Why Rules-Based Orders Fail - by Ben Steil

Steve Janko, a resident of Colorado Springs and a retired attorney who specialized in international law presents on how he took the fall 2000 semester off from his international law studies at the University of Miami and volunteered to join a United Nations peacekeeping effort to help refugees return to their homes in Kosovo. 

Discussion on the Board of Peace and the United Nations Security Council: A Cooperation or Conflict? Ed Elmendorf took a deep look at the recent Trump initiative for peace in the Middle East against the backdrop of the traditional role and capability of the UNSC.

Jonathan Moyer is the Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Institute for International Futures and an Associate Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. He leads the continued development and application of International Futures (IFs), the integrated global modeling system that serves as the backbone for much of the UN system’s long-term forecasting and policy analysis.

If an individual is injured during a civil immigration enforcement action, it may be difficult to find a straightforward legal pathway. SB26-005 (Rights Violation in Immigration Enforcement Remedy) would create a state-law cause of action when a person’s federal constitutional rights are violated in the context of civil immigration enforcement

Colorado law currently allows 16- and 17- year-olds to marry with a judge’s approval. Senate Bill 26-048 proposes removing this exception and establishing 18 as the uniform minimum marriage age. While the bill passed its first committee hearing on a 3-2 party-line vote, it has sparked a complex debate that goes beyond simple partisan lines, forcing lawmakers and advocates to weigh child protection against potential unintended consequences (Colorado General Assembly, 2026).

Smoke drifts over the Divide and the Air Quality Index spikes. Your neighbor’s kid needs a vaccine that’s suddenly hard to find. A friend’s cousin arrives after fleeing conflict and just needs a safe place to start over. None of that stays tidy inside county lines. So who coordinates the big stuff when the big stuff refuses to stay local?

On January 24th, 2026, members from Boulder High School MUN, CU MUN, and Kent Denver School MUN joined residents from the Academy at Mapleton Hill, Frasier Meadows, and the Balfour Senior Living community to collaborate on the crisis in Myanmar/Burma during an Intergenerational Model UN (IMUN) Security Council meeting.

For 20 years, as the Bill Kellogg Discussion Series has analyzed topics ranging from “Exploring the Quality of leadership at the UN”, to “The High Cost of Trump’s Tariff Games”, Bill Sackett has been a steadfast presence, not just as a participant, but as its unofficial historian. His commitment to documenting the series' rich history has created an invaluable archive, a testament to the power of consistent engagement and a deep appreciation for community knowledge. Please find the archive of discussion topics here.

Keith Maskus is Arts and Sciences Professor of Distinction in Economics, Emeritus, at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He was Chief Economist of the US State Department from 2016 to 2017 and a Lead Economist at the World Bank from 2001 to 2002. He was a Research Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and a consultant for international organizations. He received his PhD from the University of Michigan in 1981.

On Tuesday, February 27, at the Boulder Public Library, Associate Professor Megan Shannon from CU Boulder led a thought-provoking discussion on “UN Peacekeeping in the Midst of War.” Drawing from her recent book and extensive research, Megan explored the complex role of UN peacekeeping missions in mitigating violence during civil wars.

Her presentation highlighted key findings from her work, which uses unique data to analyze how UN interventions impact ongoing conflicts. Through both large-scale quantitative studies and detailed case analyses, her research demonstrates that well-equipped and properly constituted UN peacekeeping missions can significantly reduce violence in war-torn regions.

With her background in international security and a recent Fulbright fellowship at the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, Megan provided an expert perspective on the effectiveness and challenges of UN peacekeeping efforts. Her talk sparked an engaging discussion on the broader implications of international intervention and the future of global peacekeeping initiatives.

Professor Robert Wyrod led an insightful discussion on Global China and International Development: Perspectives from Sub-Saharan Africa at the Boulder Public Library on September 23. His presentation focused on China's expanding role as a development partner in Uganda, based on years of ethnographic research at Chinese-funded projects across the country. Wyrod explored the opportunities and challenges posed by Chinese investment, highlighting the complexities of economic growth, infrastructure development, and local impacts. His talk provided a thought-provoking analysis of China's global influence and its implications for African nations.

On April 16, the UNA-BC Discussion Series welcomed Dr. Gene Bolles, an esteemed neurosurgeon with decades of experience in both medical practice and humanitarian missions. In his talk, Geopolitical Aspects of Humanitarian Health Care Missions, Dr. Bolles shared firsthand accounts from his medical work in conflict zones, including Northern Iraq, North Korea, and China. Drawing from his extensive career, he explored the intersection of medicine, diplomacy, and global crises, highlighting the challenges and ethical dilemmas faced by medical professionals in politically sensitive regions. The discussion provided profound insights into the vital role of healthcare in international humanitarian efforts.