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.

Shopping Period

It was great to see a lot of new faces at the new student concentration fair earlier this week, and we hope that some of you will come out to our first DUG meeting, whose date and time will be announced soon. If there is anything you'd like to learn more about or see put on the agenda, please send us an email at brownpsdug@gmail.com.

Be sure to make use of shopping period and be aware that there are several classes outside of Political Science that count toward department requirements. Also, there have been a few changes to courses within the department. Specifically:

- PS 0100 and PS 1100 will be taught by Dan Ehlke
- PS 1510 will be offered again this fall and will still be taught by Minh Luong
- Two new classes are Foundations of Political Economy and Constitutional Law (Goldstein Thursday 6:30)
- Constitutional Law will be a year long course but each semester will have a different focus; this fall will center on governmental powers while the spring will emphasize individual rights

We're sure you have plenty of events, first meetings, and more to attend this week and while there are no PS-related lectures, there are some relevant CDC events if you're looking ahead to next summer or beyond graduation.

We look forward to working with you all this semester and are planning to host some great events. We also hope to improve communication among undergraduates and within the department. As always, email us if you have any questions, ideas or desire to get involved. Good luck shopping!

As August Approaches

Hard to believe that August is almost here. We hope your summers have been relaxing, educational, or even inspiring. 

If you've done something you cannot wait to tell your friends about, tell us at brownpsdug@gmail.com! We are hoping to begin compiling a list of past PS-related internships and programs that concentrators have enjoyed. It could serve as a great resource for us all in the future. 

Dates to remember:

9/9/09-Classes begin

9/22/09-Last fee-free add day

10/06/09-Last day to change class status

There are some change being made to the PS course catalog that you may be aware of, and we will update you on them when they have all become final. We hope to plan some exciting and informative events for the fall, so please email us if you'd like to get involved. See you in September!

PS DUG 

April Happenings

Spring might finally be here! Either way, rain or shine, there are some great PS events going on around campus this week. Get in all of your intellectual stimulation now, since we all know you won't be getting much this weekend.

Events this week:

• Brown Lecture Board presents Howard Dean, Monday, 8 pm: MacMillan Auditorium
• Turbulent Times: How is the economic crisis impacting Rhode Island?, Tuesday, 4 pm: Taubman Center (67 George Street)
• Ricard Lagos on Latin America's Economic Setback, Tuesday, 5 pm: Smitty-B 106
• Human Rights in Israel: Identity, Urgency and Law, Tuesday, 7:30 pm: B&H 166
  
• JPU Student Debate: Should ROTC Be Reinstated at Brown? Tuesday, 8 pm: Wilson 101
  
• Janus Lecture Series: Is Incarceration the Key to Public Safety? with Mark Kleiman, Jeremy Travis and James Q. Wilson, Thursday, 4 pm: List 120
• Perspectives on Urban Legal Structures: Global Reflections, Thursday, 5 pm: Kim Koo Library (Watson)

News Items: A few articles for those interested in Howard Dean's lecture topic, "The Internet Revolution 2.0: A New Age of Politics." There's more to the topic than Congressmen Tweeting away while in session...

• "Chaffee Preparing a Run for RI Governor" ProJo: The visiting Brown professor, alum and former Republican Senator will try his "independent" charm in the crowded Rhode Island gubernatorial race.
• "Wedding Season" Economist: The Economist attempts to explain why Iowa beat out so many other more traditionally 'liberal' states in the move toward allowing gay marriage. The articles also examines the effects that one state's politics can have on an entire region.
  
• "Obama's Rabbi" New York Times: In the spirit of Passover, an interesting look at Capers Funnye, chief rabbi for one of the nation's largest black synagogues, and his relationship to President Obama.
  

PSDUG presents...

We're hosting our very own event! Come! It should be an interesting lecture with a great speaker followed by an insightful discussion.

Almost there...

Spring Break is right around the corner! This week is a last chance to squeeze in some PS events for your personal enjoyment and edification before you veg out on vacation. Also, juniors remember that honors applications are due April 4th. Need money to supplement an internship? The BIAP deadline is tomorrow.

