Thursday, October 10th, 2024
Cinema Laika
With filmmaker Veljko Vidak in attendance! Following Q&A with Vidak, we'll screen ARIEL (1988) by Aki Kaurismäki.
In a small village in Finland, which has relied solely on metallurgical activities for the past two centuries, Aki Kaurismäki and his friend, the poet and writer Mika Lätti, are constructing their own cinema within an old foundry. Employing recycled wood, metal, and pre-owned furniture, Kaurismäki and the residents of Karkkila collaboratively craft Kino Laika. The venue is surrounded by Cadillacs, motorcycles, rock bars, and the awe-inspiring beauty of nature, encapsulating the very essence of cinema’s enchantment – a place where the magic resides in its profound capacity to instigate change.
In chronicling the creation of Kino Laika, Croatian-French filmmaker Veljko Vidak has created a modest yet finely-crafted film that is simultaneously a documentary about a particular cultural project, a more wide-ranging filmic meditation on the nature of cinema, and a portrait of a small-town community. Transcending the usual documentary trappings, CINEMA LAIKA radiates a deadpan charm and bemused curiosity about humanity that calls to mind nothing so much as the work of Kaurismäki himself.
Ariel
Presenter: Directed by Aki Kaurismäki
With filmmaker Veljko Vidak in attendance! Following Q&A with Vidak, we'll screen ARIEL (1988) by Aki Kaurismäki.
Following the film, Cinema Laika,
In Kaurismäki’s drolly existential crime drama, a coal miner named Taisto attempts to leave behind a provincial life of inertia and economic despair, only to get into ever deeper trouble. Yet a minor-key romance with a hilariously dispassionate meter maid might provide a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. ARIEL, which boasts a terrific soundtrack of Finnish tango and Baltic pop music and lovely cinematography by Kaurismäki’s longtime cameraman Timo Salmimen, put its director on the international map.
Show your Pitt ID at the door for discounted admission.
International Careers Toolkit: Preparing a Competitive Application for Professional Programs
Presenter: Charmaine McCall (School of Law), Nancy Glynn (School of Public Health), Michaela Cushing-Daniels (PhD Student GSPIA), and Ruel Beresford (PhD Student Epidemiology)
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
Learn the key strategies to crafting a standout application from current professionals and faculty who've successfully navigated the process. With personal insights and expert advice, this session will give you the competitive edge you need to secure your spot in a leading professional program.
Tuesday, October 8th, 2024
Bohemia, Prague, and Franz Kafka: Intercultural Contexts in Central Europe
Presenter: Dr. Steffen Höhne
Location: Cathedral of Learning, CL 149 (French room)
The lecture by Prof. Dr. Steffen Höhne, "Bohemia, Prague, and Franz Kafka – Intercultural Contexts in Central Europe," will explore Franz Kafka's work in relation to the cultural and political dynamics of Bohemia and Prague. The event will also include a discussion with students from Prof. Dr. Amy Colin's Kafka seminar.
Conversations on Europe: Legal Battles Against Ecocide: Civil Society Climate Initiatives and the Judicial System
Time: 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall
Description: Join in a conversation on criminalization of climate activists and their day in court with legal scholar Veronica Federico, Attorney Gaëlle Cognet, and one of the successful Swiss Climate Activists, Elsbeth Stern.
9 April 2024 the European Court of Human Rights decided in favor of the “Climate Grannies” that the Swiss Government had failed to meet its climate responsibilities and, therefore, violated their human rights. The case set global legal precedent. It will have impact for years to come. In a world where 80% of the people want more action from their governments on climate change, the case’s success highlights too how the courts increasingly play a central role in the sustainability movement.
Moderator: Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh
Panelists:
Gaëlle Cognet, Ashurst LLP
Veronica Federico, University of Florence
Elisabeth Stern, Board Member, Klima Seniorinnen
Fall 2024 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Friday, October 4th, 2024
Munich: City of Natural Wonder, Sustainability, and Oktoberfest
Brezels, apfelstrudel, games, prizes, and information about German Degrees Certificate (CWES, Central European and European Union, study abroad, recycling and sustainability in Germany
Thursday, October 3rd, 2024
International Careers Toolkit: Preparing a Competitive Application for PhD Programs
Presenter: Jennifer Josten (History of Art and Architecture), Nancy Condee (Slavic Languages and Literatures), PraiseGod Aminu, Krystal Marsh
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
Cost: Free and open to students
Learn the key strategies to crafting a winning application from current graduate students and faculty who have been there, done that. From personal stories to expert tips, this session of UCIS's 2024-2025 Interntional Careers Toolkit Series will give you the edge you need to secure your spot in a top program.
