Other Events
2019 ISSS-IS Annual Conference
The Sié Center hosted the 2019 ISSS-IS Annual Conference on October 18–19, 2019. This was a joint annual meeting of ISA’s International Security Studies Section and the International Security Section of APSA. The theme of the conference was “A Transformed Security Environment?” and it was chaired by Deborah Avant, David Goldfischer, Julia Macdonald and Paul Viotti. To see more information and past conference details, please visit the ISA’s Conference Homepage.
Denver Dialogues on Peace and Security
The Denver Dialogues on Peace and Security was part of a program funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. This series of events created a public dialogue among academic and policy authorities on issues related to twenty-first-century challenges to global peace and security, with a particular focus on inclusion.
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2018
The Future of the Iran Nuclear Deal: A Talk with Colin Kahl
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
In May, President Trump withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, better known as the Iran nuclear deal, and announced the re-imposition of crippling sanctions targeting Iran. The first round of those sanctions went into effect in August; the second, more damaging round go into effect November 5. These moves have been met with widespread opposition from the international community and steps by Iran and the other parties to the nuclear deal — China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the European Union — to preserve the agreement. This talk discussed the prospects for the Iran nuclear deal's survival and the implications for international security if it collapses.
The talk was followed by a conversation with Former Ambassador Christopher Hill.
The Peacemakers and the Future of Global Order: A Discussion with Bruce Jentleson
Thursday, October 25, 2018
In the 20th century, great leaders played vital roles in making the world a fairer and more peaceful place. How did they do it? What lessons can be drawn for the 21st century? Bruce Jentleson, Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at Duke University, addressed these and related questions in a talk based on his new book, The Peacemakers: Leadership Lessons from 20th Century Statesmanship, with a discussion led by Professor Deborah Avant.
Learn More about Bruce Jentleson
IGLI 2018 Keynote Talk with Traci Blackmon
Monday, August 27, 2018
Traci Blackmon, Executive Minister of Justice Ministries for The United Church of Christ, and a national leader in the Black Lives Matter movement. A featured voice with many national media outlets, Rev. Blackmon's communal leadership, and work in the aftermath of the killing of Michael Brown Jr., in Ferguson, MO has gained her both national and international recognition and audiences from the White House to the Carter Center to the Vatican.
Populism as a Crisis of Representation (and a Threat to Democracy?): A Conversation with Anna Grzymala-Busse
Thursday, March 8, 2018
In honor of International Women's Day, two women will discuss populism and its consequences in Europe and beyond as part of a larger conference on Inclusive Responses to LIberalism's Crisis. Anna Grzymala-Busse will remark on the rising support for populist parties and the threat they pose to European democracy and then Rachel Epstein will speak with her on the larger lessons her remarks for global politics.
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2017
A Journey in Nonviolent Struggles: A Denver Dialogue with Mary King
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Mary Elizabeth King, Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Peace in Costa Rica, will discuss her involvement in the U.S. civil rights and women's liberation movements, her research and scholarship on nonviolent civil resistance movements of the 20th century, and how social movements open political space.
King is author of numerous books on nonviolent civil resistance, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr: The Power of Nonviolent Action, Gandhian Nonviolent Struggle and Untouchability in South India: The 1924–25 Vykom Satyagraha and the Mechanisms of Change , A Quiet Revolution: The First Palestinian Intifada and Nonviolent Resistance and The New York Times and Emerging Democracies in Eastern Europe. King also co-authored "Sex and Caste," a 1966 essay that was catalytic for the women's liberation movement and second-wave feminism.
During the early stages of her career, she worked with civil rights leader Ella Baker, served on the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and managed communications for the 1964 Freedom Summer in Mississippi. King also served as a Presidential appointee in the Carter Administration and had worldwide oversight of the Peace Corps, the domestic VISTA program, and other national volunteer service programs. She is also a Distinguished Rothermere American Institute Fellow at the University of Oxford in Britain, and Distinguished Scholar with American University's School of International Service in Washington, DCKing's collection of prestigious awards includes the Jamnalal Bajaj International Prize in Mumbai, the El-Hibri Peace Education Prize, and the James Lawson Award for Nonviolent Achievement.
Global Lessons from the Women's March on Washington with Co-Chair Carmen Perez
Monday, August 28, 2017
Carmen Perez is the National Co-Chair of the Women's March on Washington. On January 21, 2017, the Women's March drew over 5 million people across the globe together to march in resistance of hatred and bigotry, affirming women of all identities' rights as human beings. In addition to her role in organizing the March, Ms. Perez has dedicated the past 20 years to advocating for many of today's important civil rights issues, including mass incarceration, gender equity, violence prevention, racial healing and community policing.
