Globetr tter

SNAPSHOTS OF SIENA’S GLOBALIZATION STUDIES PROGRAM SUMMER 2013

GREETINGS! FROM THE DIRECTOR - Jean Stern, Ph.D., Political Science Department Welcome to the Globetrotter, the newsletter of the Globalization Studies Program! Last year was a busy one on campus in which students and faculty participated in global issues. The 2012-13 edition highlights just a few of these activities. Eight students graduated with Globalization Studies minors in 2013 and many more studied abroad and participated in international service and travel courses. This issue highlights a new travel course to Southeast Asia. In Fall 2012, we participated in "Franciscan Focus: The Impact of Globalization" and hosted and co-hosted two speakers: Joshua Rubenstein from Amnesty International, and Trita Parsi on Iran. In Spring 2013, we co-sponsored a panel on human trafficking and Dean of Albany Law School, Penelope Andrews’ presentation, “From Cape Town to Kabul: Rethinking Strategies for Pursuing Women’s Human Rights.” Our major event in the Spring Semester was hosting the 8th Annual Globalization Conference with Concordia University [Montreal, Canada] where over 100 students and faculty from both campuses came together to hear our keynote speaker, Robert Freling, Executive Director of SELF and to make presentations based on the conference theme: “The Future We Want: Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice.” In Spring 2014, we go to Montreal where the conference theme will be “Sustainability and Business: Friends or Foes?”. Check out our web page: http://www.siena.edu/globalization and join our activities.

SPEAKERS CORNER

Fall 2012 Speakers

Joshua Rubenstein, “Prisoners of Conscience: 50 years of Experience” Joshua Rubenstein was a staff member of Amnesty International USA from 1975 to 2012, serving as the Northeast Regional Director. He is currently working part-time as Senior Advisor to Amnesty's Executive Director in New York City. He is also a long-time Associate of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.

Rubenstein provided an overview of Amnesty International, founded in 1961 to bring to the world’s attention the plight of those "imprisoned, tortured or executed” for political reasons. He provided many examples of AI’s campaigns over the years, and indicated that AI had a “violence clause.” If a prisoner is serving a sentence, imposed after a fair trial, for activities involving violence, AI will not petition the government for his or her release. In addition, Amnesty neither supports nor condemns violence by political opposi-tion groups in itself, just as it neither supports nor condemns a government policy of using military force in fighting against armed opposition movements. Yet, Amnesty supports minimum humane standards that should be respected by governments and armed opposition groups alike and condemns their violation as deliberate abuses of human rights.

Trita Parsi, “The U.S. and Iran: Between War and Diplomacy”

Trita Parsi is the founder and president of the National Iranian American Council and an expert on US-Iranian relations, Iranian foreign politics, and the geopolitics of the Middle East. He is the author of Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Iran, Israel and the United States (2007) and A Single Roll of the Dice - Obama's Diplomacy with Iran (2012).

Parsi talk discussed the findings of his second book, for which he had interviewed 70 high-ranking officials from the U.S., Iran, Europe, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Brazil—including the top American and Iranian negotiators. He revealed the previously unknown story of American and Iranian negotiations during Obama's early years as President, the calculations behind the two nations' dealings, and his analysis of the reasons for their current stalemate.

GLOBALIZATION CONFERENCE 2013 Siena was pleased to host the 8th Annual Siena-Concordia Conference on Globalization: The Future We Want: Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice on March 21-22, 2013. About 20 faculty and students from The Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability of Con-cordia University joined us from Montreal, Canada and were host-ed by Siena students in the dorms and townhouses. Thursday night opened with a dinner and keynote presentation by Robert A. Freling, “Energy for All: Powering the Millennium Development Goals.” Freling, the Executive Director of the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), showed how his organization provid-ed solar solutions to rural villages in Africa for household lighting, water pumping, school electrification, drip irrigation and wireless Internet access. On Friday, twelve students and faculty members from Siena and Concordia made eight presentations on a variety of topics based on the conference’s theme. In addition, Paige Allen, from the Siena College Fair Trade Committee gave a presentation on the committee’s work at the college.

