Records of the Institute, consisting of brochures, correspondence, minutes, programs,
reports, surveys, videotapes, and other materials documenting the Institute's activities.
The Institute's mission is "to stimulate the interest of the community in the field of world
affairs" through public affairs lectures, seminars, and programs regarding U.S. foreign
policy, international relations, and global economics.
Programs well documented in the collection include Dialogues With Diplomats; Governor's
Commission on the United Nations; Governor's Conference on the United Nations; Great
Decisions; Institute of World Affairs, Inc.; Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy; International
Focus; Kennan Forum; Midwest Seminar on U.S. Foreign Policy; United Nations Association;
United Nations Day; United Nations Seminar; and Wisconsin High School Model United
Nations.
Dialogues with Diplomats
An annual program of the Institute established in 1974, Dialogues with Diplomats
recruited U.S. and foreign diplomats to speak at the UWM campus. The program succeeded in
attracting a diverse global representation, including diplomats from Eastern and Western
Europe, the Middle and Far East, Africa, Central and South America, and visitors from the
U.S. Department of State. The files contain correspondence, planning materials, and
programs which document the Dialogues With Diplomats program.
Governor's Commission on the United Nations
The commission was created in 1960 as the Governor's Committee on the United Nations by
Governor Gaylord Nelson to "help the citizens of Wisconsin understand and support the
efforts of the United Nations." The Institute of World Affairs maintained a close
relationship with the commission, and various UWM faculty and administration
representatives served as members. The files contain correspondence and reports which
document the Institute's involvement with the commission.
Governor's Conference on the United Nations
An annual conference sponsored by the Governor's Commission on the United Nations for the
purpose of educating Wisconsin citizens about the United Nations and the major issues it
dealt with. Initially convened at the University of Wisconsin campus, the conferences
later were held at UWM as the Institute of World Affairs became more active in the
Governor's Commission on the United Nations. The files contain correspondence, programs,
and reports which document the Institute's involvement.
Great Decisions
An annual series of lectures on world affairs topics sponsored by the Foreign Policy
Association, Great Decisions is administered locally by the Milwaukee World Affairs
Council in cooperation with the Institute for World Affairs, which also administered the
program statewide. The Great Decisions format became a model for the annual Great
Decisions lecture series held at the University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee, consisting of
eight lectures which were videotaped for broadcast. The files contain correspondence,
programs, and reports which document the Institute's administration of Great Decisions
programs, as well as an extensive sample of Great Decisions videotapes.
Institute of World Affairs
The files contain correspondence and reports which document the Institute's involvement
with the Institute of World Affairs, Inc. in New York. Though various employees of the
University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee and the Institute for World Affairs Education served as
directors and board members of the Institute of World Affairs, Inc., a formal affiliation
never was established between the institutes. The files also document the UWM
participation in the Twin Lakes Seminars, an annual international foreign policy forum
sponsored by the Institute of World Affairs, Inc.
Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy
The files contain correspondence, programs, and reports which document the Institute's
participation in the Institute on U.S. Foreign Policy, an annual conference sponsored in
cooperation with the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and the World Affairs Council of
Milwaukee. The conferences featured scholars, government officials, press representatives,
specialists, and critics, and each conference concentrated on the influence of U.S. policy
on a particular country or region.
International Focus
A monthly television series produced by the Institute beginning in 1980, International
Focus presented discussions of contemporary international issues between prominent local,
national and international scholars and authorities. The collection contains an extensive
sample of International Focus videotapes, though the files contain little documentation
regarding the Institute's production of the series.
Kennan Forum
A major national symposium dealing with vital global issues. Established in 1990, the
forum is a tribute to Milwaukee-born statesman George F. Kennan. The collection contains
programs, some speech transcripts, and videos of the forums.
Midwest Seminar on U.S. Foreign Policy
An annual conference sponsored by the Midwest University Committee and the Johnson
Foundation in cooperation with various Midwestern universities, including the University
of Wisconsin--Milwaukee through the Institute of World Affairs. The files contain
correspondence, programs, and reports which document the Institute's participation in the
seminars.
United Nations Association
The files contain correspondence and reports which document the involvement of Institute
of World Affairs representatives with the association's Wisconsin Division and Milwaukee
Chapter. The Institute sponsored programs such as United Nations Day and Wisconsin High
School Model United Nations in conjunction with the Association.
United Nations Day
The files contain correspondence, programs, and reports which document the Institute's
participation in United Nations Day, an annual event which encouraged state and local
governments to commemorate the founding of the United Nations. The Institute helped the
Wisconsin Division of the United Nations Association to coordinate statewide programs
observing United Nations Day.
United Nations Seminar
Supported by a grant from the Johnson Foundation, the United Nations Seminar was an
annual eight-week program which enabled Wisconsin students to study the operations of the
United Nations at its headquarters in New York for course credit. The files contain
correspondence and reports which document the Institute's supervision of University of
Wisconsin System students attending the seminar.
Wisconsin High School Model United Nations
An annual conference sponsored by the Institute which enabled Wisconsin high school
students to simulate the actual workings of the United Nations. The files contain
correspondence, programs, and reports which document the Institute's involvement in the
program.
