WEEK | Dialogue, Cooperation, and Institutional Strengthening
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During this week, AthenaLab conducted a series of activities aimed at strengthening academic exchange, discussing the main international and security challenges, connecting with other institutions, and enhancing the internal capabilities of its team.
On Monday, August 10, AthenaLab welcomed the visit of academic Craig VanGrasstek, former professor at Harvard Kennedy School, political scientist, trade historian, and U.S. consultant specializing in international political economy, trade policy, and multilateral negotiations.
The visit provided an opportunity to discuss his latest book, On Trade War, recently published by Cambridge University Press. In his work, VanGrasstek examines trade war as a historical mode of economic coercion employed by states to achieve political and strategic objectives, offering a perspective particularly relevant in the current context of increasing geopolitical and economic competition.
Additionally, on Thursday, August 13, Professor Evan Ellis, from the U.S. Army War College and Senior Fellow at AthenaLab, visited the institution’s offices. During the meeting, the main challenges of global and hemispheric security were discussed, along with matters of mutual interest related to potential academic cooperation between AthenaLab and research centers in the United States.
On August 12, Alejandro Amigo, Senior Researcher at AthenaLab, participated in an interdisciplinary event organized by Teología UC to reflect on the ethical limits of war, human dignity, and the challenges of building just peace in the face of contemporary conflicts.
The School of Government at Universidad Autónoma and AthenaLab held a new edition of Public Dialogues, an initiative that opened a space for conversation and analysis on the challenges and opportunities posed by migration in Chile, in a context of increasing human mobility.
During this event, the social, economic, and institutional impact of migration was addressed, along with the main challenges the country faces regarding integration, migration management, security, and public policy. This included a discussion with Aldo Cassinelli, Director of the School of Government, and Marcelo Masalleras, Director of Studies at AthenaLab, who delved into the various perspectives and challenges that migration presents for Chile.
Finally, as part of strengthening its institutional capabilities, the AthenaLab team participated during the week in a training on artificial intelligence, aimed at learning about new tools and exploring their applications in various areas of the institution’s work. This initiative is part of the effort to incorporate new technologies that enhance processes, support analysis, and make daily work more efficient.
These activities reflect the various dimensions of AthenaLab’s work: generating spaces for exchange with national and international specialists, contributing to public discussion on strategic issues, strengthening academic ties, and continuously developing the capabilities of its team.
