News & Events

Shirin Deylami Named Director of New WWU Faculty Mentoring Program

(Source:  Western Today)

WWU Associate Professor of Political Science Shirin Deylami, has been appointed director of Western’s new mentoring program, designed to help new faculty thrive and succeed at Western.

“I am enthusiastic about leading the New Faculty Mentoring Initiative.  It is my goal to help facilitate a sense of community and belonging among new faculty so that they can thrive in their positions and make connections across their colleges and campus,” Deylami said. “My long term goal for the program is to help new faculty achieve success and see them become future leaders at the university. ”

An expert in comparative political theory, Deylami’s research and teaching focus on contemporary Islamic and comparative political theory with a specific emphasis on issues of modernity, globalization, and the construction of gender and sexuality in the context of the Islam/West relationship. She is an affiliated faculty member with Western’s Women, Gender and Sexualities Studies Program.

The new faculty mentoring initiative arose out of a Faculty Senate workgroup appointed to explore how Western can better support the retention and success of underrepresented faculty. After reviewing current research on the topic, the workgroup recommended a university-wide mentoring initiative modeled on an evidence-based program successful at universities similar to Western.

The workgroup’s recommendation resulted in a strategic planning proposal to the UPRC that was funded by the administration for a two-year pilot period. The proposal also provided funds for a limited number of new faculty to participate in programs offered by the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity.

I’m very pleased to see this important initiative realized,” said WWU Provost Brent Carbajal.  “Mentoring, broadly conceived, is critical to the success of new faculty.  I appreciate the work of all the people who did the research and planned approaches to faculty retention and success, and I’m pleased that Prof. Deylami has agreed to lead our efforts.  Prof. Deylami’s perspective and experience prepare her very well for this work and I’m excited for her and the faculty as they get started!"

Deylami is currently reaching out to second-year faculty interested in having a mentor, and tenured faculty who wish to serve as mentors. Interested faculty can contact her directly at Shirin.Deylami@wwu.edu.

IAA Team Wins Outstanding Delegation Award at Model UN Conference in New York

This past March, Western’s International Affairs Association team had the honor to attend NMUN, an international Model United Nations conference held in New York City. With over 3,000 delegates from around the world representing United Nations Member States, Western’s team had the opportunity to represent the Syrian Arab Republic in seven committees, debating with others and constructing resolutions to real world issues. On top of participation in the conference, Western’s team was also able to visit the Permanent Mission of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations and talk to Roua Shurbaji, Second Secretary of the Mission, about Syria’s position on countless international concerns in order to most accurately represent the country. 

With all the hard work and dedication of the team, WWUIAA walked away with four position paper awards and an Outstanding Delegate Award. Additionally, Western’s team earned the top team award: Outstanding Delegation. This marks the first time since 2012 that the club has won this award and the team could not be prouder! Thank you to all of the delegates, the WWU Political Science Department, and to the conference for an amazing experience.

2018 Hoover Prize Awarded

Congratulations to Michael Staight and Serena Fitzgerald who are sharing the 2018 Hoover Prize.   Both students presented excellent scholarly papers at the 2018 Political Science Association Conference on May 8.  Michael’s paper, "International Laws and Norms Regarding Refugees: A Case Study of the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict", was included in a panel on Global Politics moderated by Professor Michael Wolff.  Serena’s paper on ”The Racial Politics of Gun Control”  was part of a panel on Contemporary Public Policy moderated by Professor Kate Destler.  The work of both students touched on two important contemporary challenges—refugee populations and gun control—examining these issues through a political science lens.

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2018 Outstanding Graduating Senior

Congratulations to Emma Scalzo, recipient of the Political Science department’s award for 2018 Outstanding Graduating Senior! 

An exceptional and engaged student, Emma’s academic achievements are complemented by her active participation in civic leadership.  In 2017, she organized Western’s Voter Registration Drive and Get Out The Vote efforts, planning a candidate forum, a debate of issues, a Rock the Vote concert, and other events to provide nonpartisan voter education.  As a result, Emma and her team registered and updated information for more the 3,400 voters, well in excess of their 2,500 voter goal. 

