School News AGS

The latest edition of the now well-established "Wine and Cheese" discussion series at AGS had AGS Professor and specialist on African Politics Douglas Yates  as the evening's speaker. The theme of the debate was: "The French Intervention in Mali: Françafrique or Africanistan?" Professor Yates introduced various theories about that intervention which have appeared in the French press since January 2013, mainly the idea that this intervention is a continuity of France's relationship with its former African colonies, and the idea that this intervention is a potential quagmire in the global war on terror akin to the US intervention in Afghanistan. Yates provided information in support of both these theories in order to engage the audience in an open discussion.

A delegation of ten students from the American Graduate School in Paris participated in the 14th London International Model United Nations (LIMUN) conference that took place at Imperial College in London, UK, on February 15-17. The AGS delegation represented Laos and Israel in this large simulation of a United Nations negotiation. AGS was represented among the 83 delegates who earned an award out of the 1,500 participants. Other competing universities included Cambridge, Oxford, Exeter (UK), Sorbonne, Sciences Po (France), and about 200 institutions from over forty countries around the world.

This is the third conference in the MUN program that AGS started in 2012 as a component of its Master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy. The AGS MUN team previously attended conferences in Utrecht, Netherlands and Barcelona, Spain, where it received five awards. It will next participate in the Paris International MUN conference, May 31- June 2, 2013.

Students partipating in LIMUN came with a solid preparation on negotiation strategies, rules of procedure, speech practices, and country history and policies, having met for weekly training sessions during the five months preceding the conference. Coordinating the AGS team throughout the entire process was Ryan Godfrey, candidate in the AGS-Arcadia dual Master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy - International Peace and Conflict Resolution, who has extensive MUN experience as he participated in twelve such conferences in the past.

“We students appreciate opportunities that AGS provides which bridge the classroom to practitioner-based approaches in the field of IR. MUN develops the professional skills that undoubtedly will give us an advantage as we pursue careers in both public and private sectors,” says Godfrey.

In addition to MUN supervisor Ryan Godfrey, the AGS team was composed of nine delegates. Each was assigned to debate in one of the UN Committees of the conference, which included specialized agencies and General Assembly Committees.

Head Delegate Andrea Badiola-Mateos was assigned to the Second Committee of the General Assembly - Economic and Financial (ECOFIN), where she received AGS’s Honorable Mention award. She debated and negotiated on the topics of: the role of gender inequality in hindering development, and combating the international risk of European sovereign debt default.

Cassandra Pate represented Laos in the First Committee of the General Assembly - Disarmament and International Security (DISEC), where she debated and negotiated on the following topics: review of the comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty, and controlling the use of unmanned combat air vehicles. In addition, as the committee was missing a representative of Israel, Cassandra volunteered to represent that country. She was selected by the MUN organizers among other volunteers based on her work reprensenting Laos and, without any specific back research, was told by the MUN organizers to have done "a fantastic job".

Christina Boehrer was assigned to the United Nations Drugs and Crime Committee (UNODC), where she debated and negotiated on the specific issues surrounding children as victims of organized crime or human trafficking, and on the topic of drug tourism: the Black Market and its effects of local livelihoods.

Christina Brownfield was assigned to the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly: Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL), where she debated on the issue of water security and on the question of Western Sahara.

Gina Casati was on the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) where she debated and negotiated on the following topics: addressing the cause of food shortages on unequal distribution of food in communities, and the potential of agricultural biotechnology as a crucial tool towards poverty alleviation, and the establishment of regulatory standards to govern them.

Jhinni Awotar was assigned to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), where she debated and negotiated on the question of the South China Sea and on the issues surrounding water pollution.

Putiviola Elian Nasir was on the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) where she debated and negotiated on the topics of ending child marriages, and safeguarding children from HIV/AIDS.

Stefan De Las sat on the United Nations Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC) where he debated on the Global Development Agenda post-2015 and on the regulation and reforms for the global financial system in combating tax avoidance and corruption.

Tim Francis was assigned to the Third Committee of the General Assembly: Social, Cultural and Humnitarian (SOCHUM) where he debated and negotiated on the topics of ensuring sustainable tourism, and coping with the ageing of global population.

Ryan Godfrey recounts: "Our students embodied being a representative of a country, even only referring to themselves as Laos, debating policy on breaks with others, trying to negotiate at every available moment. They may have put aside their identity for the conference, but the personal growth and development are immeasurable."

On November 29, Geopolitics expert Dr. Manlio Graziano gave a presentation and discussion at AGS about the geopolitical context and consequences of the "Arab Spring".

