Think Tank Visits CNMI to Assess Geopolitics Amid Military Developments

Dr. Robert Underwood and Dr. Kenneth Kuper recently visited Saipan and Tinian as part of a project to evaluate the evolving geopolitical landscape of the Pacific Islands. Underwood, the chair of the Pacific Center for Island Security (PCIS), a newly established think tank based in Micronesia, was joined by Kuper, a co-founder of the organization and an associate professor of political science at the University of Guam.

Their visit is tied to an initiative funded by a $445,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The grant supports a one-time project aimed at analyzing the shifting global order from the perspective of the Pacific Islands in light of recent military developments in the region.

During their visit, Underwood and Kuper engaged with local leaders and stakeholders to discuss the region’s dynamics. As part of their project, they are developing an interactive online map that will track military activities, economic agreements, diplomatic relations, technological initiatives, and more.

“That is what we are seeing in the geopolitics of Micronesia. It is getting crowded and complex. How are we who live in this part of the world supposed to understand, cumulatively, how this is going to affect our lives?” Kuper said in an interview.

Marianas Press’ Thomas Manglona had the opportunity to sit down with them before their departure from the CNMI earlier this week.