The Pundit—Political Science Newsletter

A Note from the Chair, Lanethea

Mathews-Schultz

At the time of writing it is only one month into my

term as the new Chair of the Political Science De-

partment. In this short time, I have come to realize

how adeptly and collaboratively Dr. Michele Moser

Deegan has led our department over the past five

years with seemingly limitless energy. Dr. Dee-

gan’s accomplishments as chair are manifold, par-

ticularly in the areas of advising and mentoring

students, in setting the course for our department

curricular assessment, and in working to actively

link political science classes and students to our

local community. Recent graduate Nicole Baltzer

(’17) credits Dr.

Deegan with

helping “me navi-

gate my interests

and develop my

understanding of

research meth-

ods, both of

which prepared

me for my own

future independ-

ent projects.”

Emma Lewis

similarly shared

with me how

significant Dr.

Deegan has been for promoting “the necessity of

the inclusion of the political voices of all students

on campus.” We all owe Dr. Deegan our gratitude;

please join me in thanking her for her service to

our political science community!

The Department is very proud to share our 9th is-

sue of the Political Science newsletter, The Pundit,

edited by Maureen Bayraktar, Peter Carroll (’20),

and Dr. Mohsin Hashim. A key feature this year:

coverage of the Department’s 2016 election pro-

gram, Election 2016: Politics as Unusual. This

program represents the 6th nonpartisan election

series coordinated by the Department since 1992.

It was a collaborative effort and we are thankful for

support we received from Pi Sigma Alpha, the

Muhlenberg International Relations Council, the

College Republicans, the College Democrats, the

Department of Media and Communication, the

President’s Office and the Provost’s Office. In total,

we hosted nine events during the Fall 2016 se-

mester, including a visit from two former Members

of Congress (James Coyne R-PA and Joe Hoeffel D-

PA); Andrew Bacevich, Professor of International

Relations at Boston University (Time calls him “one

of the most provocative national security writers

out there today”); and Janine Wedel, Professor at

George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy

and Government. The Election Series both support-

ed and was supported by bergVotes, a non-

partisan student movement at Muhlenberg (also

featured in this newsletter).

Writing close to a full year after Donald J. Trump

was inaugurated as the nation’s 45th president,

there remains little consensus about the causes

and consequences of the historic nature of the

2016 election. If there is a silver lining to the era

of unusual politics it may be in the form of a re-

newed interest in civic education and political

engagement. It has been encouraging to see our

campus engaged in issues of public concern and

to see an increase in our course enrollments, par-

ticularly among students who are not political sci-

ence majors but

who nonetheless

appreciate the

value of gaining a

more nuanced

understanding of

political institu-

tions, power, and

the factors that

contribute to so-

cial change. From

a “teach-in” fol-

lowing Trump’s

initial January 27th

immigration exec-

utive order, to student and faculty participation in

the Women’s March on Washington, to President

John William’s statement concerning the College

response to the rescinding of DACA—these are

lively and important times to be a student of poli-

tics. Political scientists, perhaps, know it best: de-

mocracy is a collective act.

As we showcase here in the Pundit, our faculty,

students, and alumni take seriously a collective

commitment to informed and engaged democratic

citizenship. You’ll see our faculty involved in pre-

senting and publishing research, delivering presen-

tations to diverse audiences, and fulfilling leader-

ship positions in regional disciplinary organiza-

tions. Our students are completing significant hon-

or theses, presenting research at the Pennsylvania

Political Science Association, and generating new

opportunities for the College to more fully engage

with contemporary social and political issues

across the Muhlenberg community.

If you’re interested in getting involved in the de-

partment or in citizenship-oriented events happen-

ing around campus please feel free to reach out.

You can also follow department happenings on our

Facebook page. We always enjoy hearing from

students, alumni, and friends of the department.

Feel free to contact me at

mathews@muhlenberg.edu at any time.

