http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/newsrel.php Expand your World. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:11:51 -0600 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:11:51 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/newsrel.php kennedyweb@byu.edu http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=126 The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education awarded Brigham Young University student Drew Mallory the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship in the amount of $5,000.Mallory, a senior social work major with a psychology minor, will begin an internship next month at the Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development in Qatar.“I am excited to begin participating in policy research and development in the Middle East, something that would not have been possible without the funding from the Gilman International Scholarship,” said Mallory.“The opportunity to practice social work on an international level is unique in any undergraduate program, and I feel honored to have been selected from amongst my cohorts for this chance," he said.The scholarship program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. Such international study is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.For more information, call Lee Simons at (801) 422-2652 or visit the Gilman website at www.iie.org//programs/gilman. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=126 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=125 Mark Perry from the U.S. State Department will present “Living the Dream: One Man’s Journey from BYU Grad to Diplomat” at a Brigham Young University Global Awareness Lecture at noon on Wednesday, July 23, in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Perry recently completed his first tour with the U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey, Mexico, where he worked as a vice consul overseeing the guest worker visa program and working in the American citizen services section.He is on his way to Washington, D.C., for language and area studies training in preparation for his next assignment in Cairo, Egypt.Before joining the U.S. State Department in 2005, he worked in compensation and benefits for the Engineered Products and Services division of Tyco International and as an engineering technician for the flight simulation software group at Rockwell Collins.Perry received a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Iowa.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=125 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=124 Foreign Service officer Jessica Ward will present a David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies lecture, “What You Will Find in the Foreign Service,” Tuesday, July 1 at 2 p.m. in B-104 of the Joseph Fielding Smith Building on the Brigham Young University campus.Ward, who is visiting campus as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Hometown Diplomat program, is nearing the end of her first tour in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Her next assignment will take her to Vienna, Austria.Before realizing her dream job would involve travelling around the world with the Foreign Service, she worked overseas both as an English teacher in Taiwan and as a nanny in Paris. Her aunt’s suggestion that she “check out the Foreign Service” was all it took to get her hooked on the idea as a career. Prior to taking her life abroad, Ward received a bachelor’s degree in humanities from BYU.This lecture, sponsored by BYU’s Foreign Service Student Organization, the College of Humanities Advisement Center and the David M. Kennedy Center, will be archived online.For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=124 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=123 Student Darren Jackson named Outstanding DelegateA Brigham Young University professor and student participated in the North American Forum on Integration's fourth annual Triumvirate, a North-American Model Parliament, in Montreal during the end of May.Earl H. Fry, Canadian studies coordinator and professor of political science, and Darren Jackson, a senior majoring in international relations, were active at the conference, where 100 university students from Canada, Mexico and the United States conducted an international negotiation exercise, simulating a parliamentary meeting between the North American political players.“It was a pleasure for me to speak to the assembled university studentson the topic of 'Are Canada-U.S.-Mexico Relations at a Crossroads?' atMcGill University," said Fry. "I examined what might occur in therelationship now that NAFTA has been fully implemented. And I addressedthe concerns about the 'thickening' of the border in the aftermath of9-11. The students were quite attentive and asked a number of veryastute questions.”Four themes were the focus of this year’s debates: Renewable Electricity Markets (English); North American corporate outsourcing (French); Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (English); and NAFTA’s Chapter 11 on investments (English).Participants were assigned one of three roles: legislator (representing a country other than their own), journalist or lobbyist."Darren Jackson, Kennedy Center Student Council president, was selected by the organizers and the Kennedy Center, with the support of Professor Fry," said Cory W. Leonard, BYU David M. Kennedy Center assistant director. "The simulation is akin to BYU Model UN, in which Darren participated in the 2007 and 2004 nationally ranked teams and served as a TA."“This is another opportunity for students to learn about multilateral diplomacy up close, and the David M. Kennedy Center is committed to exploring these opportunities, as we have done with the Model Arab League, Model UN, and partnering with the Center for the Study of Europe to co-sponsor the Model EU at the University of Washington,” said Leonard.Jackson received an award for Outstanding Delegate and signed the guest book, called the Livre d’Or, in behalf of all the U.S. delegates. “There was a sense of reality to the whole event; the delegates were students who came from the three countries being represented, each bringing with them a unique depth of experience and passion, and the issues were those facing the cities and countries we would return home to at the end of the week,” he said.“The topics were interesting, and the students were knowledgeable," Jackson added. "It was interesting to see one of the committees done completely in French, and all the general sessions had translation services so those wishing to speak in their native tongues could.”The conference was held primarily at McGill University, with a few meetings at the hotel, and all of the general sessions were held in the Montreal City Council chambers.NAFI organized the first Triumvirate in the Canadian Senate at Ottawa in May 2005, with 70 university students participating. The conference was held in Mexico City in 2006 and Washington, D.C. in 2007. Next year, the conference will return to Mexico.Learn more at www.fina-nafi.org/eng/triumvirat08/bulletin.asp?langue=engandmenu=triumvirat08. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=123 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=121 Documentary film producer Dodge Billingsley will visit Brigham Young University to present “Tactical Shifts in the Chechen Insurgency: Yes, There is Still a War Going On” on Wednesday, June 11, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Billingsley is a documentary film producer and director who began covering war in 1993, eventually founding Combat Films and Research in 1997. He has since spent much of his time documenting numerous global hotspots including Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Western China and Iraq, splitting his time between producing documentaries, writing and lecturing.In 2002, his film “House of War” won the Rory Peck award and the Royal Television Society award for Best Feature. The film documents the battle for Qala Jangi fortress in Afghanistan, where Billingsley was one of only a few foreigners on hand at the prisoner revolt that took the life of CIA agent Mike Spann.Beyond the Border, a series of six films he produced for BYU’s David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, can be viewed online at beyondtheborder.org. Billingsley has also produced numerous programs for the Discovery Channel and History Channel.A frequent contributor to various defense and security-related journals, Billingsley is currently co-writing a book and documentary on the operation commissioned by the U.S. Army’s Foreign Military Studies Office. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Columbia University and a master’s degree in war studies from King’s College Department of War Studies in London.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=121 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=122 Brigham Young University senior Gregory Macfarlane was awarded a $3,000 Freeman-Asia Award to study globalization in engineering projects at China’s Nanjing University.“The Freeman is a highly competitive national award, and it reflects on Greg’s abilities that he received this award,” said Lynn Elliott, director of BYU’s International Study Programs.Macfarlane, a civil and environmental engineering major, is participating in a BYU International Study Program in conjunction with Nanjing University. His interest in urban planning and development began when he lived in Malaysia as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has continued during his studies at BYU.“Through this program I am getting a first-hand look at the effects of China’s economic opening and placing myself in a better position to be a part of China’s impressive economic growth,” Macfarlane said. “The lessons I learn here will contribute to making me a better engineer and a more responsible world citizen.”A member of the BYU International Studies Program, Macfarlane takes a globalization course taught by a BYU faculty member and a variety of language and culture courses taught by Nanjing University faculty. Coursework is supplemented by regular visits to design and manufacturing sites, where he and the other BYU students interact with both native Chinese technical personnel and foreigners working in China.As Asia gains economic and strategic prominence, the region has an increased need for culturally savvy Americans who are fluent in Asian languages. The Freeman-Asia program has helped more than 3,000 undergraduates study in Asia since 2000.For more information on International Study Programs, visit the David M. Kennedy Center Web site at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=122 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=120 Three Brigham Young University students are recipients of the 2008-09 National Security Education Program Boren Undergraduate Scholarships.Boren Scholarships are merit based with amounts ranging from $20,000 for an academic year to $8,000 for a summer. The 2008-09 NSEP academic year covers study abroad during the summer 2008, fall 2008, and/or spring 2009. BYU’s recipients are Miles Hansen, Marco Moreno-Campoy Jr. and Estee Ward. All three are majors from the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies.Hansen is a senior majoring in international relations will be participating in a year-long intensive Farsi program in Tajikistan next year. “Receiving this scholarship provides me with the opportunity to learn a language that is critical to U.S. security interests while gaining invaluable experience in an Islamic culture that I deeply respect — both of which I intend to put to good use while serving my country and the peoples of the region in the years to come,” he said.Moreno is a senior majoring in Middle Eastern studies/Arabic who hopes to attend the American University in Cairo in the fall. He said, “This is something I’ve worked really hard for, and I’m so psyched to have received the award!”Ward, a sophomore who is also majoring in Middle Eastern studies/Arabic, will take advanced courses in Arabic at the University of Jordan during spring and summer terms this year. Having previously lived in a predominantly Muslim country, Ward says she has a different perspective than the one painted by the media regarding the so-called “chasm” between the West and Islam.“Ultimately I hope to be in a position to bridge the misunderstanding between these two cultures. While my studies in Provo will provide the central framework for my depth of knowledge, my study abroad to Jordan will allow me to learn about the Middle East on a microcosmic, first-hand level,” said Ward. “This study abroad experience is essential to my education, and I am grateful the NSEP award made it possible.”From the 697 applications, 150 awards were offered. Sixty-four alternate candidates were also selected; alternate candidates may be offered funding should primary candidates decline awards.Application materials for the 2009-2010 award cycle will be available in late summer at www.iie.org/programs/nsep/undergraduate.To learn more about the majors offered by the David M. Kennedy Center, see the website at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=120 Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=119 Jason Lim, a program analyst for the Transportation Security Administration, will present “Making a Difference Through Federal Service” at a Brigham Young University Global Awareness Lecture at noon on Wednesday, May 28, in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. Admission is free.Lim worked as chief of staff for a global consulting firm and director of special projects for an international NGO. He has delivered presentations in front of global leaders and Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, including Al Gore and Oscar Arias Sanchez.He is also a fellow at Harvard Korea Institute, researching Asian public leadership theories, and he contributes a regular feature column to The Korea Times, titled “Letter from America.” His op-eds have appeared in The New York Times, NY Daily News, Boston Globe, International Herald Tribune and other major press throughout the world.A certified FBI English-Korean linguist, Lim received a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Duke University, a master’s degree from NYU Wagner School of Public Service and an MPA from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he was a Woods and Reynolds Scholarship recipient.