This event was co-sponsored by the Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative at the Sié Center, which initiates research, education, and programming centered on the work that women and other underrepresented groups are doing to advance peace and security across the world. The event is also supported by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Martha Finnemore: Constructing Cybernorms
Thursday, May 18, 2017
Martha Finnemore is a prominent constructivist scholar of international relations, and University Professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. She is best known for her books: National Interests in International Society, The Purpose of Intervention, and Rules for the World which helped to pioneer constructivism. In 2009, a survey of over 2700 international relations faculty in ten countries named her one of the twenty five most influential scholars in the discipline, and one of the five scholars whose work in the last five years has been the most interesting; an earlier survey of over 1000 American international relations faculty also ranked her similarly in both categories. In 2011 she was elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Baroness Catherine Ashton, former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Catherine Margaret Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, GCMG, PC, is a British Labour politician who served as the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and First Vice President of the European Commission in the Barroso Commission from 2009 to 2014.
This event was co-sponsored by the Colorado European Union Center of Excellence (CEUCE).
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2016
Daniel Drezner: Can Academics be Relevant in the Ideas Industry?
Friday, October 14, 2016
Daniel Drezner, Professor of International Politics at Tufts University's Fletcher School, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and a contributing editor at the Washington Post will discuss whether and how academics can be relevant in the public sphere. Prior to Fletcher, Dr. Drezner he taught at the University of Chicago and the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has written five books, including All Politics is Global and Theories of International Politics and Zombies, and edited two others, including Avoiding Trivia. His articles have appeared in numerous scholarly journals as well as in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Politico, and Foreign Affairs, and he has been a contributing editor for Foreign Policy and The National Interest. He received his B.A. in political economy from Williams College and an M.A. in economics and PhD in political science from Stanford University. His blog for Foreign Policy magazine was named by Time as one of the 25 best blogs of 2012, and he currently writes the "Spoiler Alerts" blog for the Washington Post.Global Peace Index 2016: A Denver Dialogue
Thursday, October 6, 2016
What is the state of global peace in 2016? Join the Sié Center, the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), and the One Earth Future Foundation (OEF) for an engaging "Denver Dialogues" on the findings of this year's Global Peace Index (GPI), the world's leading measure of national peacefulness. This year marks 10th edition of the GPI, a statistical analysis of the state of peace in 163 countries outlining trends in peace and conflict; the economic cost of violence; and the cultural, economic and political factors that create peace. The Global Peace Index is produced annually by IEP, and Michelle Breslauer, Director of the IEP Americas Program, will be the keynote speaker, joined by Curtis Bell of OEF. Lunch will be served and RSVP is required.Divisiveness and Violence in the U.S.
Monday, September 19, 2016
This unique Denver Dialogue was intended as an internal discussion for the students, faculty, and staff of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. This event served to foster thoughtful and inclusive engagement around how we interact with each other, with our community, and in politics at the national or global levels – particularly in the wake of violence. The University of Denver's initiative to examine the role of the university in responding to tragedy presented an opportunity to team with the University of Denver's Office of Diversity and Inclusion and begin a discussion that both drew on our ongoing research but also reflected on how our own actions and understandings can foster more inclusive and productive interactions.
Rigorous and Relevant Research in Global Affairs
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
- Deborah Avant, Professor and Sié Chéou Kang Chair for International Security and Diplomacy at the Josef Korbel School, University of Denver
- Ian Johnstone, Professor of International Law at the Fletcher School, Tufts University
- Reşat Kasaba, Director of the Henry M. Jackson School University of Washington
- Rebecca Lissner, PhD candidate at Georgetown University and participant in post-doctoral program at the Maxwell School, Syracuse University
- Dan McIntyre, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
- Moderator: Steve Del Rosso, Program Director for International Peace and Security, Carnegie Corporation of New York
How can academics "bridge the gap" to make their work relevant and accessible for policymakers, practitioners, and the broader community? In October 2014, the Carnegie Corporation of New York granted five premier international affairs schools, including the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, the chance to answer this question. At this Denver Dialogue luncheon, representatives from all five schools discussed their innovative projects, shared lessons learned, and identified future opportunities for universities to contribute to the public good.Countering Violent Extremism: How Human Rights and Good Governance Help Prevent Terrorism
February 29, 2016
- Dr. Sarah Sewall, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
- Dr. Deborah Avant, Professor and Sié Chéou Kang Chair for International Security and Diplomacy at the Josef Korbel School
Dr. Sarah Sewall is a longtime advocate for advancing civilian security and human rights around the world. Her engagement with both the academic and policy worlds serves as a model for those who wish to bridge the academia-policy divide. Dr. Sewall earned her PhD at Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. She went on to serve as Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell, then became the first Deputy Assistant Secretary for Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance in the Department of Defense. She has taught at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, directed the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard, and served on President Obama's national security and foreign policy transition team. Dr. Sewall was sworn in as Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights on February 20, 2014.Dr. Sewall received our "Engaged Policy Maker" award and discussed Countering Violent Extremism, the U.S. Government's comprehensive, civilian-led approach for violent extremist threats like ISIL. The Under Secretary described how the evolution of violent extremism since the 9/11 attacks necessitates a more proactive, "whole of society" approach that emphasizes civil society, human rights and good governance to prevent the spread and emergence of violent extremism around the world.
