Class of 1971 Student Conference on U.S. Affairs Class of 1971 Student Conference on U.S. Affairs Breadcrumb academics departments social sciences student conference on us affairs Social Sciences (left) MENU Social Sciences Home Majors & Minors Research Internships Events & Activities Clubs & Programs Faculty & Staff Class of 1971 Student Conference on U.S. Affairs (SCUSA) SCUSA is a four-day conference in which students work with scholars and practitioners to develop proposals that address important topics in U.S. foreign policy. SCUSA is one of the largest conferences of its type and is attended by approximately 200 undergraduate students from over 100 institutions around the U.S., abroad, and across academic disciplines. West Point has hosted SCUSA 72 times, with the first event held in 1949. In addition to offering an opportunity to discuss complex issues of foreign policy, SCUSA provides a foundation for developing lasting civil-military relationships among future leaders in the military, government, and private sector.More details below! Venue for New Ideas Throughout the conference, student delegates deliberate the impact of current obstacles to the United States and work to formulate sound policy recommendations for the U.S. government. The conference begins with a panel of senior leaders who introduce the theme, features a keynote address by a policy expert, and includes roundtable sessions to facilitate the development of policy recommendations. Unique Interaction with America’s Military While attending SCUSA, delegates get a unique glimpse into the daily life of the United States Corps of Cadets, future officers in the U.S. Army. Delegates interact with cadets on conference roundtables, while residing in the cadet barracks, and over meals in the cadet mess hall. Roundtables SCUSA draws academic and policy practitioner experts who facilitate roundtable discussions and guide student delegates in developing a series of policy recommendations for their table region or topic.Past Distinguished Guests and Keynote SpeakersSecretary Henry KissingerSecretary Madeleine AlbrightAmbassador Susan RiceGen. Paul NakasoneAmbassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield Recent Themes 2023: Innovation and the Future of American Foreign Policy 2022: American Foreign Policy in an Era of Polarized Politics and Revisionist Powers2021: Disruptive Technology and American Influence in the Coming Decade2019: Advancing the National Interest: The Intersection of Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy2018: Cooperation Reimagined: American Influence in an Increasingly Complex World2017: The Politics of the Forgotten and the Aggrieved: Remaking the World Order?2016: Democracy and Democratization: Challenges and Opportunities Class of 1971 Student Conference on U.S. Affairs celebrates 75th SCUSA in 2024!The theme for SCUSA 75 is “’Securing the Blessings of Liberty’: American Foreign Policy in an Increasing Multipolar World.” To some observers, the use of the term “multipolar world” is inappropriate because the United States remains the most powerful state in terms of military and economic strength as well as global influence. Yet it seems increasingly clear that other powers, from China and Russia to “middle powers” such as India and Turkey, represent challenges to American leadership that suggest “unbalanced multipolarity” rather than “unipolarity” or “bipolarity.” The concept of multipolarity has significant implications for US foreign policy, particularly how Washington grapples with the core problem of aligning ends, ways, and means. In what ways should the United States address the growth of significant constraints on its global and regional power? How, if at all, should it revise its commitment to democratization around the world? Should the United States share more of its power and authority with allies and neutral states, particularly as a method to better confront its adversaries? And how will multipolarity impact US attempts to bolster the national and global economy? These and many other vital, related questions will be addressed by the fifteen roundtables of SCUSA 75 as they debate how the United States should advance its values and interests in a turbulent world. Roundtables of 16-20 student delegates discuss following topics as they relate to the overarching theme: The Effects of Multipolarity on Democracy and Democratization The US Political System: Can it Manage the Challenges of Multipolarity? Multilateral Institutions under Multipolarity: from the UN to the WTO How does Multipolarity Affect the Fight Against Climate Change? The US and the Global Economy in a Multipolar World The Threat and Promise of Technology under Multipolarity US Security Forces and a Military Industrial Complex for a New Global Order Prospects for Governing Space in a Multipolar World Managing Conflict and Cooperation in the Arctic How Multipolarity Affects Russia’s External and Domestic Behavior China, East Asia and Multipolarity Latin America Under the Pressures of Multipolarity Europe as an Emerging Pole in a Multipolar World The Effect of Multipolarity on Conflict in the Middle East Africa: Managing the Threats and Opportunities of Multipolarity If you are interesting in joining this year's conference, please contact your school's political science or international affairs department to request an invitation to SCUSA 75 in 2024. Registration closes Sept. 13!If your program does not have registration details, they can contact our executive secretary Major Daniel Colletti at daniel.colletti@westpoint.edu for more information. Follow Us Contact the SCUSA Staff Please contact the SCUSA staff if you have any questions about the conference. If you would like to attend, please coordinate with your university's political science department, as SCUSA invites delegates to the conference through their respective academic institutions.