A Conversation with Parag Khanna, Author of "The Future is Asian"

Join the Center for Security Studies as we welcome Dr. Parag Khanna (SFS'99, SSP'05) for a discussion on his new book The Future is Asian and his path to success as an SFS alumnus. Dr. Khanna is a best-selling author and the founder and managing partner of FutureMap, a data- and scenario-based strategic advisory firm.

The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Michael Mazarr (COL'87, SSP'89), an adjunct professor with the Security Studies Program and Senior Political Scientist at the RAND Corporation. Copies of the book will be for sale at the event.

About the Book

In the 19th century, the world was Europeanized. In the 20th century, it was Americanized. Now, in the 21st century, the world is being irreversibly Asianized.

The “Asian Century” is even bigger than you think. Far greater than just China, the new Asian system taking shape is a multi-civilizational order spanning Saudi Arabia to Japan, and Russia to Australia—linking five billion people through trade, finance, and infrastructure networks that together represent 40 percent of global GDP. China has taken a lead in building the new Silk Roads across Asia, but it will not lead it alone. Rather, Asia is returning to the stable multipolar order that existed long before European colonialism and American dominance, with India and Southeast Asia coming into their own as economic and strategic hubs. The world has grown accustomed to hearing “America First”—but is it ready for “Asia First”? What happens when Asia no longer just produces for the West but the West produces for Asia? And when Asians don’t aspire to live like the West but rather Western societies wish they had Asians’ stability and far-sighted leadership? Get ready to see the world, and the future, from the Asian point of view.

About the Author

Parag Khanna is a leading global strategy advisor, world traveler, and best-selling author. He is the founder and managing partner of FutureMap, a data- and scenario-based strategic advisory firm.

Parag's newest book is The Future is Asian: Commerce, Conflict & Culture in the 21st Century (2019). He is the author of a trilogy of books on the future of the world order beginning with The Second World: Empires and influence in the New Global order (2008), followed by How to Run the World: Charting a Course to the Next Reinassance (2011), and concluding with Connectography: Mapping the Future of Global Civilization (2016).

He is also the author of Technocracy in America: Rise of the Info-State (2017) and co-author of Hybrid Reality: Thriving in the Emerging Human-Technology Civilization (2012). In 2008, Parag was named one of Esquire's "75 Most-Influential People of the 21st Century" and featured in WIRED magazine's "Smart List." He holds a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics, and a Bachelor and Master's degree from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He has traveled more than 100 countries and is a Young Global Leader in the World Economic Forum.

Accommodations

Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made by February 21 to CSS Assistant Director of Events and Communications Jordan Moeny at jrm296@georgetown.edu. A good faith effort will be made to fulfill requests made after this date.