The Latin American and Latino Studies Program at Wake Forest University will host Paul Dix and Pam Fitzpatrick for a discussion on the effects of the U.S. policy in Nicaragua. The financial support received by Nicaragua’s rebel groups during the 1980s from the U.S. had catastrophic and lasting consequences on the country’s civilian population.

Dix, a professional photojournalist, used his camera to illustrate the effects of the United States’ international policy on the poor of Nicaragua throughout the whole of country’s Civil War. Since 2002, he has worked closely with Fitzpatrick, a professional community organizer, to reconnect with and document the stories of the dozens of people he photographed.

Dix and Fitzpatrick will discuss their journey and efforts in a lecture to take place in DeTamble Auditorium on March 22 at 7 p.m. Admission to the event is free and open to the general public. Continue reading »

See a list of employees joining and leaving the University in January 2012: Continue reading »

Will Walldorf, an assistant professor of political science, have been awarded a research fellowship from the Earhart Foundation that buys out his classes this semester in order to work on a new book tentatively titled, “The Democracy Consensus and Patterns of Forceful Regime Change in United States Foreign Policy, 1900-2011.”

The book focuses on changes in the nation’s mood about promoting democracy abroad from 1900-2011 and discusses ways that that that mood affects patterns of forceful regime change in U.S. foreign policy. It carries direct relevance to recent wars in Iraq and Libya, while also helping us understand current and future U.S. responses to the Arab Spring.

Read Walldorf’s profile »

Wake Forest has appointed Rogan Kersh as the University’s new provost and professor of political science.  A Wake Forest alumnus, Kersh currently serves as the associate dean of academic affairs and professor of public policy at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Read more »

• Congratulations to William K. Smith, professor of biology and Charles H. Babcock chair of botany, whose proposal entitled “CBIN: A Research Network for Sustaining Barrier Island Ecosystems in a Changing Gobal Environment” has been funded by the National Science Foundation.
• Congratulations to Sarah Lischer, associate professor of political science, whose proposal entitled “Voices of the Living, Voices of the Dead: Atrocity Narratives and Reconciliation After Genocide” has been funded by the Berghof Foundation.

Register now for the Fellows & Friends Engaged Teaching Luncheon Series, which is led by inspired faculty. The next event will be Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 11 a.m. in 301 Reynolda Hall. Lunch will be provided.

The Institute for Public Engagement promotes engaged teaching that fosters critical thinking, gives each student a voice, and encourages students to engage with issues affecting the Wake Forest community and the community beyond. Within the broader concept of engaged teaching is the recognized pedagogy of service-learning, usually involving direct service to meet community needs. Other forms of engaged teaching may not involve such service but nevertheless engage students in the process of identifying and understanding community issues.

The purpose of this discussion series is to afford faculty the opportunity to share their ideas and gain inspiration for engaged teaching in an enjoyable, informal setting. Faculty are invited to enjoy lunch, highlight their work, share ideas, and gain inspiration. Featured faculty will speak for about 20 minutes followed by open conversation.

Tuesday, Jan. 24 (11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.): Innovative Ideas for Engaged Teaching

• Featured Faculty: David Finn (Art), Mary Pendergraft (Classics), Cindy Gendrich (Theatre), Phoebe Zerwick (English)

Tuesday, Feb. 28 (11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.): Navigating Engaged Teaching in a Global Context

• Featured Faculty: Steve Virgil (Law – Nicaragua Nexus), Ananda Mitra (Communications – India Study Abroad), Betina Wilkinson (PS – Latino Political Behavior and Public Opinion)

Monday, March 26 (11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.): Assessment in Engaged Teaching

• Featured Faculty: Michele Gillespie (History), Adam Friedman (Education), Andrew Allwine (Classics -Latin poetry)

• Congratulations to professor Peter Brubaker, whose proposal entitled “Neural Cardiac Therapy for Heart Failure (NECTAR HF)” has been funded by Guidant Europe NV.
• Congratulations to professor Luis Roniger, whose proposal entitled “Exile, Transnational Migration and the Transformation of Public Culture: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay” has been funded by the BiNational Science Foundation.

Cuban dissidents and Cuban-American leaders have started to ask why Cubans haven’t followed the lead of oppressed populations in Egypt and Tunisia in overthrowing long-entrenched regimes. Associate Professor of Political Science Peter Siavelis said he doesn’t expect to see demonstrations for democracy in the streets of Havana anytime soon.

Political and economic conditions in Cuba are more similar to North Korea than Egypt or even Libya, said Siavelis, an expert on Latin American politics. “The level of repression is much more systemic and substantial than in Egypt.” Continue reading »

Steve Whittington, director of the Museum of Anthropology, wrote a catalog to accompany the museum’s current exhibit, “Art of Sky, Art of Earth,” that features ancient pottery from the Maya civilization. The full-color catalog includes more than 50 photographs and accompanying text, in English and Spanish, describing the pieces in the exhibit. Sara Cromwell of the MOA staff and Luis Roniger, Reynolds Professor of Political Science, also worked on the publication.

David Weinstein admits to being a bit schizophrenic. Weinstein, a professor of political science, often inhabits two intellectual worlds. The student of British philosophy in him has recently published “John Stuart Mill and the Art of Life.” The German intellectual historian in him is working on another book, “Exile and Interpretation.” Read more.