The EU's Global Role and the Democratic Clause in Trade Agreements"
EU Delegation Joins Colombian and Italian Academics
Time: 8:30 am to 10:30 am
Presenter: Silvana Insignares and Professor Amparo Alcoceba
This lecture, part of Uninorte's Cátedra Europa 2024 series, will feature Silvana Insignares and Professor Amparo Alcoceba from Carlos III University of Madrid. They will explore "The Role of the European Union as a Global Actor: Challenges and Strategies," with a focus on the EU's democratic clause in trade agreements.
Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024
From Southport to Social Unrest
Insights on Countering Political Violence from the Uk's 2024 Riots
Presenter: Abdul-Hye Miah
Location: 3911 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Learn about the July 2024 Southport attack in the UK and the subsequent far-right riots that spread across the country. Abdul-Hye Miah will provide relevant insights for combating political violence, managing civil unrest, and strengthening social cohesion in a polarized environment.
NRIEP Scholarships Info Session
Come and learn about global experience funding opportunities!
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Explore the World with a Summer Study Abroad Scholarship! Join the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs' Scholarships Info Session!
Dreaming of an unforgettable summer adventure abroad? We're here to make it happen! Discover your opportunity to study abroad with the help of scholarships at our Summer Study Abroad Scholarships Info Session.
What You'll Gain from Our Info Session:
Scholarship Insights: Learn about various scholarships designed specifically for summer global experience programs.
Application Tips: Get expert advice on crafting a compelling scholarship application.
Destinations Galore: Explore exciting study abroad destinations and programs available.
Q&A Session: Ask your burning questions and get answers from experienced advisors.
Don't miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime! Secure your spot at our Summer Study Abroad Scholarships Info Session and embark on a transformative journey that will broaden your horizons and enrich your life. Your global adventure begins here!
In-Person event
Tuesday, October 1st, 2024
The Impact of Free Trade
Women's Perspectives on Resistance and the Search for Alternatives
Presenter: University of Guadalajara
Hosted by the University of Guadalajara, this webinar will last between September 24 - October 15th, where it aims to highlight and connect the issues faced by working women, land defenders, environmentalists, and human rights activists, particularly focusing on the EU-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (TLCUEM), while linking voices from Mexico and Europe. The webinar will be conducted in Spanish with simultaneous translation into English.
Session 1: Working-Class Women and Labor Organizing (September 24th)
Session 2: Women in Defense of Land and Territory (October 1st)
Session 3: Women Defending Human Rights (October 8th)
Session 4: Women Resisting Megaprojects (October 15th)
The Nordic Freedom Machine: Social Democracy as a Modelfor Individual Liberty
Presenter: Magnus Marsdal
Location: 4303 Wesley Posvar Hall
This lecture will offer a comparison of the welfare states of Scandinavia and the U.S., conceptions of Left and Right and Liberty, and the embrace of the Nordic path to individual liberty.
About the Speaker:
Author and journalist Marsdal is the founder of the union-sponsored think-tank Manifest Center for Societal Analysis and the digital platform Manifest Media. Over the last decade, Marsdal has devoted much of his efforts to a Freedom Project, comparing the welfare states of Scandinavia and the United States of America. He currently hosts one of Norway’s leading politics podcasts
Fall 2024 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Building Peace in Colombia
EU Delegation Joins Colombian and Italian Academics
Presenter: Universidad de Norte
October 1 and 3: Lecture Series
Uninorte will be hosting two lectures as part of their "Cátedra Europa 2024," which this year features Italy as the guest country.
October 1: Participation from the EU Delegation in Colombia, along with several Colombian and Italian academics, focusing on Cooperation for Peace in Colombia.
Monday, September 30th, 2024
ValEUs Foreign Policy Debates with Civil Society
Location: 15 seminary Place, New Brunswick, NJ 08901| Academic Building (West), Room 2160 CAC
The ValEUs Project has organized a series of panel discussions with civil society organizations on European values and EU foreign policy. These debates expose European foreign policy contestations and ambivalences, allowing for the exploration of new avenues to counteract them.