Emma largely credits the success of this experience to her experience in the Political Science department.  “With every class, I received the opportunity to practice effective and professional writing, organizing, and presenting.  I believe having these skills and my background in Political Science made all the difference in the success this year.

In addition to her work on the Voter Registration Drive, Emma has also served as the Chair of the AS Legislative Affairs Committee, worked as a student ambassador for the WWU Foundation, as a field manager for Environment Washington, and volunteered with the Lighthouse Mission Drop-in Center.

Looking to the future, Emma hopes to go to graduate school and to develop a career working to address global health disparities and advocating for a more progressive healthcare system in the U.S.  We look forward to hearing where her path takes her in the years ahead and wish her great happiness and success as she graduates from Western Washington University.

WWU Students Attend West Coast Model European Union at the University of Washington

(story courtesy of Chelsea Andrews)

Six students from Western Washington University’s Political Science program attended the annual West Coast Model European Union (Model EU) at the University of Washington on February 23 and 24.

Model EU is a simulation of a European Council Summit where teams of two play roles of European Union Member State representatives and the European Commission, according to the University of Washington’s Model EU website. At the simulation, students are assigned a country and a topic. This year, the topics were Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Agricultural Policy. The students then represent their country in a formal negotiation session.

The students who attended Model EU were Lauren Caprile (Yakima) and Erik Fussell (Mukilteo), who represented Cyprus; Levi Eckman (Vancouver) and Amber Kelly (Bellevue), who represented Finland; and Sarah Bentley-Spring (Tacoma) and Emilie Han (Seattle), who represented Lithuania. The students were also accompanied by faculty member Amir Abedi, chair of Western’s Political Science program and professor of Political Science. 

Lauren Caprile received an honorable mention for her work as Cyprus’ Head of State.  

“It was amazing and unexpected. I benefited from having a country that was pretty central to the first half of the negotiations because Cyprus is very opposed to Turkish membership in the Common Foreign and Security Policy,” Caprile said.

Caprile said the simulation taught her how to negotiate under pressure and make compromises for the greater good. She said her favorite part of the simulation was the negotiating session.

“I enjoyed working with people who were just as invested in the simulation as I was,” Caprile said.

Caprile got involved with Model EU after taking Abedi’s European Union class in the fall. Abedi not only oversaw the students at the simulation, but was also a judge among other advisors from attending universities at the event.

“Participating in the Model EU is beneficial for students because in addition to acquiring in-depth knowledge about the European Union, they gain experience in public speaking and develop negotiation skills,” Abedi said. “Students can apply their research, organization and planning skills, and meet with colleagues from a variety of universities while learning about teamwork and leadership.”

Eckman said he gained a more in-depth look at topics he has studied at Western at Model EU, where he was the Head of State for Finland.

“Model EU 2018 was an incredible experience and an amazing addition to my opportunities with Model United Nations at WWU. Representing Finland, I was fortunate to learn about such a rich economy, with such strong models of diplomacy. I look forward to more conferences in the future,” Eckman said.

For more information about the Model European Union visit https://jsis.washington.edu/cwes-euc/student-resources/west-coast-model-eu/

2018 Governor's Leadership Academy

Congratulations to Political Science student Eduardo Carrillo who has been selected to participate in the 2018 Governor’s Leadership Academy.  Students from across the state apply for these very competitive and prestigious fellowships; Eduardo is one of 7 students selected to receive the GLA Fellowship this summer and will be working with Boards & Commissions/Executive Operations. In addition to gaining great work experience and firsthand insight into the operations of the Governor’s office, Eduardo will also receive academic credit towards his Political Science major.  Best wishes for a terrific summer and congratulations again, Eduardo!

2018 Legislative Internship Program

Nine Western students are participating in the 2018 Legislative Internship Program in Olympia. This annual program provides the opportunity for students to spend the Winter quarter working at the Capitol with members of the State Legislature. In addition to gaining great hands on experience in state government and legislation, participants receive academic credit and a stipend to cover their expenses.