The talk focused on the role that the shift in the balance of power between the major world players has had in triggering the political crises in the Middle East. It looked at the transition that is taking place and its impact on the regional and global geopolitical configuration.

Dr. Graziano also demonstrated how interpretive the very notion of democracy can be, as the transitions that are taking place in the Middle East will not necessarily correspond to the Western version of democracy and are largely conditioned by the particular history, traditions, and context of those countries.

Comparing the Arab Spring to the French Revolution, he explained how those recent events have been ground-flattening and have paved the way for a new form of international relations. The shift has opened room for new state-based as well as non state-based actors, including religious ones, to participate in the ongoing process and play a role on the international scene.

Dr. Graziano explains: "The Arab countries, first frozen by the Cold War, then by American interventionism, are adapting themselves to the political possibility, now more ample than ever, of diversifying their international relations, courting new strategic partners, and even finding new protectors."

Dr. Manlio Graziano specializes in geopolitics and geopolitics of religions. He has published several books on the subject, including: Essential Geopolitics: a Handbook (2011, in English and in French, available on Kindle); Il secolo cattolico. La strategia geopolitica della Chiesa (Laterza, Rome, 2010; Barcelona, 2012); The Failure of Italian Nationhood. The Geopolitics of a Troubled Identity (Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2010); Italia Senza Nazione? Geopolitica di un'identità difficile (Donzelli, Rome, 2007); Italie. Un État sans nation? Geopolitique d'une identité nationale incertaine (Erès, Toulouse, 2007); and Identité catholique et identité italienne. L'Italie laboratoire de l'Église (L'Harmattan, Paris, 2007). He also edited L'Italie aujourd'hui. Situation et perspectives après le séisme des années 90 (Paris, 2004). He collaborates with the journals Outre-terre (Paris), Geopolitical Affairs (London); Limes (Rome) and International Affairs Forum (Washington DC).

Dr. Graziano teaches at Université Paris IV-La Sorbonne and AGS, and has taught at several universities in Paris, Lyons and Rome. He has also given lectures in the US at CUNY's Brooklyn College and SUNY's Stiny Brooks in New York, as well as in Sweden at Stockholms Universitet, in the UK at the University of Bath, and in France at Sciences Po Paris.

This talk was part of the "AGS Issue Roundup" series which consist of a review of a chosen topic of international affairs by an AGS professor with specific expertise followed by a Q&A and discussion on the subject. Previous Issue Roundup talks have focused on the regime change in Tunisia, the Russian elections, the US election and the media, among other topics. Issue Roundups are open to all AGS students, alumni and faculty as well as outside guests by RSVP. If you are interested in attending please email info@ags.edu.

On November 16th, AGS hosted a guest talk by Dr. David Doyle, Permanent Delegate of St. Kitts and Nevis to UNESCO, who discussed the subject of Small Island Developing States. The event was part of a lecture series entitled "Ambassador's Perspective", where career diplomats share their knowledge and experience with AGS students, alumni, faculty, and outside guests.

Dr. Doyle's presentation focused on the specific issues dealt with by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in a context of globalization, economic crisis across the globe, and climate change. He explained how these countries, that make up 20% of the UN membership, are particularly vulnerable to external shocks, often prone to environmental disasters, and have limited ability to use budget cut policies in the way larger countries do.

"Historically, economic and social development in SIDS has been cast in a unique perspective. This is related to the fact that small islands face particularly challenging economic, environmental and logistical features. Smallness brings with it a certain inability to exploit economies of scale; indeed a combination of remoteness and insularity compounds the smallness and heightens the risk of adverse economies of scale." (excerpt from Ambassador David Doyle's article in the International Journal of Island Affairs).

Dr. Doyle also emphasized the flexibility of those states and their ability to re-orientate their economic policies in a swifter way than larger states with heavier structures would. In that light he discussed the transformation of St Kitts and Nevis's from a sugar cane-based economy to one of tourism, inward investment and social change.

"Being from a Small Island Developing State myself, it was particularly interesting to hear Ambassador Doyle's perspective because he wasn't born in the Caribbean and therefore his process of thinking was not confined to that region of the world. He brought a fresh ideology to the current problems normally dealt with by local diplomats, with a very realistic approach. He stressed the growing importance of regional collectivity and togetherness to gain strength and stability, which was an appealing idea because in my view, the Caribbean states are currently very divided," says Stefan De Las, M.A. Candidate 2014, from Trinidad and Tobago.