On September 30 the ValEUs Foreign Policy Debate at Rutgers University will feature Luisa Neubauer, Gubad Ibadoghlu, and Elena Apostoli-Cappello. They will discuss climate change, activism, and government policy in the EU and beyond. The event is open to a local audience and available via live stream.
Career Talk: Lunch with a Journalist
Time: 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Presenter: Magnus Marsdal
Location: 4217 Wesley Posvar Hall
Cost: RSVP: slund@pitt.edu
The speaker Magnus Marsdal, is a Norwegian author and journalist currently serving as Editor-in-Chief of the digital platform Manifest Media. This event is intended for students interested in journalism and the various media in which political commentary can be shared, this informal lunch is an opportunity for students to talk with Mr. Marsdal about his experiences, the skills required in daily news reporting, and the development of a successful career as a non-fiction author, pundit and public speaker. He’ll share insights on what he sees as core elements of engaging journalism and how all of the above can translate into podcasting.
Saturday, September 28th, 2024
SCREENSHOT: Asia Sweet Dreams
Join us for a screening of Sweet Dreams at Harris Theater, a darkly comedic and surreal exploration of colonial legacy in Indonesia. As the plantation owner’s death uncovers familial strife and colonial absurdities, the film delves into the complex relationships and power struggles within a sugar plantation. With its blend of malevolence and absurdity, Sweet Dreams critically examines how colonialism permeates and distorts every facet of life.
This film is part of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, which takes place September 25-29. All films are free for Pitt students, staff, and faculty with a valid Pitt ID. Registration in advance is requested but not required. For the full schedule of films, please visit screenshot.pitt.edu.
*Please Note: Pitt ID holders can reserve tickets by clicking “Promo Code” in the upper right corner of the Harris Theater website and using SCREENSHOT24 as the code. IDs will be checked on entry.
CONTENT WARNING: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Disturbing imagery
Tuesday, September 24th, 2024
How Does One Become Racist?
Unmasking Prejudice: Confronting Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Racism Across Europe
Presenter: Carole Reynaud-Paligot
Location: Wesley W. Posvar Hall Room 4900
Join historian and sociologist Carole Reynaud-Paligot for a compelling discussion on the paradox of racism. Specializing in the history of ideas, race, and identity in Western societies, Ms. Reynaud-Paligot holds a doctorate from EHESS and has authored several influential works, including Parcours politique des surréalistes 1919-1969, De l'identité nationale, and L'Ecole aux colonies. Dr. Reynaud-Paligot will explore why racism persists despite the scientific invalidation of the concept of "human races."
Beyond the Ballot: Europe's Democratic Journey
Election Roundup: What do the results of the 2024 European Parliamentary, British, and French elections tell us about democracy in Europe today?
Time: 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall
Moderator:
Erica Edwards, University of Pittsburgh
Jae-Jae Spoon, University of Pittsburgh
Panelists:
Tim Bale, Queen Mary University of London
Diane Bolet, University of Essex
Simon Hix, European University Institute
Fall 2024 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Thursday, September 19th, 2024
ESC 40th Anniversary Celebration
Location: Alumni Hall, 5th Floor
Please come celebrate with us! Make sure you RSVP by 9/13/2024
Chinese Kun Opera
Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Join the International Student Peer Network for a professional Chinese Kun Opera group performance, storytelling, open discussion, and the opportunity to try on traditional costumes and makeup.
Tuesday, September 17th, 2024
Gaming Climate Change
Environmentalism and the German Video Game Industry
Presenter: Professor Sascha Pohlmann
Gaming all night is fun but what about the energy consumption? How is the German gaming industry responding to climate change both in game design and beyond?
Light Refreshments will be served
Thursday, September 12th, 2024
"Making Socialism Work: Economic Reform and the Soviet Enterprise, 1960s-2000s. "
The Staughton and Alice Lynd Working Class History Seminar and the European Studies Center present
Location: 3703 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
The history of the Soviet economy is of central importance to how scholars and activists understand the fate of state socialism in the twentieth century and how scholars and diplomats understand contemporary security concerns in Eurasia and in Europe. For the former, state socialism's failure to fulfill its liberatory promises casts doubt on any project that aims to free humanity from the burden of commodified labor and the class relations to which it gives rise. Dr. Nealy demonstrates the Soviet economy's capacity to evolve in a way that bears striking resemblance to the sorts of changes experienced by much of the industrialized world during the same period. The result is a compelling interpretation of the history of the Soviet economy that offers new answers, but also provokes new questions, about the nature of state socialism in history and the prospects for state security in the contemporary world.