How can Academics and Policy Makers Best Engage?
February 1, 2016
- Ambassador Robert Gallucci, Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service
- Dr. Samuel Popkin, Professor of Political Science, University of California San Diego
- Deborah Avant, Professor and Sié Chéou Kang Chair for International Security and Diplomacy at the Josef Korbel School
These two public intellectuals have played critical roles in American policy since the Vietnam War. Samuel Popkin worked in Vietnam for the RAND Corporation and was jailed in 1972 when he refused to answer questions before a grand jury investigating the Pentagon Papers leak. Robert Gallucci's PhD dissertation on Vietnam became the book Neither Peace Nor Honor, which appeared as he worked at the U.S. State Department. Professor Popkin went on to write award-winning books on Vietnam (The Rational Peasant) and American politics (The Reasoning Voter) and advise many U.S. presidential campaigns. Robert Gallucci's career has included prominent posts in policy (at the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, the U.S. State Department Office of Policy Planning, and the UNSCOM overseeing the disarmament of Iraq, among others) and academia (including Dean of Georgetown's School of Foreign Service). He also led the John D. and Catherine T. Macarthur Foundation. Our conversation ranged from the Pentagon Papers to Wikileaks to tap the insights of these accomplished men and their decades of experience in academia and policy. -
2015
Understanding and Undermining Untouchability: An Example of Social Science and Social Justice
October 7, 2015
- Christian Davenport, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Michigan
- Deborah Avant, Professor and Sié Chéou Kang Chair for International Security and Diplomacy at the Josef Korbel School
Untouchability is a 4000 year old form of discrimination and violence which affects approximately 200 million in India alone. Interestingly and unfortunately, these practices have not been systematically examined to any large extent. To rectify this situation, eight years ago a research collaboration of the Indian human rights organization Navsarjan Trust and professors from the United States came together to address this limitation, paving the way to understand what untouchability was, why it varied, what could be done about it and (as an unintended consequence) how academic as well as activist worlds could intersect. Dr. Davenport's presentation discussed the research that investigated approximately 1600 rural villages in Gujarat with approximately 98,000 individuals. He also discussed some of the insights from this effort as well as some of the pitfalls.Wendy Pearlman: Narratives of Fear in Syria
September 22, 2015
- Wendy Pearlman, Associate Professor of Political Science at Northwestern University
- Erica Chenoweth, Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the Josef Korbel School
Wendy Pearlman conducted interviews with 200 Syrian refugees in Jordan and Turkey. She finds that individuals’ narratives about the upheavals in their country coalesce into a collective narrative whose arc emphasizes changes in the sources and functions of political fear. Her talk used Syrians’ personal stories to describe four types of fear which together offer a humanistic interpretation of the trajectory of the Syrian conflict, as well as the lived experience of authoritarian rule, popular revolt, civil war, and forced migration.This event was co-sponsored by the Center for Middle East Studies.
Global Trends in Peace and Security
January 7, 2015
- Suzanne Fry, Director of the Strategic Futures Group at the National Intelligence Council
- Deborah Avant, Professor and Sié Chéou Kang Chair for International Security and Diplomacy at the Josef Korbel School
The event was co-sponsored by the Pardee Center for International Futures at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. -
2014
Protecting Civilians and Reducing Violence
November 19, 2014
- Mel Duncan, founding Executive Director of Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP), a civilian peacekeeping organization based in Brussels; and
- Erica Chenoweth, Associate Professor at the Josef Korbel School and Associate Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO)
Other Events
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2020
Killer High: A History of War in Six Drugs
March 5, 2020
5:00 p.m. Sié Complex 1150Book Talk with Peter Andreas
Join us for a book talk with Peter Andreas, John Hay Professor of International Studies and Political Science at Brown University, and discussion about the growing alarm over how drugs empower terrorists, insurgents, militias and gangs. In his path-breaking Killer High, Andreas shows how six psychoactive drugs — ranging from old to relatively new, mild to potent, licit to illicit, natural to synthetic — have proven to be particularly important war ingredients. This sweeping history tells the story of war from antiquity to the modern age through the lens of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, opium, amphetamines and cocaine.