Congratulations to Haylee Anderson, Andrew Edwards, Colton Gully, Maggie Hawk, Karlie Lodjic, William Martin, Eston McKeague, Leanna Sauerlender and Joshua Shimkus. We send our very best wishes for a successful experience in Olympia and look forward to seeing you back on campus for Spring quarter!

Visiting EU Fellow Joins Professor Abedi's European Union Seminar

On Thursday, November 30^th, Dr. Jurgen Salay joined Professor Abedi's PLSC 403 seminar on the European Union. Dr. Salay is the 2017-2018 EU Fellow at the University of Washington and a Policy Officer in the European Commission.  He has spent two decades working in the area of energy and climate cooperation as well as climate mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and came to WWU to talk with students about Climate Policy in the European Union.

Dr. Salay, who was a participant in the Kyoto Protocol negotiations, currently leads the Commission’s Climate Action team which is responsible for implementation of the Effort Sharing Decision (ESD). The ESD sets greenhouse gas emission limits for the 28 member states of the European Union. In his talk, Dr. Salay provided a background on the history of EU climate policy, explained the main objectives and targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions and examined the importance of monitoring and reporting for effective climate mitigation. He also related EU climate policy to international climate negotiations and discussed challenges for the future.  For more details on the visit, check out the UW "Follow Our Fellow" blog post.

You can listen to a podcast of the talk here.

Jesse Moore, Western Young Alum of the Year, Visits WWU Campus

Jesse Moore, Western Young Alumnus of the year for 2017, and Political Science graduate in 2005, visited campus November 7-8. He did several events including a talk at the Underground Café and an appearance at Professor Sarah Singleton’s seminar on community organizing. It was great to welcome this accomplished PLSC alum back to campus and inspiring for current PLSC students to hear about his career trajectory since leaving Western!

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PLSC Graduate Jesse Moore (2005) named WWU Young Alumnus of the Year

Western Washington University will honor Jesse Moore in an Award Ceremony on May 18, 2017. At Western, Jesse was active in the campus community with the Black Student Union and as AS Vice President for Diversity.  He served on the Multicultural Advisory Board, helped to develop a class on Civil Controversy and Dialogue, and received several awards including the Bellingham Herald Diversity Award (2003), the AS Student Leader of the Year (2004), the AS Diversity Award (2004).  In 2005, he was the first student to receive the Diversity Achievement Award. 

Since graduating from Western Washington University Jesse Moore has worked with the Department of Health and Human Services, on the 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, as Associate Director of Public Engagement in the Obama White House, and most recently as Vice President for Civic Engagement with Rock the Vote.  He is also a commentator for MSNBC and the Huffington Post.  Today Jesse is working on a new initiative, Pop Culture Collaborative, an organization that leverages pop culture, social media, and advertising to elevate the narratives of people of color, Muslims, and refugees in popular media.

To learn more about Jesse and see his alumni profile go to:  https://chss.wwu.edu/political-science/alumni-profile-jesse-moore.

Congratulations, Jesse!

2017 Outstanding Graduating Student

The department is pleased to announce that Ben Larson has been named the 2017 Outstanding Graduating Student.  Ben is completing a major in Political Science with a minor in Economics and in Geographic Information Systems.  He is a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science Honors Society.

Ben’s interest in Political Science extends well beyond an academic exercise.  He is actively engaged in community service, as a co-founder of the Bellingham Tenant’s Union, a Board Member of the York Neighborhood, and a campaign volunteer for Carbon Washington on Initiative 732.  His passion for the environment and working to effect positive change are also evident in his work on water rights here in Whatcom County and water access issues in Ladakh, India.

Most recently he participated in a Resistance GIS mini-conference in Portland which focused on the ways in which geospatial technologies can be used to empower communities and “shape, maintain, and dismantle the institutions we seek to understand.”