Read Dr. David Doyle's article in the International Journal of Island Affairs

Students enrolled in the Arcadia/AGS study abroad in Paris program went on a two-day trip to Brussels, Belgium (November 8-9). This trip is organized every year in the Fall as part of the undergraduate program on the history, politics and diplomacy of Europe and the European Union. The highlight of the visit was a private guided tour of the European Parliament followed by a meeting with one of the MEPs (Members of the European Parliament), Kartika Liotard from the Netherlands.

Jennifer Wright, who coordinates the study abroad programs at AGS in Paris and organized the visit, says: "Being able to tour parts of the Parliament that are usually not accessible to the public and sitting down for coffee with MEP Liotard was a great privilege and was extremely informative. We were given firsthand insight into the inner workings of the Parliament. We organize this tour every fall and students always feel that they get to go back with a clearer idea of how the EU Parliament - such a powerful legislative institution - operates."

Students also had the opportunity to walk through the streets of Brussels, and visit some of the landmarks of the city, including the Grand Place, the Beer Museum, the Manneken Pis statue, and the Brasserie de la Roue d'Or restaurant where they enjoyed a typical Belgian meal.

The Arcadia/AGS study abroad programs offer undergraduate students from all countries and from all institutions in the US the opportunity to study in Paris for a summer, a semester or a year, and transfer back credits to their home institution. More information here.

Kartika Liotard is a member of the European Parliament's Committee of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety as well as of its Delegation for Relations with Japan. She co-authored a book with AGS Senior Associate Professor Steve McGiffen: The EU and Water Privatisation (London: Pluto Press, 2009).

AGS's latest Wine and Cheese debate was held on November 9 on the theme: "Coping with China? Indian Security Perceptions of a Rising China." The presentation and discussion were led by Dr. Patrick Bratton, Visiting Professor at AGS in Paris, and Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Diplomacy and Military Studies program at Hawai'i Pacific University. 

The evening started with a presentation by Dr. Bratton about Indian security issues and Sino-Indian relations with regards to the rise of China. For the past decade there has been a growing debate in the Indian security establishment about how to deal with China. Contrary to the early rhetoric about two rising Asian giants (sometimes called "Chindia" in the West) there is now a serious debate in New Delhi about how to "cope" with a China that is both larger and seems to be growing faster than India. There are several unsolved security problems that date back to the early days of independence. Moreover, there are additional complications stemming from Indian internal politics and also how India and China interact with the rest of the international system. There is disagreement within this community about how much of a threat China is and what India should do about it.

Dr. Patrick Bratton's research focuses on Strategic Studies, in particular "coercive diplomacy" and Indian security policy. Dr. Bratton completed his graduate studies in the UK, France, and the US (University of Wales, Aberystwyth; University de Rennes 2; Catholic University of America). He is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and in 2009 was a Visiting International Fellow at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA) in India. This semester he is a Visiting Professor at AGS in Paris, where he teaches the course on Factors and Theories of Analysis in International Relations and Diplomacy.

Twice a semester, AGS Wine and Cheese debates bring together students, faculty, and other interested guests to discuss a topic of international affairs in a convivial atmosphere around a French wine and cheese buffet. If you are interested in participating in a future AGS Wine and Cheese debate, please email info@ags.edu.

More photos:

Twenty-three AGS students went on a three-day trip to Oslo, Norway, on 2-4 November 2012. The visit was organized by the AGS Graduate Student Association, and brought together students from the Master's in International Relations & Diplomacy and International MBA programs at AGS.

Students walked around the city and visited such sites as the Nobel Peace Center, the Opera House, the Viking Museum, the National Gallery featuring Edward Munch's "The Scream", and Edward Munch's house. They also had a chance to experience Norwegian food and eat reindeer. Kryssandra Heslop, Master's Candidate in the International Relations and Diplomacy program, and co-president of the Graduate Student Association at AGS, says: "The Nobel Peace Prize Museum was my favorite place to visit in Oslo.  It was incredibly interesting and moving to read about those who have been nominated in the past but never won, such as Mahatma Gandhi, as well as past winners like Rigoberta Menchú. They also had a lot of cool interactive exhibits that were fun to experience.  Overall the trip was a success and it was great to see so many different AGS students come together while exploring Oslo."

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Following the third Obama-Romney debate, Professor and Political Communication scholar Dr. Paul Turpin gave a presentation and Q&A on October 23 at AGS on understanding the background of the candidates’ economic philosophies and their influence on international policy.

