delegation of Mexican mayors from Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Juarez came to Chicago to conduct city-to-city diplomacy during an "emergency time" in US-Mexico relations. Salomón Chertorivski, secretary of economic development of Mexico City, sat down with the Council's Brian Hanson to discuss what they hoped to achieve.

Should the US establish a basic income? Share your opinion and pose questions to our speakers via https://chi.cnf.io/ Universal basic income has been proposed as a way to reduce poverty and prepare for future technology-related job losses, critics question what might happen to society if people are no longer compelled to work. Cofounder of the Basic Income Initiative and artist and filmmaker Enno Schmidt discusses if basic income can promise a future of personal freedom.

For the first of the Council’s new debate series, University of Chicago Law Professor Eric Posner and Northwestern Professor Ian Hurd will go head to head in a conversation moderated by Kirkland and Ellis partner Leslie Smith on the credibility of universal human rights and their power—or lack thereof—to effect change in the world.

Following President Trump’s order to withdraw the United States from the TPP, Australian Ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey analyzes the impact on US influence in the Asia-Pacific region and explores the broader implications for global trade and security.

America’s workforce is on the cusp of momentous change as technology and demographic change transform the nature and availability of work. Robots and algorithms present increased competition to workers, but also hold the promise of augmenting human labor and intellect. Meanwhile an ageing workforce, the sharing economy, and diminishing employer commitments are hastening a move toward short-term, flexible work in the “gig economy”. How might these changes redefine our understanding of career, education, and retirement? Can policymakers and corporations prevent today’s workforce revolution from widening inequality?

In 2006, Syria suffered its worst drought in 900 years which experts cited as a contributing factor to the social unrest and riots preceding the current civil war. Global “hot spots” - where tensions are high due to overpopulation, resource scarcity, weak governance, underdevelopment, and other causes - are especially susceptible to the destabilizing effects changes in climate can prompt. Manmade or not, governments, militaries, and corporations are taking climate change into account when developing operational strategies – and predicting future needs. What countries are most at risk for climate-induced destabilization and what will that mean for geopolitical alliances?

Technology is exposing democracy’s vulnerabilities. After hackers, allegedly working for the Russian government, stole politically sensitive documents and used them in an attempt to influence the US election outcome, governments across the world have scrambled to understand how such cyber-meddling can be prevented. At the same time intelligence agencies in many democratic nations have amassed enormous cyber-surveillance powers which, critics charge, pose a growing threat to civil liberties. Is technology a threat to democracy? How can open, networked societies balance transparency and security in the digital age?

Like his two immediate predecessors, President Donald Trump is entering office determined to improve relations with Russia. At a time when US-Russian relations have deteriorated sharply as a result of Moscow’s annexation of Crimea, its military intervention in Syria, and its direct interference in the US elections, how a Trump administration will deal with a resurgent Russia is a critical question for America and the world. How can relations with Moscow be improved? Is a grand bargain on issues like Ukraine, Syria, and cyber possible? Can a new cold war—let alone a hot one—be prevented? Speakers: Samuel Charap, Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia, International Institute for Strategic Studies Ivo H. Daalder, President, Chicago Council on Global Affairs John E. Herbst, Director, Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center, Atlantic Council; Former US Ambassador to Ukraine

Snorkeling in Mozambique – good for the local economy, or bad for the local ecosystem? What about being an early traveler to a country like Cuba? As travel and tourism extend access to emerging markets, global citizens can use their dollars, time, and social media currency to achieve tremendous impact. Volunteer travel, international work fellowships, and working with socially responsible travel companies are all options for travelers seeking more meaningful and immersive experiences. How can the next generation of travelers benefit from – and support – the places they visit?

The US-Mexico relationship is at a crossroads. President Trump’s vows to renegotiate NAFTA, crack down on immigration, and to create physical and economic barriers between the two countries, portend disruption in longstanding commercial, political, and social ties. Moreover, diplomatic relations have deteriorated rapidly—culminating in President Peña Nieto’s recent decision to cancel a visit to Washington. Will the friendly bilateral relations in recent years endure, or will the neighbors revert to the general antagonism of previous periods? Join the Council on Global Affairs for a discussion on US-Mexico relations in the Trump era.