Ben has a quiet passion to be a force for good in this world.  We are excited to see where his path takes him next!

Attorney General Bob Ferguson visits WWU

On Tuesday, May 2 the Political Science department was honored to welcome Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson to campus.  He gave an enlightening talk about the work of the AG's office and the court challenge of President Trumps' travel ban.  If you missed the talk, you can read about it here or view it here.

International Affairs Association Participates in Model UN in New York and Los Angeles

During the week of March 18-25, the WWU International Affairs Association sent 16 delegates to represent the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia at the National Model United Nations conference held in New York City.  With 5,000+ students in attendance (over half from outside of the US) and 21 simulated committees, this conference stands as the Olympics of Model UN.  

Working in pairs in 8 different committees, our WWU IAA delegates addressed an array of challenges facing the world while collaborating with other delegations to develop new and innovative solutions to these issues.  The WWU IAA delegation finished in the top 10 percent of delegations, receiving the Distinguished Delegation award.  IAA also received an Outstanding Position Paper award for its delegates to the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees committee.  

WWU IAA delegates met people from across the world, addressed some of the most pressing issues of our time, explored New York, and developed skills to aid in their future work. 

A second trip took the IAA delegation to the Model United Nations in Los Angeles from April 20-23.  Four delegates represented Bangladesh, Laos and Burundi in SOCHUM, 1 delegate represented Haiti in UNCSW, and 2 delegates represented members of Parliament in the UK House of Commons.

Next up?  VIKMUN!  On May 13, IAA and Western Washington University’s Model United Nations program hosts their annual high school conference, VIKMUN, on the Western campus, bringing high school students from the region together for a Model UN event.  For more information about IAA and the Model United Nations program at Western Washington University, please contact the IAA President at President@wwuiaa.com.

Faculty-Led Study Abroad to China

Professor Kristen Parris from Political Science and Professor Baozhen Luo of Sociology are leading a study abroad program "Changing China:  Culture, Community, Citizenship' with several WWU students.  Latest reports from the field indicate they are having a fantastic experience; two of the participating WWU students are even doing a short internship with the NGO Chinese American People to People Friendship Center.  The group's travels are also being chronicled by the local media.

2017 Legislative Internship Program

Three students have been selected to participate in the 2017 Legislative Internship Program in Olympia.  Congratulations to Emmett Mills, Joshua Peck, and Caitlin Upshall!  Emmett, Joshua, and Caitlin will spend the Winter quarter in Olympia where they will be assigned to work with a member of the Legislature during the upcoming session. They will gain hands on experience in state government and legislation, earn credit towards their WWU degree, and receive a stipend to cover their expenses.  We send our very best wishes to them for a successful experience in Olympia!

Dean's Lecture Series

On November 16, Professor Todd Donovan was the featured speaker at the CHSS Dean's Lecture Series.  His talk, "The 2016 Presidential Election and Donald Trump's Effect on American Politics" focused on how Trump's campaign and the 2016 elections represent a fundamental change in the Republican Party, the American electorate, and American politics.  To watch a recording of his presentation, please click here.

Munro Seminar for Civic Education

The Ralph Munro Institute will host the 2016 Seminar for Civic Education from October 14-16.  George Washington University Professor Danny Hayes will give the keynote address, "The Role of the Media in The Presidential Campaign".  For details, click here.

Ambassador Koenig Speaks to Western Washington University Students and Faculty

John Koenig’s experience in the U.S. Foreign Service spans three decades.  He has served as Political Advisor to the NATO Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy; as Deputy Chief of Mission in Berlin, Germany; and as Deputy Permanent Representative to the U.S. Mission at NATO.  Most recently Koenig served as U.S. Ambassador in Nicosia, Cyprus.  In 2011, he received the Presidential Distinguished Service Award in recognition of the policy and leadership roles he has played in Berlin and at US NATO.

