The upcoming academic year marks the 60th anniversary of Populorum Progressio, Pope Paul VI’s Encyclical on the development of peoples, and a call to the “peoples blessed with abundance” to hear the cry of the poor. In 1967, this encyclical was situated in the aftermath of Vatican II, the struggles of decolonization and the risks of the Cold War. We mark this anniversary in recognition of the Catholic Church’s early attention to the issues that drive our research, but we also recognize that 60 years on, our challenges have changed, but become no less daunting.
In recognition of this milestone challenge, this year’s Keough School of Global Affairs' Dean’s Forum on Global Affairs will explore the theme “The Future of the Good Life” through a year-long series of public conversations. Themes will include integral ecology, the future of foreign aid, and the risks of geopolitical rivalry.
The series features leaders whose work reflects the Keough School’s mission of advancing human flourishing through research, teaching and real-world engagement.
“The Dean’s Forum brings global leaders involved in some of the most consequential issues we face, across a range of global challenges,” said Mary Gallagher, the Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough School of Global Affairs. “It’s an opportunity for our community to learn directly from leaders applying their experience to global challenges.”
The series will open Oct. 5 with Cardinal Peter Turkson, chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Social Sciences and Sciences and a leading voice on Catholic social teaching, justice and integral human development.
Turkson will join Gallagher for “Catholic Leadership, Integral Ecology, and the Call of Laudato Si’” from 3 to 4 p.m. Oct. 5 in the Smith Ballroom at the Morris Inn. Their conversation will explore Catholic leadership, integral human development and the role of faith, scholarship and research in advancing justice and peace. They will discuss the enduring call of Laudato Si’, the interconnected challenges facing the world and the opportunities for Catholic institutions to advance knowledge and action for the common good.
Turkson was a key figure in the drafting of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’. He is president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and previously served as the first prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. He also served as coordinator of the Vatican’s COVID-19 Commission.
Turkson will remain at Notre Dame on Oct. 6 for a book launch and discussion of Integral Ecology in the Anthropocene: Africa and Beyond. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Hesburgh Center Auditorium, with lunch following in the Jenkins Nanovic Forum. Registration is required.
The events are in partnership with the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion.
On Oct. 29, the forum will turn to one of the most consequential relationships in global affairs. Gallagher will join Sarah Beran, incoming president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service, for “Competing, Not Colliding: Steering U.S.-China Relations in an Era of Rivalry.” The event will take place at the Hesburgh Auditorium.
Beran brings extensive experience in U.S.-China relations and bilateral negotiations. She previously served as senior director for China and Taiwan affairs at the White House National Security Council and as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. Drawing on her experience at the highest levels of U.S. foreign policy, Beran will discuss the challenges of managing strategic competition between Washington and Beijing while maintaining communication and avoiding escalation.
Additional Dean’s Forum speakers include:
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Amy McAuliffe, visiting distinguished professor of the practice in the Keough School and Peter Quaranto, visiting professor of the practice, Nov. 12
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Rachel Glennerster, president of the Center for Global Development and Sean L. Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, Feb. 23, 2027
The Dean’s Forum underscores the Keough School’s role as a bridge between scholarship and policy. Through its Washington, D.C., office and ongoing policy engagement, the school connects faculty and students with policymakers and practitioners, fostering dialogue that informs research and translates ideas into action.
“Our students don’t just want to study global affairs in the abstract,” Gallagher said. “They want to understand how choices are made, what values guide them, and what it means to lead responsibly. Engaging with policymakers and global leaders gives them that perspective.”
Events are free and open to the public. More information about the Dean’s Forum on Global Affairs can be found on the Keough School’s news and events page.