Inside this issue:

A Note from the

Chair

1

Election Series 2,3

Honors Theses 4

Faculty Highlights 5,6

Institute of Public

Opinion

7

Alumni Spotlight 8,9

Student Research

and Awards

10

Pi Sigma Alpha 11

Center for Ethics 12

BergVotes 12

Fall 2016 -

Spring 2017

Page 2

Election 2016: Politics as UNusual

Congress to Campus Discussion with Trevor Waldron ‘17, Emma Lewis ‘19, Megan Lafayette ‘17, Andrew Berdahl ‘17, Hon. Joseph M.

Hoeffel (D-PA 13, 1994—2004), and Hon. James K. Coyne (R-PA 8, 1981—1983)

Sidney Milkis ’72, the White Burkett Miller Professor of the Department of

Politics and Faculty Associate in the Miller Center at the University of

Virginia, speaking at Election Series event

Francine Koitz ‘19, Annu Suresh ‘19 and Hailey Goldberg ‘17 with Janine Wedel, University

Professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government

Page 3

Andrew Bacevich, Professor of International Relations and History at

Boston University, speaking at Election Series event

Jake Solari ‘17 and Chris Borick at PBS 39 campaign debate

Terry Madonna, Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs, Professor of Public Affairs, and

Director of the Franklin and Marshall College Poll with Holly Lehren ‘19 at Election Series event

Page 4

Political Science Honors Theses 2016-2017

Susanne Boss’s thesis “The Intentional

Destruction of Art in Conflict: An Analyti-

cal Framework” seeks to intersect the

theoretical lenses of Constructivism and

Transitionalism in constructing an ana-

lytical framework from which it would be

possible to operationalize available data

as indicating factors that may reveal if,

when, and where art will be intentionally

targeted and destroyed in conflict. The

theories of Constructivism and Transi-

tionalism were chosen not only due to

the distinct connection between art,

identity, and international relations, but

also to demonstrate the flexibility of the

analytical framework in its implementa-

tion. Art is everywhere, and is an im-

portant manifestation of the present,

future, and perhaps most uniquely: the

past. It represents and connects people

from all over the world, and plays a ma-

jor role in culture, whether it be on a

micro or macro scale. Once art is de-

stroyed, it and the history associated

with it, is irreparably lost.

Hailey Goldberg’s thesis “Human Bombs:

the rationale behind suicide terrorism in

the modern era” explores the prolifera-

tion of suicide terrorism by insurgent

organizations since the 1980s. It begins

by examining whether it is advisable or

event possible to focus on individual

level theories of terrorism. This is partic-

ularly relevant if the primary goal of the

research is to provide information and

overarching theories that can be used to

prevent the use of suicide terrorism.

After concluding that there are signifi-

cant practical and theoretical barriers to

individual level explanations the thesis

explores suicide terrorism as a rational

tactic employed by organizations be-

cause it is the most efficient means of

achieving the organization’s stated and

operational goals. It does this through

five primary mechanisms that can be

used against the true enemy and organi-

zational rivals alike: deterrence, sabo-

tage, retaliation, outbidding, and provo-

cation. The research ends by applying

this theory to Hamas, running a qualita-

tive analysis of its decision to use or not

use suicide terrorism from its inception

in 1987 through 2015.

Page 5 Faculty Highlights

Dr. Chris Borick Dr. Chris Borick continued his research on environmental

policy and public opinion during the 2016-2017 academic

year with a number of publications in scholarly journals and

other venues. Dr Borick, along with his co-author Barry

Rabe were invited to write a chapter on the relationship

between weather and public opinion regarding climate

change in the Oxford University Press Encyclopedia of Cli-

mate Change. He also published a piece with a number of

co-authors in the journal Cosmos entitled “Is Support for

International Climate Action Conditional on Perceptions of

Reciprocity? Evidence from Survey Experiments in Canada,

The US, Norway and Sweden.”

