Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — At their first event almost seven years ago, organizers of the Seminars at Steamboat were worried if anyone would show up to hear international relations expert Joseph Nye speak.

Jane Stein, one of the series’ founders, figured a crowd numbering anywhere above 40 people would be a success.

“We held the seminar in Centennial Hall, and it was standing-room only,” Stein said.

On Aug. 12, Nye is scheduled to return to Seminars at Steamboat as one of four speakers on the series’ seventh summer run. The lecture by the professor of international relations and former dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is titled, “Smart Power: America’s Glo­bal Position.”

“One of his theories is that we have to deal diplomatically, that we have to deal with the economics, that in addition to our military might, we have other ways of dealing with international issues. He calls that smart power,” Stein said.

Also confirmed for this summer is former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker, who will give a July 22 talk titled, “Can We Make the Government and the Economy Work For Us?”

“The purpose of the seminars is to present speakers on public policy issues of national and international importance and interest in a nonpartisan format. We don’t take positions. We’re not one side or another. It’s totally nonpartisan,” Stein said.

“The idea is to bring speakers to Steamboat who can discuss these issues with local people,” she said.

The remaining two speakers for 2010 have not been confirmed, Stein said. Seminars at Steamboat events are free and open to the public. Discussions are from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday evenings during the summer at Strings Music Pavilion.

To learn more about the series and to stay up to date on this summer’s speakers, go to www.seminarsatsteamboat.com.

— To reach Margaret Hair, call 871-4204 or e-mail mhair@steamboatpilot.com