Walker Institute
Every semester, the Walker Institute hosts events to further engage students with their degree programs and introduce them to real-world applications while connecting them with the community
Palmetto Forum
The Palmetto Forum is a world affairs luncheon seminar designed to stimulate discussion of international issues within Columbia's professional community.
Area Studies Events
Each semester, our institute hosts events to further explore each of our six world regions with the USC community.
Conferences and Symposiums
The Institute sponsors occasional conferences to bring attention to international events and global issues.
Upcoming Events
China Shock 3.0: The New Geopolitics of Trade, Investment and Technology
Sponsored by the Walker Institute and the Folks Center for International Business
The Folks Center's Trade and Diplomacy series, featuring David Firestein, Nic Rogers and Victor Shih (panel discussion with audience Q&A)
China's rapid economic growth continues to produce “shocks” in manufacturing and trade that now include semiconductors, AI, and advanced technologies. This contest between Beijing and the West is reshaping trade policy, foreign investment, and security considerations, forcing governments and companies to rethink long-held strategies. This forum brings together leading scholars and policy practitioners to examine how China's strategic objectives are evolving, and how the U.S. and other countries are adapting and competing in response. Join us for a clear-eyed look at one of the defining issues shaping our world.
Speakers: David Firestein, Victor Shih, Nic Rogers
Date: Thursday, October 29th
Time: 4:30pm-6:30pm
Location: W.W. Hootie Johnson Performance Hall (Room 101) Darla Moore School of Business
April 10-11, 18: Formal Approaches to South Asian Languages 16 Conference
Sponsored by the University of South Carolina's Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures and the Walker Institute
Speakers: Troy Messick (Rutgers); Diti Bhadra (University of Minnesota); Sameer ud Dowla Khan (Reed)
Dates: In-person component on April 10-11; Fully online component on April 18
Location: Russell House, Room 322
April 17-18: The USC Migration Lab is co-sponsoring the 2026 SEISA conference in Charlotte, NC.
7th Annual Southeastern Immigrant Studies Association Conference
Theme: Unraveling the Complexities of Migration: Power, Identity, and Belonging
Date: Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18
Location: Dubois Center, Charlotte, NC
Submissions are due by January 30th.
April 22: Palmetto Forum: "Productive Partners: Canadian Diplomacy in a Competitive World and the Economic Partnership with South Carolina"
With Canadian Consul General Rosaline Kwan
Sponsored by the Walker Institute and the Columbia World Affairs Council
Wednesday, April 22
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Palmetto Club: 1231 Sumter St. Columbia, SC 29201