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=119 Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=118 Applications now being accepted for 2009 grantsTwenty-five Brigham Young University faculty members will benefit from a portion of the $83,285 awarded in 2008 by the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies.The center’s annual research grant program is intended to promote and support scholarly research with an international focus. “We are pleased to continue to play a role in supporting quality, global-focused research by BYU faculty,” noted Jeff Ringer, director of the David M. Kennedy Center. “We look forward to the books, articles and other academic products this research will produce.”Each year recipients represent a cross-section of disciplines, and this year is no exception, with faculty from humanities, social sciences, arts, business, music, nursing and life sciences receiving awards.From fault zones in India to tsetse fly populations in Africa to Russian folk art to excessive thinness in Japan, the topics are diverse and offer a unique perspective on what BYU faculty are interested in. See the list of recipients and their proposals online at http://kennedy.byu.edu/research/facgrants.php.Applications for 2009 research grants may be picked up in 237 Herald R. Clark Building. The deadline is Friday, Nov. 15, 2008. The grant program is open to all full-time BYU faculty members. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=118 Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=115 Marc Olivier will discuss "Border Horror: Identity Anxiety in Recent French Cinema" Wednesday, May 7, at noon in Room 238 of the Herald R. Clark Building on the Brigham Young University campus.Olivier, an associate professor of French studies at BYU, teaches courses on French civilization, literary theory and cinema.In the fall, he will teach a new course on European cinema through the Honors program.He has published on topics such as microscopy, botany, entomology and the relationship among science, technology and literature.Olivier is working on a book related to the Nostalgia and Technology exhibition he curated for BYU’s Museum of Art in 2005–06. Click here to download Marc Olivier http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=115 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=116 Brigham Young University students won awards and rights to publication for their participation in the European Union Center of California's Sixth Annual Undergraduate Research Conference in Claremont, Calif., last week.Andrew Christensen, won a full scholarship to the EU Summer School at the University of Rome. Sarah Boman won a scholarship to the University of Washington EU Summer School in Brussels, Belgium.In addition, three BYU students' papers were selected to be published in an edited volume that is produced after each year's conference: Christensen's "Answering the Immigration Problem: The Prospect of Post-National Identity in Denmark," Boman's "Adapting to the Twenty-First Century: A Flexible NATO," and David Drake's "Sarkozy's New Diplomacy: A Reassessment of the Third Rift in Franco-American Relations."Of the 41 papers presented, BYU's three selections were the most of any university represented, which included UCLA, UC-Berkeley, the Claremont Colleges, Harvard, Penn State, Drexel, San Francisco State University, and the University of Rome Tor Vergata.All local expenses were covered by a grant from the European Union Center of California, while airfare from Provo was covered by grants from the Fulton Chair of the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences and the Department of Political Science.For more on the conference see http://eucenter.scrippscollege.edu/conference_schedule.html or contact Professor Wade Jacoby at (801) 422-1711. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=116 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=117 Chaudry Ali, a judge in Pakistan for more than 25 years, will present a Global Awareness Lecture "War on Terror by Reluctant Fighters" Wednesday, May 14, at noon in Room 238 of the Herald R. Clark Building on the Brigham Young University campus.In September 2006 he and his family were forced to flee Pakistan leaving their belongings and property behind. They were granted asylum in the United States in October 2007.Ali is pursuing a degree at the S. J. Quinney Law School at the University of Utah.In 1997 he was appointed by the government, on the basis of his past performance and integrity, as the judge over Anti-Narcotics and Suppression of Terrorist Activities. (The Anti-Narcotics Force of Pakistan is funded by the U.S. Government and works with the DEA.)For the first time in the history of Pakistan he began to make capital punishment rulings against drug lords and terrorists.Despite death threats from drug lords, terrorists and some government officials, Ali followed his conscience and dictates of the law, continuing to issue these rulings as the situation deteriorated.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at http://kennedy.byu.edu. Click here to download Chaudry Ali http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=117 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=113 Victoria A. Silver, associate professor of English at the University of California in Irvine, will present “’Neither person nor cause shall improper me’: Milton and Indecency Yet Once More,” in a lecture on Monday, April 14, at 3 p.m. in B092 Joseph F. Smith Building at Brigham Young University.She will present an additional lecture on “Paradise Lost” in the same room an hour prior to the event.Silver is the author of “Imperfect Sense: The Predicament of Milton’s Irony.” She has also written on English authors Marvell, Hobbes, Browne and Sidney.She earned her doctorate at the University of California in Los Angeles and has taught at Columbia University, the University of Rochester, the University of Southern California and the University of California in Irvine.This lecture is sponsored by the Department of Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature, the Center for the Study of Europe, European Studies, the Department of English and the Faculty Center.For more information, contact Matt Ancell at (801) 422-1707. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=113 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=114 The David M. Kennedy Center at Brigham Young University will host a live broadcast from the Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah of a lecture by Nobel Peace Prize-winner Shirin Ebadi on Friday, April 18, at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Her topic will be "Human Rights: The Struggle for Iran." Admission is free, and the public is welcome.Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer and human rights activist, who was the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her significant and pioneering efforts in democracy and human rights, especially for the rights of women and children.In her research, and as an activist, she is known for promoting peaceful, democratic solutions to serious problems in society, including refugee rights.She takes an active part in the public debate and is well known and admired by the general public in her country for legally defending victims of the conservative faction’s attack on freedom of speech and political freedom.In 2006, Random House published her memoir, Iran Awakening, with the young Iranian-American co-author Azadeh Moaveni. Also author of a number of academic books and articles focused on human rights, Ebadi has had several books translated into English, including The Rights of the Child: A Study of Legal Aspects of Children's Rights in Iran, published with support from UNICEF, and History and Documentation of Human Rights in Iran.She is the founder and leader of the Association for Support of Children's Rights in Iran.For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=114 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=111 The David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University will host an Area Focus Seminar on Friday, April 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.The seminar topic will be “Korea Turns Right: The New ‘Bulldozer’ Presidency of Lee Myung-Bak.”Jeff Ringer, director of the Kennedy Center, will welcome participants who will take part in two panels: Kerk Phillips, BYU international relations coordinator and professor of economics, BYU; James H. Alvis, director of public affairs, Korea Economic Institute; Abraham Kim, analyst, Eurasia Group; Danny Damron, project coordinator, David M. Kennedy Center; and L. Gordon Flake, executive director, Mike and Maureen Mansfield Foundation.Mark Peterson, a professor of Korean at BYU, will close the seminar, which is sponsored by the Korean Economic Institute (KEI) in Washington, D.C., and the David M. Kennedy Center.This event will be archived online. For more information on center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=111 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=112 Key officials from the Pan American Health Organization will join other health care professionals, including Brigham Young University College of Nursing faculty, to present a one-day conference on mother, newborn and child health Friday, April 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the BYU Conference Center.The purpose the conference is to provide students, faculty professionals and volunteers with an opportunity to understand successful evidence-based interventions for improving global health.A schedule of events is available at http://ce.byu.edu/cw/mnch/. The registration deadline is Thursday, April 3, at 5 p.m.For more information, contact Rose Ann Jarrett at (801) 422-4143. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=112 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=109 Many of speaker Sadik J. Al-Azm’s books banned in Arab worldSadik J. Al-Azm will present “Democracy and the Middle East: A View from Damascus” during a Middle East Studies Arabic Lecture on Wednesday, April 9, at 3 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University.A visiting professor at Princeton University, Al-Azm is an emeritus professor of modern European philosophy at the University of Damascus. His research is focused on the Islamic world and its relationship to the West. He is well-known for being a human rights advocate and a champion of intellectual freedom.Many of Al-Azm’s books are banned in the Arab world, and he was jailed by the Lebanese government after publishing his book, “Critique of Religious Thought “ (1970). Previously, he was known for his book, “Self-Criticism After the Defeat” (1968), in which he gave an analysis of the Arab disillusionment after the Six Days War. Several of his books have been translated from Arabic to English, Dutch, German, Italian and Norwegian.During his career, he taught not only in Damascus and Beirut but also at Harvard, Princeton and the University of Hamburg.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=109 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=110 His Excellency Javier Rupérez will speak at a Global Awareness Lecture on Wednesday, April 9, at noon at the Assembly Hall in the Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center at Brigham Young University. The topic will be "A Spanish View of Counter-Terrorism and International Relations." The public is welcome to attend.Rupérez was appointed consul general of Spain in Chicago in July 2007, following three years as executive director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate at the Assistant Secretary-General level for the UN.He previously served as ambassador of Spain to Washington (2000–04); held a number of postings in the diplomatic service of his country, including Addis Ababa, Warsaw, Helsinki and Madrid; served as Spanish Ambassador to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE—later OSCE); served as ambassador of Spain to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); and served as Chef de Cabinet to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (1976–77).His parliamentary experience includes having been deputy and senator in the Spanish Parliament (1979–2000), during a career of public service that began in 1965.He received degrees in law and journalism from the University of Madrid.