Perilous Seas: Piracy in the 21st Century with Admiral James Houck

Vice Admiral James Houck will join two other distinguished speakers to discuss the law, politics, and history of piracy at “Perilous Seas: Piracy in the 21st Century” on Sept. 26. The public is welcome. 

“Not too long ago, piracy was the stuff of legend, movies, and song,” said event organizer Penn State Law professor John Lopatka. “But today, it is a global menace, threatening personal safety and burdening commerce. It poses vexing issues of sovereign jurisdiction, international cooperation, and enforcement policy. Yet it cannot be understood without recognizing the conditions that breed it – dire poverty, ineffective governments, and the exploitation of natural resources. Piracy is the world’s problem, and it has no simple solution.”

Joining Admiral Houck will be Professor Joel Samuels of the University of South Carolina School of Law and Professor Clive Schofield, Director of Research and ARC Future Fellow at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources & Security. Samuels, a prominent expert in international and transnational dispute resolution, has studied the role of piracy in shaping international law. Schofield, a renowned political geographer specializing in international boundaries and maritime boundary delimitation, has published extensively on the topic of piracy.

Sponsored by the Journal of Law and International Affairs, the event will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the Greg Sutliff Auditorium of the Lewis Katz Building in University Park, Pa. and will be simulcast to the auditorium/courtroom in Carlisle, Pa.