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2019
The Political Economy of Ethnicity in Africa with Philip Roessler
April 26, 2019
12:00 p.m. Sié Complex 1020A Lunchtime Talk with Philip Roessler, Associate Professor of Government and Co-Director of the Center for African Development at William & Mary
What factors have shaped the ethnic landscapes that structure modern societies? Ethnicity — social identity based, principally, on shared descent — is found to profoundly influence economic and political processes, from the allocation of state resources to public goods provision to civil war. Professor Philip Roessler, Associate Professor of Government and Co-Director of the Center for African Development at William & Mary, will explain how in Africa countries' ethnic landscapes were powerfully shaped by dual economic revolutions, the spread of cash crop agriculture, and the diffusion of printing and writing technologies.
Roessler will describe the new geospatial data he and his collaborators have assembled to map out the spread of these economic transformations and test their effects ongroup and individual-level data on ethnic politicization, salience, polarization, and conflict. Overall, this research holds the promise of providing new insights into the economic processes driving ethnic politicization.
Ethiopia's Agricultural Transformation Agency: A Model for Country-Led Smallholder Agricultural Development?
May 1, 2019
12:00 p.m. Sié Complex 1020Christian Man
Despite the challenges posed in recent years by El Niño-induced droughts, Ethiopia's economy is rapidly expanding. According to the World Bank, growth averaged 10.3% a year between 2006/07 and 2016/17, compared to a regional average of 5.4%. Agriculture is at the center of this story, accounting for about a third of real annual GDP growth, on average. In 2010, to ensure development would accompany growth in the agricultural sector, Ethiopia's Council of Ministers established the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA). Modeled after Taiwanese and Korean "acceleration units," the vision of the ATA is that, by 2025, "smallholder farmers are commercialized with greater incomes, inclusiveness, resilience and sustainability, contributing to Ethiopia's achievement of middle-income country status." Based on interviews and focus groups with over fifty respondents, this study analyzes the institution's unique past accomplishments and future challenges. In doing so, it explores the viability of an Agricultural Transformation Agency, writ broadly, as a model for country-led smallholder agricultural development.Christian Man is a research fellow with the CSIS Global Food Security Project. His research interests at CSIS center on the political economy of agricultural livelihoods and food security. Prior to joining CSIS, Christian worked with Catholic Relief Services, helping with the design, implementation, and analysis of Seed System Security Assessments throughout East Africa. Prior to his work in international development, Christian was a community development practitioner in Memphis, Tennessee, where he helped organize an urban agriculture program, a food policy council, and a local foods distributor. He received a Ph.D. in rural sociology and international agriculture and development from Penn State, where he studied seed aid programs in Ethiopia.
The United States' Approach to Fragile States
April 24, 2019
12:00 p.m. Sié Complex 1150A Conversation with Dr. Patrick Quirk, Member of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State
The Trump administration released its first National Security Strategy (NSS) in 2017 which recognizes the importance of confronting challenges related to conflict and fragility to protect U.S. national security interests. This strategy was complemented by the release of the Stabilization Assistance Review (SAR) in 2018 which serves as a framework to improve interagency coordination and effectiveness in fragile states. The SAR delineates the roles and responsibilities of the Department of State, USAID, and the Department of Defense in stabilization operations.
The Competing Logics of Political and Military Defection
February 18
12:00 p.m. Sié Complex 1020, "The Forum"Lunchtime Talk with Evan Perkoski
Why do military and government defectors abandon their regimes during national uprisings? Existing explanations overwhelmingly focus on the military and the institutional dynamics that shape their relationship with regime elites. Here, I argue that the characteristics of uprisings and dissident strategies are equally important. Defections become more likely when uprisings threaten regime elites but not their political and military agents, and less likely when all are equally threatened.
Combining alarge-n quantitative analysis of regime change campaigns from 1946–2006 with case studies of uprisings in Serbia and Kyrgyzstan, I show how campaign dynamics critically influence the odds of regime cohesion and collapse. This study is the first to compare the competing logics of defection among political and military agents, and the results have implications for understanding popular uprisings, mass atrocities, elite cohesion, authoritarian politics, and for designing effective strategies of resistance.