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=110 Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=107 “Meet the Mormons: Public Perception and the Global Church” is topic“Meet the Mormons: Public Perception and the Global Church” is the topic of the 19th annual International Society Conference Monday, April 7, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Hall at the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center at Brigham Young University.The conference is free and the public is welcome. The luncheon is $14 per person and spaces are limited. Please RSVP by Wednesday, April 2, to the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at (801) 422-3377.Several leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be attending, including BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson of the Quorum of the Seventy, Elder Douglas L. Callister of the Quorum of the Seventy and Elder Lance B. Wickman of the Quorum of the Seventy and general counsel for the Church of Jesus Christ. Olene S. Walker, former Utah Governor, will also attend.Conference panelists include BYU faculty, representatives from Church International and Public Affairs, Area Seventies and former mission presidents of the Church and many more.Panel topics will include “Building Bridges: Ambassador Hosting Program,” “Strengthening Relationships via Diplomatic Outreach,” “The Perfect Storm? LDS Media Events and the Foreign Press” and “Public Perception and Humanitarian Initiatives.”Organized in 1989, the International Society is an association of professionals with international interests who are members or friends of the Church. The society is supported by BYU's David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, Marriott School of Management, J. Reuben Clark School of Law, David O. McKay School of Education and the BYU Alumni Association.For more information, call (801) 422-3377 or visit the Web site, www.ldsinternationalsociety.org. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=107 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=108 BYU Model United Nations team wins top awards fourth straight year in New YorkWhile Brigham Young University’s basketball team was winding down its winning season, BYU’s Model United Nations delegation won the highest awards possible for the fourth straight year at the National Model United Nations in New York last week.BYU’s 38 students represented Mexico and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 20 committees, garnering “outstanding delegation” awards as well as awards for best “position papers” and individual recognition of BYU students on at least four committees.“It may not be exciting as March Madness, but we certainly performed at the highest level possible,” said Middoni Ramos, a senior majoring in manufacturing engineering from Mexico City and one of BYU’s head delegates.Students interested in participating in next year’s Model UN course areencouraged to attend an information session, "Becoming BYU’s Next TopDiplomat," on Tuesday, April 15, in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at 6p.m. New York-style pizza will be served and delegates from BYU’s 2008team will answer questions, show winning policy papers and resolutionsand display photos/video from their experience.More than 2,200 university students from throughout the world gathered in New York at the General Assembly hall last Tuesday to hear United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon address the conference. After that, students headed back to the Sheraton New York hotel where they spent hundreds of hours discussing the role of private military contractors in conflicts, how to combat the spread of illicit drugs and the impact of foreign direct investment in development strategies.“BYU achieved these awards through hard work, consensus-building and diplomatic skills,” said Jana Kopeinig, a senior majoring in international relations who also served as BYU’s head delegate. “Our students were faced with an enormous challenge: a committee room with hundreds of people they have never met from all over the world, and by the end of the week they had to find policy solutions, facilitate discussion, draft resolutions and obtain the support to pass a vote.”Kopeinig participated at the national Model UN conference as a student two years ago and as a staff director last year. “Our team worked very, very hard this year, with long hours and tense negotiations. But they came through.”The Model UN program at BYU faced another obstacle. Unlike many top programs, BYU selects an entirely new group of students each year, rather than simply returning with the same seasoned delegates.“Our aim is to develop leadership skills and allow as many students as possible to experience the world of diplomacy and international affairs,” pointed out Cory Leonard, assistant director at the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies and MUN program advisor. “Some students will have a career in diplomacy and for them, this is a watershed experience. But for the others, they develop skills and perspectives to help them in their academic, professional and family life.”Students register for IAS 351, a fall semester three-hour course sponsored by the David M. Kennedy Center and Continuing Education. They also host a high school Model UN conference each January and apply to be part of the winter semester course. All majors are encouraged to apply. There are no prerequisites aside from an interest in international affairs and a strong work ethic.For more information about the BYU Model United Nations program or to contact advisors, teaching assistants or delegates, call 801-422-6921, e-mail mun@byu.edu or visit 120 HRCB. Click here to download BYU's Model United Nations team. Click here to download BYU MUN delegate Josephine Borrich. Click here to download BYU MUN delegate Chris Rains, left. Click here to download Click here to download BYU MUN delegate Ardis Smith. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=108 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=106 Robert J.V. Hiebert, a professor of Old Testament studies at Trinity Western Seminary in British Columbia, will present two lectures during a visit to Brigham Young University.An Ancient Near Eastern Studies lecture, "The Translation of the Divine Names in the Septuagint (Ancient Greek Bible)," will be held on Thursday, April 3, at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.On Friday, April 4, at 8 a.m. in 382 Joseph Smith Building, ancient Near Eastern studies faculty and students will hear Heibert discuss "The Septuagint and its Cultural and Theological Context."Both lectures are free and the public is welcomeIn addition to teaching, Hiebert is also director of the Septuagint Institute at Trinity, and he is preparing the critical edition of IV Maccabees for the Göttingen Septuaginta series as well as a commentary on Genesis for the Society of Biblical Literature Commentary on the Septuagint. He also serves as joint-editor-in-chief for this commentary series, the steering committee for the Society of Biblical Literature program unit on the Greek Bible, and the executive committee of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies.Hiebert is the author and editor of books and articles on a range of subjects in the areas of textual criticism, semantics, exegesis and the history of biblical interpretation. He pursued undergraduate studies at Columbia Bible Institute (Abbotsford), Trinity Western College (Langley) and the Institute for Holy Land Studies (Jerusalem) before completing a bachelor's degree in biblical languages and literature (1978) and a master's degree (1979) and doctorate (1986) in Septuagint studies from the University of Toronto.For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. Click here to download Robert J.V. Hiebert http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=106 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=105 Krzysztof Pomian, historian and scientific director of the Museum of Europe in Brussels, will conclude the European Lecture Series at Brigham Young University with a presentation on the “Museum of Europe” on Wednesday, April 2, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.Appointed the scientific director of the museum in2001, Pomian was the main force behind designing the collection and conceptualizing the historical view of Europe that it projects.He is the author of several books on museums, collecting, relics, Europe, philosophy and historiography. He has been awarded several prestigious prizes, honorary doctorates and guest lectureships. Currently, he is an honorary director of research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and a professor at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland.He attended the University of Warsaw, where he received a doctorate. For political reasons, he immigrated to France in 1973, where he spent most of his career. Pomian has also taught at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Socials, at the Ecole du Louvre and at the University of Geneva. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=105 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=104 His Excellency James Spalding, Paraguayan ambassador to theU.S., will speak at an Ambassadorial Insights Lecture at Brigham YoungUniversity on Thursday, March 27, 11 a.m. at the Assembly Hall in the Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center on Brigham Young University's campus.Spalding was appointed Paraguayan ambassador to the U.S. in2004, having previously served as co-founder and director of the SustainableDevelopment Advisory Group (GADES).He formed a part of the Economic Transition Commission ofPresident Duarte Frutos in 2003, developing the 100-Day Plan for state-ownedcompanies.Spalding worked for ten years in the public sector, where heoccupied key economic policy postings, including minister of finance, viceminister of economy and integration at the Ministry of Finance, vice ministerof commerce, president of Paraguayan Petroleum, and vice minister ofintegration.He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from theUniversity of Massachusetts at Amherst and a master’s degree in economics fromRutgers University.This lecture will be archived online. For more informationon David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. Click here to download His Excellency James Spalding, Paraguayan ambassador to the United States. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=104 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=103 One lecture to examine "The Three Nephites" in comparative religionJad Hatem, a professor philosophy at the University of Saint Joseph in Lebanon, will offer a series of three lectures in the Harold B. Lee Library Auditorium at Brigham Young University Monday through Wednesday, March 24-26, from 2-3:30 p.m. Each lecture will be followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session. Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend. The first lecture will focus on “Faith and Intellect: Empathy and Neutrality.” The second presentation is titled "The Three Nephites, the Bodhisattva and the Mahdi: The Three Nephites as a Paradigm Context of Comparative Religion.” He will conclude the short lecture series with “Charity in Islam and Christianity: Itinerary of a Catholic Scholar.” This event is sponsored by the BYU Faculty Center in partnership with the Department of French Studies and the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies. For more information, contact James Faulconer at (801) 422-9781 or 375-6997. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=103 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=102 His Excellency Pierre Vimont will discuss “French-American Relations in Today's World” on Monday, March 24, at 3 p.m. in the Assembly Hall of the Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center at Brigham Young University. President Nicolas Sarkozy appointed Vimont Ambassador of France to the United States on Aug. 1, 2007. He previously served as chief of staff to the French minister of foreign affairs (2002-07) and as ambassador and permanent representative of France to the European Union (1999-2002). After joining the Foreign Service in 1977, Vimont was first posted to London as secretary from 1978-81. He then worked with the Press and Information Office at the Quai d'Orsay for the next four years. Vimont studied at the Institute of Political Studies and the National School of Administration, where he received his law degree. Click here to download His Excellency Pierre Vimont http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=102 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=101 Seven Brigham Young University students competed among the 27 delegates at a Model European Union competition held Feb. 22-23 at the University of Washington. The simulation dealt with the revision of the failed Constitutional Treaty as well as environmental post-Kyoto reforms. BYU’s delegates represented Great Britain: Andrew Walker, a pre-management major who received one of the four “Outstanding” awards, and Jenna Horrocks, political science; Belgium: Dina El Mahy and Steven Haymore, both political science; Estonia: Nathaniel Langley. political science, and Tara Westover. history; and Germany: David Drake, European and French studies. Drake also participated in the German presidency, who served as moderators and judges during the competition in addition to representing Germany’s specific interests. Wade Jacoby, BYU faculty member and CSE director, selects students for the team from European studies courses based on their