UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — An upcoming symposium hosted by the Penn State Center for Global Studies will explore how Afghanistan both defines and defies a long history of geopolitical dynamics, statecraft, cultural exchange and identity formation.

Various events are scheduled during the Afghanistan in Global Perspective Symposium, which kicks off with a screening of the film “Retrograde” at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, in Carnegie Cinema Theater (113 Carnegie Building) on the University Park campus.

The event will be followed March 17-18 by a series of speakers and panel discussions taking place in the Lewis Katz Building. Symposium events will examine a variety of topics related to Afghanistan, including religion, history, economics, human rights, politics and the global perspective of the country.

Roya Rahmani, Afghanistan’s first female ambassador to the United States, will present the opening keynote address, titled “Afghanistan: A Security Dilemma That May Be Solved Through Non-Militarized Means,” at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 17.

Former NPR correspondent Sarah Chayes will kick off March 18's schedule with a presentation titled “Media and Cultural Landscapes in Modern Afghanistan,” while Afghan-American author Tamim Ansary will close the symposium with a lecture titled “Worlds Within Worlds: Afghanistan and the Emergence of a Global Culture.”

Topics for Saturday’s panel discussions include “Media and Cultural Landscapes in Modern Afghanistan,” “Afghanistan Beyond Headlines: Examining the Social, Religious, and Gender Tapestry,” and “Words Collide: The Politics of Writing Afghanistan.”

Additional information about the symposium speakers and information about participating remotely is available on the symposium website or by emailing CGS at cgs.psu@gmail.com.