During the last year Dr. Borick continued in his role as Direc-

tor of the National Surveys on Energy and the Environment

(NSEE). In this capacity he oversaw two national surveys in

conjunction with the University of Michigan. The results of

the surveys led to a number of publications with the Brook-

ings Institution in Washington. D.C.. The findings reported in

these Brookings articles indicate Americans are increasingly

confident that climate change is happening and that the

public wants both the national and state governments to be

more active in pursuing policies to address this global prob-

lem.

Borick also served as the editor of a special edition of the

journal Commonwealth that focused on environmental and

energy issues in Pennsylvania. In this role he contributed a

piece on the history of environmental policy in the state and

the current challenges the state faces in protecting environ-

mental health and resources in the state.

As is often the case in election years Dr. Borick was active in

his role as Director of the Institute of Public Opinion. During

2017 he gave over 400 interviews for media outlets ranging

from local to international sources. He wrote a number of

opinion pieces for papers in Pennsylvania and Washington

D.C.

Dr. Michele Deegan

While on sabbatical this fall, Dr. Deegan is completing a

study that measures quality of life perceptions of residents

of Center City Allentown. This study is sponsored by Upside

Allentown, which is a new collaborative organization com-

prised of city officials and non-profit leaders who are work-

ing with neighbors to ensure that the downtown revitaliza-

tion has a positive impact in the surrounding neighbor-

hoods. In addition, her research with Dr Mathews-Schultz

on the Affordable Care Act, will again be featured in the

Commonwealth journal this December. Along with this

study of Pennsylvania’s implementation of this policy, she is

completing a national study that measures the impact of

states’ political environments on an individuals’ access to

healthcare. Dr. Deegan also is continuing the College Ad-

missions Mentoring Program for William Allen High School

juniors in need of a partner to guide them through the col-

lege admission and financial aid processes. This program

brings together Muhlenberg College, Cedar Crest College,

DeSales University students and local high school students

in a shared learning environment. The first year of the pro-

gram was a success as 22 high school students enrolled in

two or four year higher education institutions and said that

they benefited from the interaction with current college stu-

dents.

Dr. Jack Gambino

Dr. Jack Gambino presented a paper entitled “`Our End was

in Our Beginning:’ Judith Shklar and the American Founding”

at the 75th Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science

Association, held in Chicago in April 2016. The paper focus-

es on the late Harvard political theorist Judith Shklar’s dis-

cussion of liberalism and democracy in the early American

republic. Dr. Gambino currently teaches a first year seminar

on George Orwell and the art of political writing, as well as

courses on democratic theory, political ideologies, and uto-

pian political thought. He also co-teaches a course with Dr.

Rich Niesenbaum (Biology) on community and environmen-

tal sustainability, which includes a two-week study trip to

Costa Rica in May. Dr. Gambino currently serves as Faculty

Constituent Representative to the Muhlenberg Board of

Trustees.

Dr. Mohsin Hashim

Dr. Hashim’s article “Putin’s High-Modernism and its Limits -

Assessing the Sources of State Incapacity in Russia” was

published in the journal Communist and Post-Communist

Studies (Vol. 50, Issue 3: 195-205). He gave the First Lec-

ture to the Class of 2021. His talk was titled “The Urgency of

Democratic Citizenship in an Age of Unreason.” He delivered

a talk to Muhlenberg College’s Board of Associates on Rus-

sia’s international security calculus. He also gave an invited

presentation on the Rohingya crisis at Lafayette College. He

will serve as chair and discussant of a panel titled “The Nex-

us of International Relations and Comparative Politics” at

the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Northeast Political Science

Association. He is also presenting his research on political

decay in Bangladesh at the forthcoming Annual Meeting of

the Midwest Political Science Association.

