Friday with Friends!

Asia and the Western World: passing the torch
Dr Samir Puri

We are at a fascinating moment in world history, in which the unquestioned dominance of Western countries is ebbing away. Ever since the age of Western maritime exploration and colonisation began centuries ago, Asia has absorbed many influences from Europe and America. Is the reverse process now underway? Western countries see the 'Indo-Pacific' region as a place of rising wealth and opportunity - but are they ready to be influenced by this latest encounter? Dr Samir Puri places this latest round of cultural and economic exchanges in a historical context, enquiring into what they tell us about our changing world.

About the Speaker
Dr. Samir Puri has authored four books on history and geopolitics, the latest being Russia’s Road to War With Ukraine (2022) and The Great Imperial Hangover (2021). Between 2020 and 2022 he was a Senior Fellow at the IISS-Asia office in Singapore, working on the Shangri-La Dialogue. Earlier in his career, he taught at King’s College London and Johns Hopkins universities (2015-19) and served in the UK Foreign Office (2009-15).



_{Image: Cover of The Great Imperial Hangover (Atlantic Books, 2021)}

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