May 1, 2020, It’s hard to remember a day with a happy international affairs headline, and it may seem strange timing in the midst of a global pandemic to look at why we should be optimistic about the world. But optimism is an outlook worth cultivating. It's not hard to imagine the worst. But it's easy to overlook all the work that is being done at an international level to avoid worst-case scenarios. Through looking at disaster fiction – apocalyptic movies and books that show us the worst possibilities – Melissa Conley Tyler examined our big fears and explained what we’re doing internationally to avert them. It's the right time to give the case for optimism.
In 2019 Melissa Conley Tyler was honoured as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs in recognition of her distinguished contribution to international affairs.
Prior to this, she was the National Executive Director of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) for 13 years. Melissa is a lawyer and specialist in conflict resolution, including negotiation, mediation and peace education. She was the Program Manager of the International Conflict Resolution Centre at the University of Melbourne and a Senior Fellow of Melbourne Law School. In 2017, she co-authored Think Tank Diplomacy, the first-ever book-length discussion of the role of think tanks in modern diplomacy.