Page 6 Faculty Highlights, continued

Dr. Chris Herrick

During late May, Dr. Herrick sponsored a

number of Muhlenberg political science and in-

ternational studies students in an internship at

the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indige-

nous Issues. During the summer, Dr. Herrick

oversaw two research projects. The project un-

dertaken by Andrew Berdahl involved policy rec-

ommendations for addressing the issue of con-

flicting claims to the South China Sea. The pro-

ject undertaken by Susanne Boss addressed

possible ways to involve the international com-

munity in the early identification and potential

prevention of the destruction of antiquities and

art in the course of international conflict. Dr. Her-

rick’s co-authored book, China’s Peaceful Rise:

Perceptions, policy and misperceptions pub-

lished by Manchester University Press (UK) will

be available in early October. Elected to the

Board of ASIANetwork, a consortium of over 160

US liberal arts colleges teaching courses in Asian

Studies in 2015, Dr. Herrick was chosen as Vice

Chair of the Board in 2016. In that capacity, he

will be overseeing the 2017 annual conference

and act as a liaison to various foundations fund-

ing educational opportunities associated with

East and South Asia.

Dr. Lanethea Mathews-Schultz

During the 2016-17 academic year, Dr. Mathews-

Schultz published, with co-author Dr. Michele

Deegan, "The Limits of Medicaid Reform in Penn-

sylvania: Thinking Regionally About Access to

Insurance and Health Care Under the Affordable

Care Act," in Commonwealth: A Journal of Penn-

sylvania Politics and Policy. She also completed a

significant community health project in collabora-

tion with Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network

examining the unmet needs of people with disa-

bilities in the Lehigh Valley region. In 2016-27,

Dr. Mathews-Schultz served as the Vice President

and Program Chair of the Pennsylvania Political

Science Association and the Second Vice Presi-

dent of the Northeastern Political Science Associ-

ation. Dr. Mathews-Schultz's classes were deeply

immersed in the 2016 Election Series: Politics as

Unusual; her Presidency course helped facilitate

a session at a campus wide teach-in following

the January 20th Trump administration executive

order restricting immigration and her first year

seminar, Bread, Circuses & The Election of 2016,

published a public blog on politics

(breadandcircus2016.blogspot.com). In Spring

2018, Dr. Mathews-Schultz was promoted to

Professor of Political Science. In Fall 2018, she

began a four year term as the next Department

Chair.

Dr. Brian Mello

Dr. Mello recently accepted a one-year appoint-

ment as Associate Dean of Diversity Initia-

tives. In this position he is tasked with advancing

the Diversity Strategic Plan, which is halfway

through its period of implementation. During the

summer of 2017 he prepared a revised version

of a paper exploring ISIS for publication in the

journal International Sociology, and began a re-

search project that explores the way particular

framing of ISIS violence correlates with changing

support for direct military intervention against the

Islamic State. In July, Dr. Mello was part of the

Muhlenberg College delegation at the American

Association of Colleges and University's workshop

on integrative learning, and he looks forward to

helping advance new and innovative pedagogies

and research possibilities related to integrated

learning. Last year, Dr. Mello presented a paper

based on a class simulation project at the North-

eastern Political Science Association, and deliv-

ered three separate talks on Saudi Arabia in

Transition as part of three different Lehigh Valley-

based Great Decisions in Foreign Affairs Lecture

Series.

Dr. Alton Slane

Dr. Alton Slane presented a paper titled,

“Satellite-Based Monitoring (SBM) of Recidivist

Sex Offenders and Fourth Amendment Issues” at

the 48th Annual Meeting of the Northeast Political

Science Association, Boston, MA, November 11,

2016. He presented another paper titled,

“Fourth Amendment Issues Relating to Warrant-

less Breath Tests and Blood Tests Incident to

Arrest for Drunk Driving,” at the Annual Meeting

of the Pennsylvania Political Science Association,

March 31, 2017, Pittsburgh, PA. He will also

present a paper titled, “Fourth Amendment Is-

sues and the Provocation Rule and the Use of

Excessive Force,” at the Annual Meeting of the

Northeast Political Science Association, Novem-

ber 10, 2017, Philadelphia, PA.

