PGC Hosts 5th Annual Graduate Conference
The 5th annual Pardee Graduate Conference began February 19, 2016 at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies with a keynote speech by John Tirman, executive director of the MIT Center for International Studies. Tirman focused on the human costs of war and human security, and then opened it up to audience members for a question and answer session.
The conference continued the next morning with 55 attendees for sessions including “Securing New Spaces: Shifts in Security Systems” and “Transcending Impasse: Changes in Political Systems”. Pardee School Research Professor Jessica Stern and Director of Graduate Studies Robert Loftis led the panels, which included presentations on smart partnerships to the Colombian peace negotiations.
After a short break, the day continued with panels on “Shifts in Environmental Governance” and “Changes in Communication.” Pardee School Senior Lecturer Paul Hare and Assistant Professor Anne Short of the Boston University Earth and Environment Department moderated for part of the morning, with presentations on topics such as branding of the Sochi Winter Olympics, species extinction and climate finance.
Panels later in the day included “Shifts in Religion” and “Changes in Finance and Trade,” with Pardee School Associate Dean for Academic Affairs William Grimes and Assistant Professor Teena Purohit of the Boston University Department of Religion assisting with the moderation. Presentations covered ideas on religious freedom and Islam theorists, as well as studies on the Euro crisis in Greece and the ideas behind the new Chinese Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank.
The final panel, “Shifts in Migration”, saw the conference room filled, with Assistant Professor Michael Woldemariam moderating presentations on the United Nationa Refugee Agency in Lebanon, stagnancies of various refugee organizations and citizenship of migrants in Japan and Cambodia.
Charlott Johansen, President of the Pardee Graduate Council, said the conference exceeded expectations in terms of engagement by both presenters and attendees.
“I am extremely happy with how the conference turned out,” Johansen said. “The professionalism of the presenters, the support of the professors who moderated, the dedication and hard work of the new and old Pardee Graduate Council members and the attendees really made this conference amazing.”