Events this week:

• Brown Lecture Board presents Howard Dean, Monday, 8 pm: MacMillan Auditorium
• Cranston Mayor Allan Fung speaks on Asian Americans and politics, Tuesday, 4 pm: Salomon 001
  
• Manuel Cepeda, former president of the Constitutional Court of Colombia, on Adjudicating Social Equality, Wednesday, 12 pm: Joukowsky (Watson)
  
• "Democratic Practice and Social Outcomes in Portugal and Spain" with Robert Fishman, Wednesday, 5 pm: McKinney (Watson)

News Items: A few articles for those interested in Howard Dean's lecture topic, "The Internet Revolution 2.0: A New Age of Politics." There's more to the topic than Congressmen Tweeting away while in session...

• "Governing and Legislation in Web 2.0" The National Journal: Former New York Times columnist Michael Rogers considers how Obama can utilize web 2.0 in governing.
• "The People's Data" Newsweek: Before new web technologies were harnessed for campaigning, they were all the rage in the world of "e-governning." This article updates readers on the prospects of quality e-government.
• "Campaigns in a Web 2.0 World" New York Times: Campaigning has been the primary topic of discussion relating to Web 2.0, especially with an eye to "the youth" (that's us).
  

Week of March 8th

Don't forget to buy your Spring Weekend tickets! On a side note, here are some political science happenings.

Events this week:

• Farewell My Concubine screening (Cannes winner about Chinese political turmoil and romance), Monday, 6 pm: Pembroke Hall 305
• John Palguta on "Making Public Service Cool Again: Opportunities and Challenges for the Obama Administration," Tuesday, 4 pm: Salomon 101
  
• Discussion of Farewell My Concubine with Fellow Chengzhou He, Tuesday, 5 pm: Pembroke 305
  
• Brown Lecture Board presents John Edwards, Tuesday, 8 pm: Salomon 101
• What Would the Founders Say? A Conversation with Wendy Schiller on the State of American Democracy, Wednesday, 7 pm: List 120
  
• Brown Lecture Board ticket distribution for Howard Dean, Wednesday, 11 am-1 pm and Thursday, 12-1 pm: J. Walter Wilson P.O.
• Providence 101: Effective Public Education Policies - Lessons from Massachusetts and New Jersey, Thursday, 12 pm: J. Walter Wilson 501
• JPU Student Debate: Should Prostitution Be Legalized? Thursday, 8 pm, Wilson 301

News items to follow...

First Week of March

So it's March...and it's snowing...but there are a few bright spots in the week. Check them out below. Also, JUNIORS do not forget that Thursday, March 5, at 7 pm there is an Honors Info Session taking place in Wilson 104.

Events this week:

• The 2008 Election: A Look Behind the Pollster's Curtain, Tuesday, 12 pm: Taubman Center
  
• Women in Politics with Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts, Tuesday, 4 pm: Macmillan 117
  
• Fred Kaplan, Slate columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, on Obama and the World: U.S. Foreign Policy in an Age of Global Anarchy, Wednesday, 4 pm: Joukowsky Forum (Watson)
  
• Business Lobbying in the European Union, Thursday, 4 pm: McKinney Room (Watson)

News Items: Little Rhody has had some big time press coverage lately. Things are not looking good for the Ocean State, and here's why:

• "Smallest State Grapples with Oversize Problems" New York Times: An attempt to understand the many factors that have contributed to the state's dismal economic situation.
• "State, Medicaid Accord Seen Near" Providence Journal: While it may not be a problem now, Rhode Island's cutting edge global Medicaid waiver plan may end up in serious trouble if the state cannot manage its funding properly.
• "Stimulus Eases RI Budget Crisis, But Won't Fix It" Forbes: Local lawmakers assess the amount of work that the stimulus leaves for legislators to do in budget cutting and political maneuvering.
  

Lincoln Love

While our friends in the sciences may be continuing their on-going celebration of Charles Darwin, we'll be looking at Lincoln and his legacy. The Lincoln Symposium* will take place this Friday and Saturday, February 27 and 28.

