Date : Tuesday, June 27, 2023 18:30 ~ 20:40
Venue : Abiko Civic Plaze Multipurpose Hall, Meeting Room #1
Lecturer : Dr. Mikhail Alexseev
Professor, San Diego State University, Faculty of Political Science
Introduction of Lecturer: Dr. KAWAKUBO Fuminori, Vice President and Professor of Chuo Gakuin University, Faculty of Law
Interpreter : Mr. TAKEUCHI Masatoshi, Associate Professor, Toyo Gakuin University, Faculty of Global Communication
Participants : 80 people ( 53 people, 27 staff)
Prof. KASWAKUBO of Chuo Gakuin University initially proposed AIRA to hold a lecture. The theme would be “war and peace” reflecting the current situation in Ukraine, which would be very timely, because 16 months have past since Russian invasion of Ukraine started. AIRA decided to hold the lecture with Dr. KAWAKUBO’s laboratory jointly. AIRA considered that thinking about peace was closely related to both “Abiko City’s peace promotion project” and the best timing of thinking about peace. (No. 23-7)
The lecturer, Prof. Mikhail Alexseev from Kiew, Ukraine, has been teaching at San Diego State University, U.S., since 2000, and written numerous books and papers.
AIRA’s Director Volunteer Services SARUWATARI Ko moderated the lecture. Firstly, AIRA’s President KITAJIMA Fumiko gave a short explanation of the process of holding the lecture. Then Prof. KAWAKUBO introduced the lecturer and the interpreter, Associate Prof, TAKEUCHI and sketched the lecture briefly.
The lecture was interpreted from English into Japanese, with materials projected on a screen. The topics of the lecture are the flowing:
- The current situation of the Russia and Ukraine War
- Russian invasion perceived in the global history
- Why Ukraine must win
In explaining “Long Cycles of World Politics from 1494 to 2022, he argued if there is a hegemon with 70% of the world military power, the hegemon creates global order that can maintain stable international politics. However, the military power of the country drops below 30%, the number of conflicts and disputes increases, in particular when there are autocratic countries, the risk of them goes up.
Since the 1990s, the Russian President Vladimir Putin has challenged the postwar international order the U.S. established. The invasion of Ukraine isn’t only the issue of Ukraine. Economic sanctions and UN functions are useless for security. From the standpoint of international relations theory, democratic countries didn’t wage war. Ukraine must win not only to let the autocratic country diminish its military power but to maintain international peace.
Following the lecture, the lecturer answered questions from three people.
The lecture closed with a closing address by Mr. Omura, President of Chuo Gakuin University (Vice President of AIRA)
Then about 30 people moved to the Meeting Room #1, where they shared their impressions and ideas and talked with Prof. Mikhail Alexseev. The professor commented that it was very useful for him to have a direct contact with Abiko citizens.
(Translated by KOYAMA Hitomi)