academic achievement as well as experience in or aptitude for debate or other simulations, such as Model United Nations. Students prepare for the competition by attending lectures and receiving special briefings on their countries’ negotiation strategies, policy positions and issues. All participants were required to create an outline of their country’s policies, interests and goals, said Jacoby. The West Coast Model European Union conference was created in 2005 by the Center for Western European Studies at the University of Washington, in partnership with Scripps College and BYU’s Center for the Study of Europe, part of the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies. The experience affords an opportunity for students to simulate and in-depth experience of the complex workings of the European Union. As a co-sponsor, BYU students serve as both committee participants as well as part of the leadership, called the “presidency.” BYU’s delegations have received the highest recognition all four years. Students receive financial support from the Kennedy Center and CSE to cover program costs for participation. “The experience is another way to understand the processes, issues, and implications of the European Union. It adds to the classroom experience, making policy and politics come alive,” said Jacoby. The European Union matters greatly to the state of Utah since its 27 member countries are, by far, the largest foreign investors in the state. During a recent visit to Utah, John Bruton, EU Ambassador to the United States and the former Prime Minister of Ireland, noted that almost 90 percent of all foreign direct investment in Utah comes from the EU, while Utah’s trade with Europe is about three times as large as its trade with all of Asia. The Center for the Study of Europe is a focal point for teaching, research and outreach at BYU. It was created in 2003 through a Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, see europe.byu.edu. Click here to download Dina El Mahy participated in the Model European Union as part of the BYU team. Click here to download Nathaniel Langley participated in the Model European Union as part of the BYU team. Click here to download Seven students participated in the Model European Union as part of the BYU team. Click here to download Jenna Horrocks (top, center) participated in the Model European Union as part of the BYU team. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=101 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=99 Robert G. Patman will present, “From Retreat to Re-engagement: American Policy toward Sub-Saharan Africa Before and After 9/11,” in a Global Awareness Lecture Wednesday, March 19, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University. A professor of international relations at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, Patman focuses his research on international relations, post-Cold War security and the relationship between order and justice in a globalizing world. He has authored and edited seven scholarly books, written several book chapters and regularly contributes to academic journals. He also contributes to the national and international media on global issues. The 2003 Fulbright senior scholar was also voted by students as one of the top 20 teachers at Otago University in 2007. This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=99 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=100 Proceeds to be donated to global aid organizationThe Brigham Young University Students for International Development Club will host the 18th annual Hunger Banquet on Friday and Saturday, March 14-15, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Wilkinson Student Center Terrace. Tickets may be purchased for $7, or two for $12, in advance from the WSC Information Desk beginning March 10. Tickets purchased at the door are $8. The event is open to the public. Parties will be randomly assigned to sit in a high-, middle- or low-income areas in order to raise awareness about the inequality of global wealth. Meals provided will correspond to each respective income class. Performing groups from the Utah area featuring a variety of culturally diverse music will provide live entertainment during dinner. Dinner will be followed by a keynote address on Friday from Valerie Hudson, a BYU political science professor and principal researcher for the WomenStats Project, and on Saturday from Kathy Headlee, founder of Mothers Without Borders. Both will address the challenges involved in fighting poverty and hunger and will share ways in which citizens can be involved in ending the struggle. All proceeds to the event will be donated to global aid organizations selected by students to alleviate the suffering of those in need. For questions, contact Eric Darsow at hungerbanquet@byu.net, or for more information visit kennedy.byu.edu/student/SID/hunger. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=100 Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=95 Loch K. Johnson, a leading U.S. intelligence scholar, will speak on the "2008 Presidential Elections" in an International Relations Lecture Thursday, March 13, at 3 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University hosted by the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies. Johnson is an author and professor of political science at the University of Georgia, where he focuses his research on the U.S. presidency, Congress and national security policy. His expertise is in the activities of U.S. intelligence agencies. Three of his books, “A Season of Inquiry,” “America¹s Secret Power” and “Secret Agencies,” demonstrate his grasp of U.S. intelligence. In 1988 he received the University of Georgia’s highest honor for instructors, the Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Award. He is also a recipient of the William A. Owens Award and was an instrument in founding the School of Public and International Affairs. Johnson received a doctorate in political science from the University of California.As a Phi Beta Kappa scholar for the 2008-09 academic year, Johnson will make visits to several American universities. This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=95 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=97 "Intelligence and National Security," a leading journal for scholars who study intelligence, has released its February 2008 Special Issue: "Spying in Film and Fiction." Editor Stan A. Taylor, who has two articles in this issue, is an emeritus political science professor and former director of the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University. Taylor also organized "Spying in Film and Fiction," a conference held at the David M. Kennedy Center in March 2007 from which the journal was generated. “Our intention was to present a scholars and practitioners’ view of the U.S. and British intelligence communities as portrayed in film and fiction,” said Taylor, who pointed out the conference findings that “there is no relationship between audience enjoyment and historical accuracy.” Also published in the journal is CIA staff historian Nicholas Dujmovic and Shannon Mollie Epps, a 2007 BYU political science graduate. The journal claims to break “the silence surrounding the secret world of intelligence,” allowing readers to “gain insight into the contemporary functions of intelligence and its influence of foreign policy and national security,” as well as offering articles on the “historical background of intelligence” that “present the complete picture of its origins and development.” Those interested may purchase this special issue online at www.tandf.co.uk/journals/spissue/fint-si.asp. For more information, contact stan_taylor@byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=97 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=98 William M. Tsutsui will discuss “Godzilla and Postwar Japanese Culture” in an Asian Studies Lecture Wednesday, March 12, at 2 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University. Following the lecture, the first version of Godzilla, “Gojira” (1954), will be shown with time for a question-and-answer session afterward. Tsutsui is the Department of History chair and executive director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Kansas and specializes in the business, economic and cultural history of 20th-century Japan. He is currently researching the environmental history of modern Japan and how Japanese culture has globalized since World War II. Several of his works have been published, including “In Godzilla's Footsteps: Japanese Pop Culture Icons on the Global Stage” (with Michiko Ito, 2006), and “Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters” (2004). He is the recipient of several awards, including the William Rockhill Nelson Award for non-fiction (2005) and the John Whitney Hall Prize of the Association for Asian Studies (2000). Tsutsui earned his degrees from Harvard, Oxford and Princeton. This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=98 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=96 "Inter-religious Understanding" will be the topic of a Global Awareness Lecture presented by Gary D. Bouma on Wednesday, March 12 at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University. Bouma, a professor of sociology at Monash University in Australia, is an Anglican priest who has been a religious professional in more than eight denominations. He joined Monash University in 1979 and has held various academic and administrative positions there. His research has primarily focused on the interaction between religion and society in Western countries including Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, with current work that includes a major study of religious plurality in multicultural Australia, research into gender and the management of religious diversity focusing on women and Islam in China, Malaysia and Japan. A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., Bouma received a B.A. in Greek and philosophy from Calvin College (1963), a B.D. in the history of dogma and church and society from Princeton Theological Seminary (1966), an M.A. in social psychology and a Ph.D. in sociology from Cornell University (1968, 1970). This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=96 Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=94 The 10th annual International Field Studies Inquiry Conference will be held Wednesday through Friday, March 5-7, from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University.This conference offers students an academic forum to present their findings on cross-cultural research and insights gained during their field study experiences. A few of the topics will include Tibetans in India, community development in South Africa and migrant workers from rural Mexico.All students who participate in a BYU-sponsored field study receive faculty mentoring, an invaluable contribution to students’ academic development and completion of their research paper, which is the end product of every field study experience.The conference is free and open to the public.A schedule of events will be posted online at kennedy.byu.edu/events/inquiry, and the conference will be archived online at the same location for later viewing.For more information, see the online schedule or contact byuinquiryconference@gmail.com. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=94 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=93 Anne-Marie Thiesse, director of research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Paris, will present "The Cultural Construction of National Identities in Europe," the third segment of the European Culture Lecture Series at the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, Wednesday, Feb. 27 at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University.Thiesse focuses her research on the relationship between European identity construction and EU language policy. She is a former student of the the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, and has received several awards and guest professorships at NYU, Northwestern, College of Europe (Bruges), Tubingen, Moscow, Taipei and others.Thiesse has written five books, most notably on the construction of national and European identity, the creation of national identities and on the strategic use of regionalism in the construction of French identity.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=93 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=92 Adam Fife will present "Iraq: Why the Surge Worked" at a Global Awareness Lecture on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building on the Brigham Young University campus.Fife spent the last six months in Iraq as a senior strategic communication advisor, working closely with the Multinational Force, Iraqi senior leadership and the Government of Iraq on communication strategy and policy.He is the founder of a strategic communications firm, and previously taught political science and international area studies courses at BYU and started several companies.A BYU alumnus, he is completing an master's degree in political science and Middle East studies at the University of Utah.