Dr. Turpin gave an overview of the history of modern political economy to distinguish Barack Obama’s modern-liberal philosophy that mixes government regulation with market economics from Mitt Romney’s classical-liberalism (19th century style) that promotes a more laissez-faire policy and seeks to shrink welfare and regulation. These domestic policy orientations affect foreign policy positions because they influence how each candidate is likely to view the motivations of other nations.

Turpin explained, “This is the clearest contrast in recent electoral history showing the differences in economic philosophy between the candidates, and understanding the basic history of modern economic thought helps distinguish the market-cautious stance of modern liberalism from the market-cheerleading stance of classical liberalism that characterizes U.S. conservatives.” He observed: “While Barack Obama’s mix of internationalist and realist foreign policy stances would probably continue a similar course, a Romney presidency would probably emphasize economic austerity both at home and in foreign aid, a fairly aggressive foreign policy bolstered by higher military spending, and some waffling between a realist perspective and a revived neoconservative perspective that promotes a version of American exceptionalism last seen in the George W. Bush Presidency.”

Paul Turpin (Ph.D., University of Southern California) is Associate Professor of Communication and Senior Research Associate of the Jacoby Center for Public Service and Civic Leadership at the University of the Pacific. He uses rhetorical and cultural studies insights to research public issues at the intersection of political theory, economic theory, and ethics. His book The Moral Rhetoric of Political Economy: Justice and Modern Economic Thought (New York: Routledge, 2011) won the 2011 Top Book Award from the Communication Ethics Division of the National Communication Association.

This was the first of a series of guest presentations organized by the American Graduate School in Paris (AGS) under the name “AGS Political Reviews”. These events are targeted towards the analysis and discourse on multiple facets of politics as linked to international affairs and diplomacy. They are open to AGS students, alumni and faculty as well as outside guests upon RSVP, based on space available. Anyone interested in being informed of upcoming events may contact the American Graduate School in Paris.

On October 23, AGS will hold a special talk and discussion about the Obama-Romney debate on foreign policy of the previous day. Guest professor and political communication expert Dr. Paul Turpin of the University of the Pacific (California) will present on the two presidential candidates' views and respective programs and animate a Q & A session with the audience.

According to Paul Turpin, "this talk will focus on the influence of differing economic philosophies on the likely foreign policy stances of Obama and Romney. While Obama's mix of internationalist and realist stances would probably continue to resemble what he has already done, a Romney presidency would most likely emphasize economic austerity both at home and in foreign aid, a fairly aggressive foreign policy bolstered by high military spending, and some waffling between a realist perspective and a revived neoconservative perspective that promotes a version of American exceptionalism."

Paul Turpin (Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California) is Associate professor of Communication and Senior Research Associate of the Jacoby Center for Public Service and Civic Leadership of the University of the Pacific. His research areas in communication are rhetoric and cultural studies, and his research interests are at the intersection of political theory, economic theory, and ethics. His book The Moral Rhetoric of Political Economy: Justice and Modern Economic Thought (New York: Routledge, 2011), won the 2011 Top Book Award from the Communication Ethics Division of NCA.
See Paul Turpin's profile on the University of the Pacific website 

This event is open to AGS students, faculty and alumni as well as outside guests upon RSVP. If you are interested please contact Ashley Stepanek at ashley.stepanek@ags.edu. 

The AGS "Gender Issues Working group" (GIWG) has resumed. The purpose of this group is to discuss and raise awareness about issues related to gender - whether they are related to men, women, transgender folk or societal heteronormativity in general - and how they intersect with a wide array of other topics such as race/ethnicity, culture, religion, sexuality, economics, development, poverty, violence, labor, etc. The idea is to think outside of the box.

The group brings together AGS students and faculty, but is open to outside participants as well. Meetings are tentatively scheduled twice a month on Tuesdays, from 12 to 1 pm, and additional cultural and activist events in Paris are promoted. Taking over from GIWG initiator AJ Morgen, AGS Master's candidate Dave Feldman has assumed the leadership role for the group this year.

The first meeting of the semester was held on October 2nd. Dave Feldman presented an article about the sex selection industry in the US. The group discussed the ethical issue with designing a baby and the grey area around the legality of this practice in the US and Canada. Counter-arguments about personal choice, cultural relativism and social conditioning were also presented. 

Other topics discussed in the past have included the practice of castration for the purposes of witchcraft in Uganda, the Bugis’ belief in five genders, and the potential implications of criminalizing prostitution in the Netherlands.

Dave Feldman says: "The GIWG offers a great forum to discuss complex and important issues that would otherwise fall under the radar, and hopefully, to get engaged directly."

If you are interested in joining the group for one or more meetings, please contact Dave Feldman at info@ags.edu.