Dr. Slane also continues to serve the College as

Faculty Parliamentarian.

Page 7

Institute of Public Opinion 2016—2017

The 2016-2017 academic year was a very dy-

namic one at the Muhlenberg College Institute of

Public Opinion (MCIPO). The MCIPO celebrated

its fifteenth anniversary with one of its busiest

and most challenging years. As expected the

2016 election dominated the work of the Insti-

tute last fall with Pennsylvania playing a key role

in the presidential race with the state also host-

ing the most expensive U.S. Senate race in

American history. The MCIPO conducted three

statewide surveys in the months leading up to

Election Day with each focusing on the presiden-

tial and senatorial races in the Keystone State.

Throughout the fall of 2016 the MCIPO polls

showed Hillary Clinton with a modest but steady

advantage in the state, but Donald Trump

emerged with a narrow (less than 1%) victory in

the Commonwealth. Although the final election

result was within the poll’s margin of error the

election outcome was the farthest off the MCIPO

final poll estimate in the four presidential elec-

tions it has been engaged in since its creation in

2001.

While the MCIPO polling estimates for the presi-

dential race was not as accurate as in past elec-

tion cycles it was the only poll to accurately indi-

cate Senator Pat Toomey’s win in the Senate

race between the Republican nominee Toomey

and his Democrat challenger Katie McGinty. The

final MCIPO poll had Toomey winning the state

by 1% with the actual margin of his victory being

1.7%. The varying degree of accuracy within the

presidential and senate races has raised inter-

esting methodological questions that the MCIPO

has been analyzing since the election. In partic-

ular why did the model employed by The Institute

perform very well in the senate race but not as

well in the presidential race? Factors such as a

potential “silent Trump voter” and a very high

level of last minute decisions in the presidential

race appear to have affected polling accuracy in

that high profile race.

Once Election Day had passed the MCIPO turned

to a series of national, state and local polls on

an array of important issues. As it has since

2008 the Institute partnered with the University

of Michigan on the National Surveys on Energy

and the Environment (NSEE). In the fall of 2016

and spring of 2017 the surveys found near rec-

ord levels of public acceptance that global warm-

ing is occurring and record levels of confidence

that the climate has warmed over recent dec-

ades. Americans also overwhelmingly want their

states to be more active in addressing climate

change if the federal government steps back

from engagement on the issue.

During the Spring 2017 semester the Institute

again partnered with Muhlenberg’s Public Health

program on a statewide survey of Pennsylvani-

ans regarding health matters. One of the major

focuses of this year’s survey was on the heroin

and opioid epidemic that has engulfed the na-

tion in recent years. The survey results indicate

that over half of Pennsylvanians now know

someone personally that has struggled with her-

oin and opioid addictions and that concern

about the issue continues to grow in the state.

Finally the Institute took a look at life in Allen-

town with its first citywide citizen survey in many

years. The survey results show substantial pub-

lic satisfaction with the direction of Allentown

and in particular the downtown district and its

recent development. Residents also have very

mixed views about long-time Allentown Mayor,

giving him high marks for his contributions to the

City’s redevelopment but also maintaining reser-

vations about his political future as he faces

federal corruption charges.

As the 2017-2018 year begins the Institute will

continue its focus on political, environmental

and health related surveys. This year’s manage-

ment team once again includes Dr. Chris Borick

as Director and Maureen Bayraktar as Web Mas-

ter and Office Manager, with Prianka Hashim

serving as Student Director and Dan Dobro,

Maye-gan Brown, Emeline DiCroce, Abigail Ed-

wards and Jordan Zanetti serving as Supervisors.