On October 27, Ambassador John M. Koenig visited the Western campus and gave a talk on "The New Cold War – NATO, Russia, and the Re-division of Europe".  Koenig describes a new Cold War that is underway between Russia, on the one hand, and the U.S. and EU on the other.  While it lacks the concentration of military forces and clear territorial division that characterized the period before 1989, the New Cold War increasingly bears markers of the earlier conflict between the Soviet Union and the West.  How did we get to this point, what started the deterioration of relations between Moscow and Western capitals, and who has driven the process forward?  How dangerous is the present situation and will the New Cold War have the global reach of the last one?  These are among the important questions he raises in his presentation to Western students and faculty.

To listen to the talk, please click here.

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2016 Outstanding Graduating Student

The department is pleased to announce that Heather Heffelmire has been named the 2016 Outstanding Graduating Student.  Heather is completing a major in Political Science with a minor in Economics and has been active in diversity and community service throughout her time at Western Washington University.  She adds this award to an already impressive list of accomplishments including serving as the WWU Vice-Chair of the Associated Students Legislative Affairs Council from 2013-2016, participating in the prestigious AFSCME Union Scholars Program in Summer 2015, and serving as a board member with the United States Student Association.  We are excited to see where Heather’s path takes her next!

2016 Hoover Prize Awarded

Congratulations to Alex Hastings, recipient of the Hoover Prize for her excellent paper "Mujeres Libres: Lessons on Anarchism and Feminism from Spain's Free Women ," presented at the 2016 PSA Conference. Alex was part of a student panel on "Comparative Politics" moderated by Professor Kristin Parris.

2016 Legislative Internship Awards

Congratulations to students selected for the Winter 2016 Legislative Internship program in Olympia! Eight talented Western students—John Boone, Katrina Brzozowski, Katherine Galambos, Bobby Hall, Renee Kester, Peter Lindgren, Joseph Pejovic, and Jaleesa Smiley—will spend the Winter quarter working at the State Legislature and gaining firsthand experience of the political process.  Our best wishes go with them for an engaging and informative quarter.

Departmental Statement Regarding November 24th Suspension of Classes

To Our Students:

As faculty in the Department of Political Science, we feel compelled to communicate with you about our thoughts in the aftermath of the suspension of classes last Tuesday.

Of most importance, we stand with the students who have been threatened. We urge the University to put all possible effort and resources into protecting and supporting students, faculty and staff who face harassment and threats of violence.

Universities should be places of inquiry and civil communication. Our work is to explore ideas and examine the world. It is not to demean or diminish. We will of course differ as we engage in intellectual work. But we must find ways to express our disagreement respectfully. Epithets and threats (whether explicit or implicit) have no place in a university community. Moreover, it is up to all of us to demonstrate our respect for others by educating ourselves about the historical legacies of oppression and violence that have lead to the recent threats. For example, references to “lynching” should not be taken lightly. Lynching involved the public celebration of hanging, burning alive, and dismembering of black and brown people. We take any suggestion that anyone should be “lynched” as an act of violence, a violation of our humanity.

Questions remain about the nature of the University’s response to the threats of the last week. We hope that the university community will engage in honest and sustained discussion about what occurred, how the University responded, and how we move forward.

We ask that you join us in recommitting ourselves to creating classes that are as safe and open as they are academically challenging and intellectually engaging. While we understand that no place is fully safe, we must make every effort to ensure that, as AS President Seare has argued, none of us is forced to sacrifice our education to protect ourselves from violence.  

Sincerely,

The Members of the Department of Political Science

Amir Abedi

Bidisha Biswas

Joan Blackwell

Paul Chen

Shirin Deylami

Todd Donovan

Charles Hoffman

Cynthia Horne

Vicki Hsueh

Vernon (Damani) Johnson

Kristen Parris

Rachel Paul

Debra Salazar

Sara Singleton

Erica Steele

Chris Towler

Sara Weir

Political Science Faculty Honored at WWU Convocation

Two members of the Political Science Department received awards at Western’s Opening Convocation on September 17. Professor Emeritus Donald K. Alper, who has retired after 43 years at Western, received the Outstanding Faculty Leadership Award, for his service as director of the Center for Canadian-American Studies and founder and director of the Border Policy Research Institute. Professor Vernon D. Johnson received the Philip E. Sharpe Community Engagement Award for his outstanding community service and, most recently, his numerous public presentations on race and law enforcement in the Post-Ferguson era. Congratulations to both!

