Changing Things Up

Hello all, for the spring semester we'll be sending updates about PS news and events around campus via email rather than on this blog. If you'd like to get on the PSDUG email list, please email brownpsdug@gmail.com. Thanks and good luck shopping!

Week of November 9th

Hello all, the updates have been sporadic but this is a slow time for events, so we have not missed much. There a few goings on this week, so please attend and enjoy!

Also, keep your eyes peeled for more info on two upcoming PSDUG events. One will be a discussion with Ross Cheit about law school and the other will be a reading period study break with lots of snacks.

THIS WEEK:
Tuesday, 4 pm in Salomon 001: John Hazen White Sr. Lecture delivered by Jonathon Cohn, a senior editor at the New Republic, whose articles have also appeared in the NYT, Washington Post, and Slate. He will focus on health care reform, a subject which he covered in his recent book: Sick: The Untold Story of America's Health Care Crisis and the People Who Pay the Price.

Wednesday, 12 pm at the Faculty Club (classy, free lunch!): Janus Fellows invite you to discuss with fellow students whether perpetrators of hate crimes should receive enhanced punishment. You MUST RSVP by Tuesday night to janusforum@gmail.com to reserve a seat.

NEXT WEEK:
Monday, 4 pm in Smith-Buanano 106: PSDUG will co-sponsor an event hosted by the Japanese Cultural Association. Hear from cutting edge and critically acclaimed director, Kazuhiro Soda, and watch his film "Senkyo." It follows a no-name nobody candidate and his various tactics to gain the LDP nomination in the race for Kawasaki City Council. It should be a fascinating look inside Japanese politics and will question anyone's understanding of the democratic process.

End of October

It's hard to believe that October is already almost over, but there are still a lot of events and opportunities left in the semester.

However, you do have to start thinking about next semester already, since pre-registration begins the following week on November 3rd (for 7th semester and above). The DUG will be hosting a pre-registration Q&A with Patti Gardner and Professor Cammett on October 28 at 12 pm in Wilson 205. You will be able to learn from administrators about requirements and from each other about past experiences with courses and faculty. Please stop by!

Other events for the week of October 26th include:
Tuesday, 7 pm, List 120: The PS Department's own Wendy Schiller will discuss "Women in Male-Dominated Fields," with a focus on politics and academia.

Wednesday at 4 and Thursday at 12 and 7 pm, Joukowsky Forum @ Watson: Two-part series on the EU, featuring former Italian PM Prodi and former Austrian Chancellor Gusenbauer.

Wednesday at 7 pm: Fall Concentration Fair

Thursday, 4:30 pm, McKinney @ Watson: Niraja Jayal on "Claims to Social Citizenship in Western India."

As always, email brownpsdug@gmail.com with questions, comments, or suggestions!

Grad School and Goings on

Midterms are just getting going, and so are a lot of exciting events around campus. The DUG is continuing efforts to host our own events to cater to the interests of PS concentrators. Our next event, a panel about graduate studies co-sponsored with the Public Policy DUG, is described below:

Come join the Political Science DUG and Public Policy DUG on October 19, 12 pm at Prospect House to learn more about graduate school options.

Suzanne Brough, administrative coordinator of graduate programs in Political Science, and Jennifer Slattery-Bownds, the MPP program director at Taubman, will be there to discuss graduate programs. Graduate students from Brown's own programs will also discuss their own experiences.

Other upcoming events:

Thursday, October 15, 6:30 pm @ Joukowsky (Watson): Safety Nets, Bouncy Castles, and Decoupled Couples: Government Reactions to the Economic Crisis Across the World with Mark Blyth.

Tuesday, October 20, 12 pm @ Taubman: Brown Bag Series presents "Making Policy from the Statehouse to the White House: What They Don't (and Do) Teach You in School" with Eric Schruner '80, adjunct lecturer, former speechwriter for Jimmy Carter and current policy consultant.

Thursday, October 22, 4 pm @ Joukowsky (Watson): "A European Perspective on Healthcare and a Comparison with US Reforms" with former Italian PM Romano Prodi and his wife, professor of politics for social inclusion, Flavia Franzoni.

Enjoy the weekend, whether it's with your parents or dining as the guest of a friend's parents, and don't forget--pre-registration comes faster than you think! Take a look at the offerings, requirements, and attend our next DUG event, October 28, on course selection.

Thoroughly packed Thursday

Updates have been few and far between as the beginning of the semester has been very hectic, but they will become more consistent and thorough soon.

Until then, a quick reminder about a few great events TOMORROW:
12 pm--Lunch with Professor Morone about the world of academia, careers in political science, and more! RSVP required.

4 pm--Janus lecture on the Ethics of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Salomon 101, featuring Marcia Angell and Mary Ruwart.

6 pm--Jeffrey Toobin, CNN pundit, renowned legal analyst, and author of the The Nine, speaks in honor of Taubman's 25th Anniversary. Salomon 101.

Hope to see you at one, some, or all of these events! More events and news items coming soon.

Tonight's the night!

Please join us for the first DUG meeting of the semester. We'll kick things off by planning our first event, discussing our priorities for the semester, and getting to know one another a little more. There will be good snacks and great company! Hope to see you there

8 pm, Wilson 105

If you cannot make it but are interested in getting involved, please email brownpsdug@gmail.com.

First general DUG meeting!

Now that everyone is finally settling into their class schedules and other activities, hopefully your semesters are shaping up to be great ones. There are a couple very special events coming up and a lot of fascinating political events unfolding. It's a fun time to be a PS concentrator!

Below you'll find some of those events, but first you should be aware that THIS Thursday at 8 pm in Wilson 105 we will hold the first general DUG meeting. We will plan the semester, get to know new members, and prioritize how to spend our generous budget of $1000. There will be food!

Events for the upcoming week:

• Monday, 1 pm @ CDC: US Dep't of State Internship/Fellowship Information Session
• Monday, September 21, 7 pm @ List 120: Sexuality & Socialism
• Tuesday, 12 pm @ Taubman: Encountering American Faultlines: Race, Class, and Immigrant Incorporation (brown bag lunch)
• Tuesday, 7 pm @ Salomon 101: Pervez Musharraf (ticket required)
• Thursday, 11 am @ Watson's Joukowsky Forum: The Obama Age and Progressive New Policy for a Post Crisis World with Ricardo Lagos and Alfred Gusenbauer
• Thursday, 4 pm @ An Afternoon with Cory Booker
  

Some interesting news items:

• A Primer on the Max Baucus Health-Care Bill's Contents, TIME Magazine: a pretty thorough summary of the new Baucus bill written for a popular audience.

• Campaign Money and the Chief Justice, National Journal: A preview of the Supreme Court case regarding campaign finance, particularly corporate spending on federal elections.

• The Twists and Turns of Missile Defense, The New York Times: A summary of past, present, and future American policies on missile defense.