Latin America's Democratic Decline and Possibilities For Resistance
January 9, 2019
12:00 p.m. Sié 1020, "The Forum"Kai Thaler (Chair), Consuelo Amat, Andy Baker, and Rafael Ioris
From January 1, 2019, Jair Bolsonaro will be President of Brazil. A former military officer who glorifies Brazil's military dictatorship promotes violent responses to crime, and has little regard for democratic institutions or norms will govern Latin America's largest country. Venezuela and Nicaragua have become repressive, militarized single-party dictatorships. Bolivian President Evo Morales seeks a fourth term in contravention of a popular referendum, and Chilean President Sebastián Piñera is using dictatorship-era anti-terrorism laws to persecute indigenous activists. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández suppressed protests following credible allegations his 2017 reelection was fraudulent, while Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales has repeatedly interfered with anti-corruption investigations. Why is democracy in crisis in Latin America? Is Brazil likely to return to dictatorship under Bolsonaro? And what are the prospects for civil resistance in an increasingly authoritarian region?
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2018
International Day of Peace Panel with Our Secure Future
September 20, 2018
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Sié 1020, "The Forum"Chantal Pierrat, Founder and CEO of Emerging Women; Jamie Dobie, Executive Director of Peace is Loud; Christina Foust, Associate Director at the Department of Communication Studies, University of Denver; Marie Berry, Moderator
Muslims in America: Examining the Facts
September 14, 2018
12:00 p.m. Sturm 281 (Lindsey Auditorium)Please join the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security & Diplomacy, the Center for Middle East Studies, and the University of Denver's Department of Religious Studies for a public talk featuring Dr. Craig Considine of Rice University. Dr. Considine will discuss his latest book, Muslims in America: Examining the Facts.
This event was co-sponsered by the Center for Middle East Studies and the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Denver.
The Good Friday Agreement, Brexit and British-Irish Relations with Dr. Etain Tannam
September 13, 2018
2:00 p.m Sié 1020, "The Forum"Refugee Rights in the Era of Mass Migration: A Talk with Devon Cone
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Sié 1020, "The Forum"Devon Cone is a seasoned refugee protection expert who has focused her career on forced displacement, legal remedies to address refugee protection concerns, empowering displaced individuals, individual case management and training of NGO staff, UN staff and government officials on implementing international refugee protection principles in the field.
Ms. Cone's lecture will examine the current state of refugee protection, examining refugee rights as enshrined in the international refugee legal framework and the extent to which these rights are upheld in various regions of the world. Given the unprecedented number of refugees in the world at present, Ms. Cone will highlight particular gaps in the protection of refugee rights and will provide ideas on how to reframe refugee protection in light of mass migration. She will also place this discussion within the context of the current global political climate which is generally becoming more restrictive towards individuals seeking international protection or asylum.
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2017
Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative Speaker Series: When Women Lead, We All Thrive
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
A Conversation with Ambassador Shinkai Karokhail and the Honorable Iyabo Obasanjo
There is a growing consensus that women's leadership is necessary to build more prosperou, peaceful, and healthy societies. Yet, women remain profoundly underrepresented in decision-making roles worldwide. Join the Sie Center, Peace is Loud, and Our Secure Future for a conversation with Hon. Shinkai Karokhail, Afghan Ambassador to Canada and former Member of Parliament, and the Hon. Iyabo Obasanjo, former Senator of Nigeria, to discuss their firsthand experiences with the hardships of running for political office as women candidates and serving as leaders in their countries. This intimate conversation will address why women's leadership is important, how these changemakers overcame the obstacles they faced, and ways that we can each contribute to a more just and equitable world.
This event was co-sponsored by Peace is Loud and Our Secure Future: Women Make the Difference.
Resisting War: How Communities Protect ThemselvesTuesday, September 19
Book Launch with Professor Oliver Kaplan
Join Professor Oliver Kaplan for a discussion about his new book Resisting War: How Communities Protect Themselves. In civil conflicts around the world, unarmed civilians take enormous risks to protect themselves and confront heavily armed combatants. Kaplan explores cases from Colombia, with extensions to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and the Philippines, to show how and why civilians influence armed actors and limit violence. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. The event will be moderated by Faculty Co-Director of the Latin America Center Aaron Schneider, and include an audience Q&A session followed by a reception.
