MPP Forum: Ransom: International Hostage Diplomacy (GCD)
Date & Time
Nov 29 2023
12:15 PM - 1:30 PM
Speaker(s)
Joan Sinclair '24
Audience
Restricted to SPIA graduate students, faculty and fellows
Criminals, terrorists and even governments have been taking hostages for money, influence and political gain for millennia. What is the U.S. government's duty when an American is taken hostage? Does the United States negotiate with terrorists and hostage takers? What are the ethical and legal dilemmas the government must navigate?
Disclaimer: This forum will be a discussion for educational purposes and conducted in Sinclair's personal capacity, not in her official capacity as a representative of the United States. The opinions expressed during the forum are personal and should not in any way be construed as an official representation of the policy of the U.S. Department of State, FBI, or the United States government. To encourage candid conversation, the Chatham House rule will be invoked, and meeting participants should speak freely without fear of attribution. Please do not videotape, record, or publicly comment on the content.
Warning: This forum will contain discussions of international hostage taking, a topic inherently sensitive in nature. MPP Forum is a weekly event normally scheduled with lunch* on Fridays during the academic year. It allows each MPP student to showcase their career journey and expertise on policy issue of their choice with the SPIA community. This formal presentation is about 50 minutes followed by a Q &A.
*RSVP required. Lunch will be served at noon. We will try our best but cannot guarantee accommodation for all dietary restrictions.
Learn More About the MPP Program at SPIA!
The one-year, full-time residential Master in Public Policy (MPP) degree is for midcareer professionals who are rising leaders in international and domestic public affairs.