EVENTS
Join us weekly (usually Wednesdays) at noon in 400 Eggers Hall for this educational speaker series for students, faculty, and the community. The series draws its speakers from Syracuse University faculty, national and international scholars and activists, and PhD students. Pizza served. Learn more about Conversations planned for this spring.
Humble Humanitarianism: The Case for Non-Military Humanitarian Intervention
Benjamin Valentino
Author of Final Solutions: Mass Killing and Genocide in the 20th Century, Edgar S. Furniss Book Award winner
Date: Wednesday, April 17, 2013, 12:00–1:30 pm
Location: Public Events Room, 220 Eggers Hall
Benjamin Valentino is an Associate Professor of Government at Dartmouth College. His research interests include the causes and consequences of violent conflict and American foreign and security policies. At Dartmouth he teaches courses on international relations, international security, American foreign policy, the causes and prevention of genocide and serves as co-director the Government Department Honors Program. Professor Valentino's book, Final Solutions: Mass Killing and Genocide in the 20th Century, received the Edgar S. Furniss Book Award for making an exceptional contribution to the study of national and international security. His work has appeared in outlets such as The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, The American Political Science Review, Security Studies, International Organization, Public Opinion Quarterly, World Politics and The Journal of Politics. He is currently working on several research projects focusing on public opinion on the use of force, civilian and military casualties in interstate wars and developing early warning models of large-scale violence against civilians. This lecture will be the final event held as part of Syracuse’s “Days of Remembrance,” our opportunity to remember lives lost during the Holocaust.
SPONSORED BY
- PARCC - Conversations in Conflict Studies Series
- Moynihan Institute
- Regional Holocaust and Genocide Initiative
- Sigma Iota Rho - Honor Society for Students of International Affairs
- Political Science Department, Maxwell School
Date: Friday, March 29, 2013 (all day)
Location: Maxwell School, Syracuse University
Over the last four decades, American universities have increasingly shifted
their academic labor force toward a pool of part-time and underpaid
adjuncts, graduate students, and a whole variety of hybrid non-tenure
track faculty. Today, according to the American Association of
University Professors, nearly 70% of faculty members are non-tenure
track, characterized by low wages, difficult working conditions and
negligible job security. Meanwhile, universities continue to raise
student tuition while spending exorbitant amounts on administration
salaries and building construction.How has this happened? How do the
eroding conditions for academic labor mirror wider trends in American
capitalism toward low-wage job growth and increasing inequality? How
have these trends affected Syracuse University? How are technological
trends and new teaching platforms transforming the conditions of
academic labor? What are the prospects for graduate students working
toward a career in academia? What is the future of tenure? Finally, and
most important, how have these trends been resisted through adjunct and
grad student unionization and other forms of labor struggle? How does
Syracuse University's status as a private institution structure the
legal environment of such struggles? This workshop and event on academic
labor will explore such questions and provide a venue at Syracuse for
discussion and debate by all those concerned with the state of academic
labor. More >
Past Events
Sweatshop Workers Speak Out
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 5, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Location: Global Collaboratory (060 Eggers Hall), Syracuse University
Honduran and Haitian garment workers will speak out against the sweatshop conditions in factories owned and contracted by Gildan, the largest supplier in the Western hemisphere to Adidas. This event is part of the NYS Sweatshop-Free Week of Action coordinated by the Labor Religion Coalition of New York State. Organized by PARCC’s Labor Studies Group with co-sponsorship from Hendricks Chapel, United Students Against Sweatshops, Sweatfree Communities, and the Labor Religion Coalition of New York State.
Youthquake - From Arab Street to Wall Street
Srdja Popovic, Executive Director, Center for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS)
Date: Monday, Jan. 28, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Public Events Room, 220 Eggers Hall
Srdja
Popovic, an internationally known activist, will discuss the importance
of unity, planning and discipline in successfully toppling
dictatorships. He will also explain differences between "complete" and
"incomplete" revolutions. Finally, he will elaborate on how different
methods like the use of the Internet, humor, slogans and choosing
battles which you can win can contribute to nonviolent revolution. Srdja
Popovic was one of the founders and key organizers of the Serbian
nonviolent resistance group Otpor that helped to unseat Serbian
president Slobodan Milosevic. In 2003, Popovic and other ex-Otpor
activists started the nonprofit educational Centre for Applied
Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS). CANVAS has worked with people
from 46 different countries, including Zimbabwe, Burma, Iran, and
Venezuela, in spreading knowledge on nonviolent strategies and tactics
used by the Serbian pro-democracy movement to other non-democratic
countries. CANVAS has worked with activists responsible for successful
movements such as the Georgian “Rose Revolution” of 2003 and the
Ukrainian “Orange Revolution” of 2004-2005. It also transferred
knowledge to Lebanese activists in 2004 to address the crisis after the
assassination of Prime Minister Hariri, and assisted participants in the
Maldives’ revolution in 2008. Recently CANVAS has worked with April
6th, a key group in the Egyptian nonviolent uprising, as well as other
groups in the Middle East.
