(Press Release) — Scholars from Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico will unpack the historical and current impacts of accelerating U.S. military activity under a colonial legal framework.
Right to Democracy will host a virtual dialogue “Effects of Militarization in U.S. Territories,” bringing together leading scholars to examine how the rapid expansion of joint exercises, base build-outs, and live-fire training across the Pacific and Caribbean is reshaping life in Guam, the CNMI and Puerto Rico. Panelists will offer historical context, assess the effects of current escalation of activities, and discuss how these dynamics interact with the territories’ democratic deficits and the enduring colonial legal framework under which they are governed.
Moderated by RtD co-founder Adi Martínez-Román and RtD solidarity director and cross-territorial fellow Hadiya Sewer, this panel will bring expert voices and a cross-territorial perspective to the phenomenon of militarization in the territories, and the unique problems territories face. The dialogue will include the contribution of the following participants:
• Guam: Dr. Kenneth Gofigan Kuper, associate professor of political science, University of Guam’s Micronesian Area Research Center; Director, Pacific Center for Island Security, providing independent foreign-policy analysis for the Asia-Pacific.
• CNMI: Dr. Theresa “Isa” Arriola, assistant professor, Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Concordia University; chair, Our Common Wealth 670 on Saipan, a community advocacy group dedicated to research, education, and public awareness regarding military impacts in the Marianas.
• Puerto Rico: Dr. Melody Fonseca Santos, associate professor of political science, University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez. Her research and teaching focus on international relations critical theory, U.S. foreign policy toward the Caribbean, and feminist and gender studies.
“Communities in the territories have lived for generations with decisions made about our lands, waters, and futures without our consent and with “U.S. national security” interests in mind,” said Dr. Adi Martínez-Román, co-director and co-founder of Right to Democracy and event co-moderator. “This conversation connects the expertise of scholars from our archipelagos to uncover shared challenges — and to underscore why understanding the intersection between militarization and colonial rule is not optional but urgent.”
“Militarization is never just about bases or training schedules,” added Hadiya Sewer, RtD’s solidarity director and National Environment & Democracy fellow, and event co-moderator. “It’s about environmental risk, cultural survival, public health, and the everyday ability of people — who lack full democratic voice — to shape what happens to their homelands. This panel explores the effects of militarization when the legal structure itself enables vulnerability.”
Registration & access
Register: https://l1nq.com/04rtq
Recording: Session will be recorded and posted on our virtual dialogues page
Language: Simultaneous English/Spanish translation available.