Towler Cited in Recent Study on Patriotism Across the States

Professor Chris Towler was among several experts cited in a recent WalletHub study on the "2015 Most and Least Patriotic States".  In his remarks, Towler distinguishes between two forms of patriotism.  “To me, the characteristics of a good patriot reach far beyond a person’s loyal devotion to their country. Over the course of time, patriotism has split into two distinct and separate forms: blind and constructive patriotism. Blind patriotism is associated with an unquestioning positive assessment of the nation, or unwavering allegiance. While, on the other hand, constructive patriotism is an attachment to America that relies upon criticism intended to better the country… patriotism can (also) involve love for the core values associated with America, liberty and equality, rather than simply being about a positive or negative evaluation of the country.”

Outstanding Graduating Student

The department is pleased to announce that Mia Nafziger has been named the 2015 Outstanding Graduating Student.  Mia is completing the combined major in Economics and Political Science with a minor in French.  She adds this award to an already impressive list of accomplishments including serving with the Peace Corps in Senegal, serving as a research aide for both the Washington State Institute of Public Policy in Olympia and Congressman Denny Heck in DC, and volunteering with the Slum Doctor Program on microfinance projects in Uganada and Kenya.  We are excited to see where Mia's path takes her next!

2015 Hoover Prize Awarded

Congratulations to Asher Wycoff, recipient of the Hoover Prize for his excellent paper on "Affect and Horizontality in Locke and Nietzche" presented at the 2015 PSA Conference. Asher was part of a student panel on "Warriors and Victims: The Politics of Behavior, Affect, and Inequality" moderated by Professor Kristin Parris.

Legislative Internship Applications Now Open

Applications for the 2016 Legislative Internship Program are now open on the State Legislature website! Applications will be accepted between now and October 16th; the priority deadline is October 6. Interviews will be scheduled between October 26-November 13 and final selection of candidates is expected by December 1.  The internship is expected to run from January 6 through March 10, 2016.  For more information go to:  http://leg.wa.gov/Internships/Pages/InternshipApplication.aspx.

Your Future With Political Science-A Talk with Alumnus Tim Allen

May 28, 3:30-4:30 pm in Miller Hall 105

Tim Allen earned both his BA and MA in Political Science at Western Washington University and, for a time, taught political philosophy and served as director of the university’s debate team.  After completing his JD with honors at the University of Washington School of Law in 2004, Tim joined the firm of Bennett, Bigelow & Leedom in Seattle where his areas of practice include medical malpractice and insurance coverage.  He is a member of the Washington State Society of Healthcare Attorneys, the Washington State Bar Association Health Law Section, and the Washington Health Care Risk Management Society.

Tim has extensive courtroom experience and received the Washington Defense Lawyers Outstanding Litigation Associate Award in 2006.  He has been recognized as a Washington Rising Star attorney in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.  We are honored to have him back on campus to speak to current WWU students.  Sponsored by the Political Science Association.

Earth Day Event

On April 22, 2015 Kathryn Harrison, Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia, was on campus to participate in the World Issues Forum and to give a talk on International Carbon Trade and Domestic Climate Politics.  Click here to access her presentation.

Professor Abedi Receives Award from the German Federal Foreign Office

Julia Reinhardt, Consul for Cultural and Press Affairs at the German Consulate General in San Francisco, recently visited Western to present an award from Deutschland Magazine to Political Science Department Chair Amir Abedi. The magazine is published by the German Federal Foreign Office and Dr. Abedi is an avid reader.

Consul Reinhardt is responsible for fostering cultural ties between Germany and the Pacific Northwest and her visit to campus was an opportunity for WWU faculty and staff to learn more about opportunities for academic cooperation and exchange with Germany.

