Are We Safer, or Just More Secure?Join the First Event for i3 2026-2027 Season

By Staff Writer

What does it take to keep the world safe, and what happens when the things we do in the name of security begin to threaten the very freedoms and values we are trying to protec

Those are among the questions historian and national security expert Karen Joy Greenberg will explore when she opens i³’s 2026–27 season on Tuesday, October 13 with "Reimagining the Global Order: Peace and Security in the 21st Century".

In speaking with Greenberg, one thing becomes immediately clear: this is not going to be a lecture that simply tells us what to think. Greenberg brings historical perspective to consequential questions, looking beyond today’s headlines to consider where the world is headed.

Her talk will examine the evolution of global issues during the 21st century, with a focus on the competing aims of security, human rights and peaceful coexistence. While late 20th-century efforts emphasized protecting civilians—including women and children—along with arms control and diplomacy, the 21st century has brought a significant change of course, driven by terrorism, great-power rivalries, climate change and artificial intelligence.

What are the consequences of these new priorities? How do we balance security with human rights and the possibility of peaceful coexistence? And in an increasingly uncertain world, is there still a path toward a more peaceful and secure global order?

Greenberg is an historian and expert on national security law and policy and the author of Subtle Tools, Rogue Justice, and The Least Worst Place. She is a Future Security Fellow at New America, a Senior Research Fellow at the Soufan Center, and co-host of the SpyTalk podcast. Her perspective is timely, and this promises to be a fascinating conversation about issues that affect us all.

Come curious. Think deeply. Join the conversation.

Tuesday, October 13^th 5:00 p.m.

La Casona Convention Center

Tickets: $325 online | $350 at the door

For tickets and more information, visit i3sma.org