This event is presented by The Transnational NGO Initiative, PARCC, and The Transnational Societal Security.
On November 28-30, nearly 50 visionary leaders representing diverse ideologies and disciplines will gather at Syracuse University to engage in a dialog, telling the stories of our civilization and searching for a shared narrative to promote sustainability and move us beyond conflict. Through a process used widely in community and peace-building work, participants will share openly and listen deeply, transcending individual positions to develop a new narrative for the future of humanity and the planet. This dialog will be organized around four topic areas: Environment, Economy, Democracy, and Being. Artists will join participants to create stories that can engender a more compassionate, inclusive, civil society—one that can support a sustainable future. (See full list of invited participants, with bios.) The public is invited to participate in two defining portions of this event:
Thursday, Nov. 29, 7:00–8:30 p.m. — An Evening of Stories and Music for Sustainability
Location: Maxwell Auditorium (with open reception in Maxwell Foyer at 6:00 p.m.)
Panel discussion and cultural program to share emerging narratives. Open reception preceding the event will allow the public and university community to gather with presenters and participants. Opening remarks by Ralph Singh, and by sociology professor Marjorie DeVault on the role of narrative in social change. Panelists include Rabbi Brad Hirschfield (Co-President of CLAL), Dr. Naresh Singh (former UN Advisor for Poverty and Sustainable Livelihoods), Nick Stuart (President and CEO of Odyssey Networks). Stories presented by Francis Parks, storytelling matriarch and founder of Sojourner Story Festival. Music offered by jazz clarinetist David Rothenberg, with world-renowned sound designer Doug Quin.
Friday, Nov. 30, 10:40 a.m.–12:30 p.m. — Building the Story for a Sustainable Future
Location: Global Collaboratory, 060 Eggers Hall
Discussion of emerging narratives assisted by visual facilitator Julie Stuart. Audience contributions will be welcome as the group identifies opportunities for change and begins to frame a call to action.
Download event flyer (pdf).
Social media: #wtn2012 — tinyurl.com/wtn2012 — @WisdomThinkers — @PARCCatMaxwell
Event hosted/sponsored by:
with the McDevitt Center for Creativity and Innovation, and the Community Foundation of Central New York.
University Network for Collaborative Governance (UNCG) 2012 Annual Meeting
Embedding Collaborative Governance in Universities, Communities, and Government
June 10-12, 2012 at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
This conference will focus on one central question: How do we make collaborative governance an embedded feature in the regular work of universities, communities, and governments?
Numerous centers for collaborative governance have sprung up at universities across the country and around the world. These centers seek to assist citizens and leaders to engage in dialogue, discussion, problem solving, and conflict resolution around public issues. Few would argue against the need for such centers, particularly given the numerous policy challenges we currently face in our communities, states, and nation. However, while these centers have had successes in practice and service, teaching and training, and/or in research, their assistance is not consistently sought out by decision makers in the universities, communities, and governments they serve.
Registration:
Download Registration Form (36 KB PDF)
Please mail your registration form along with a check or money order by May 11, 2012 to: Policy Consensus Initiative, University Station, PO Box 1762, Portland, OR 97207. Or pay through PayPal at: http://policyconsensus.org/events/uncg_2012.html and email registration form to: sarah@policyconsensus.org, or fax the form to (503) 725-9099.
Co-sponsored by UNCG and the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC) of Maxwell School at Syracuse University.
