The Next Generation of Foreign Policy
Registration
The 2025 Carnegie Endowment James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Conference, The Next Generation of Foreign Policy, is open exclusively to young professionals and students.
Accelerated by President Trump, the foreign policy environment in Washington is rapidly changing and the impact is being felt around the world. In a period marked by rising polarization and escalating global tensions, the upending of norms and shifting U.S. priorities has left many questioning what comes next. These changes are particularly top of mind for young people looking to enter the field. What is the future of American foreign policy? And what can the world’s youth, who will bear the consequences of the decisions made today, do now to work towards the world they want to live in?
On June 11, the Carnegie Endowment’s James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Conference will convene experts and policymakers for a half-day of in-person discussions, examining the shifting methods of effective diplomacy as multilateralism evolves in the digital era; how foreign policy experts can more effectively communicate the realities and stakes of the fractured geopolitical system; and what young people in the global majority can do to take on a larger role in shaping policy, both at home and abroad.
Young professionals and students are invited to join the Carnegie Endowment for this special half-day in-person conference, The Next Generation of Foreign Policy, to explore these and other issues. Lunch will be provided to attendees.
A special keynote speaker will be announced soon.
The 2025 Carnegie Endowment James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Conference, The Next Generation of Foreign Policy, is open exclusively to young professionals and students.
Accelerated by President Trump, the foreign policy environment in Washington is rapidly changing and the impact is being felt around the world. In a period marked by rising polarization and escalating global tensions, the upending of norms and shifting U.S. priorities has left many questioning what comes next. These changes are particularly top of mind for young people looking to enter the field. What is the future of American foreign policy? And what can the world’s youth, who will bear the consequences of the decisions made today, do now to work towards the world they want to live in?
On June 11, the Carnegie Endowment’s James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Conference will convene experts and policymakers for a half-day of in-person discussions, examining the shifting methods of effective diplomacy as multilateralism evolves in the digital era; how foreign policy experts can more effectively communicate the realities and stakes of the fractured geopolitical system; and what young people in the global majority can do to take on a larger role in shaping policy, both at home and abroad.
Young professionals and students are invited to join the Carnegie Endowment for this special half-day in-person conference, The Next Generation of Foreign Policy, to explore these and other issues. Lunch will be provided to attendees.
A special keynote speaker will be announced soon.
Panel
The Future of Face-to-Face Diplomacy
In an era of heightened geopolitical tensions, the rise of unilateral tendencies has challenged traditional models of public, private, and institutional diplomacy. As states pull back from venues of global engagement, the prospects of peaceful conflict negotiation and the settlement of multistakeholder agreements have become increasingly uncertain. From the splintering of once-stalwart trans-Atlantic alliances to the growing prevalence of non-alignment among members of the Global South, tried-and-true methods of diplomatic intervention have come under fire, raising urgent questions about their relevance, resilience, and capacity to resolve crises in a fragmented international order.
In this new climate, how can face-to-face diplomacy continue to provide value to policymakers across government and civil society? What new models are emerging in this shifting global order and what lessons can be learned from those of the past? And how can scholars and practitioners entering the foreign policy field adapt to, and shape, diplomacy moving forward?
Join Stewart Patrick, a senior fellow and director of the Global Order and Institutions Program at the Carnegie Endowment, for a lively panel discussion featuring Suzanne DiMaggio, senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment’s American Statecraft Program; Bruce Jones, a senior fellow with the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution; and Craig B. Allen, senior counselor at The Cohen Group.
Bruce Jones
Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Suzanne DiMaggio
Senior Fellow, American Statecraft Program
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Craig Allen
Senior Counselor, The Cohen Group
Moderator
Stewart Patrick
Senior Fellow and Director, Global Order and Institutions Program
Panel
The Future of Face-to-Face Diplomacy
In an era of heightened geopolitical tensions, the rise of unilateral tendencies has challenged traditional models of public, private, and institutional diplomacy. As states pull back from venues of global engagement, the prospects of peaceful conflict negotiation and the settlement of multistakeholder agreements have become increasingly uncertain. From the splintering of once-stalwart trans-Atlantic alliances to the growing prevalence of non-alignment among members of the Global South, tried-and-true methods of diplomatic intervention have come under fire, raising urgent questions about their relevance, resilience, and capacity to resolve crises in a fragmented international order.
In this new climate, how can face-to-face diplomacy continue to provide value to policymakers across government and civil society? What new models are emerging in this shifting global order and what lessons can be learned from those of the past? And how can scholars and practitioners entering the foreign policy field adapt to, and shape, diplomacy moving forward?
Join Stewart Patrick, a senior fellow and director of the Global Order and Institutions Program at the Carnegie Endowment, for a lively panel discussion featuring Suzanne DiMaggio, senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment’s American Statecraft Program; Bruce Jones, a senior fellow with the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution; and Craig B. Allen, senior counselor at The Cohen Group.
Bruce Jones
Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Suzanne DiMaggio
Senior Fellow, American Statecraft Program
Craig Allen
Senior Counselor, The Cohen Group
Moderator
Stewart Patrick
Senior Fellow and Director, Global Order and Institutions Program
Panel
Foreign Policy for Modern Audiences
With a fragmenting media ecosystem and a lack of trusted messengers, conveying information to both decision makers and the public has become an increasingly complicated endeavor. In the face of new mediums of communication and escalating global tensions, every communicator—from scholars and journalists to politicians and diplomats—must adapt their messaging and means for outreach. What are the emerging opportunities and challenges for foreign policy scholars and journalists as they seek to reach the public or decision makers? What will effective communication practices look like in the future of foreign policy?