Currently the department has an active student exchange program with the University of Duisburg-Essen; UDE student Ole Ostendorp just completed two quarters at Western and is on his way home to Germany after a very rewarding experience.  Western students interested in the program are invited to contact Dr. Abedi at amir.abedi@wwu.edu.

Lecture:  “Mid-Century Dream to Today's Reality: All the Ways that Race Still Matters”

Political Science Students Headed to National Model UN Conference

Your Future with Political Science-A Talk with Alumnus Keith Boyd

STUDY ABROAD THIS SUMMER - 2015
South African NGO's in Development

PLSC 437G/HSP 437G5 (12 credits)

Travel/international location dates : July 5-August 20, 2015
Return session dates : September 30, 2015

INFORMATION SESSION:  February 10 at 3:00 pm (CH 137)

Explore the growing role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in bringing social development to South Africa. Engage in a rich experiential learning opportunity highlighting the history, culture, and politics of the region, while exploring the challenges that South Africans face and their many assets that contribute to community development. Examine grassroots and (NGO)-initiated approaches to community development and apply these perspectives to your own academic area of interest. Contribute to the well-being of our host community, Kurland Village, in the Crags region of South Africa.  For more information, contact: Vernon.Johnson@wwu.edu, (360) 650-4874, AH 438.

BORDER POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE  
2014 FALL QUARTER COLLOQUIUM SERIES

Friday, November 7, 12:00 - 1:00 Canada House

“Future Bilateral Trade Scenarios and Their Implications For Border Infrastructure”

Dr. Steven Globerman, Kaiser Professor of International Business & Director of the Center for International Business, WWU Friday, November 7th, 12:00-1:00 Canada house

Professors Steve Globerman and Paul Storer will present preliminary findings from a BPRI funded research project that explores how recent and prospective changes in North American trade patterns are influencing the volume and composition of commodities crossing land ports at the Canada-U.S. border. This research also projects future changes in the volume and mix of bilateral trade flows at major U.S. landports, providing insight into transportation infrastructure needs along bilateral transportation corridors.

Monday, November 17th, 10:00-11:00 --  SMATE 150
**New time and location**

“Resilient Economy, Resilient Communities”
WA State Representative Gael Tarleton
Gael Tarleton represents Washington’s 36th legislative district (Seattle). Gael is a member of the House Higher Education Committee and co-chairs the Economic and Community Resilience legislative caucus, which she founded. In her first term she was appointed to represent the legislature on the Pacific NW Economic Region’s executive committee due to her considerable experience with ports, border security, and international trade policies. Gael has worked at the Pentagon as a senior research analyst and led U.S.-sponsored programs with Russia. Her talk will explore how we sustain open borders and expand trade with Canada while protecting the security of our people and our communities.

October 7, 8, 9, 2014
Munro Institute for Civic Education

The Munro Institute brings leaders from the Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches along with local government, community and political leaders to campus for lively and spirited discussion and debate.  This year we have scheduled three panels, one on each day, October 7, 8 and 9 from 10 – 11:30 am, followed by a short reception, in the Reading Room of the Wilson Library on Western’s campus.

Here is a listing of the panels and dates:

October 7th  -  How To Break Away From Legislative Polarization 
October 8th  -  The Future of Washington, The Future of Higher Education
October 9th  -  Nurturing Talent and Innovation:  What Should Washington Look Like in 2025?
2014MunroSeminarFlyer.pdf

Professor Todd Donovan in Scotland for Referendum

Western Washington University Political Science Professor Todd Donovan was in Scotland observing the country’s political process during the run-up to the Sept. 18 referendum on Scottish Independence.

Donovan arrived in Scotland on Sept. 10. He has researched initiatives and referenda extensively and incorporated his findings into numerous publications and course materials for classes taught at Western. “This is a one-of a kind opportunity to observe an independence referendum of historic proportions,” Donovan said Sept. 15 from Edinburgh.