Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited Syracuse University Tuesday to discuss her current role in international affairs and the challenges in foreign policy. The recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom joined the dean of the Maxwell School to deliver the Tanner Lecture on Ethics, Citizenship, and Public Responsibility.
Albright says former officials still carry responsibilities, which is why she formed a group of former foreign ministers to have open discussions.
"We're meeting in two weeks in Oslo, and it grows by virtue of what it is, we're talking about the refugee situation," Albright said. "Many of the ministers are from Europe, some of them are still in their parliaments or involved in a number of ways, and I think we do use our backgrounds and expertise talk about issues.”
Albright, 78, still has strong opinions about U.S. foreign policy and its consequences even without holding a national title. She says the U.S. has a responsibility to understand what is going on internationally, develop its priorities, and decide under what circumstances to get involved.
"I just do think the worst thing from my perspective is that the United States completely sit something out and lets countries that we don't have dealings with deal with something, and then we have to come in and pick the pieces up later," Albright said. "I am an activist; there's no question about that.”
Albright says technology is a huge trend with a double-edge sword. She says despite all of its benefits, it has disaggregated people’s voices and lacks effects on institutions.
"People are talking to their governments on 21st technology; the governments hear them on 20th century technology, and are providing 19th century responses.”
Albright says neither national nor international institutions are dealing with issues in a responsive way which creates dissatisfaction and anger.
