Inn @ Saratoga Salon Series Speaker William Burke-White To Elicit Answers on April 23
SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Saratoga Salon – a series of discussions about wide-ranging topics, continues on Monday, April 23, as Professor William Burke-White will lead a discussion about the topic: “Who are the 10 most powerful people in the world?” The Saratoga Salon Series take place in the Side Room at the Inn at Saratoga (231 Broadway). Professor Burke-White will discuss the categories (e.g.: economic, political, military, social) in which a person could acquire and exhibit power. The Salon begins at 5:30 p.m. with a wine and cheese social, followed by the speaker’s presentation and follow-up discussion. Live entertainment will follow the speaker and discussion.
The cost of each evening’s program is $25. To reserve your spot or for more information, contact the Inn at Saratoga at 518.583.1890 ext. 0 or info@theinnatsaratoga.com. Their website is HERE..
To preview his appearance at the Saratoga Salon, I had a short conversation with Professor Burke-White at his office at the University of Pennsylvania’s Law School. He surprised me right away.
AG: So, have you been to Saratoga Springs before?
WBW: Why, yes! (Laughing) As a matter of fact I grew up there. I lived in Saratoga from age 4 until the eighth grade – I went to Lake Avenue Elementary School; and my mother (Colleen) is a professor of Management and Business at Skidmore still – I have stayed at the Inn at Saratoga many times while visiting her. I’m excited to be back later this month to lead the discussion.
AG: Without revealing the actual names on your list, can you speak a little about the important categories that it is drawn from, and how it is compiled?
WBW: We begin with a discussion about how do we understand power as a concept. The list can be drawn from economic private sector leaders, military and political power, technology, social and other areas. I’ve given this talk about 20 times in various cities throughout the globe, and my own list varies each time, taking into account current trends, people will be part of the list or get bumped off it. But the common element, no matter which category a person makes the list from, is that they are currently having a major impact on the international scene.
AG: I would imagine that this leads to some lively discussions with audience members…
WBW: Definitely, and so now before I present my list, we encourage the audience members to make their own top 5 by themselves, so I don’t influence them. There is sometimes quite a bit of agreement, other times less so.
I am looking forward to this Salon concept to present the talk. Too often in the academic classroom setting, the role of speaker and listener is strictly defined. The Salon format promises to foster more participation, more give-and-take. The exciting thing is that events between now and April 23rd may place someone on the top ten list who is relatively unknown today.
William Burke-White, an expert on international law and global governance, served in the Obama Administration from 2009-2011 on Secretary Clinton’s Policy Planning Staff, providing the Secretary direct policy advice on multilateral diplomacy and international institutions. He was principal drafter of the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), Secretary Clinton’s hallmark foreign policy and institutional reform effort. Burke-White has written extensively in the fields of international law and institutions, with focus on international criminal and international economic law.
His work has addressed issues of post-conflict justice; the International Criminal Court; international human rights, and international arbitration. His current research explores gaps in the global governance system and the challenges of international legal regulation in a world of rising powers and divergent interests. In 2008 he received the A. Leo Levin Award and in 2007 the Robert A. Gorman award for Excellence in Teaching.
The complete schedule of the Inn at Saratoga’s Saratoga Salon series appears in this post.
Arthur Gonick
April 9,2018