Friday: Keynote lecture by Benjamin Jealous, President of the NAACP, 4 pm: Salomon 101
Saturday: Check out the full slate of events here.

*Sponsored by the Office of the Dean of the Faculty, the Office of the Vice President for Research, the University Library, the Department of History, the Political Theory Project, and the Rhode Island Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission

Other events this week:

• Screening of Southside: The Fall and Rise of an Inner-City Neighborhood, Monday, 5 pm: Joukowsky Forum (Watson)
  
• The Economies of Illegality: The Role of Criminal Law Reconsidered, Tuesday, 4 pm: McKinney Conference Room (Watson)
• Janus Conversation: Will it Work? A Conversation about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Tuesday, 4 PM: Salomon 001
  
• Providence 101: Children’s Health Insurance and Health Policy with Jill Beckwith, Wednesday, 12 pm: J. Walter Wilson 501
  
• Hierarchical Market Economies and Varieties of Capitalism in Latin America, Wednesday, 5 pm: McKinney Conference Room (Watson)
• Immigration: President Obama's Forgotten Priority with NYTimes correspondent Julia Preston, Thursday, 6 pm: Joukowsky Forum (Watson)

News Items:

• "Bottom of Education Ladder is GOP-Friendly" National Journal: An insightful look at links between educational levels and electoral preferences. The article contends that Republicans' domination of the "least-educated counties" has been a long time in the making.
• "Argentina on the Danube?" The Economist: Certain Eastern European nations are dealing with pressing bank and currency troubles. This article examines the interplay of industry, the Euro,the IMF, and potentially the EU.
  
• "Governors' Fight Over Stimulus May Define G.O.P." NY Times: While several governors ban together to refuse portions of stimulus money, others urge team play.
  

Short Week

This is a shortened week, but it offers some great events! Also, remember TODAY is the last day to change a grade option or add a class. Internship deadlines at many places may begin to approach as well, so it is best to start looking early and leave plenty of time for faculty recommendations if necessary. Grants, funding and fellowships will also come due; for example, the BIAP deadline is March 16.

Events this week:

• Reel Law Film Series Presents Philadelphia, TODAY, 7 pm: Foxboro Auditorium (Kassar House)
  
• William Connolly on Capital Flows, Sovereign Practices, and Global Resonance Machines Thursday, 4:30 pm: Watson
  
• Janus Lecture: One World, Many People: Are there Universal Human Rights? Thursday, 4 pm: Salomon 101
  

February Fun

Hi all, please enjoy this week's events; news items will follow. Remember that Lincoln's birthday is coming up, so look forward to some exciting educational celebrations around campus! Namely this one. It will feature distinguished speakers, like Benjamin Jealous, President of the NAACP, and many Lincoln scholars.

Events this week:

• Violence & Hybrid Organizational Forms: A Study in Conflict-ridden Zones in Colombia, Monday, 5 pm: McKinney Conference Room (Watson)
  
• The Education Reform Bus: Has It Left the Depot? Monday, 7:30 pm: MacMillan 115
  
• Cop in the Hood: Peter Moskos Lecture, Tuesday, 7 pm: MacMillan 115
  
• The Politics of Feminist Security Studies, Wednesday, 4 pm: Joukowsky Forum (Watson)
• Janus Political Union Student Debate on Israel's Security Policy, Thursday, 4 pm: Wilson 301

News Update!

• "In Israeli Vote, the Winner is Gridlock" NY Times: A discussion of possible ways that the parties of the left and right might deal with the mixed gains for either side produced by the recent election.
• "States Counting on Stimulus Aid" Washington Post: Many states, from California to Rhode Island, are suffering from severe budget troubles. The House and Senate versions of the stimulus bill present very different amounts of state aid.
• "Three Months and Counting" The Economist: An update on the ongoing fight for one Minnesota Senate seat.
  

Back in Action

Don't forget that Tuesday is the last day to add a course through Banner! You can drop courses up until May 5th, though. Now that the semester is really rolling, there is a lot going on--check the action out below.

