Professor Mab Huang—from Soochow University in Taipei, China—will be at UW Tacoma on Thursday, May 7th, speaking to the Philosophy Roundtable at 5:30 pm in the Lucien Room (GWP 320). He will be talking about “100 Years of Entanglement: Human Rights in China, Taiwan, and the World.” If you are interested in learning more about human rights in China, this is a great opportunity. Please contact Kristie Weishart (kristieweishart@gmail.com) if you plan to attend.
TPHIL 200 – Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Rights (Spring 2015)
As it always has, TPHIL 200 introduces diverse philosophical views on humanity, good, rights, universality and other concepts that have influenced our current understanding of human rights. It provides an overview of basic concepts in these areas, relating them to selected philosophical schools and thinkers, and discusses how they impact contemporary initiatives on human rights. However, during spring quarter 2015, we will focus on current writings on the philosophy of human rights and cosmopolitanism, particularly on the writings of contemporary German philosopher, Rainer Forst. Students will then engage in a direct dialogue with Forst during his visit to the University of Washington in April. Continue reading
by Dr. Turan Kayaoglu
On January 25, 2015 about 100 people, many of whom are associated with a religious tradition, gathered at the University of Puget Sound (UPS) for an “Interfaith Conversation on Israel-Palestine.” This conversation–sponsored by UPS, and facilitated by Dave Wright, Director for Spiritual Life and Civic Engagement and UPS chaplain–was initiated by Associated Ministries in collaboration with the Temple Beth El, Mountain View Lutheran Church, and the Muslim Student Association of the University of Washington Tacoma. PPPA faculty member Turan Kayaoglu was a member of the organizing committee. Continue reading
Planning is already underway for the 2015 China Study Abroad, which will include a special focus on the Chinese economy in a course taught by PPPA economics professor Will McGuire. The one-month program will be housed at Renmin University in Beijing, where students will study Mandarin for three weeks in addition to studying Chinese history and economics. The economics study will include field excursions to Chinese businesses and state-run industries. The study abroad will also include a week-long excursion to Tianjin and cultural field trips in the Beijing environs.
The 15 credit academic program for the study abroad includes: TCHIN (Mandarin Chinese) 101-203, depending on entrance and exit exams (the exact course number is determined by where a student tests in and out) TINTL 480, Chinese History and Culture; TECON 461, Current Issues in Chinese Economy.
Course descriptions:
TECON 461- This course will provide a brief introduction to the creation and reform of China’s socialist economic system, and then focus on the biggest economic challenges facing the country today. The topics covered will include, among others, economic inequality, macroeconomic stability, and environmental sustainability. We will combine academic study with firsthand knowledge by combining lectures with site visits and interactions with local business leaders and/or policymakers.
TIAS 480 – This course will examine the history, culture, language, and politics of China. Classes will be held at a cooperating university in People’s Republic of China.
Dates for the study abroad are June 21- July 18, 2015. The cost for the program is $4900, (which includes the 15 credits, three weeks’ lodging in Beijing, coursework, one week travel to QIngdao and Jinan, and all food, lodging and travel during the one week travel portion). For more information about the 2015 trip, please consult the International Programs website http://www.tacoma.uw.edu/international-programs/china-west-east or http://www.tacoma.uw.edu/international-programs/china-past-present. You can also contact Dr. Mary Hanneman (hanneman@uw.edu), Dr. Will McGuire (mcguire@uw.edu) or Dr. Yi Li (yli@tacomacc.edu).
Students are invited to an informational session on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 @ 12:30 pm in BB 104. Cindy Schaarschmidt, director of the UW Tacoma Office of Student Fellowships and Awards will be presenting information on competitive institutional, national, and international fellowships available to students. Hope to see you there!
In April PPPA hosted political analyst and essayist Mr. Faisal Roble (below center) of the Institute for Horn of Africa Studies and Affairs. His lecture, entitled “Post Civil War 
Somalia: Challenges and Opportunities,” was well attended, and kicked off the first of several meetings and engagements he held with the UWT and Somali communities over a three-day period. His visit was jointly sponsored by UW Tacoma Arts & Lectures Committee and the Somali Student Association at UW Tacoma. As part of the same series, Dr. Nader Hashemi, Associate Professor Of Middle East and Islamic Studies and Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, visited UWT in May to discuss current events in Iran and the Geneva Nuclear Deal. His presentation can be accessed via this link: Dr. Nader Hashemi at UW Tacoma
Brittany Hale is the 2014 PPPA Paper Prize winner, an award won for her PP&E capstone paper on medical marijuana. Brittany wrote this paper while interning during the winter quarte
r for the Washington State Legislature. The annual award, given to the student with the best capstone paper for the year, was announced April 30th at the PPPA Internship/Paper Prize Event in William Philip Hall, and Brittany presented her paper during a lunchtime seminar May 15th in the Tacoma Room. Hale states, “My time in Olympia as a legislative intern piqued my interested in public policy. All of the proposed legislation around medical marijuana in this last session provided an important focus for my research paper. I am honored and excited to receive recognition from UWT, and I’d like to thank Professor Baird for helping me focus my research and perfect my paper.”
Lester Burkes’ paper, “Venice Submerged,” on the topic of nuclear power, was named runner up for the prize. Lester also wrote his paper while interning for the Washington State Legislature. Congratulations to both! You can read Brittany’s paper–and those of past PPPA prize winners–in UW Tacoma’s Digital Commons.
In what has become an annual ritual, students and faculty engaged in a hotly contested game of softball at Tacoma’s Vassault Park this May. We all enjoyed the sun and warm breezes blowing in from left field, and a fine game of softball followed by a BBQ. After four successive years of defeat, the students this year came out determined to win. And win they did! It was a close game, but graduating Law and Policy senio
r Grady Heins squashed the faculty’s early celebrations by socking a second home run, this one a three-run blast in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, allowing students to eke out a hard-fought but well-earned victory against us. Since alumni play for the faculty team, we look forward to having Grady on our side next year.
As part of this year’s Philosophy Roundtable, Andreas Neiderberger, Professor of Political
and Social Philosophy at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany spoke at UW Tacoma and Seattle in April. AT UW Tacoma he spoke of the theme of “Human Rights & Global Constitutionalism,” and at UW Seattle he discussed “Are Human Rights Moral Rights?” While in the Puget Sound area, he also attended a music recital at the University of Puget Sound, and spoke to the Research Group on Human Rights in the Suzzallo Library at UW Seattle. His talks were part of the Interdisciplinary Research Cluster Human Interactions and Normative Innovation (HI-NORM). His talks were made possible by support from PPPA as well as the Simpson Center for the Humanities, and the UW Seattle Department of Philosophy.
Faculty members Jeff Begun and Cynthia Howson (below) recently published an article in the magazine Alternative Emerging Investor focusing on China’s rapidly growing (and improving) 
wine industry. This issue also includes contributions from Nobel Prize winner Michael Spence and American economist Nouriel Roubini–who among other things, predicted the collapse of the United States housing market and the worldwide recession which began in 2008. On May 30th the two presented their research in the Carwein Auditorium as part of the PPPA China Seminar. The talk was followed by a lively reception and complimentary wine tasting at Anthem Beverage and Bistro, where those present were introduced to a sampling of wines from China’s top vineyards.