“America at a Global Crossroads” will be the focus of the final Great Decisions forum of the 2025 series at the Mariposa Museum in Peterborough at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11. Refreshments will be served at a social beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The program opens with a short video tracing the history of American foreign policy, followed by analysis from Peterborough residents Peter Henriques and Robert Beck and a group discussion.
Beck served in 11 countries during a 35-year career in the U.S. foreign policy establishment. Henriques spent 40 years in international business and lived on six continents. Both teach in lifelong learning programs at Keene State College and Rivier University. Beck also writes a monthly column for the Ledger-Transcript.
Beck said the U.S.-led post-World War II international system is dissolving amid geopolitical shifts, leaving America to navigate a world that is less predictable, benign and stable. He said Washington faces a crossroads that will require leadership to ensure security and protect global interests.
The program draws on an article by G. John Ikenberry, a Princeton professor of international affairs, in Great Decisions Magazine 2025. Ikenberry outlines competing foreign policy approaches: U.S.-led liberal internationalism and America First, which favors reducing the nation’s military footprint and foreign commitments. The magazine is available at the Peterborough Town Library.
Great Decisions programs at the Mariposa, 26 Main St., are by donation. The Foreign Policy Association launched the series as part of its mission to build public understanding of U.S. foreign policy. The Mariposa was founded in 2002 to promote international awareness through arts and multicultural programming.