Events this week:

• Federal Gov't Jobs and Internships, Tuesday, 12 pm: Taubman at 67 George Street
  
• Fair Elections Rally and Press Conference, Tuesday, 2:30 pm: Salomon 101, then to the State House!
• Nadav Tamir on Israel in a Changing Middle East, Tuesday, 4pm: Joukowsky at Watson
• Providence 101: Making a Difference from the State Supreme Court with Acting Chief Justice Goldberg, Tuesday, 5:30 pm: Crystal Room in Alumnae Hall
• Do Poverty Relief Funds Affect Electoral Behavior? Evidence from a Randomized Experiment in Mexico, Wednesday, 5 pm: McKinney at Watson
• Janus Forum with Prof. Krause: Freedom Beyond Sovereignty, Wednesday, 7 pm: Wilson 302
  
• Green Energy: Converging Viewpoints (Brown Faculty Panel), Thursday, 5 pm: List 120
• Burtin Levin on US and China: Cooperation or Confrontation, Thursday, 8 pm: Salomon 001
• Brown Legal Studies Seminar: Some Unintended Consequences of Equal Opportunity Law, Friday, 12 pm: Faculty Club (RSVP to ellen_white@brown.edu)
  

Recent News Items of Interest:

• "In Iraq's North, Vote Will Define Loyalties" Washington Post: One view on the implications of Iraq's recent elections with special attention paid to Kurd-Arab relations.
  
• "To Nudge, Shift or Shove the Supreme Court Left" NY Times: An exploration of possible directions Obama can go with his potential Supreme Court nominees. The online article includes a fascinating graphic from a UChicago study that ranked current and past justices by conservatism.
  
• "Outsider Scores Upset in RNC Chairman's Race" National Journal Magazine: A thorough account of Steele's selection, including the vote breakdown of the six rounds of ballots. Though many Republicans have declared the victory a unanimously supported move in a better direction, this article suggests that the party is far from being on a single page.
  

This Week in Political Science

Events this week:

• Contemporary Film and Politics in the Czech Republic, Wednesday, 4 pm: McKinney Conference Room (Watson)
  
• John Palguta of Partnership for Public Service presents Making Public Service Cool Again: Federal Workforce Challenges and Opportunities for the Obama Administration, Wednesday, 4 pm: Salomon 101
  

Recent News Items of Interest: Richard Holbrooke, Brown alum and Professor at Large, was recently appointed US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Here are a few items related to him, his new job, and his world views.

• "Obama's Mideast Policy Examined" NPR Weekend Edition: Comments from Rami Khouri regarding the Holbrooke and Mitchell selections.
  
• "The Next President: Mastering a Daunting Agenda" Foreign Affairs: This recent essay by Richard Holbrooke may foreshadow the way he will handle his new envoy position. It was written before the election so it was likely not written as an appeal to Obama for a position or even with Obama in mind at all. It covers a whole host of international issues.
  
• "A Conversation with Richard Holbrooke" Charlie Rose: Richard Holbrooke reveals many of his world views as well as his strong personality in this interview with Charlie Rose. He focuses on China and the economy, rather than Pakistan, which has been at the center of recent coverage surrounding Holbrooke due to his appointment as Special Envoy.
  

Shop 'til you drop

Welcome back! Shopping period has begun and while the political science department may not have a ton of classes to offer, there are plenty, as well as several non-departmental courses that can count for your track. Below is a recap of those out-of-department classes:

American Track:
EDUC410B (FYS), 1060, 1160, 1650
PPAI1200, 1520, 1700s (C, N,T, W, and Z), 1701s (E and F)

Theory Track:
PHIL0400
PPAI1700F

Comparative Track:
AFRI1020B, 1800
PPAI 1500, 1701C

IR Track:
INTL 1000, 1050, 1350, 1700, 1800s (J, L, Q, R, S and U)

Enjoy shopping and don't forget that if you're looking to pick up an extracurricular activity, we're still looking for people to contribute weekly news items or event recaps to this blog. Email brownpsdug@gmail.com if you're interested.

Events this week: none

Recent News Items of Interest:
Stories and opinion pieces about the inauguration and the issues that lie ahead for President Obama are abundant. Read some! Feel free to leave links to any especially good ones you find.