S-CAR's monthly Activity Recaps highlight the ongoing contributions being made by S-CAR students, faculty, and alumni to the field of conflict analysis and resolution. Each Activity Recap includes publications, presentations, and awards from the previous month.
Are you a member of the S-CAR community? Send your publication, presentation, and award updates to scarlib@gmu.edu so that we can include them in our Activity Recaps.
Summary
Though February was a short month, it was a fruitful one. A new book by Solon Simmons titled Root Narrative Theory and Conflict Resolution: Power, Justice and Values debuted at #1 in New Releases in International Relations and War & Peace on Amazon. Many members of the S-CAR community published news articles on pressing subjects, including alum Michael Shank (PhD ‘13), who provided thorough coverage of community action during the climate crisis.
Awards and Accolades
Karina Korostelina, Mara Schoeny, and Julie Shedd received a grant from the Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program administered by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine for a project titled “Developing youth leadership in community enhancement through internship in local administrations and NGOs.”
Academic Publications
Books and Book Chapters
Solon Simmons. Root Narrative Theory and Conflict Resolution: Power, Justice and Values. Routledge. Published February 2020.
Journal Articles and Reports
Karina Korostelina and Yuji Uesugi (MS ‘96). “Impact of Symbolic Boundaries on perceptions of relations between Japan and South Korea.” National Identities. Published February 11, 2020.
S-CAR in the News
Newspaper Articles
Tehama Lopez Bunyasi co-authored an article with Stephen Nuño-Pérez, published by NBC News on February 25, 2020, titled “Latino voters aren’t apathetic, Sanders’ Nevada win shows. Stop blaming them for low turnout.” She was also quoted in an article titled “Latinos and black Democrats vie for starring role on Super Tuesday as Sanders and Biden clash,” published in the New York Daily News on February 29, 2020. She was also referenced in an article by YES! Magazine, titled “The Language of Antiracism.” The article highlights terms and concepts from her book, Stay Woke: A People’s Guide to Making All Black Lives Matter, which she co-authored with Candis Watts Smith.
Michael Shank (PhD ‘13) co-authored an article in Newsweek with his colleague, Hank Johnson, titled “Clean Energy is not just good for the environment. It also prevents war,” on February 12, 2020. His article “Solar Peer-to-Peer Trading” appeared in both the Rutland Herald and Times Argus on February 8, 2020. He also wrote an article for VTDigger on February 25, 2020, titled “Keeping Renewable Energy Credits Local.”
Talha Kose (PhD ‘10) wrote an article about a plan proposed by Donald Trump and Jared Kushner to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The article, titled “Trump plan will empower extremists, damage idea of peace,” was published in the Daily Sabah on February 1, 2020, alongside his February 9, 2020, article, “The limits of Turkish-Russian strategic engagement,” and his February 18, 2020, article titled “Political solution to Syrian crisis key to Ankara-Moscow coordination.” On February 27, he also published “From Sochi to where? Rising uncertainties in Idlib” in Daily Sabah.
David J. Smith published an article titled “You Want a Career Coach for That?” in Forbes on February 27, 2020. His article, “Let’s Give Experiences in 2020, Not Just Things,” was also published in The Good Men Project on February 14, 2020. He also wrote an article titled “At career intensive seminar, S-CAR alumni help grad students prepare for careers in peace and conflict studies” for S-CAR News, published on February 14, 2020. The latter article featured quotes from Mathieu Bere (PhD student), Anjali Mishra (MS student), Rachel Barbour (MS ‘95), and Gina Cerasani (PhD ’15).
Cynthia Irmer (PhD ’03) and Bruce Engelbert (MS ’95) were featured in an articled by Mariam Aburdeineh for George Mason News titled “In love & in service: Meet the married alumni who keep giving back,” published February 12, 2020.
Audrey Williams (MS student) wrote an article titled “How do you ‘engineer’ peace? New initiative at S-CAR aims to find out” for S-CAR News, published on February 15, 2020. The article quoted Alpaslan Özerdem and Ziad Al Achkar (PhD student) and mentioned a research project being co-led by Sara Cobb.
Lily Krietzberg (bachelor’s student) was featured in an article by Mariam Aburdeineh for George Mason News titled “Undergraduate takes her passion for peacebuilding to new heights at Mason,” published February 18, 2020.
Sara Cobb was quoted in a story by Martha Bushong for VSE News titled “Mason researchers study the complicated and cascading effects of Arctic ice melt,” published February 22, 2020.
Leslie Durham (Undergraduate Academic Advisor and Program Coordinator) wrote an article for S-CAR News titled “Annual Foreign Service Day preps Mason students to become next generation of diplomats,” published on February 25, 2020. The article quoted Christie Jones (PhD student).
S-CAR Events, Presentations, and Public Lectures
Public Lectures and Events
Mohammed Cherkaoui participated in a round-table discussion on the topic of foreign perceptions of Morocco and Moroccan people. The event was held on February 13, 2020, and was hosted by the Council of the Moroccan Community Living Abroad (CCME).
Richard Rubenstein conducted two workshops for middle school and high school students at the Georgetown Day School on February 12 and 13, 2020. The participants enjoyed a lively discussion on the “Return of the Sixties: Is There a Movement in Our Future?” He also addressed a meeting of the Prosecution Project at Miami University of Ohio via Skype on February 17, 2020, and lectured to sixty Fairfax County government workers on “Poverty, Violence, and Conflict Resolution” on February 26, 2020.
S-CAR Events
On February 4, S-CAR hosted an information session on the Arlington Campus about its Dual Degree Master’s Program at the University of Malta. On online information session about the program was held on February 5.
On February 5, S-CAR hosted Maria Repoussi, Professor of History and History Education at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, to discuss her book, The Palgrave Handbook of Conflict and History Education in the Post-Cold War Era. The event also featured remarks from Karina Korostelina and Charles L. Chavis, Jr.
On February 5, S-CAR hosted Omar Grech, Director of the University of Malta’s Center for the Study and Practice of Conflict Resolution, for a discussion on “Brexit and the Northern Ireland Peace Process: From Accommodation to Conflict.”
On February 10, S-CAR hosted Hope M. Harrison, Associate Professor of History and International Affairs at The George Washington University, to discuss her new book, After the Berlin Wall: Memory and the Making of New Germany, 1989 to the Present. The event also featured remarks from Karina Korostelina.
On February 10, S-CAR partnered with the S-CAR Student Association to host the first S-CAR Career Pro-Seminar at Van Metre Hall on the Arlington Campus. The discussion was moderated by Sofiyat Ibrahim (MS student) and featured remarks from the following S-CAR alumni: Sarah Rose-Jensen (PhD ‘19) of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, Alma Abdul Hadi Jadallah (PhD ‘06) of Kommon Denominator, Inc., and David Alpher (PhD ‘11) of USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. The event featured opening remarks from S-CAR’s dean, Alpaslan Özerdem.
On February 11, S-CAR hosted an admissions information session at its offices on the Arlington Campus.
On February 14, S-CAR’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee held its first meeting of the semester on the Arlington Campus, with virtual call-in options available.
On February 17, S-CAR partnered with the George Mason University librarian for S-CAR, Chris Magee (MS ‘08), to host a variety of workshops for graduate students on the Arlington Campus.
During February, S-CAR continued its tradition of “Lunched-In” at noon on every Wednesday, during which students, alumni, and friends of S-CAR were invited to partake in lunch and conversation with S-CAR’s dean and faculty at the John Burton Library at S-CAR’s offices on the Arlington Campus.