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=92 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=90 A Global Awareness lecture will be given by his Excellency Ferenc Somogyi, ambassador to the United States for Hungary, on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University. He will discuss “Hungary-U.S. Relations.”Having previously served as Hungary’s minister of foreign affairs (2004-06) and as director for international affairs of Mayar Telekom (2006-07), Somogyi became ambassador in August 2007. He has served extensively in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as state secretary for Euro-Atlantic integration (1996-98), state secretary (1989-90), head of the Department of Multilateral and Global Issues (1984-89) and senior desk officer (1973-80).In the private sector, he has held positions as chief executive officer of Stonebridge Communications in Macedonia (2001-04), director of Euro-Atlantic integration for Matáv Hungarian Telecommunications (1998-2001), faculty director for the College of Foreign Trade in Budapest (1992-94) and chairman of Exportguarantie Ltd. (1992-94).Somogyi attended the University of Economics and the College for Political Sciences in Budapest, where he received international relations degrees. He received his doctoral degree in world economics from the University of Economics, Budapest.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=90 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=91 Arnaud Huftier will present "Images de soi, images de l'autre: visages du cinéma européen" at a Brigham Young University lecture on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. His address will be offered in French.Huftier is a professor of French literature at the University of Valenciennes, with a research interest in Belgian literature.He received a doctorate in French literature from École normale supérieure in Paris.“European culture,” as a means to foster a common identity and destiny, has been the focus of the European Union since the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. This is the second lecture of four this semester at BYU's David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies that will explore the cultural strategies and policies the EU has adopted to create an identity as well as some of the inevitable limits of such an undertaking.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=91 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=88 Dodge Billingsley will offer a Global Awareness Lecture on “Abkhazia: Untold War Story” Wednesday, Feb. 6 at noon in 238 of the Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University.Billingsley started covering war in 1993 and eventually founded Combat Films and Research in 1997. Much of his time has been spent documenting global hotspots including Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Western China and Iraq.He was a finalist for the Rory Peck award for Best Picture for his film, “Virgin Soldiers,” in 2003 and won the award as well as the Royal Television Society award for Best Picture in 2002 for his film, “House of War.” Billingsley also co-wrote, produced and directed “Immortal Fortress: A Look Inside Chechnya’s Warrior Culture,” and has also produced many programs for the Discovery and History Channels. He is a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation’s Regional Security Travel Grant, and has lectured on various security-related topics for the U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy as well as at several universities.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=88 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=89 Guest lecturer Kyu Ho Youm will present "A Global Perspective on Press Freedom Issues" followed by a question-and-answer session on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 3 p.m. in 115 David O. McKay Building at Brigham Young University.Youm joined the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon in 2002 as the first holder of the Jonathan Marshall First Amendment Chair. He previously taught at Arizona State University for 11 years.Having published more than 80 articles as a communication law scholar, a number of his works have been published in leading journalism and law journals in the United States and abroad since 1985. His articles have been cited by American and foreign courts including the House of Lords in Great Britain and the High Court of Australia, regarding freedom of expression. His media law research is also used often by American and international lawyers representing their clients on press freedom litigation.Youm, a member of the Communication Law Writers Group, has been involved in writing a popular media law textbook in the United States, Communication and the Law. He serves on the editorial boards of a dozen major law and communication journals in the United States and England.This lecture is co-sponsored by the Department of Communications and the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies.For more information, contact Joel Campbell at (801) 422-2125. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=89 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=86 Malan Jackson, emeritus director of international studies at Utah Valley State College, will discuss "Fifty Years on the Frontier in Asia" on Thursday, Jan. 31 at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Buildingat Brigham Young University.Jackson established the international studies program at Utah Valley State College and was the director of the Center for International Studies there for ten years, retiring in 2000.Having previously taught international marketing at Brigham Young University, he also spent several years in Hong Kong in banking and business and managed two large businesses in China.His work in Asia has included organizing and managing many humanitarian projects in China and Mongolia, and he has served as honorary consul for Mongolia for several years.Jackson served as the founding president of the Taiwan Mission (1971-74) for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having served a three-year mission as a young man in Hong Kong.He received a bachelor's degree in history with honors from BYU, an master's degree in history from the University of California—Berkeley and a doctorate in administration of higher education and business from Arizona State University.This lecture is sponsored by the Asian Studies Association and will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=86 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=87 "Americans Abroad: How to Be a Soft Power Superhero" will be the topic of an International Relations Lecture on Friday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University.David C. Brooks of the Foreign Service Institute has been a career Foreign Service officer since 1994, having previously served in Lima, Peru; Managua, Nicaragua; Caracas, Venezuela; and Warsaw, Poland.Brooks received the Secretary of State’s Award for Public Outreach (2004) and the State Department’s Superior Honor Awards for work on Trafficking in Persons (2005) and Political Reporting (2007).He was a Fulbright scholar to Nicaragua (1990), received a bachelor's degree in history and an master's degree in American studies from Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., and a doctorate in Latin American history from the University of Connecticut.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=87 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=85 Larry Lohmann, founding member of the Durban Group for Climate Justice, will present “Carbon Trading: Solution to Climate Change or Corporate Resource Grab?” Friday, Feb. 8, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University.Lohmann is learning more about U.S. carbon trading plans and climate politics and will be sharing his experiences about the failure of the trade in Europe, India, Brazil, Ugandan and other areas of the world.In response to the climate crisis, the Durban Group traveled to Durban, South Africa, in 2004, to explore the role of carbon trading. In 1997, he also worked in the UK with the Corner House, a research and solidarity organization. Previously, he lived and worked in Thailand, where his focus was on teaching and working with local environmental groups.His articles have appeared in such journals as Science as Culture, New Scientist, Asian Survey, International Journal of Pollution and Environment, Development Dialogue, Red Pepper and Watershed, and have included topics such as globalization, racism, environmental conflict in Southeast Asia and the discourses of population and neoclassical economics.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=85 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=84 Patricia Dewey will speak on “Navigating the European Union Cultural Policy Labyrinth” on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University.Since the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, “European culture” has been the means of the European Union used to foster common identity and destiny. Four lectures at BYU this semester, including Dewey’s, explore the cultural strategies and policies the EU has adopted to construct an identity as well as some of the limits accompanying such a task.Dewey is an assistant professor of arts and administration at the University of Oregon and serves as associate director for cultural policy with the UO Center for Community Arts and Cultural Policy. Most of her research focuses on international cultural policy, cultural development and arts administration education.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=84 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=83 Thomas L. Pearcy will present “Central America in Transition: A Circular History” at a Global Awareness Lecture at Brigham Young University in 238 Herald R. Clark Building on Wednesday, Jan. 30, at noon.As a professor of history at Slippery Rock University, Pearcy has a varied experience in teaching. He previously taught at BYU for seven years and at five universities throughout the Americas.Pearcy has authored five books and many scholarly articles, has been a senior Fulbright scholar to Panama, and works with the U.S. Department of State. He received his master’s degree from Purdue University in American history and his doctorate from the University of Miami in Latin American history.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=83 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=82 John Bruton, European Union Ambassador to the United States, will speak at a Provo High Town Meeting sponsored by the Center for the Study of Europe in partnership with the Intercultural Outreach and the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University.Bruton will address the students at 11:30 a.m. in the Provo High Auditorium on Thursday, Jan. 24. He will also offer a David M. Kennedy Center lecture at BYU in the Assembly Hall of the Hinckley Alumni and Visitor’s Center on Thursday at 3 p.m. The public is welcome to attend."This week high school students will have the chance to interact with His Excellency John Bruton, ambassador for one of the most important economic and political parts of the world,” said Cory Leonard, David M. Kennedy Center assistant director.Provo High School is the only International Baccalaureate World School in Utah County. Students study many languages, including French, German, Spanish and Latin from the EU in addition to Chinese, Arabic and American Sign Language. Bruton’s visit to Utah will be the highlight of many students’ academic experience."U.S./European relations have been up and down, but one thing is certain — Europe is a key strategic partner for the U.S. now and in the foreseeable future. And despite the politics, Americans and many Utahns love Europe's music, food, geography, history, languages and culture. Ambassador Bruton, in this regard, represents 'all things European' in a historic visit to Provo High," Leonard added.The Center for the Study of Europe is a BYU-sponsored program that sponsors workshops, speakers, research and community outreach. Intercultural Outreach works with K-12 schools, teachers, and administrators to improve cross-cultural understanding through curricular materials, professional development, classroom presentations and strategic partnerships.For more information, contact Cory Leonard at Cory_Leonard@byu.edu or (801) 422-2980. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=82 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=81 The David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University is seeking qualified couples and individuals to teach at highly respected universities in the People's Republic of China during the 2008-2009 academic year.Most teachers are hired to teach oral and written English, but there is still a need for professionals experienced in linguistics, business, law, economics, science, culture and literature. Advanced degrees in any field are preferred by the Chinese universities. All classes are taught in English and no formal training in teaching or the Chinese language is required.All applicants must be active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, be in a secure financial situation, have university degrees, have excellent emotional and physical health, be age 69 or younger by March 1, 2008, and have no childcare responsibilities. Teachers are expected to show high moral values, professionalism and integrity.Applications for the 2008-09 academic year are due Friday, Feb. 1, 2008. The David M. Kennedy Center nominees’ names will be sent to Chinese universities around March 1. Assignments are for 11 months beginning in August with a two-week orientation at BYU. The training includes a 100-hour, TEFL training program at the David M. Kennedy Center prior to leaving for China. While in China, teachers will also attend a mid-year in-service conference in Hong Kong to exchange teaching materials and assess progress.Participants will have a rare opportunity to teach Chinese university students, experience a year living in China, absorb the ancient and modern culture of Asia and contribute to building a relationship of trust between two great nations. There are currently teachers at 21 partner universities in nine cities in China. Since 1989, nearly 1,000 people have participated in the program.Applications may be obtained by writing to China Teachers Program, David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, Brigham Young University, 220 HRCB, Provo, Utah, 84604; (801) 422-5321; china-facilitators@byu.edu, or online at kennedy.byu.edu/chinateachers. