Past Events

Gianluca Passarelli (Sapienza Università di Roma) Presidents of the Republic are crucial actors in both presidential and semi-presidential regimes. Despite the fact that these two systems represent the majority of all the world’s political systems, the focus on the head of state has only relatively recently been covered comparatively and systematically. Although big gaps still persist in relation to many aspects of ‘presidential power’, advances have been made, and the ‘presidential’ world has been analysed with more sophisticated tools and concepts. However, the ‘presidential party’ remains relatively understudied at both the theoretical and the empirical levels. The ‘party of the president’ is the key political actor that affects presidential activity during his or her mandate. The article aims to present a theoretical framework and a potential guideline for comparative studies. I propose a conceptualisation of the presidential party and the theoretical possible effects of it on the legislature, which might be useful for further empirical analysis.

VIRTUAL VISITING DIPLOMAT PROGRAM JOINTLY SPONSORED BY REINHARDT UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH EUROPEAN STUDIES CENTER & THE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES CONSORTIUM OF GEORGIA (ISCOG)* - CELEBRATING 28 YEARS OF SERVICE proudly presents LET’S TALK UNITED KINGDOM (UK) & WALES WITH BRITISH CONSUL GENERAL IN ATLANTA, ANDREW STAUNTON & DR. ZOWIE HAY, HEAD OF NORTH AMERICA FOR THE WELSH GOVERNMENT AT THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON, D. C. Mr. Andrew Staunton came to Atlanta as Her Majesty’s Consul General in June 2018. He is the senior UK government representative in the Southeast and leads a team which works to promote UK-US cultural relations, trade and investment, conduct public diplomacy, and builds scientific and research co-operation. Andrew was born in Glasgow, Scotland and he and wife Rebecca have two adult children living in the U. K. Since joining the UK’s diplomatic service in 1987, Andrew has served overseas in Greece, Ireland, China, France, Romania and Canada. He also sits on the Marshall Scholarship selection committee. Dr. Zowie Hay is Head of North America for Welsh Government. Based in the British Embassy in Washington DC and oversees a team that has a presence in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Montreal. She is the senior diplomat for Wales in North America, joined the Welsh Government in 2011 and has held posts in policy research and evaluation, and as Head of Natural Resources lead on the policy development for the ground-breaking Environment Act (Wales). Before relocating to the USA, Zowie was based in Welsh Treasury, where she led on strategic planning for the Welsh Budget, and subsequently served as Head of Intergovernmental Relations for Tax Strategy and EU Exit. Zowie holds a BA in Politics and International Relations from Lancaster University, an MA in International Relations and Mandarin from the University of Durham and received a PhD in Political Science from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Abdesalam Soudi serves as Professor, Cultural Competence Consultant, and Cultural and Linguistic Competence Master’s Course Co-Director, Family Medicine Department at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University of Pittsburgh. He is a Sociolinguist recognized for several scholarly accomplishments in Conversation Analysis, Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, Arabic Linguistics, Electronic Health Records, Cultural Competency in medical practice. He leads a cross-disciplinary Humanities in Health initiative (HinH). With a passion for discovering new findings and sharing knowledge, he will discuss the importance of cultural competency across all disciplines, from humanities to healthcare, in global initiatives around the world. To Register:https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYqdeyqqDsrEtcNibkJ0YKhLHsIRTmTpFoG

The “What’s in a Name?” series aims to open a doorway to explore issues that affect us every day, and that, ultimately, reverberate through the most intimate aspects of who we are. While we will explore basic tools and name etiquette, with the kindness and respect we all deserve, we intend to reflect about what our names say about us, and how they may be used to define who we are. As part of the natural evolution of the series, we invite audiences explore place names and how they impact and reflect upon our identities, how we are perceived, and how we navigate the frameworks they set in motion. This session will be an introduction to place names and their significance as a part of a community's identity, touching upon themes of colonialism, enslavement, migration, and more. Presenters: Dr. Ruth Mostern, Director, World History Center Dr. Keila Grinberg, Director, Center for Latin American Studies

Spring Mini-Course: Technology, Humanity, and Social Justice - SATURDAY ● Session 3 – 8:30AM-10:00AM: Group Activity: Analyzing Governance and Technology Case Study ● Session 4 – 10:15AM-11:30AM: Andrew Meade McGee, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of History, Carnegie Mellon University LUNCH 11:30AM-1:00PM ● Session 5 – 1:00PM-2:15PM: Jacqueline Lipton, Assistant Professor of Legal Writing, School of Law, University of Pittsburgh ● Session 6 – 2:30PM-3:45PM: Song Shi, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Informatics and Networked Systems, University of Pittsburgh ● Session 7 – 4:00PM-5:30PM: Group Activity: Comparing Analyses Governance and Technology Case Studies

26 Years ago, Ike Nnaebue attempted to flee Nigeria for a better life in Europe. Now, as a Lagos-based film director of No U- Turn, he documents the journey of West African migrants who attempt to reach the continent today. This portrays the causes and motivations of migrants who risk their lives for opportunities abroad.

Wilson is a Bissau-Guinean refugee, who settles in Budapest, Hungary, after fleeing his country's civil war. Having lost his wife and daughters to the conflict, he builds a new life as a market security guard while trying to pass the country's citizenship test. After taking in Shirin, a pregnant refugee from an who arrives illegally, and a local Hungarian tutor named, Mari, with whom he falls in love, their devotion to one another other is tested. Through differing life philosophies, prejudice, and the threat of deportation, they struggle to navigate their lives lives as refugees in Hungarian society.