The Civil Service and the Future of American Diplomacy

In-Person
Luncheon
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Francis Fukuyama and Leslie Vinjamuri examine the civil service, democratic governance, and the future of American diplomacy.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) workers, carry their personal belongings after retrieving them from the USAID's headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025
May
14
Jose Luis Magana / AP
Speakers
Francis Fukuyama
Leslie Vinjamuri
Date and Time
Doors Open: 11:30 am
Location
Union League Club of Chicago, 65 West Jackson Boulevard
Who Can Attend

REGISTRATION

This event will take place in person at the Union League Club of Chicago. Registration is $57.18 per person (includes applicable taxes and fees). Space is limited. Advance registration is required.
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About This Event

For 155 years, the American civil service has ensured continuity in government through a professional corps of diplomats, analysts, and administrators who put policy into action and carry institutional knowledge from one administration to the next. Created to replace the spoils system, the merit-based civil service has been the backbone of effective government and credible diplomacy. Yet recent reforms have revived an enduring question of how to preserve the value of expertise while ensuring democratic accountability in government. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Francis Fukuyama and Leslie Vinjamuri examine the civil service, democratic governance, and the future of American diplomacy.

This program is presented by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs in partnership with the Union League Club of Chicago.

About the Speakers
Francis Fukuyama
Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Director, Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy, Stanford University
Headshot of Francis Fukuyama wearing black blazer, red tie, blue shirt in front of bookshelves
Francis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and director of the Ford Dorsey Master’s in International Policy.  A leading scholar of democracy, development, and international politics, he gained global prominence with his influential book "The End of History and the Last Man."
Headshot of Francis Fukuyama wearing black blazer, red tie, blue shirt in front of bookshelves
Leslie Vinjamuri
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Leslie Vinjamuri headshot
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She is Professor of Practice in International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS University of London.
Leslie Vinjamuri headshot
Attend In-Person Open to all
Event Series America at 250
Regions North America
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