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Where do the Nobel Prizes, Oil, Noah’s Ark, Genocide, ‘Caucasians,’ Israeli Sabotage, and Stalin Overlap?
The three small countries comprising the South Caucasus – Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan – illuminate the uncertainties and challenges facing foreign policy decisionmakers globally as they grapple with fluid notions of world order. In the aftermath of the bipolar Cold War-era, old verities no longer apply as Russia, Turkey, and Iran wrestle for regional influence and advantage in the South Caucasus, while Europe, China, and the United States offer rival strategic perspectives from afar.
Moreover, the three South Caucasus states face bloody domestic challenges to their unity and integrity by the largely unrecognized break-away statelets of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has further complicated the domestic, regional, and global challenges facing these three fascinating countries. Why should we care? Because the South Caucasus might serve as a useful bellwether to help us decipher larger, complex geopolitical trends.
Moreover, the three South Caucasus states face bloody domestic challenges to their unity and integrity by the largely unrecognized break-away statelets of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has further complicated the domestic, regional, and global challenges facing these three fascinating countries. Why should we care? Because the South Caucasus might serve as a useful bellwether to help us decipher larger, complex geopolitical trends.
Ron McMullen is the University of Iowa’s Ambassador in Residence and is an Associate Professor of Practice
Ron previously served as U.S. Ambassador to the State of Eritrea. A former career diplomat, Ron has over 30 years of global experience and has lived, worked, or traveled in 117 countries. In Burma he worked closely with pro-democracy groups and beleaguered ethnic minorities. While posted in Fiji he helped prevent civil conflict after an armed takeover of parliament. He was shot at during a riot in Sri Lanka and helped train mongooses to detect heroin. He survived a voodoo curse in the Dominican Republic and took Hillary Clinton on a tour of South Africa’s Robben Island with Nelson Mandela.
Between foreign assignments Ron taught for three years at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and later served as Diplomat-In-Residence at the University of Texas at Austin. He has authored a number of scholarly works and is a three-time recipient of the State Department’s Superior Honor Award.
Since joining the University of Iowa faculty in 2012, Ron has received the Honors Program Teaching Award, a Collegiate Teaching Award from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Iowa Scholar Advocate Award.
He is the author of the chapter “United States Diplomatic Service” in the book Modern Diplomacy in Practice. A native of Northwood, Iowa and a graduate of Drake University, he earned his doctorate in political science from the University of Iowa.
Between foreign assignments Ron taught for three years at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and later served as Diplomat-In-Residence at the University of Texas at Austin. He has authored a number of scholarly works and is a three-time recipient of the State Department’s Superior Honor Award.
Since joining the University of Iowa faculty in 2012, Ron has received the Honors Program Teaching Award, a Collegiate Teaching Award from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Iowa Scholar Advocate Award.
He is the author of the chapter “United States Diplomatic Service” in the book Modern Diplomacy in Practice. A native of Northwood, Iowa and a graduate of Drake University, he earned his doctorate in political science from the University of Iowa.
