Author: Zachary Schwartz

On Wednesday, April 17, please join the Schwarzman Scholars program in the Office of Study Abroad conference room (in Usdan) for an info session.

The Schwarzman Scholars program offers students an outstanding opportunity to immerse themselves in a Global Affairs M.A. program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, one of China’s top universities.

NB: no knowledge of Chinese or of China is required — they’re looking for leaders from all fields. 

This is an amazing chance for any IGS student who has graduated since 2014 (and up to the Class of 2020!) to gain real experience and networks in international affairs in the heart of one of the world’s largest economies and most influential states. More eligibility requirements are available on the official website. You can also read about Jennifer Almodovar Jimenez ’18, a Brandeis IGS grad who was selected for the 2019/20, here!

The application to join the 2020/21 cohort is in September 2019, but the program encourages interested students/grads to apply as soon as possible.

 

What is China doing in its western, and predominantly Muslim, province of Xinjiang? To learn more please join us for:

“China, the War on Terror, and the Mass Internment of Turkic Minorities”

A talk by Sean Roberts, Associate Professor of International Affairs
George Washington University

Thursday, April 4
3:30 pm
Mandel G03

There is evidence that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has detained as many as 800,000 to 2 million of its Uyghur, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz citizens in mass internment camps. China claims that it is addressing legitimate security concerns and hopes to better integrate the region’s population into China’s society and economy. Coupled with the establishment of a surveillance state throughout the Uyghur region of China, however, these camps may be part of a concerted state-led effort to transform the identity and culture of Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities.

Please join us to discuss the growing crisis in western China and the neighboring states.

Sponsored by the International and Global Studies Program

While geographically separated to a significant degree, Ireland and Israel do share certain similarities in their respective histories. Having emerged from British control, Ireland and Israel both struggled to achieve national liberation. Today, they maintain diplomatic relations and have strong economic ties; according to its Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel imported $1.179 billion worth of Irish goods and exported $105.6 million worth of its own goods to Ireland in 2018.

Indeed, the relationship between Ireland and Israel is profoundly interesting. It is multi-dimensional, involving similar historical paths as well as traditional socio-economic relations. It is also incredibly important to consider, given the rapidly shifting international environment both small states find themselves in.

Please join the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies and the Center for German and European Studies at Brandeis University for a roundtable discussion on the subject of the Israeli/Irish relationship on Monday, March 11 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. in the Mandel Reading Room (third floor, Mandel Center for the Humanities).

The discussion will touch on aspects of Ireland’s and Israel’s national liberation movements and how the relationship has changed from the beginning to the present, as well as implications for that relationship going forward. Panelists will include a former Ambassador of Israel to Ireland, Alexander Kaye (the Karl, Harry, and Helen Stoll Assistant Professor of Israel Studies and Assistant Professor in the Department of Near East and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University), and Frances Malio (the Sophia Moses Robison Professor Emerita of Jewish Studies and History at Wellesley University.

The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Lisa Lynch, Provost and the Maurice B. Hexter Professor of Social and Economic Policy at Brandeis University.

This event is free and open to the public.

We hope to see you there!

“Countering & Preventing Violent Extremism:
A panel discussion on counter-extremism and Islamophobia”

Wednesday, February 27
12:30-2 pm
Skyline Commons

Violent extremism is a perpetual alarming issue for a globalizing world. While much has changed in the years since the 9/11 attacks brought the issue to the forefront of global conversation, violent extremism remains salient in today’s world. Extremist groups rise from the ashes of other fallen extremist groups, leading to what appears to be an unending cycle of attacks, conflict, and carnage. Meanwhile, as globalization continues, movement of people, information, and ideas becomes easier, a development which, if employed maliciously, can be taken advantage of by opportunistic extremist groups.

Indeed, as time has shown, the issue of violent extremism has been both complicated and pervasive. The ideologies behind such extremism have been able to stick, even in the face of a massive international response. As the world deals with the innovations globalization continues to provide, so too may violent extremists adapt and propagate their ideologies through new methods that can perpetuate their staying power.

It is clear that the solutions that the international community has implemented throughout the post-9/11 Global War on Terrorism have been ineffective at comprehensively dealing with violent extremism. There are, though, other solutions.

On Feb. 27, 2019, please join the Ethics Center, the Heller School for Social Policy, the International & Global Studies Program, the Politics Department, and the Bahalim Fund for a panel discussion on Countering & Preventing Violent Extremism, which will discuss recognizing the signs of radicalization and recruitment early in the process and how to address the issue of violent extremism at its roots.

The panel will feature Farah Pandith, a former State Department official who has spearheaded Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) both inside and outside government settings. It will also feature Paul Turner, a leader in global conflict resolution, and Saidi Abdi, a leader in refugee support and the Associate Director for Community Relations at the Boston Children’s Hospital Refugee Trauma and Resilience Center.

Refreshments will be served.

*NB: This event will be video recorded.