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=81 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=79 F. Abiola Irele will present a Brigham Young University Global Awareness Lecture, “African Unity: History, Problems, Prospects,” on Wednesday, Jan. 23 at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Irele is a professor at Harvard University where he specializes in African and Afro-American studies, romance languages and literatures. He previously taught African, French and comparative literature at Ohio State University.He was co-editor of the “Norton Anthology of World Literature” and recently edited the “Cambridge Companion the African Novel,” which will be published sometime this year. He also worked as editor of the journal, Research in African Literatures, from 1992 to 2003 and is the editor of Transition magazine at Harvard.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=79 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=80 His Excellency John BrutonThe European Union ambassador to the United States will offer a David M. Kennedy Center lecture at Brigham Young University in the Assembly Hall of the Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center on Thursday, Jan. 24, at 3 p.m.Admission is free and the public is welcome.His Excellency John Bruton became European Union ambassador to the United States on Dec. 9, 2004, after serving as an Irish prime minister from 1994-97. As prime minister he helped change the Irish economy into one of the fastest growing economies in Europe—known as the “Celtic Tiger.”Bruton helped bring about the Northern Irish Peace Process that led to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and as prime minister helped finalize the Stability and Growth Pact that looks over the management of the euro, the single European currency.As a leading member of the caucus, Bruton participated in drafting the first-ever European Constitution. In 1969, at age 22, Bruton was elected as a member of the Fine Gael Party. He later became party leader in 1990 and led it to victory in 1994. Bruton also has experience as Ireland’s minister of finance; minister of industry and energy; and minister of trade, commerce and tourism.Before studying to become a barrister he received his bachelor’s degree from University College Dublin.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.For more information, contact Wade Jacoby at (801) 422-1711. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=80 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=77 Students from Brigham Young University’s Foreign Service Student Organization and Model United Nations will host James B. Warlick at a lecture on Monday, Dec. 10, at 10 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Warlick will present a “Briefing on Iraq, UN Reform and Careers in Diplomacy.” The public is welcome to attend.He began his current post as principal deputy assistant secretary with the Bureau for International Organization Affairs at the U.S. Department of State in April 2006. He is responsible for all aspects of U.S. foreign policy at the United Nations and a number of other multilateral organizations.Prior to this assignment, Warlick directed the Office of European Security and Political Affairs, where he was responsible for political-military and security issues for Europe and the former Soviet Union.While director of UN political affairs, Warlick also served as principal advisor to Ambassador L. Paul Bremer in Baghdad, Iraq. His other assignments have included consul general at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow; director for Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the European Affairs Bureau; acting minister-counselor/deputy counselor for political affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Germany; special assistant to the Secretary of State; Operations Center watch officer; consular officer in the Philippines and political officer in Bangladesh.He is a graduate of Stanford University, received a master’s degree in politics from Wadham College at Oxford University and a second master’s degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=77 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=78 Documentary film producer Dodge Billingsley will present a Global Awareness Lecture on “Force Projection or Force Protection: A New Mission Objective for Afghanistan and Iraq” at Brigham Young University on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Billingsley founded Combat Films and Research in 1997 and has since documented many security-related topics and covered conflicts worldwide.In 2002, his film “House of War,” which documented the battle for Qala Jangi fortress in Afghanistan, won the Rory Peck and the Royal Television Society awards for Best Feature.He produced a series of five films and a panel discussion for the Kennedy Center called “Beyond the Border.” The latest installment in the series, “Global Car,” will be released this fall. He has also produced television series for the Discovery Channel and the History Channel.Billingsley has been a guest lecturer for the U.S. Army and Navy, New York Military Association and numerous academic institutes. He has also written extensively for various defense- and security-related journals.He received a bachelor’s in history from Columbia University and a master’s in war studies from King’s College Department of War Studies in London. While in London, he also co-founded and edited the “War Studies Journal.”This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=78 Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=75 The Institute of International Education released its annual Open Doors report on U.S. students studying abroad, ranking Brigham Young University in the top 10 schools (No. 9) for short-term study abroad and in the top 20 schools (No. 16) sending the most students abroad.These students studied in more than 130 programs in 60 countries, including those students studying at the Jerusalem Center and those traveling internationally with BYU’s performing groups.While many BYU students come from colleges in the university that are traditionally strong in study abroad, such as humanities, BYU is somewhat unique in that each of its 12 colleges sends students on academic programs abroad.“It is not uncommon for a college to send many social science or humanities students abroad, but in addition to these, BYU has strong international programs for such disciplines as nursing, law and engineering,” said Lynn Elliott, director of BYU’s International Study Programs. “This breadth of interest in international topics across the university is a unique feature of BYU and a true blessing to its students.”The top 10 short-term programs were advanced by Michigan State University, University of Georgia, University of Texas at Austin, University of Delaware, UCLA, Penn State, George Mason University, Arizona State University, BYU and University of Minnesota.The top 20 schools in total numbers of study-abroad students were New York University, Michigan State University, University of Texas at Austin, Penn State, University of Illinois,University of Minnesota, UCLA, University of Florida, University of Georgia, Ohio State University, Florida State University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Washington, University of Virginia, BYU, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Indiana University, University of Arizona and University of Delaware.For more information on International Study Programs at BYU, see the Web site at kennedy.byu.edu/isp or visit 280 HRCB.The Open Doors Report:Eager to learn about different countries and cultures and to acquire global skills, U.S. students are studying abroad in record numbers, according to survey data released this month. Study abroad increased by 8.5 percent to a total of 223,534 students in 2005-2006, according to the Open Doors report, published annually by the Institute of International Education with funding from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The number of American students receiving academic credit for their study abroad has increased 150 percent in the past decade, from fewer than 90,000 students in 1995-1996.These increased numbers reflect a growing recognition by students and educators that an international experience is important to students' future careers. While recent growth has been fueled in part by programs that offer study for shorter lengths of time than the traditional academic year, there has also been an increasing interest in studying in more diverse destinations. (For additional statistics and analysis from Open Doors 2007, see www.opendoors.iienetwork.org).According to Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes, "A wide range of successful activities sponsored by the U.S. Department of State help U.S. students to gain access to a substantive international experience. These include the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the Gilman Scholarships for undergraduates, and new National Security Language Initiative programs focused on language learning. The Gilman Scholarship program in particular is a point of pride; by reaching out to students of more modest means, it has produced truly remarkable gains in the numbers of U.S. citizens from minority communities who now can aspire to the life-changing experience of study abroad."Allan E. Goodman, president and CEO of the Institute of International Education, said that language and cultural skills are increasingly valued by employers and vital to America's national interest. “Students should get a passport along with their student ID,” he said, “and they should use it to study abroad at least once during their academic careers.” Despite the steadily rising numbers, the vast majority of U.S. students still graduate without any study abroad experience. Goodman noted that “the opportunity for more young Americans to study abroad is a goal shared by the President, the Secretary of State, and leaders in Congress, industry and academia.”Under Secretary Hughes noted that NSLI intensive language study scholarships provided by the Department of State for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students “show America's respect for other cultures, a cornerstone of our public diplomacy efforts, while demonstrating our commitment to building language skills for our citizens.”The increases reported in Open Doors 2007 reflect a growing interest in non-traditional destinations — students going to Asia (up 26 percent), Latin America (up 14 percent), Africa (up 19 percent) and the Middle East (up 31 percent) — and a wider range of study abroad opportunities in addition to the extremely valuable semester and academic year programs. Semester study now attracts 37 percent of those students studying abroad, while slightly more than half (52 percent) of U.S. students elect short-term programs (including summer, January term and any program of less than 8 weeks) and only 5.5 percent spend a full academic or calendar year abroad. While brief sojourns and short-term programs expand the numbers of Americans studying abroad, longer programs abroad provide better opportunities for language acquisition and deeper immersion in the culture.The top three major fields of study of Americans studying abroad, according to Open Doors 2007, are the social sciences, business and management and humanities. Over the past decade the percentage of study abroad students majoring in business has grown from 14 to 18 percent.The study abroad data in Open Doors 2007 reflects study conducted in the academic year 2005-2006 (including summer 2006). U.S. campus respondents to the Open Doors 2007 survey provide data on the number of study abroad students to whom they have awarded credit after completion of study abroad, so this study abroad data is the most recent that is available.IIE has created a new Web-based resource, www.StudyAbroadFunding.org, to help students find scholarships and grants to help support their overseas studies. An interactive Web site, IIE Passport (www.iiepassport.org), helps students find the study abroad program that best fits their academic needs. IIE Passport contains more than 6,000 study abroad and learning travel opportunities worldwide for participants of all ages, searchable by country, field of study, language, academic level, world area, city, organization, duration, and type of program.The Open Doors Report is published by the Institute of International Education, the leading nonprofit educational and cultural exchange organization in the United States. IIE has conducted the annual statistical survey of international students in the United States since 1949, and with support from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs since the early 1970s. The census is based on a survey of close to 3,000 accredited U.S. institutions. