The U.S. View of the Egyptian Revolution: Misreadings and Missed Opportunities

The OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents
The U.S. View of the Egyptian Revolution: Misreadings and Missed Opportunities

with James Ketterer

Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. ET

Hybrid - In-person at BCC and online

James Ketterer moved to Egypt immediately after the Egyptian Revolution in early 2011 and was there through the regime change in 2013. He was director of an educational and cultural affairs NGO that strengthens ties between the U.S. and the Middle East and works closely with the U.S. embassy and the Egyptian government. This gave him an up-close view of the turbulent events, misread circumstances and missed opportunities that have strained U.S.-Egyptian relations. This presentation will explore what went right, what didn't and where things stand now (including discussions about a US senator being convicted of colluding with Egyptian intelligence services, the role of Egypt in regional conflicts and possible changes with the new US administration).

James Ketterer is Senior Fellow at the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College in New York state. At Bard, he previously served as Dean of International Studies and Director of the Bard Globalization and International Studies program in New York City. Ketterer also served as Dean of the School of Continuing Education at the American University in Cairo and as Egypt Country Director for AMIDEAST, a large educational NGO represented across the Middle East and North Africa. While in Egypt he worked on several public diplomacy projects with the US Embassy, including cultural exchange programs and jazz diplomacy. He was at the State University of New York for several years, serving as Vice Chancellor for Policy and Planning, Deputy Provost, and Director of the Center for International Development, where he implemented large capacity building projects supported by the US Agency for International Development USAID). These projects worked with parliaments and other institutions in many countries across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe. He has also worked in government, including at the National Security Council, the New York Senate, and the New York Commission on Higher Education.

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Ticket information:

Admission:
$10 for OLLI at BCC and
$15 for the general public.

Admission is free for students, staff and faculty from Berkshire Community College, MCLA, Simon's Rock, and Williams; youth 17 and under, and those holding WIC, EBT/SNAP, or ConnectorCare cards.

Pre-registration is required. Register safely and securely online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9am-4pm) to register by phone with a credit card.