Great Decisions
2026 Great Decisions Speakers Coming to Holland
The International Relations Commission (IRC) will host international affairs experts Bill Moseley and Hardy Merriman, as part of Great Decisions 2026, America’s largest annual discussion program on world affairs. Both presentations will be held at the Herrick District Library Main Branch and are free and open to the public.
Each year, the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan brings Great Decisions speakers -- diplomats, policy makers, think tank specialists, and journalists who lead conversations on some of the most pressing global issues of our time--to West Michigan. The series is held every Tuesday in February and March at the Gerald R. Ford Memorial Museum in Grand Rapids. The presentations are video recorded and posted on the Council YouTube page the following day. See the full lineup of 2026 Great Decisions speakers here.
Decolonizing African Agriculture: Food, Security, & the Need for Radical Transformation
Bill Moseley, DeWitt Wallace Professor of Geography, Macalester College
Tuesday, February 24, 10 AM
Herrick District Library Main Branch
This presentation examines the evolution of food security and agricultural development in post-colonial Africa and outlines a more sustainable path forward. Challenging the long-held assumption that increased production alone can end hunger, it argues for rethinking agriculture as a valued livelihood rather than merely a step toward industrialization. Using case studies from Mali, Burkina Faso, South Africa, and Botswana, Dr. Moseley highlights successful alternatives and explores how new institutions and policies can support resilient food systems, greater local control, and improved access to food for the most vulnerable. Join us for this intriguing conversation.
Fostering a Fourth Democratic Wave: Countering the Global Authoritarian Threat
Hardy Merriman, former President of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC)
Wednesday, March 4, 12 PM
Herrick District Library Main Branch
A powerful autocratic wave is sweeping the globe. According to various measures, authoritarian governments have risen and democracies have declined worldwide over the past two decades. To ensure long-term peace, security, and human rights for billions of people, it is critical that this trend be reversed. But what will it take to foster a new democratic wave?
Cutting edge research and historical analysis find that one of the most powerful forces driving democratic transitions are populations living under authoritarian rule. Engaging with those populations—whether through foreign policy or independently as members of civil society—and supporting their struggles for human rights and democracy is a major opportunity to turn the tide. Join us as we welcome Hardy Merriman, former president of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC), to lead our conversation on strengthening democratic resiliency.