Amplifying Stories of Women's Grassroots Leadership
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Film Preview and Conversation with Just Vision's Suhad Babaa
Join the Sié Center for a sneak peek of exclusive footage from Just Vision's untitled documentary on women leaders of the First Intifada, and a panel conversation with Suhad Babaa, the Executive Director of Just Vision. As communities and organizers across the globe rise up to challenge the onslaught of repressive policies, now is a crucial moment to look at models of visionary grassroots leadership and draw inspiration from the resilience, creativity and sacrifice of women working on the frontlines of movements for rights and dignity. From the creators of the award-winning documentaries Budrus and My Neighbourhood, Just Vision's forthcoming documentary tells the story of the courageous women who secretly led the largest, most coordinated civil resistance movement in Palestinian history. In the summer of 1988, a clandestine network of women activists emerged from the fringes of society to lead a vibrant nonviolent social movement. Thirty years later, this film will bring the remarkable, untold story of these women to the world stage for the first time.
This event was sponsored by the Sié Center's Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative, which initiates research, education, and programming centered on the role of women and other underrepresented groups in movements related to the advancement of peace and security across the world. Just Vision is a team of human rights advocates, journalists, and filmmakers that increases the power and reach of Palestinians and Israelis working to end the occupation and build a future of freedom, dignity and equality for all.
Sovereignty, Security and Conflict Resolution: The Case of Cyprus
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
12:00 p.m. Room 1020Dr. Yiorghos Leventis, Director, International Security Forum
This talk will review the history of the Cyprus conflict and subsequent attempts at resolution, including the current round of negotiations, as well as the roles of the EU, US, and the UN in the current situation. Dr. Leventis will also share his predictions about the likely outcome of negotiations and geopolitical repercussions in the EU and Middle East and North Africa.
Yiorghos Leventis, Ph.D., is Director of the International Security Forum, an independent non-for-profit think tank based in Lefkosia, Cyprus.
This event was co-sponsored by the Colorado European Union Centre of Excellence (CEUCE).
International Women's Day: Inclusion and Leadership in 2017
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
12:00 p.m. Maglione Hall
This panel showcased the views of women leaders in Denver on the importance of (and challenges to) implementing inclusive policies, both throughout their careers and in this political moment:-
Leslie Herod, Representative of Colorado House District 8
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Joelle Martinez, Executive Director of the University of Denver's Latino Leadership Institute
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Debra Masters, Senior Vice President of Edelman
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Beth McCann, District Attorney of Denver
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Carlotta Walls LaNier, One of the Little Rock Nine
Participants wore red in solidarity with A Day Without a Woman, and lunch was be provided by the women-run catering collective at El Centro HumanitarioThis event was co-sponsored with Colorado Women's College Collaboratory, Denver Women in International Security, and the Our Secure Future initiative at the One Earth Foundation.
Inclusivity and Peace Negotiations: Engaging Armed Groups and Civil Society
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
12:00 p.m. First Floor Forum
Suzanne Ghais and Timothy Sisk
For peace processes, is more inclusive always better? Or is it better to streamline the number of parties at the table? In this presentation, Suzanne Ghais will overview her doctoral research comparing peace processes in Liberia, Chad, and the Philippines to understand the impact of inclusion or exclusion of civil society and the full range of armed groups. In these cases, civil society, when included, pressed for addressing underlying sources of conflict and helped build public support for the peace process. The study also found that excluded armed groups rejected peace agreements and continued fighting. Suzanne will discuss the practical implications, including the many different ways civil society can be included, and whether extremist groups should be brought into the process.
Suzanne Ghais Ph.D., is a mediator, facilitator, trainer, and scholar with over 25 years in the field of conflict resolution including international, workplace, environmental, public policy, and interpersonal issues. Dr. Timothy Sisk is Professor of International and Comparative Politics and an affiliate of the Sié Center at the Josef Korbel School of International Relations, University of Denver.
This event was co-sponsored by the Conflict Resolution Institute.
The Strategy of Nonviolence
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
David Cortright
Are Gandhian methods of nonviolent action still relevant in today's world? What factors account for the success or failure of civil resistance campaigns? Respected scholar and long-time peace activist David Cortright examined these and related questions and reviews recent research on the strategy of nonviolence. He connected the empirical findings of Chenoweth and Stephan to the philosophical principles of Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Barbara Deming and other advocates of nonviolent change. He addressed the debate about 'diversity of tactics' within social movements and emphasizes the importance of nonviolent discipline for achieving political progress.David Cortright is the Director of Policy Studies at Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and Special Adviser for Policy Studies at the Keough School of Global Affairs. He is author or editor of 20 books, including Civil Society, Peace and Power (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), Gandhi and Beyond (Paradigm, 2009) and Peace: A History of Movements and Ideas (Cambridge University Press, 2008). Cortright has written widely about nonviolent social change, peace history, nuclear disarmament, and the use of multilateral sanctions and incentives as tools of international peacemaking. As an active duty soldier during the Vietnam War, he spoke against that conflict. Cortright is the former Executive Director of SANE and has a long history of public advocacy for disarmament and the prevention of war.
