Join us in Whatcom Museum's Rotunda Room for a timely discussion. Borders are largely constructed to prevent 'bad' things from entering a country - drugs, unwanted foreigners, pandemics - yet with questionable results. An over-reliance on borders not only has deplorable humanitarian consequences, as captured in the 2026 Whatcom READS selection Solito, but also infringes upon the mobility and rights of everyday citizens. This conversation will draw upon the 2025 book, When the World Closed Its Doors: The COVID-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders, to trace the recent and ongoing trajectory of borders as tools that are increasingly deployed to address a widening array of 'threats' and the collateral damage that ensues both in North America and beyond. 

Dr. Laurie Trautman is the Director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University. In addition to working with faculty and students, she collaborates with the private sector and government agencies to advance policy solutions that improve border efficiencies and strengthen the region. 

Edward Alden is a visiting professor at Western Washington University's College of Business and Economics. He is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C., and author of Failure to Adjust: How Americans Got Left Behind in the Global Economy. Prior to joining the Council, Mr. Alden was the Washington bureau chief for Financial Times.

Location: Whatcom Museum, 121 Prospect Street in Bellingham in the Old City Hall building.

This event is produced in conjunction with Whatcom READS and sponsored by the Whatcom Museum.