Regions

Chicago & the Midwest

All of our content covering Chicago, and also states including Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Upcoming Events

Calling All Deep Thinkers: How the Museum of Contemporary Art Reflects Chicago's Place in the World

In-Person EVENT

Members of the Young Professionals Network gather at the Museum of Contemporary Art for a conversation about creativity and collectivity in Chicago and beyond.

Register Today
Artist Rashid Johnson stands in front of artwork featured in his first solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago on April 6, 2012.
M. Spencer Green / AP
Nov
17

Global Power, Chicago-Style: What Comes Next

In-Person EVENT
Global Power, Chicago-Style

Members of the Young Professionals Network gather for the final event in the Global Power, Chicago-Style series.

Register Today
A view of the Chicago skyline looking southwest at the Hancock Building and Lake Shore Drive from Lake Michigan.
Erin Hooley / AP
Dec
2
View all Upcoming Events related to Chicago & the Midwest

Past Events

Global Leadership in Action: A Showcase of Collective Impact

PAST EVENT

The Emerging Leaders Class of 2026 gathers for a project showcase and celebration of their work in the program.

Nov 6
Members of the Emerging Leaders Class of 2026 stand on a balcony and look out onto Washington, DC, during the annual cohort trip in May 2026.
Elman Studio / Yassine El Mansouri

2026 Global Food Security Working Dinner

PAST EVENT

Council President and CEO Leslie Vinjamuri hosts a working dinner to discuss the Council's food and agriculture work.

Oct 20
Farmer Brandon Hedges walks back to his combine while harvesting soybeans in Pawnee, IL on October 7, 2010.
Seth Perlman / AP
View all Past Events related to Chicago & the Midwest

Commentary

How Cover Crops Could Help the Midwestern Agriculture Business

COLUMN
ChicagoGlobal by Hope O'Dell

Cover crops help prevent soil erosion and can increase farmers’ yields — but, despite widespread use overseas, they haven’t caught on much yet in the Midwest.

A red barn stands in the background with the green leaves of a corn field in the foreground
Seth Perlman/AP
Food Security & Sustainability

Q&A: Northwestern's New Global Affairs Chair Says Her Department is All About Connection

COLUMN
ChicagoGlobal by Hope O'Dell

In her first year as head of the Buffett Institute, Deborah Cohen talks us through the role of global affairs at Northwestern, in Chicago, and beyond.

Headshot of a woman with curly dark hair and glasses
Becca Heuer
Global Cities
View all Chicago & the Midwest Commentary

Research

Fewer Americans See Immigration as Critical Threat; Two-Thirds Back Citizenship Path

RESEARCH
Public Opinion Survey by Craig Kafura

Survey data shows Americans are now far less likely to view immigration as a critical threat, with a growing majority favoring a path to citizenship.

People arrive before the start of a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Miami Field Office in Miami.
Wilfredo Lee / AP
Migration

Built by Immigrants, Shaped by Immigration

RESEARCH
Public Opinion Survey by Coauthors

Results and analysis of the Council's survey of Chicagoland residents on immigration policies.

blue report cover on a beige background Migration
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Experts

Richard C. Longworth 

Distinguished Fellow Emeritus, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Council expert Richard C. Longworth
Expertise
Europe
Chicago & the Midwest
Global Cities
Global Politics
Phone
(312) 821-7508
View all Chicago & the Midwest Experts