Page 8 Alumni News

Susanne Boss, Class of 2017

As a perpetual student, I am currently pursuing a

master’s degree at Georgetown University’s Secu-

rity Studies Program in the Walsh School of For-

eign Service. When I am not furiously reading

about military tactics and strategy, I am navigating

internships and editing my senior honors thesis

from my International Studies degree at Berg to

be published next year. Muhlenberg’s Political

Science Department has not only equipped me

with the knowledge and skills that I’ve needed

since graduation, but the faculty have been an

absolutely integral part of my intellectual develop-

ment. The first course I took at Muhlenberg was

The Introduction to International Relations, which

catalyzed my passion for international and securi-

ty studies: I couldn’t be more thankful to have had

such fond memories and experiences at the de-

partment!

The Political Science Department offers a rich

repertoire of possible experiences to its students.

My own undergraduate education was enriched by

these opportunities, whether it was a MILA course

traveling to Bangladesh, crafting policy memos

and legal analyses, or earning travel funding to

present a paper on Russian foreign policy at a

state conference. The courses offered in the de-

partment are thoughtfully constructed to fit within

a larger liberal arts context. Being able to pull from

other fields to make valuable connections and

contributions in class was not only suggested: it

was actively encouraged. I’ve found that these

skills consistently receive a positive reception

from future admissions departments and employ-

ers.

However, beyond the incredible courses and

events offered, it is the counsel and mentorship of

the department’s faculty that is truly unparalleled.

For example, if it were not for the support and

guidance (and healthy critique!) of these profes-

sors, my summer research would never have flour-

ished into my honors thesis project. The willing-

ness of the department faculty to push and en-

courage their students to the next level is a

unique attribute: rarely will one find such a bril-

liant group of intellectuals who are as enthusiastic

about their students. Muhlenberg’s Political Sci-

ence Department certainly has a gift of cultivating

intellect, fascinating debates, and passion for life-

long learning.

Masheed Mahjor, Class of 2017

Some of my most inspiring and exceptional memo-

ries of Muhlenberg were shaped at the Political

Science department, whether it was in a class-

room setting or during an in-depth conversation

with the professors over coffee or a meal. The

Political Science faculty are dedicated to students’

success while at Muhlenberg and beyond; and

want to make sure that students feel comfortable

to reach out for that extra help during office hours

or walk in for a conversation to make sense of the

current events in the news. The faculty challenge

the students academically and at the same time

they make sure to be there and guide them

through it. And I am glad that I was challenged

and had the necessary support to enhance my

academic and professional skills.

Currently, I am in Seattle Washington working for

Sahar. Sahar is a Non Profit Organization that,

among others, promotes education and builds

schools for girls in northern Afghanistan. I am

grateful to my college experience and my classes

and time that I have taken and spent at the Politi-

cal Science department.

The knowledge and skills

that I have learned there

have enabled me to con-

tribute to my current job

in meaningful ways, and

it will continue to assist

me as I pursue adult life

beyond Muhlenberg. I am

extremely thankful to the

Political Science depart-

ment’s encouragement,

guidance and mentor-

ship throughout my years

at Muhlenberg.

Page 9 Alumni News

Trevor Waldron, Class of 2017

Political consulting is not where I pictured myself

right out of college. The idea of law school and the

chance to ultimately practice law always seemed like

a straightforward and exceptional path. I still hope to

attend law school in the coming years as a law de-

gree can open many additional doors and allow for

the application of the law in other industries. Howev-

er, an opportunity to consult and contract in the polit-

ical industry presented itself, and the rest simply fell

into place with no short measure of hard work and

determination. The terms consulting and contracting

are best suited for describing the type of activities

and work I found myself involved in as twenty-three

year recent college graduate, as they provide a clear

understanding of an industry that has become in-

creasingly self-contained over the last few decades.

The first independent contracting position I received

was through the Republican Party of Lehigh County,

as Executive Director, in late 2015. At the time, I was

a junior at Muhlenberg College majoring in both Polit-

ical Science and History, so the position was appro-

priate and appeased my political appetite outside of

academia. From the start, the political divides facing

the Republican Party and the country were present

and apparent, and would only magnify as the 2016

Primaries neared. I was given a chance as a young

college student to help lead the party in a swing

county within a swing state, which opened the door

for many additional opportunities. A year later, in the

heat of the 2016 Presidential Election Cycle, Penn-

sylvania would earn its title as a decisive swing state,

and I found myself on the front lines fighting in the

trenches.

