Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Law partnered with Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) to co-host the first edition of a new lecture series on the “Foundations of International Thought.”

HBKU and GU-Q invited Dr. Richard H. Steinberg, Professor of Law and Jonathan D. Varat, Endowed Chair in Law, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Visiting Professor at HBKU College of Law, to give the inaugural lecture on March 21, 2023. Professor Steinberg argued that a realist approach to international relations is still a powerful and useful tool for understanding global affairs. 

Dr. Edward J. Kolla, Associate Professor of History and Faculty Chairperson, GU-Q, then joined Dr. Steinberg in a discussion in which they examined the realities of power dynamics and interests that drive the behavior of nations, including shifting perspectives away from the West, before shedding light on some of the key challenges and opportunities that the international community currently faces.

The “Foundations of International Thought” lecture series is a joint initiative between HBKU and GU-Q that gathers globally respected experts to provide thought-provoking perspectives on fundamental issues in the fields of international law or international relations. This is part of a larger initiative of Professor Kolla and Professor George Dimitropoulos, Associate Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at HBKU College of Law, that involves common teaching and cross-institutional student engagement.