The Election of 2016, Powerlessness and the Politics of Blame
Monday, January 30, 2017
Martha Nussbaum
Martha Nussbaum is the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago Law School. She has received honorary degrees from over 50 colleges/universities and is widely regarded as a leading global scholar, philosopher and public intellectual. Her most recent publications include Political Emotions: Why Love Matters for Justice (2013) and Anger and Forgiveness: Resentment, Generosity, Justice (2016). She was recently awarded the highly prestigious Kyoto Prize for her contributions to improving the human condition.This event was co-sponsored by: Korbel Political Theory Initiative, Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security & Diplomacy, Center for Judaic Studies, Conflict Resolution In-stitute, Gender & Women's Studies Program, Department of Religious Studies, Depart-ment of Political Science, Center for Middle East Studies, and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.
The Trump Administration and the Middle East: Policy Issues and Key Players
Thursday January 12, 2017
The Sié Center was pleased to join forces with the Department of Religious Studies, the Center of Middle East Studies, the Middle East Discussion Group, the Organization of Security Students, and the Institute for Public Policy Studies to present this timely faculty panel. Speakers included:
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Professor Nader Hashemi on Iran
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Professor Jonathan Sciarcon on Israel
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Professor Andrea Stanton on Syria
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Professor Carole Woodall (UCCS) on Turkey
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2016
Obama's Legacy in the Middle East — Lessons for the Next President
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
A Korbel Panel Discussion Co-Sponsored by the Center for Middle East Studies
This panel discussion featured Ambassador Christopher Hill, Dean of the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies, Erica Chenoweth, Professor of International Studies and Associate Dean for Research at the Korbel School, Nader Hashemi, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies and Associate Professor of International Studies at the Korbel School, and Tom Farer, Professor and former Dean of the Korbel School. The four had an open conversation on the topic followed by a Q&A session with the audience.
Epidemic of Fear: The Ebola Epidemic, Political Psychology and International Security
January 26, 2016
Andrew Price-Smith
Professor Andrew Price-Smith argues that much of the economic and political dislocation generated by the Ebola epidemic of 2014–15 was generated by fear, and that fear induced destabilization is frequently more destructive than the actual morbidity and mortality generated by a given illness. Using the lens of political psychology, Price-Smith analyzes the epidemic through the application of affective states, the availability heuristic, and probability neglect. He also examines the intense securitization of the epidemic (quarantine and cordons sanitaires) and the corresponding rioting by affected populations, all largely as a product of fear. Price-Smith concludes that the epidemic constituted a threat to international security (as per two UNSC resolutions), but not in the conventional manner prevalent among most scholars of the discipline.This event was co-sponsored by the Certificate Program in Global Health Affairs.
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2015
Public Diplomacy Speaker Series
November 10, 2015
A Conversation with Dean Christopher Hill and Dr. Enver Hoxhaj, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Parliamant of Kosovo and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo
This event was co-sponsored by the Colorado European Union Center of Excellence.
Identity and Protest in the Syrian Uprising
September 23, 2015
Wendy Pearlman
As uprisings swept through the Middle East in early 2011, many analysts and Syrians themselves judged Syria to be a "kingdom of silence" immune from the regional tide. How did Syrians nonetheless launch a revolt that continues until this day? Rationalist models of protest cascades hold that a few first movers can encourage others to follow by altering their expectations about the potential effectiveness and risks of dissent. Pulling upon original interviews with Syrian protestors, Pearlman argued that early risers can also impel others to follow by intensifying their awareness of and willingness to act upon the values central to their sense of self. Protestors' stories illustrate that expressing political voice after denying it for years -- or a lifetime -- entails more than merely revealing hidden preferences. It means discovery and fulfilment of an identity that had been subjugated.
This event was co-sponsored by the Center for Middle East Studies.
Emotive Content and the Societal-System Dynamics of Protracted Social Conflict
July 14, 2015
Dr. Monty G. Marshall
While armed conflict has continued to diminish across most of the globe since the end of the Cold War and the resulting "peace dividend" has contributed to measurable progress in reducing state fragility, the Middle East and Sahel regions have diverged from the global trends since 2001 and teeter on the brink of unprecedented humanitarian disaster. Dr. Marshall discussed the regional dynamics within the framework of Societal-System Dynamics, which stresses the importance of Emotive Content and System Dynamics in understanding the problem of collective violence in the Era of Globalization.
Co-sponsored by the Josef Korbel School's Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures.