PASSPORTS REQUIRED Last year, students participated in travel and service courses to Italy, Scandinavia, Bolivia, Amsterdam/Bruges/Paris, Jamaica and Thailand. We would like to highlight the Thailand travel course which was offered for the first time by Dr. Sudarat Musikawong. Here is what the students reported: On March 22-31, Dr. Musikawong and HEOP staff members, Ms. Dora Kahil, traveled with sixteen Siena students from the course GLBST325/SOC180/ MULT100 “Sociology of Southeast Asia” to Thailand. We traveled to Bangkok and braved the inner canal boats, visited the Royal Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha Temple. The next day we traveled onto the largest northern city, Chiangmai where we went to the Baan Elephant Park, Doi Suthep Temple, and the Freebird Vegan Café, which advocates for Shan migrant rights. Most students will always remember our 2 day trek to a Karen ethnic minority village as well as their conversations with several guest speakers on media press freedom, Thai political history, sex worker rights, and ethnic highland minority rights. Please visit our blogs, pictures, etc. documenting our travels.

2013 GRADUATES Eight members of the Class of 2013 minored in Globalization Studies: Challen Banach [MRKT], Sean Breen [ECAR], Kara Dombroski [FINC], Sarah Doody [POSC], Andrew Ford[HIST], Joanna Kitts [POSC] and Matthew Meli [POSC]. Challen studied in Salzburg, Austra and is currently a Strategic Market Analyst for SI Group. Sean Breen and Kara Dombroski both studied in Bilbao, Spain. Kara is now a Financial Analysis, at the Ayco Company. Andrew Ford studied in Nijme-gen, Netherlands and is saving his money to go back for a graduate degree. Sarah Doody studied with students from all over the world in an international program in Montpellier, France. Joanna Kitts studied at Siena, Italy and is pursuing a Master’s degree in International Relations at Syracuse University. Matt studied in Córdoba Argentina and plans to go back next year to work on a project with friends.

ALUMNI CORNER - Where Are They Now? Since we began graduating students with a Globalization Studies minor in 2006, we now have 46 alumns. A quick search on LinkedIn indicates what many of them are doing today:

Leah Antil Olivia Bizovi Matthew Grimes Lau- ren LaVare

����Leah Antil ’09, Psychology Major: Director of Language Program at Mulberry Club in Minsk, Belarus (MA Intercultural

Service, School for International Training)

����Olivia Bizovi ’12, Sociology Major: U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence Operations Intern (2014 MS in Applied Intelligence,

Mercyhurst University)

����Lauren Brooks ’10, Spanish Major: Director Strategic Accounts, International Communications Company, New York City

����Laura Darling ’07, Political Science Major: Founding Partner at Darling & Wesdorp, PLLC Attorneys and Counselors at Law (JD Albany Law School)

����Julio Fernandez ’10, Spanish Major: Founder of Tomflies.com, Travel Agency that offers special fares to Latin America, NYC.

����Ed Gaier ’08, Political Science Major: Communications Researcher [TSD, Inc.] and Think Tank Project Manager [Arab

Studies Institute, George Mason University] (MA Political Science, George Mason University)

����Matthew Grimes ’12, Spanish Major: Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Mendoza, Argentina

����Dinka Keric ’10, Finance Major: Corporate Internal Auditor, Petsmart

����Sylvia Kindlain ’08, Political Science Major: Government Relations, U.S. Travel Association, Washington, DC

����Lauren LaVare ’11, Political Science Major: Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi

����Shannon Librizzi ’11, Marketing Major: Client Services Assistant, Patek Philippe, New York City

����Christina Manning ’12, Marketing Major: Treasury Management Analyst, PNC Bank, Washington, DC

����Mitchell McCaffery ’10, Political Science Major: Manager, International Partner Services, APICS, Chicago

