Fellowship

Wendy R. Sherman, Senior Counselor at the Albright Stonebridge Group, will join us as our Distinguished Visiting Professor to explore the foundational, vital role of trust in creating stable and just societies and building a social contract in a world transformed by our technologies. Questions to be explored include: How central are trust and truth to the development of democracies? How is our understanding of truth evolving as information technology changes how we access knowledge and our concepts of authority? How are scientific and technological breakthroughs transforming our understanding of the natural world and our long-held beliefs? How is the changing role of the United States in the world affecting trust among our allies and what are the likely consequences of these changes? Most importantly, what actions can be taken to rebuild a world in which trust and integrity matters?

During the first two weeks of Wintersession, the Albright Fellows will attend classes with prominent speakers, including Wellesley faculty, alumnae practitioners, and thought leaders from outside organizations. The Fellows will then work together in interdisciplinary groups on a variety of pressing international issues, which will culminate in presentations to the Institute’s Distinguished Visiting Professor at the end of Wintersession. The eight topics that groups will be working on are:

• Security
  • Nuclear security and warfare
  • Cybersecurity and privacy
  • Refugees and human rights
• Democracy
  • Free press and trust
  • Democratic resilience
  • Effective, accountable and inclusive institutions
• Climate / Environment
  • Climate change mitigation
• Health
  • Morality and inequity