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=75 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=76 “Do Nuclear Weapons Promote Peace?” will be the topic of a Global Awareness Lecture on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building on the Brigham Young University campus.The lecturer, Robert Rauchhaus, has taught political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, since 2003. His research and teaching interests include international relations theory, American foreign policy, counter-terrorism and national security policy.Rauchhaus’ expertise in national security policy stems from his academic training as well as practical experience gained from military service, law enforcement, and work in the defense industry.Prior to joining the faculty at UCSB, Rauchhaus was a management consultant with McKinsey and Company Inc. and a post-doctoral fellow at the Center of International Studies at Princeton University. He received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=76 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=74 “Causes of Anti-Americanism in the Arab World” will be the topic of a Global Awareness Lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building at Brigham Young University.Abdelmahdi Alsoudi, director of the Jordan Policy Center and professor of political sociology at Jordan University, will present the lecture.He is also a professor of Middle East studies at Denver University’s Graduate School of International Studies.An alumnus of the United Kingdom’s Keele University, Alsoudi has participated in many international and regional conferences and published several articles on socio-political issues, such as Islam and democracy, anti-Americanism in the Arab world and democracy and political reform in Jordan and the Arab World.Alsoudi joined the Center for Strategic Studies in Jordan as a senior researcher in 1986. The Center holds regular meetings and conferences to devise policies for democracy and political reform through cooperation with American and European academics, experts and policy makers.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=74 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=72 Brigham Young University’s David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies has announced the winners of its eighth annual photo contest to coincide with International Education Week Nov. 12-16.An awards reception to recognize the photographers and unveil the 2006-2007 photo gallery will be Thursday, Nov. 15, at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.First place and $100 will go to Daniel Hoer for his photograph “Young Child Begging for Food," which he took while studying abroad in Cambodia. Second place and $75 will be awarded to Joseph Harmon for “Valle de Luna,” taken on a field study in Bolivia. Lizzie Nielsen will receive third place and $50 for “Gateway,” taken during her study abroad experience in France.Hoer will also receive an honorable mention for “Cambodian Siesta,” as will John Adair, Carolyn Carter, Katie Dedrickson, Kimberly Jeppson, Emily Knell, Nicholas Torres and Kristine Whipple for their photographs.The photos will be archived on the David M. Kennedy Center Web site in November.For more information on the contest and international study options, please visit 280 Herald R. Clark Building, call (801) 422-3686 or visit kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=72 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=73 Luca Bonomi, president of the Dante Alighieri Society in Siena, Italy, will present a Brigham Young University European Studies Lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 20, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.In his lecture, Bonomi will explain the secret traditions behind the ancient rituals and rites of control in Siena’s “contrade,” or neighborhoods, and their connection to the semiannual horse race, Il Siena di Palio.Contrade are not ordinary neighborhoods—each has its own government, coat of arms, emblems, colors, official representatives, festivities and patron Saints to represent everyone born or living within the limits of the district.The Palio is a medieval horse race held twice each year as part of the long-standing rivalry among the neighborhoods in Siena, each of which forms a team for the race. While the Palio lasts only one minute, it is the culmination of months of hope and preparations.A member of a Sienese contrada, Bonomi received a degree in music and theatre from the University of Rome “La Sapienza,” and a doctorate in teaching Italian language and culture to foreigners from the University of Perugia. He has traveled abroad extensively to promote the Dante Alighieri Society.For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, visit kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=73 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=70 John “Dink” Dinkelman, consul at the U.S. Consulate in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, will speak at the Global Awareness Lecture Wednesday, Nov. 7, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.The topic will be "An Economic View on Immigration: The Merchandizing of Desert Crossing." The public is welcome to attend.Dinkelman will discuss the journey across the desert taken by thousands of illegal immigrants who cross daily from the entry at Sasabe to Altar, Ariz. The entire process degrades from a large population transit-area to the middle of the desert where Mexicans try to connect with the “coyotes” who they hope will bring them to a better life.While he is on campus Wednesday, Dinkelman will also conduct training sessions for those interested in foreign service careers. The Colleges of Humanities and Family, Home and Social Sciences will host a session from 10 to 11 a.m. in 3101 Joseph F. Smith Building, and a second one will be at the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies from 2 to 4 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Dinkelman began his new post at the U.S. Consulate in Nogales last summer and is responsible for U.S. and Mexican affairs for the northern half of the state of Sonora.After joining the Foreign Service Institute orientation division in 2001, he served as deputy A-100 coordinator until August 2005, when he became the course coordinator, having entered the Foreign Service with the 44th A-100 class in 1988 as an administrative generalist.He graduated from BYU with degrees in business and Spanish. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=70 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=71 Students are invited to immerse themselves in global issues, raise their awareness of international cultures and discover what international opportunities await them on campus during Brigham Young University’s celebration of International Education Week, Monday through Friday, Nov. 12-16.Established in 2000, International Education Week is a joint venture between the U.S Department of Education and the U.S. Department of State to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange experiences in the U.S.The first of the week’s events will be a lecture given by Aren M. Maeir on “The New Biblical Archaeology — The Future of the Past” at an Ancient Near Eastern Studies Lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 4 p.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library Auditorium.Maeir is chairman of the Department of Archaeology and Land of Israel Studies at Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, Israel, where he has been a key figure in establishing the university’s Center for Biblical Archaeology. Maeir is best known as the director of Israel’s premier archaeological expedition, the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project. He has excavated Gath — the ancient city of the Philistines and home of Goliath, the biblical giant — since 1996.On Wednesday, Nov. 14, Scott M. Smith, James Passey Professor of Marketing at BYU, will present a Global Awareness Lecture on “Stepping Across Cultures into Moldova” at noon in 238 Harold R. Clark Building. As a Fulbright Scholar, Smith taught at the Academy of Economic Studies in Chisinau, Moldova. He received a doctorate from Pennsylvania State University.Smith has founded several research companies — including Qualtrics.com, SurveyZ.com, and SurveyPro.com — that offer the most advanced online survey research tools available. Their software is used by thousands of companies, including the World Health Organization, U.S. Federal Reserve Board, Kodak, Intel and leading business schools including Wharton, MIT, Harvard, Columbia and Northwestern.The film “¿Puedo Hablar? May I Speak?” will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. The film depicts the politically fractured Venezuelan society as shown by the people and events surrounding the 2006 presidential elections. The trailer is available on the Sol Productions website, sol-productions.org. Following the film, there will be a question-and-answer session with the film’s producer and co-director, Chris Moore.BYU alumnus Daniel H. Nelson will give the week’s final lecture on “International Field Studies: A Foundation for a Career in Development” on Friday, Nov. 16, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Nelson manages international research and training initiatives for the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. He currently manages a project with the government of India that seeks to improve the policy analysis and implementation skills of senior-level Indian Administrative Service officers. He received a bachelor’s degree from BYU and a master’s in public administration from Syracuse University.For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=71 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=69 Brigham Young University’s International Study Programs will hold an International Field Studies Open House on Thursday, Nov. 8, from 2 to 5 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.International Field Studies is a semester-abroad experience for students of all majors who are interested in self-directed research in a cross-cultural setting. At the open house, students who have completed a field study will explain the specifics of each program and answer questions. Refreshments will be provided.Administered through the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, field study programs are sponsored by colleges and departments across campus. Locations for these programs include Ghana, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Patagonia, South Africa, rural Europe and the Navajo Nation.The field study experience is flexible, allowing many students to conduct research for an honors thesis or to fulfill field requirements for individual majors.For more information on International Field Studies, contact the ISP office, 280 HRCB, call 422-3686, e-mail isp@byu.edu or visit kennedy.byu.edu/isp. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=69 Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=67 His Excellency Mahmud Ali Durrani, Pakistani ambassador to the United States, will discuss “Pakistan-U.S. Relations” at a Brigham Young University Global Awareness Lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 7, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Durrani became ambassador of Pakistan to the United States in 2006. He graduated from the Pakistan Military Academy in 1961 and served in various command and instructional appointments during his military career.After retiring from the army, Durrani was actively involved in the peace efforts between Pakistan and India. He also worked with former senior officials from the United States, Russia and Iran as part of a process sponsored by the UN to find a peaceful settlement to the Afghan crisis.He is the author of several books and studies, including “India and Pakistan: The Cost of Conflict and the Benefits of Peace.”This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=67 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=68 The Belgian ambassador to the United States will speak on relations between the two countries at a Brigham Young University Ambassadorial Insights Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.His Excellency Dominique Struye de Swielande was appointed ambassador in 2006, having previously been Belgium’s representative to NATO and ambassador to Germany, among other prominent governmental positions.Struye received a master’s of law degree from the University College London, a master’s degree in European law from the University of Ghent and a doctorate in law from the Catholic University of Leuven.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=68 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=66 “Narcotics Trafficking and the Increasingly Important Role Venezuela Plays as a Transit Country” will be the topic of a Brigham Young University Foreign Service Lecture on Monday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.The lecture will be presented by BYU alumnus Willard Tenney Smith as part of the David M. Kennedy Center’s Hometown Diplomat Program.Smith is the first secretary and director of the Narcotics Affairs and Law Enforcement Section of the American Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, where he works to interrupt the transit of narcotics and promote rule of law through support of local law enforcement and judicial sectors.He joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1992 after having worked as an intelligence officer with the Department of Defense and in a variety of positions in Mexico, Peru, Jordan, Guyana and Washington, D.C. He has been given many awards for his service.Prior to his government assignments, Smith served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cordoba, Argentina, and received a bachelor’s in Near Eastern studies from BYU. His master’s degree is from the University of Texas at Austin.