Religion /
Interfaith Lectures
Week Seven — August 4–10
Religion, Culture and Diplomacy
There is rarely a conflict on the world’s stage that, if not caused by, is at least exacerbated by deeply-held religious and cultural differences. Diplomacy, therefore, becomes the art and science of seeking to help peoples and nations to overcome crises and to live with their differences more harmoniously. This week shines a light on why religion and culture must be at the heart of diplomacy in the 21st century.
Confirmed Lecturers
Monday, August 5 - Friday, August 9
Aaron David Miller
Aaron David Milleris Distinguished Scholar in the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He has served at the Department of State as an advisor to six secretaries of state, where he helped formulate U.S. policy on the Middle East and the Arab-Israel peace process, most recently as the Senior Advisor for Arab-Israeli Negotiations. He has also served as the Deputy Special Middle East Coordinator for Arab-Israeli Negotiations, Senior Member of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff, in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and in the Office of the Historian. He has received the department's Distinguished, Superior, and Meritorious Honor Awards.
Dr. Miller received his Ph.D. in American Diplomatic and Middle East History from the University of Michigan, joined the State Department, and subseququently became a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a resident scholar at the Georgetown Center for Strategic and International Studies, followed by a temporary tour at the American Embassy in Amman, Jordan. Dr. Miller also served on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, as well as president of Seeds of Peace (www.seedsofpeace.org). He was a 10:45 lecturer and Scholar in Residence here at Chautauqua in 2010, having previously lectured at 2:00 in 2009.
Aaron David’s fourth book is The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace. His other books include The Arab States and the Palestine Question: Between Ideology and Self Interest, The PLO and the Politics of Survival and The Search for Security, Saudi Arabian Oil, and American Foreign Policy.