ALUMNI CORNER - Where Are They Now? ����Briana Moore ’09, Marketing Major: Sales Analyst, Kraft Foods Group ����Amanda Pilla ’10, Management Major: Retail Management Associate, Key Bank ����Kyle Pulsifer ’11, History Major: Business Coordinator, Global Wealth Management (MA Chinese Diplomacy, Fudan University, PRC) ����Catherine Raleigh ’11, Political Science Major: Coordinator, International Field Programs at Semester at Sea/ISE (MA International Education, School for International Training) ����Joyce Raphail ’12, Political Science Major: Editorial and Desktop Publishing Assistant at the United Nations. ����Joanna Solazzo ’07, Marketing and Management Major: Manager of Field Activation, MKTG, Inc., New York City ����Jessica Stout ’09, Political Science Major: Youth Development Director, Keene Family YMCA (YMCA International Volunteer in Madurai, India) ����Valerie Swenson ’11, Spanish Major: E-Learning Consultant, Metrix Learning, Albany, New York ����Benjamin Thomas ’12, Economics Major: Sustainability and Education Coordinator, UC Davis Dining Service ����Tabitha Tice ’11, Marketing Major: Production Assistant Intern, Krochet Kids International, Uganda ����Brian Waldron ’08, Political Science Major: Program Advisor, Intrax Cultural Exchange, San Francisco, California ����Matthew Walsh ’06, Political Science Major: PRI Analyst at Grameen Foundation, Seattle (Master of Social Science/IR, University of Cape Town) Catherine Raleigh Joanna Solazzo Matthew Walsh

FACULTY NEWS

Dr. Ausra Park of the Political Science Department has been awarded a prestigious IREX STG Grant to study NGO Evaluations of the Lithuanian Government responses to Human Trafficking for 8 weeks during the Summer of 2014. She will travel to Vilnius, Kaunas, Panevezys, Siauliai, Marijampole, and Klaipeda. Here are a few NGOs that I plan on interviewing: Dingusiu zmoniu seimu paramos centras [Missing Persons Families’ Support Center], “Praeities Pedos” [Footprints of the Past], Moteru Informacijos Centras [Women’s Information Center], Tarptautine migracijos organizacija [International Organization for Migration], Moters pagalba moteriai [Woman to Woman], Social and Psychological Services Center.

According to Dr. Park, “The level of ignorance and utter denial of Human Trafficking phenomenon by post-communist societies and politicians is truly astonishing.” She hopes to use some of the information gathered in a course on Human Trafficking, which she hopes to offer in the future.

GLOBALIZATION STUDIES MINOR The Globalization Studies minor complements all majors and prepares students to “address the challenges of an ever-changing world and a diverse society.” Students will examine how their decisions and those of other U.S. citizens affect and are being affected by decisions beyond our borders. They will also see that most careers, whether in business, social policy/action, and the humanities are pursued within a global con-text. This minor is premised on the definition of globalization as the “growth of relations among people across national borders that creates a complex series of connections that tie together what people do, what they experience and how they live across the globe.” It also incorporates Siena College’s Franciscan heritage by recognizing that St. Francis and his followers developed networks beyond Italy’s borders and that our contemporary connections must be evaluated in terms of both how they affect human society and all of Creation and how they involve our responsibility to others. Hence, this minor attempts to enable students to discover their connections and responsibilities to the rest of the world through considering these basic questions in all its designated courses: 1. What are the positive and negative ways in which the people of the world are connected in the 21st century? 2. How do I and the people in my community, region and country have global connections with people in other lands? 3. How do individuals, organizations and governments attempt to manage these connections? What are the positive and negative implications for the various management methods and rules? Who benefits

and who loses from these decisions? How do these decisions affect the mar-

Jean Stern, Ph.D., Director of Globalization Studies 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, New York 12211

518-783-4250 - stern@siena.edu - www.siena.edu/globalization