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=66 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=65 Her Excellency Rajmah Hussain, Malaysian ambassador to the United States, will speak at an Ambassadorial Insights Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 1, at Brigham Young University’s David M. Kennedy Center.Her lecture, "Malaysia and Islam Hadhari," will take place at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. Admission is free and the public is welcome.Hussain is one of only a few female ambassadors and the first female Malaysian ambassador to the United States. She is a career diplomat with more than 30 years of service, including postings as ambassador in Paris, Geneva and Vienna. She has participated in various UN assignments and served as a representative for the International Atomic Energy Agency.Educated in Paris and London, Hussain received a bachelor’s degree in economics, a master’s degree in political science and a doctorate in international relations from the University of London.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=65 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=64 Utah State University anthropologist and historian Joseph Tainter will present a lecture to Brigham Young University faculty and students on “Energy Gain and Future Energy: Collapse or Sustainability” on Tuesday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library Auditorium.Tainter's interest in sustainability led to collaboration with two ecologists to write “Supply-Side Sustainability,” the first book on this topic to combine social, historical and biological science. His work has been used in countries across the world.He studied anthropology at the University of California and Northwestern University, where he received his doctorate in 1975. His previous positions include project leader of cultural heritage research at the Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station in Albuquerque, N.M., and professor of anthropology at the University of New Mexico. He is currently the head of the Department of Environment and Society at Utah State University.For more information, contact Evie Forsyth at the BYU Anthropology Department at 801-422-6108. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=64 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=63 “No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam” by Reza Aslan is David M. Kennedy Center Book of the SemesterBrigham Young University’s David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies has chosen “No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam” as its fall 2007 Book of the Semester.A panel discussion about the book will be held at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 31, in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. The panel will include members of the BYU history, Islamic studies and anthropology faculty.On Friday, Nov. 2, the book’s author, Reza Aslan, will present a lecture titled “Revolution, Reformation, and Regime Change: Contemporary Iran” at 3 p.m. in the Joseph Smith Building Auditorium. Following the lecture, there will be a question-and-answer session at the David M. Kennedy Center where students can meet the author, discuss the lecture and have books signed.The public is welcome to attend both events. Admission is free.Aslan is an internationally acclaimed writer and scholar of religions as well as a regular commentator for National Public Radio’s “Marketplace” and a Middle East Analyst for CBS News. “No god but God” is his first book and has been translated into half a dozen languages. It was also short-listed for the United Kingdom’s Guardian First Book Award and nominated for a PEN USA award for research nonfiction.Born in Iran, Aslan now lives in Santa Monica, CA, where he is a research associate at the University of Southern California’s Center on Public Diplomacy. He has written for the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, the Guardian, the Chicago Tribune and The Nation, among others.Aslan received a bachelor’s degree in religion from Santa Clara University, a master’s degree in theological studies from Harvard University, a master’s degree in fiction from the University of Iowa and is a doctoral candidate in the sociology of religions at the University of California, Santa Barbara.His lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=63 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=62 His Excellency Dennis Richardson, Australian ambassador to the United States, will speak at Brigham Young University on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.The lecture is free and the public is welcome to attend. Richardson’s topic will be “Australia–U.S. Relations.”Richardson received his current appointment following a career in public service that began when he joined the Australian Foreign Service in 1969. He has also served as director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, deputy secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, head of the Review of the Intelligence Community Post-Cold War, principal adviser to the prime minister and various senior public service roles in other government departments.Richardson received a bachelor’s degree with honors from Sydney University and was made an officer of the Order of Australia in 2003.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=62 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=60 Eric R. Dursteler, an associate professor of history at Brigham Young University, will present “Fatima Hatun née Beatrice Michiel: Renegade Women in Early Modern Venice” on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Dursteler is a former Fulbright fellow, National Endowment for the Humanities fellow and fellow of the Harvard Center for Italian Renaissance Studies in Florence, Italy. His research interests include early modern Mediterranean culture and the history of food. He received a bachelor’s and a master’s in history from BYU and a doctorate in history from Brown University.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=60 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=61 David E. Sanger, chief Washington correspondent for “The New York Times,” will visit Brigham Young University on Thursday, Oct. 25, to present “Inside the White House: What Happened to the Bush Plan to Change the World?” at 4 p.m. in 250 Spencer W. Kimball Tower.The lecture is free and members of the university community and the public are welcome to attend. This address was originally announced for Sept. 11.During his 25-year career with the “Times,” Sanger has reported from New York, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. He has covered a wide variety of issues surrounding foreign policy, globalization, nuclear proliferation, Asian affairs and, for the past five years, the Bush presidency.Sanger has won many major awards for individual and team achievements in journalism, including the Columbia Journalism School’s DuPont Award, the Weintal Prize for diplomatic reporting and two Pulitzer Prizes. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Aspen Strategy Group.Sanger graduated magna cum laude in government from Harvard College in 1982.This lecture is sponsored by the New York Times Knowledge Network and will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=61 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=59 International education and community development specialist Shahram Paksima will speak at Brigham Young University’s David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies on Friday, Oct. 19, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Paksima’s topic will be “From Punjab to the ‘Pinnacle’ and Back: Musings of a Development Worker.”Paksima has more than eleven years of experience leading school, organizational, and educational development and change; managing and implementing projects; designing and providing monitoring and evaluation services; and conducting applied research.His recent work has been for the World Economic Forum, the World Bank and Seward International.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, visit kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=59 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=56 Brian Adam, a member of the Scottish Parliament, will present “Scotland on the Road to Independence” at a Brigham Young University European Studies Lecture on Thursday, Oct. 11, at 3:30 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. Adam has been a member of the Scottish Parliament since 1974. He is currently the Parliament’s Deputy Convener of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee. Prior to 1999, he was a principal biochemist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and a trade union activist.Born in Newmill, Banffshire, Scotland, Adam received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a master’s degree in clinical pharmacology from Aberdeen University.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on Kennedy Center events, visit kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=56 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=57 Portland State University professor Birol A. Yeşilada will present “Competition between Giants: The 'New' EU as a Global Power” at a Brigham Young University Global Awareness Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Yeşilada is a professor of political science and international studies and is the endowed chair in contemporary Turkish studies in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government. Prior to joining the PSU faculty, he served as chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Missouri-Columbia.As a policy consultant, Yeşilada has worked with various U.S. government departments and corporations. He is currently vice president of Balaxa, LLC of Tigard, Ore., which specializes in international trade and consulting.Yeşilada received a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s degree in political science from San Francisco State University and a doctorate in political science from the University of Michigan. He has received numerous awards and grants, including a Fulbright fellowship.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, visit kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=57 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=58 K. Lawson Younger Jr., a professor of Old Testament, Semitic languages and ancient Near Eastern history at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, will visit Brigham Young University to speak at a Global Awareness Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 10.Younger will present his lecture, “Finding Some of the Lost Tribes of Israel,” at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.He will also deliver an Ancient Near Eastern Studies Lecture, titled "Biblical Studies and the Comparative Method," onThursday, Oct. 11, at 11 a.m., also in238 HRCB.Younger is the author of “Ancient Conquest Accounts: A Study of Near Eastern and Biblical History Writing” and has edited many publications about the biblical world. He is a Rotary Foundation Fellow at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a Tyndale House Fellow at Cambridge University and a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellow at Yale University.Prior to joining the faculty at Trinity, Younger served as a professor of biblical studies at LeTourneau University and also taught at Sheffield University. He received a bachelor of theology cum laude from Florida Bible College, a Master of Theology with honors from Dallas Theological Seminary and a doctorate from Sheffield University.This lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=58 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=55 Kenneth A. Osgood, an associate professor of history at Florida Atlantic University, will visit the Brigham Young University campus to present "America’s Global Battle for Hearts and Minds" at a Global Awareness Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building.Osgood joined Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in 2001 and is currently researching war and public diplomacy. He was the Mary Ball Washington Professor of American History at University College Dublin in Ireland during the 2006–2007 academic year.At FAU in 2006, he received the Researcher of the Year Award for the College of Arts and Letters, and in 2004, he received the University Award for Excellence in Teaching.Osgood received a bachelor's degee in history magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, as well as a master's degree and a doctorate in history from the University of California-Santa Barbara.The lecture will be archived online. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu. http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=55 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0600 http://kennedy.byu.edu/events/news.php?id=54 Kirk A. Hawkins, assistant professor of political science a