US Foreign Policy and the Arab Spring: Firsthand View of the Egyptian Revolution

Event information

In early 2011, as the Arab Spring unfolded, James Ketterer moved to Egypt and remained there through the regime change in 2013. He later returned from 2019 to 2023. During this period, he worked closely with both the U.S. Embassy and the Egyptian government, gaining an up-close perspective on turbulent political developments, misread circumstances, and missed diplomatic opportunities.

This lecture explores what went right, what did not, and where U.S.–Egyptian relations stand today. It situates the case of Egypt within broader political and strategic trends across the Middle East and North Africa, offering reflections on diplomacy, foreign policy decision-making, and long-term regional stability.

Drawing on personal experience and policy insight, the event provides a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the Arab world and the role of the United States in times of political transformation.

Fika will be served.

Speaker

James Ketterer
Senior Fellow at the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College, where he teaches diplomacy and national security decision-making in the graduate program in global studies. He has previously served as Dean of International Studies at Bard College and Dean of the School of Continuing Education at the American University in Cairo.

He has held senior leadership roles at the State University of New York, including Vice Chancellor for Policy and Planning and Deputy Provost, overseeing international development projects supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development. His government experience includes service at the U.S. National Security Council under President Clinton, the New York Senate, and the New York Commission on Higher Education.

James Ketterer is a Trustee of The Swedish Program, a U.S.-based nonprofit study abroad program affiliated with the Stockholm School of Economics.

The event is organized in collaboration with The Swedish Program at SSE.