# Spring 2025, Volume 39 Number 2 ![Cover for Spring 2025 Centerpiece shows a close-up image of the Howard Miller world clock lit up in purple.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-05/Cover-Centerpiece-Spring2025-fullsize.jpg?itok=nNX2Uges) **Download**: [Spring 2025, Volume 39 Number 2](https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/2025-05/Centerpiece-Spring2025-lowres_0.pdf) \[ PDF: 1.9 MB \] or [view online](https://indd.adobe.com/view/abedcfe9-299e-48fb-8545-7de5f9504a78) The Spring 2025 issue of *Centerpiece* highlights recent activities at the Weatherhead Center, including events, publications, awards, and more. Weatherhead's executive director, Erin Goodman, shares Center updates in the [Message from the Executive Director](https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/executive-director) column. Our first feature is the transcript for our Manshel Lecture this semester, on "[American Foreign Policy in the Trump Era](https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/feature_manshel)," given by writer and political commentator Ben Rhodes. Rhodes spoke about the destruction of USAID, territorial expansion, the crisis in Gaza, and more. Our second feature, "[Drunken Trees & Early Spring](https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/feature_price)," delves into how climate change is affecting agriculture in the subarctic—and how politics and business wend their way through the region. We also include a story about how our coordinator of affiliate services, Cory Gillis, painstakingly restored a [Howard Miller world clock](https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/miller_clock) gifted to the Center's Fellows Program many years back. Make sure to watch the accompanying video where Cory takes the back of the clock off and reveals its inner workings. We provide updates on our [student programs](https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/prog_student) as well as a summary of the fortieth anniversary of [The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies](https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/prog_academy). And finally, we mourned the passing of two scholars with ties to the Weatherhead Center—former graduate student [Mala Htun](https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/in_memoriam_htun) and the inimitable [Joseph Nye](https://www.wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/in_memoriam_nye), our former director—two great losses in the field of political science. Letter ### Message from the Executive Director Two years ago, Visiting Fellow Doo Won Choi began a Weatherhead Scholars Program presentation with a question: “How many of you believe that the current rules-based world order will either devolve into anarchy or evolve into a new world state?” Choi based his research project on the argument by international relations constructivist Alexander Wendt that the “world state”—meaning a single, global political authority with jurisdiction over the entire planet—is inevitable... [ Read Letter arrow\_circle\_right ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/executive-director) ![Headshot of Erin Goodman next to her name and title against gray background.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_1_1__480x480/public/2025-05/goodman_erin_square_full_with-title.png?itok=hlYiHj-F) Feature ### American Foreign Policy in the Trump Era with Ben Rhodes On Thursday, February 6, 2025, Benjamin Rhodes delivered the Warren and Anita Manshel Lecture in American Foreign Policy on "American Foreign Policy in the Trump Era" in Tsai Auditorium at Harvard. Weatherhead Center Director Melani Cammett moderated the conversation. Rhodes is an American writer, political commentator, and a former deputy national security advisor for strategic communications and speechwriting under President Barack Obama. [ Read Feature arrow\_circle\_right ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/feature_manshel) ![Ben Rhodes stands at lectern and speaks to a packed room in Tsai auditorium.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_1_1__480x480/public/2025-05/Manshel-Rhodes_025.jpg?h=edf81192&itok=cigS3H6w) Feature ### Drunken Trees & Early Spring: Climate Change in the Subarctic Mindy Jewell Price has worked with farmers, harvesters, First Nations communities, and policy makers to learn how they anticipate the changes coming to the Northwest Territories. By tracing the lived experiences of subarctic farmers and hunters under the dual dynamics of changing climate and food systems, as well as transformations in political economy and social structures, she raises critical questions about the governance structures and strategies of development, land use, and social inequalities. [ Read Feature arrow\_circle\_right ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/feature_price) ![Tilting evergreen trees in a snowy landscape with a blue sky.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_1_1__480x480/public/2025-05/DrunkenTrees-Opening.jpg?h=08140251&itok=NZkqZXot) [### Howard Miller World Clock ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/miller_clock)Center Stories ![Cory Gillis next to Howard Miller world clock.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/Clock-FinishedwCory-plugremoved.jpg?itok=Oq4FVCHW) [### The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies 40th Reunion ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/prog_academy)Program Update ![Five current and former executive officers, all wearing suits, stand next to each other, and one is holding a Weatherhead Center sign.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/ResearchGroups-Academy-EOfficers.jpg?h=8376f7ff&itok=Ldx7kBlp) [### Event Photos / Spring 2025 ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/photo_gallery)Gallery ![A woman points to a word in her powerpoint presentation.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/Events-Special-SKalemli-Ozcan.jpg?h=9d82d84f&itok=BzMm-gqJ) [### Joseph Nye, 1937–2025 ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/in_memoriam_nye)In Memoriam ![Headshot of Joe Nye alongside his name and dates of life, 1937-2025.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/Memoriam-Nye-16x9card.jpg?itok=zd8xkb5o) [### Mala Htun, 1969–2025 ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/in_memoriam_htun)In Memoriam ![Headshot of Mala Htun next to her name and dates of life, 1969-2025.](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-05/Memoriam-Htun-16x9card.jpg?itok=HkKiiwrn) ## At the Center emoji\_events [### Of Note ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/of_note)Congratulations to our Weatherhead affiliates who have received recent awards and accolades book [### New Books ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/newbooks)Check out the recent books written by Weatherhead affiliates person [### Student Programs ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/prog_student)Congratulations to our graduating GSAs and honored undergraduates person [### New Faculty Associates ](/publications/centerpiece/spring2025/new_faculty)Meet our newest Faculty Associates, who joined the Center in 2024–2025 ## Recently on Epicenter - [Exploring Commodity Frontiers \[podcast\]](https://epicenter.wcfia.harvard.edu/podcast/ep17-exploring-commodity-frontiers) - [Allies at Odds: Tracking the Rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates](https://epicenter.wcfia.harvard.edu/blog/allies-odds-tracking-rivalry-between-saudi-arabia-and-united-arab-emirates) - [Opening the Arctic](https://epicenter.wcfia.harvard.edu/blog/opening-the-arctic) - [High Risk, No Reward: Unpacking Gender Disparities at Japanese Universities](https://epicenter.wcfia.harvard.edu/news/2025/04/high-risk-no-reward-unpacking-gender-disparities-japanese-universities) --- Attachments- [ picture\_as\_pdf Centerpiece-Spring2025-lowres\_0.pdf ](/sites/g/files/omnuum8891/files/2025-05/Centerpiece-Spring2025-lowres_0.pdf) --- See also:- [ Centerpiece ](/content-types/centerpiece) - [ Centerpiece: Spring 2025 ](/newsletter-issues/centerpiece-spring-2025)