Understanding Ethnic Conflict at Home and Abroad

Posted on November 16, 2017 by pppauwt

“Understanding Ethnic Conflict at Home and Abroad,” is the topic of our Fall Quarter Global Classroom. Jointly hosted by UW Tacoma’s Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), the SIAS Division of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs (PPPA) and the World Affairs Council Tacoma, Global Classroom is an interactive speaker series on global issues that matter. The flyer is attached, please join us!

The event is free and open to the public. We strongly encourage registration as Global Classroom typically fills quickly: http://wactacoma.com/event-2719179/Registration

A talk with Dr. Barry Kerzin

Posted on July 20, 2015 by pppauwt

You are invited to UW Tacoma to hear a lecture on “Compassionate Living,” given by Dr. Barry Kerzin, physician to HH Dalai Lama, on Thursday, July 30, 2015 at 6:30 pm in William Philip Hall. The lecture is free to the public, but registration is required.

Annual PPPA Colloquium held in May

Posted on July 10, 2015 by pppauwt

The first weekend of May, PPPA faculty and their families assembled for the 2^nd annual PPPA Colloquium. Held at the Red Lion in Port Angeles, the colloquium offered an opportunity for ten PPPA faculty to present their current research and discuss it with their colleagues. Turan Kayaoglu, organizer of last year’s event, stated “We do not do collaborative work as much as we could. One reason for this is that we don’t know each other’s research. The Research Colloquium helps us identify common research areas.”

Saturday evening, at the conclusion of the event, a colloquium dinner was held, allowing all present to continue the discussion of the day. As you can see by the photo, a good time was had by all!

Faculty presenters and their topics included: Continue reading →

A new twist on an old course

Posted on March 7, 2015 by pppauwt

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 →

Spring seminar series on Middle East and Africa

Posted on June 2, 2014 by pppauwt

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

Andreas Neiderberger speaks at Philosophy Roundtable events

Posted on May 25, 2014 by pppauwt

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.

Professor Hashemi keynote speaker in Middle East and Africa seminar

Posted on March 12, 2014 by pppauwt

PPPA’s seminar series focusing on the Middle East and Africa continues this Spring with a keynote address by Professor Nader Hashemi (right) of the University of Denver (UD). Prof. Hashemi is an Associate Professor of Middle East and Islamic Studies at UD’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies. He is also Director of UD’s Center for Middle East Studies, and the author of several books on politics and the Middle East. As a frequent guest on national television and radio shows, and with opinion pieces in places such as the New York Times, Prof. Hashemi has quickly become one of the most sought after experts on the Middle East. His address is titled “Is Hassan an Iranian Gorbachev? An Assessment of the Islamic Republic after the Geneva Nuclear Deal.” This talk will take place May 7th at 4 pm in the Tacoma Room.

Also on tap spring quarter: The distinguished Mr. Faisal Roble of the Institute for the Horn of Africa Studies will be visiting the UW Tacoma campus. Mr. Roble (left) is a well-respected intellectual, political analyst, and essayist with extensive experience in Africa’s Horn region. He will be delivering a lecture entitled “Post Civil War Somalia: Challenges and Opportunities,” on April 10th at 4 pm in the Carwein Auditorium. UW Seattle’s James Long (below), Assistant Professor of Political Science and an Academy Scholar at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies, will follow this up with a talk on “Electoral Fraud and Political Violence in Africa.” Prof. Long’s research focuses on elections in fragile and developing countries, the dynamics of electoral fraud, the causes of electoral violence, and the effects of civil war and insurgency on state-building and development. Long studies these issues in both sub-Saharan Africa and Afghanistan, and will be speaking on campus April 23rd, 12:30 pm in CP 103. Rounding out the spring schedule will be our own Michael Wotherspoon, a senior in Law and Policy, who will discuss “The Press, Ethnicity and Free Speech in Kyrgyzstan”. His talk will be based on his experiences in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan where he’s been working for Spektator Magazine. May 29th, 12:30 pm in the Tacoma Room. Thanks to both IAS and UW Tacoma’s Arts and Lecturer Committee for making these events possible. Continue reading →

Upcoming Events

Posted on March 1, 2014 by pppauwt

April 10 – Middle East and Africa Seminar Series, with Mr. Faisal Roble. “Post Civil War Somalia: Challenges and Opportunities” 4- 6 pm in Carwein Auditorium.
April 15 – Film & Panel Discussion- “Buddhism After the Tsunami: The Souls of Zen.” 3/11 Japan Special. 6-8 pm in Carwein Auditorium
April 23 – Middle East and Africa Seminar Series, with Professor James Long. “Electoral Fraud and Political Violence in Africa.” 12:30 (Location TBD)
April 28 – Philosophy Roundtable, with Professor Rob Crawford. Topic: “War and Legitimacy: Why Accountability for US Torture Failed”. 4:00-5:30 pm in the Chihuly Room, Snoqualmie Library Building,.
April 30 – PPPA Internship Event and Paper Prize Presentation. 12:30 pm in the Jane Russell Commons.
May 7 – Middle East and Africa Seminar Series, with Professor Nader Hashemi. “Is Rouhani an Iranian Gorbachev?” 4pm in the Tacoma Room.
May 15 – PPPA Seminar by Paper Prize winner. 12:30 pm in the Tacoma Room.
May 29 – Middle East and Africa Seminar Series, with Michael Wotherspoon. “Politics, Ethnicity and the Press in Kyrgyzstan.” 12:30 pm in the Tacoma Room.