The Perils of U.S. Isolationism: A Fireside Chat with Sec. Condoleezza Rice

In a recent Foreign Affairs article, the 66th Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ’75 MA outlined the perils of choosing isolationism for both the United States and the global order, and offered suggestions for how to best move forward to build an effective internationalist foreign policy to meet the challenges of the current moment. As part of our exploration of this year’s Notre Dame Forum theme, “What Do We Owe Each Other?”, Secretary Rice will join University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., for a conversation reflecting on the path forward for our nation and the world.

This October 11, 2024 conversation was part of the 2024-25 Notre Dame Forum that answers the question “What Do We Owe Each Other?” For more information on the 2025-24 Notre Dame Forum Inauguration Series, please click here.

Since its establishment in 2005, each year the Notre Dame Forum invites campus-wide dialogue about issues of importance to the University, the nation, and the larger world. This year’s theme, chosen by Father Dowd, invites reflection on our responsibilities to one another. In a world where ideological and cultural divisions seem to have deepened, the Forum aims to bring people together across differences to face the most pressing challenges of our time.