Forecasting China's Rise
May 27, 2015
Some say that China will not rise to be a great power and peer of the U.S. for decades. Professor Karen Ruth Adams argued that China rose to great power status this spring and offered predictions about how international relations and international security will change now that we are back to bipolarity.
Karen Ruth Adams is Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Montana. She teaches and writes about international relations and human, national, and international security. In 2014, Professor Adams was named a “super forecaster” in the Good Judgment Project, a four-year study of international geopolitical forecasting. She has written and been interviewed about her experience as a female subject matter expert, and she has briefed members of the U.S. defense and intelligence community on her approach to security forecasting.This event was co-sponsored by the Josef Korbel School’s Center for China-U.S. Cooperation, the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures, and the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy.
International Security Studies Distinguished Scholar Reception
February 20, 2015
The Sié Center was pleased to be among the co-sponsors of the International Security Studies (ISSS) Distinguished Scholar Reception at the 2015 International Studies Association (ISA) conference in New Orleans.
Ukraine and Russia: Lessons in Diplomacy and Statecraft
February 23, 2015
The Sié Center hosted Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Paul W. Jones.
Rewriting Immigration Narratives
January 21, 2015
On January 21, 2015, the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security & Diplomacy co-sponsored a community conversation and call to action on family detention and deportation. A panel discussed how dominant and unheard immigration narratives affect individuals and society, and an additional panel moderated by Erica Chenoweth identified ideas for taking action. The discussion was followed by a film screening of Tania Manarca.
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2014
The Decline of Armed Conflict Worldwide: Where We Stand
October 16, 2014
On October 16, 2014, the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security & Diplomacy welcomed Joshua Goldstein, author of Winning the War on War: The Decline of Armed Conflict Worldwide to speak to students, faculty and members of the DU community.
Transformational Voices: An Afternoon with Leading Global Thinkers
March 6, 2014
On March 6, 2014, the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies and the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security & Diplomacy hosted Transformational Voices: An Afternoon with Leading Global Thinkers. The speakers at the engaging afternoon included 6 of Foreign Policy magazine's 100 Leading Global Thinkers:
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Political scientist and Josef Korbel School associate professor, Erica Chenoweth
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Economics PhD candidate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Thomas Herndon
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Economic professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Michael Ash
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Women's rights activist and founder of the Pakistan-based NGO Aware Girls, Saba Ismail
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Climate Scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Stephanie Herring
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Documentary Film maker at UTL Productions LLC, Steve Elkins
Throughout the three-session afternoon the speakers discussed a range of today's most pressing topics. These included climate change, economic and political volatility, women's empowerment in the Muslim world, and the ways that technology allows us to document our stories.The United Nations in Civil Wars: Mandates, Missions and Minefields
February 26, 2014
Timothy Sisk
In an event organized and sponsored by the Organization for Security Students, Professor Sisk presented his research on rethinking and reinvigorating the global peacekeeping system. He drew on civil war case studies to explain the UN's impetus for intervention, new horizons in peacekeeping missions, democratization and state-building, and how we can move beyond "exit strategies" and toward more sustainable peace-building and improvements in UN response.
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2013
Sié Fellow Graduation
June 7, 2013
The 2013 class of Sié Fellows graduated from the Korbel School of International Studies on June 7. Sié Fellows are outstanding master's degree-seeking students from the U.S. and abroad who receive a a two-year, free-tuition scholarship to the Korbel School of International Studies. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was the commencement speaker.
Major General Buster Howes, OBE
May 14, 2013
In cooperation with the One Earth Future Foundation, Major General Buster Howes spoke to students and staff on the "Shape of Future Coalitions through a British Prism." Major General Howes is the Defence Attaché at the British Embassy in Washington. The Defence Attaché is responsible for bilateral military and defense relations. His work focuses on operations and contingency planning, defense intelligence, cyber and space, and defense education.
Advocating for Civilians in Conflict
April 11, 2013
The Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy welcomed Sarah Holewinski, the Executive Director of CIVIC, or the Center for Civilians in Conflict. The Center advocates for warring parties to be more responsible for civilians before, during, and after armed conflict.
Iraq: 10 Years On
April 3, 2013
Over 200 students, professors, and community members from across Colorado filled the Anderson Academic Commons on Wednesday, April 3 for two panel discussions on Lessons from the Iraq War, 10 Years On.
Religion and Violence Speaker Series: Jack Snyder
February 22, 2013
As part of the Religion and Violence Speaker Series, Jack Snyder discussed "Religion in International Relations Theory." Dr. Snyder is a Professor of International Relations at Columbia University, he specializes in democracy, ideology and conflict.