In 2016 I began doing nomination petition contract

work for state and federal campaigns. For those of

you who are not familiar with this process, I will brief-

ly elaborate. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

requires that all interested parties acquire a certain

amount of nomination signatures from registered

voters. Once that number is achieved, barring any

legal challenges to signatures, candidates are placed

on the primary ballot.

After a successful petition period I began receiving

offers from other campaigns and ultimately got in-

volved with Congressman Charlie Dent’s Reelection

effort. It would prove to be an excellent experience.

From the people I would interact with, to the places I

would go, there is truly nothing more exhilarating

than working in Federal politics.

Over the past year my coworkers and I have hosted

many American political figures including; Vice Presi-

dent Mike Pence, Senator Pat Toomey, House Majori-

ty Leader Kevin McCarthy, Ivanka Trump, and Chair-

man Val DiGiorgio.

Shortly after graduating from Muhlenberg in May of

2017, I started South Mountain Strategies LLC, a

political consulting and independent contracting firm.

The practice is centered on campaign management

and strategic policy for Federal, State, and Local

campaigns. With the 2018 mid-term election cycle

approaching it is my hope to further expand my prac-

tice and help millennial candidates successfully en-

ter the American political field.

Page 10 Student Research Presentations & Awards

The following students presented at the LVAIC

Women’s & Gender Studies Conference at

Muhlenberg College on March 25, 2017:

Nicole Baltzer ’17 presented her paper entitled

“Gender Performance in the 2016 Republican

Primary”

Mahsheed Mahjor ’17 presented her paper

entitled “Migration and Refugee Crisis in Eu-

rope: State Sovereignty v. Human Rights”

The following students presented papers at the

78th Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Politi-

cal Science Association at Robert Morris Univer-

sity on April 1, 2017:

Susanne Boss ‘17 presented a paper entitled

“The ReCalibration of Russia’s Foreign Policy”

Daniel Cohen ’17 presented a paper entitled

“Russian Grand Strategy: Propping Up Syria

While Weakening the E.U.”

Mahsheed Mahjor ’17 presented a paper enti-

tled “A Historical and Political Analysis of the

Russian-Iranian Relationship and Their Collabo-

ration in Syria”

Kirill Tighe ‘17 presented a paper entitled

“Paperwork as an Instrument of Political Control

in Russia”

The following students presented papers at the

LVAIC Conference From War to Peace at

Muhlenberg College on April 7, 2017:

Molly Albano ’17, Hannah Busis ’18, Narges

Mahdi ’18 and Maya Shen ’17 presented a pa-

per entitled “Gender & Orientation: Considera-

tions on Regime Change and the War in Iraq”

Nicole Baltzer ’17, Susanne Boss ’17, Emily

Rybnick ’17 and Christine Scherb ’17 presented

a paper entitled “Video Games, Masculinity, and

The Omnipresence of Militarism”

Andrew Berdahl ‘17 presented a paper with Dr.

Herrick at the Northeastern Political

Science Association Annual Conference in Bos-

ton, MA on November 11, 2016. Their paper

was entitled “ Realist Consideration or Con-

structed Identities: The Evolution of the South

China Sea Territorial Disputes.”

Andrew Berdahl ‘17 received the Dr. Charles S.

Bednar Award in political science. Andrew also

received the Professor Susan Schwartz Award

in Asian Traditions as well as the Harry C. and

Mary M. Trexler Trust Pretheological Prize.

Dan Cohen ’17 received the James W. and Bar-

bara H. Herrick Award.

Devin Domeyer ’18 received the President’s

Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement

and Promise for Post Graduate Study by a Jun-

ior. She was also awarded the Morris K. Udall

Scholarship.