The PARCC Labor Studies Group 2011-12 Lecture Series
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES UNDER SEIGE? The Case of Public School Teachers. Wednesday, April 18th from 4-6 PM in 204 Maxwell Hall. Public sector workers are under unprecedented political attack. Salaries and pensions have been cut in the name of fiscal austerity. Collective bargaining and organizing rights have been rolled back in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana. The battle is spreading to other states. In the midst of this furor, public school teachers are facing the twin challenges of insistent demand for improved outcomes for their students and the fiscal restraints of the ongoing recessionary environment. Our distinguished panelists will present on the phenomenon of the political attacks on public sector workers and then focus on the case of teachers, highlighting the best and worst strategies being employed by school systems, politicians, teachers and the unions that represent them to address these challenges. Panelists: Douglas Gerhardt, Esq., Partner with Harris Beach, PLLC, President of Management Advocates for School Labor Affairs (MASLA), Rebecca Givan, Asst Professor at ILR, Cornell University, Pauline Kinsella, Executive Director, NYS United Teachers, former Chair, NYS Public Employment Board.
Solidarity Across Borders: New Developments in Labor Transnationalism. Tuesday, March 20, 2012- from 4:00-6:00 pm in the Global Collaboratory, 060 Eggers Hall. Guest Speakers: Jamie McCallum-Assistant Professor of Sociology at Middlebury College, Robin Alexander- Director of International Affairs of the United Electrical Workers Union (UE), and Benedicto Martinez Orozco- Co-President of the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo (FAT) in Mexico. With the institution of NAFTA, labor transnationalism found new and fertile ground in which to take root, pushing well beyond officially imposed limits. One of the pioneering cross-border alliances to chart the way from anti‐NAFTA agitation tothe formation of a principled and sustained transnational labor movement has been the UE-FAT Strategic Organizing Alliance. Moreover, both principals in this alliance are rooted in a rare tradition of independent, social-movement unionism in the U.S. and Mexico. Recently, these fortuitous beginnings have been considerably strengthened and expanded by the formation of the Tri-National Solidarity Alliance (TNSA), comprising a variety of unions from Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. In this exciting forum, we continue our tradition of bringing seasoned practioners in the field together with academic experts to talk about the state of the labor movement and labor solidarity. Leaders from the United Electrical Workers Union (UE) and the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo (FAT) will join a labor sociologist to talk about key developments in and the longer-term outlook for transnational labor solidarity.
Labor and Community Organizing: a Labor Studies Symposium. Friday, October 28, 2011 from 2-4pm in 500 Hall of Languages. Janice Fine, Professor at Rutgers University and Author of Worker Centers: Organizing Communities at the Edge of the Dream. Ian Macdonald, Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University. Jeffrey Bellamy, Executive Director of Syracuse Alliance for a New Economy. Mark Spadafore, Political Organizer for SEIU Local 1199.
Taken for a Ride: Guestworkers in the U.S. Thursday, September 1, 2011 in 060 Eggers Hall, the Global Collaboratory at 4:00pm with guests David Griffiths from East Carolina University, Rachel Micah-Jones and Martin Davila from Centro de los Derechos del Migrante (CDM) that works to organize and improve working conditions for migrant workers in the U.S. and Rebecca Fuentes, coordinator of the Workers' Center of Central New York. For more information, click here.
PARCC also co-sponsored a two day symposium titled, Engaging Conflict: Transformations through the Arts, which featured film, movement, theater, and story-telling. The conference, began on Friday, November 4, at 5 pm with a film screening and continued with a full day of activities on Saturday, November 5. It was held at the Warehouse Auditorium, 350 W. Fayette Street, in downtown Syracuse. Read more.
Monday, April 2nd- PARCC Welcomes David Cortright, Director of Policy Studies at the Kroc Institute and Chair of the Board of the Fourth Freedom Forum for two lectures. Non-violence and the Middle East. at 12:00 pm in 402 Maxwell Hall. For nonviolence to be relevant it must be applicable to the most complex conflicts. Cortright will discuss the theory and tactics of nonviolent strategy and its use in the Egyptian revolution. Afghan Women Speak: Enhancing Security and Human Rights in Afghanistan. at 4:00 pm in 341 Eggers Hall. Since the overthrow of the Taliban by U.S.-led forces in 2001, the promotion of women’s rights in Afghanistan has generated much public debate. Some commentators have suggested that prolonged U.S. and NATO military occupation is needed to protect women’s gains. But what do Afghan women think? David Cortright co-authored a report of this title based on extensive interviews with Afghan women leaders, including parliamentarians, activists, school principals, health workers, and members of the police force and army. *This Event is Co-Sponsored by: Syracuse University’s Department of Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Women’s and Gender Studies, the South Asia Center, and Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND).