U.S. Foreign Policy and the Separation of Powers
Building: Cabot Intercultural Center City: Medford, MA 02155 Campus: Medford/Somerville campus Location Details: ASEAN Auditorium Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Open to Public: Yes Primary Audience: Alumni and Friends,Faculty,Postdoctoral Fellows,Staff,Students (Graduate),Students (Postdoctoral),Students (Undergraduate) Event Type: Conference/Panel Event/Symposium,Lecture/Presentation/Seminar Event Subject: International Affairs,Politics/Policy/Law,Public Service/Government Event Sponsor: Office of the President Event Sponsor Department / Area: Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education Event Contact Name: Arik Burakovsky Event Contact Email: Arik.Burakovsky@tufts.edu Link: https://cevihe.org/m/foreignpolicypowers A Conference on Law, Power, and Democratic Accountability in a Changing International Order The Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education (CEVIHE), Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, and The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University welcome you to a conference examining the evolving balance of authority among Congress, the presidency, the courts, and the national security state in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. The conference will take place on September 24-25, 2026, on the Medford/Somerville campus. Can the United States exercise global power effectively while preserving a constitutional order of divided authority, democratic legitimacy, and individual liberty? As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, the conference aims to foster serious reflection on how contemporary foreign policy practice aligns with, departs from, or adapts the constitutional vision of shared powers articulated at the nation’s founding. The conference will also consider whether law and constitutional form continue to constrain foreign policy power in practice and how competing visions of America’s global role—primacy, leadership, and restraint—bear on pluralistic institutions, civil liberties, and democratic accountability at home. The conference will feature an opening public panel discussion, three expert roundtables, and a fireside chat. The three roundtables and fireside chat will be held under the Chatham House Rule to encourage candid, substantive exchange. Please see the conference agenda and speaker profiles. The goal of the conference is not to advance a single diagnosis or reform agenda but to bring together scholars, practitioners, journalists, and current and former government officials who approach these issues from distinct disciplinary, political, and institutional vantage points and who are willing to engage directly with one another’s arguments. The discussion-centered format is intended to clarify competing perspectives, encourage serious engagement across disciplinary and ideological differences, and identify questions for future research and collaboration. The event is co-sponsored by the Department of Political Science, the International Relations Program, the Department of History, and the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS). The event’s promotional partners include the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy (CIERP), the Center for International Law and Governance (CILG), the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, the Henry J. Leir Institute for Migration and Human Security, the International Security Studies Program (ISSP), World Boston, the World Peace Foundation, and the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University. Please register to attend in person. Advance registration is required for all sessions. Registration for the three roundtables and fireside chat is limited to participating speakers; students, faculty, and staff from Tufts and other universities; and Tufts alumni. Members of the broader public may register for the opening panel discussion only. Your information will be used solely for event management and will not be shared outside Tufts. Visitors to the Medford/Somerville campus are welcome to park in the Dowling Garage or Cousens Parking Lot. Visitors may pay for their parking sessions via the web portal or payment kiosks. Please contact us with any questions you may have about the event.