Pat Fligge ’10 received the Julie Pfanstiehl

Hamre ’72 and John Hamre Prize.

Jake Gordon ’18 was awarded the Paul M.

White ’27 Business Award.

Masheed Mahjor ’17 received the Sojourner

Truth Award.

Mahsheed Mahjor ‘17, Kirill Tighe ‘17, Susanne Boss ‘17, and

Dan Cohen ‘17 at the PPSA Conference

Page 11 .

Class of 2017:

Michael Dziuba

Hailey Goldberg

Mahsheed Mahjor

Kate Rael

Class of 2018:

Mia Becker

Nicole Case

Olivia Chatfield

Sasha Gibbel

Hailey Goldberg

Pi Sigma Alpha Welcomes New Members

Congratulations to the following students who have been inducted into the Eta Upsilon Chapter

of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science Honor Society.

Page 12

War & Peacebuilding—Center for Ethics The 2016-2017 Center for Ethics focused on the

theme of War and Peacebuilding. Dr. Mello and Dr.

Gambino, as well as Dr. Roland Kushner (Business)

co-directed the program. The program was initially

proposed by Dr. Mello as a means to explore ethical

questions of war and conflict, and the requirements

for peacebuilding. In addition, the program sought to

deepen the campus community’s discourse about

what it means to live in a country that has been en-

gaged in near constant warfare for at least the last

fifteen years. The program kicked off in early Sep-

tember with Kelly Denton-Borhaug, associate profes-

sor of religion at Moravian College and culminated in

early April with a one day Lehigh Valley Association of

Independent Colleges conference titled From War to

Peace: Drawing on the Power of the Arts to Build a

Just Society in the Lehigh Valley, which featured a

theatrical presentation from the New York-based

groups, Theater of War. In between the campus

engaged with scholars, activists, professionals, and

journalists who spoke about topics ranging from the

moral consequences of torture in Iraq to the role of Hollywood in World

War II propaganda to the omnipresence of militarism (made evident

through an exploration of the protest at Standing Rock) to the condi-

tions necessary for post-war justice. Andrew Bacevich provided the

Constitution Day lecture as part of the Center for Ethics program and

evaluated President Obama’s foreign policy legacy.

BergVotes, by Brigid Deegan ’19 and Emma Lewis ’19 , founding members and

current officers of BergVotes.

Begun in early 2016, BergVotes was created to increase voter turnout of Muhlen-

berg students and give students a chance to talk and learn about public policies

and problems in a non-traditional peer learning environment. BergVotes promotes

nonpartisan political education to the Muhlenberg community in the hope to in-

crease civic engagement and voter turnout in order to develop good civic habits

now that students can carry with them throughout their lives as American citizens.

BergVotes works throughout the year to make sure that students are registered to

vote and holds events to give students the chance to actively think about who they

are casting their ballot for and what their vote represents in our political system. In

2016 we held a mock-caucus and two Issue Forums, where student clubs tabled

about a public policy issue affecting college students. We also work with other

clubs on voter registration.

In the Spring 2017 semester, BergVotes held several Roundtable discussions

where students shared information about the Affordable Care Act and federal tax

policy with other students and members of the Berg community. This Fall 2017

BergVotes is hosting a conversation about immigration policy and gearing up for

municipal-level elections, which will take place on November 7, 2017. If you are

not registered to vote, we encourage you to pick up a form in the OCE in the Stu-

dent Life Suite on the ground floor of Seegers Union. The last day to submit your

completed registration form to OCE for complimentary mailing is October 10,

2017.

Emily Morton ’18 and Hannah Turner ’19

at BergVotes event

Elena Nahrmann ’19, Chris Chin ‘19, Dr. Brian Mello, Chris Cuomo,

Professor of Philosophy & Women’s Studies at the University of Georgia,

and Pierce Lockett ‘19