MacMillan in 2025: A Year of Transformative Conversations
Sunil Amrith Named Director of Yale’s MacMillan Center
Beginning March 1, Amrith was appointed the Henry R. Luce Director of the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale. Amrith’s research focuses on the movements of people and the ecological processes that have connected South and Southeast Asia, and has expanded to encompass global environmental history.
MacMillan Initiative Launches with Session on Building Better Climate Agreements
“Regional Approaches to Global Challenges,” a major new initiative, was launched with a focus on improving climate agreements and global collaboration. It featured experts on environmental governance, and leading international voices including Carlos Alvarado Quesada, former president of Costa Rica, and Maria Ivanova ’99 M.A., ’99 M.E.M., ’06 Ph.D., director of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University.
The Courage to Tell the Story: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie '08 Reflects at the Coca-Cola World Lecture
Hosted by the Macmillan Center and the Council on African Studies, acclaimed Nigerian author and Yale alum returned to campus to speak on her family roots, the role of language and culture in her work, and her journey of writing as an African woman.
2025 International Book Prizes Awarded to Yale Faculty
The MacMillan Center awarded its distinguished International Book Prizes to Laura Benton and Priyasha Mukhopadhyay, recognizing their outstanding writing on the topics of global history and empire.
“Global Challenges, Regional Perspectives” Events with Regional Futures Lab
Over 100 people gathered over two days for a MacMillan Regional Futures Lab program in London that examined how regional perspectives can shape a more sustainable and equitable future. Led by the South Asian Studies Council and the Council on African Studies, the two events were designed to elevate the work of these councils, connect with alumni, and foster partnerships.
Rethinking How We Listen: Peter Pomerantsev Delivers George Herbert Walker Jr. Lecture
Award-winning author and Soviet-born British journalist Peter Pomerantsev examined lessons from World War II and how transparency in today's media can help protect against misinformation.
New Endowed Fund to Support Korean Studies
South Korean violinist Hyung Joon Won has donated $100,000 to establish an endowed fund for the benefit of Korean Studies at Yale. The gift will deepen Yale’s capacity to focus on ancient Korean history and contemporary North Korea.
International Seminar: “Machado de Assis: A Life in Literature”
Hosted by the Council on Latin American and Iberian Studies with support from Edward J. and Dorothy Clarke Kempf Memorial Fund, this global gathering offered an opportunity for leading scholars, writers, and musicians to explore the legacy and influence of Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (1839–1908), whose insights into human nature continues to shape Brazilian and world literature.
From Mountain Temple to Yale Commons: Buddhist Chef Jeong Kwan Offers ‘attainment in one taste’
A collaboration between the MacMillan Center, Yale Hospitality, and Yale Schwarzman Center, Buddhist nun and chef Jeong Kwan shared her philosophy of mindful, plant-based cuisine and treated community members to an unforgettable meal.
The Power and Price of the Dollar: Kenneth Rogoff Delivers Henry L. Stimson Lecture on World Affairs
Drawing from his new book Our Dollar, Your Problem (Yale University Press), Harvard economist, chess grandmaster, and Yale alum Kenneth Rogoff ’75 B.A., M.A. discusses the dollar’s power and challenges that come with maintaining its global influence.