For young professionals in foreign policy, these questions will shape both our careers and the ways that stakeholders outside of the foreign policy community understand our work. What distinct approaches can younger communicators bring to elevate discussions about policy? How can we craft our own voices and stand out in a rapidly changing media and information environment?
Join Jane Darby Menton, a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment, as she discusses effective foreign policy communication from a range of different perspectives, featuring Joshua Keating, a senior correspondent at Vox covering foreign policy, Christina Ruffini, a contributing anchor at NBCUniversal and host of the One Decision podcast, and Fergus Shiel, the managing editor at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
Christina Ruffini
Contributing Anchor, NBC Universal
Fergus Shiel
Managing Editor, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
Joshua Keating
Senior Correspondent, Vox
Moderator
Jane Darby Menton
Fellow, Nuclear Policy Program
Panel
Foreign Policy for Modern Audiences
With a fragmenting media ecosystem and a lack of trusted messengers, conveying information to both decision makers and the public has become an increasingly complicated endeavor. In the face of new mediums of communication and escalating global tensions, every communicator—from scholars and journalists to politicians and diplomats—must adapt their messaging and means for outreach. What are the emerging opportunities and challenges for foreign policy scholars and journalists as they seek to reach the public or decision makers? What will effective communication practices look like in the future of foreign policy?
For young professionals in foreign policy, these questions will shape both our careers and the ways that stakeholders outside of the foreign policy community understand our work. What distinct approaches can younger communicators bring to elevate discussions about policy? How can we craft our own voices and stand out in a rapidly changing media and information environment?
Join Jane Darby Menton, a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment, as she discusses effective foreign policy communication from a range of different perspectives, featuring Joshua Keating, a senior correspondent at Vox covering foreign policy, Christina Ruffini, a contributing anchor at NBCUniversal and host of the One Decision podcast, and Fergus Shiel, the managing editor at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
Christina Ruffini
Contributing Anchor, NBC Universal
Fergus Shiel
Managing Editor, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
Joshua Keating
Senior Correspondent, Vox
Moderator
Jane Darby Menton
Fellow, Nuclear Policy Program
Panel
Conditions of a Changing Environment: Impact on Africa’s Youth
Set to continue its rapid growth through the 2050s, Africa’s youth are simultaneously influencing and being actively shaped by global currents while trying to find their place in a global political environment characterized by polarization, a changing climate, migration, lack of opportunity, and geopolitical unrest.
What are the most significant challenges, and opportunities, facing Africa’s youth population today and how might they evolve in the coming years? What should effective policy interventions look like in response to rising vulnerabilities, particularly those intensified by Western influence on the continent? And how can African youth shape their governments today to meet their needs in an uncertain future?
This expert panel featuring leading women scholars will reflect on the intersection of gender, education, and political participation, offering insights into how young Africans are building movements, shaping narratives, and asserting their place on the global stage. Tani Washington, Junior Fellow in the Carnegie Endowment's Africa Program, will be joined by Sarah Yerkes, a senior fellow with Carnegie's Middle East Program; Ebelechukwu Monye, a development specialist; and Tonija Hope Navas, the director of the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University, for this discussion emphasizing the significance of youth-led and female-informed approaches to tackling today’s complex global challenges.
Sarah Yerkes
Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Tonija Hope Navas
Director, Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center, Howard University
Ebelechukwu Monye
Development Specialist
Moderator
Tani Washington
James C. Gaither Junior Fellow, Africa Program
Panel
Conditions of a Changing Environment: Impact on Africa’s Youth
Set to continue its rapid growth through the 2050s, Africa’s youth are simultaneously influencing and being actively shaped by global currents while trying to find their place in a global political environment characterized by polarization, a changing climate, migration, lack of opportunity, and geopolitical unrest.
What are the most significant challenges, and opportunities, facing Africa’s youth population today and how might they evolve in the coming years? What should effective policy interventions look like in response to rising vulnerabilities, particularly those intensified by Western influence on the continent? And how can African youth shape their governments today to meet their needs in an uncertain future?
This expert panel featuring leading women scholars will reflect on the intersection of gender, education, and political participation, offering insights into how young Africans are building movements, shaping narratives, and asserting their place on the global stage. Tani Washington, Junior Fellow in the Carnegie Endowment's Africa Program, will be joined by Sarah Yerkes, a senior fellow with Carnegie's Middle East Program; Ebelechukwu Monye, a development specialist; and Tonija Hope Navas, the director of the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University, for this discussion emphasizing the significance of youth-led and female-informed approaches to tackling today’s complex global challenges.
Sarah Yerkes
Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Tonija Hope Navas
Director, Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center, Howard University
Ebelechukwu Monye
Development Specialist
Moderator
Tani Washington
James C. Gaither Junior Fellow, Africa Program
About the Junior Fellows Program
Each year, through the James C. Gaither Junior Fellows program, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace offers approximately 15 one-year fellowships to uniquely qualified graduating seniors and individuals who have graduated during the past academic year. They are selected from a pool of nominees nominated by several hundred participating universities and colleges. James C. Gaither Junior Fellows work as research assistants to Carnegie’s senior scholars.