About the speaker:
James Nealy received his PhD from Duke University in May of 2022. A specialist in the social, economic, and intellectual history of the Soviet Union and the world.
Tuesday, September 10th, 2024
Fall 2024 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Monday, September 9th, 2024
STUDY ABROAD AND LANGUAGE STUDY SCHOLARSHIPS
The Office of National Scholarships will be holding an information session
where we will discuss scholarships that pay for study abroad and language
study. Please join us to learn more about how to go overseas on a
scholarship!
Scholarships Covered:
- Boren Scholarship and Fellowship
- Critical Language Scholarship
- Gilman Scholarship
- Frederick Honors College Scholarships
- Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships
Friday, September 6th, 2024
2024 Eurovision Watch Party Event
Cost: Free-Refreshments Provided
Join us as we revisit the top Eurovision contestants of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.
We will review the top 10 songs/videos from across Europe, and you will have the chance to cast your vote.
The event will be hosted by Miss Georgia Bea Cummings, the 2024 Gay East Coast Beauty Icon.
*** Refreshments will be provided.
Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024
Conversations on Europe: The History of Environmentalism: Right, Left, Center
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall
Reactionary? Progressive? Localist? Globalist? How do our climate politics line up? This panel will explore the history of environmentalism as a way of thinking about the spectrum of political positions in climate response. Recall that the oil shock, acid rain, nuclear energy protests at Wyhl, concern over DDT, all in the 1970s generated a new environmental activism: citizens initiatives in civil disobedience against business and state. In Germany and elsewhere very disparate interests came together to form what was understood as a new progressive political party: the Greens. Yet was it so progressive? Many people in the party came from a far-right political position, and with their entry into parliament, the Greens did not fit easily into the historic right-left spectrum. Such is not new. Indeed, environmental concerns have a longer and even a predominately conservative history. Romanticism praised pre-industrial bucolic patriarchal society. While climate change denialism may have become recently a hallmark of conservative politics, yet back to nature, back to the soil, survivalism, and prepping, are restoring environmentalism increasingly to conservative politics. And as with the Greens before, movements like Fridays for Futures and Last Generation do not align with any existing political party.
Moderator: Randall Halle
Panelists:
Iza Ding, Northwestern University
Patrick Manning, University of Pittsburgh
Stephen Milder, Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society
Fall 2024 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Sunday, June 16th, 2024 to Saturday, June 22nd, 2024
Brussels-Lux Summer Study Tour for Educators 2024
Location: Brussels, Belgium
The annual Brussels-Lux Study Tour is a week-long opportunity for educators across the U.S. to learn more about the European Union. With funding from the EU Delegation and the U.S. Department of Education, K-12 educators and faculty teaching at community colleges and minority-serving institutions (Title III- or Title V-eligible) are able to gain first-hand knowledge and experiences to further their understanding of Europe and the European Union. Visits to EU institutions and other organizations provide an inside look at the issues facing Europe and the EU. Educators also participate in a day-trip to Luxembourg to visit the European Court of Justice.
Thursday, April 25th, 2024
UCIS Graduation Ceremony & Reception
Location: Charity Randall Theater
The University Center for International Studies cordially invites students graduating in Spring and Summer 2024 to celebrate their academic achievements and receive their credentials at the University Center for International Studies’ Graduation Ceremony in the Charity Randall Theater followed by a reception in the Cathedral Commons Room.
Graduating students should look for their personal email invitations from the University Center for International Studies to RSVP and contact their UCIS academic advisor with any questions about the event. For additional details, please contact Laura Daversa at Laura.Daversa@pitt.edu
Reception to follow the ceremony in the Cathedral Commons Room.
National Poetry Day THIS IS EVENT IS POSTPONED AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED
THIS IS EVENT IS POSTPONED AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED
Celebrate with us for a Listen and Read event!
Happening in Ireland on Thursday, April 25: "National Poetry Day".
Happening in the Irish Room on Thursday, April 25, 2pm to 4 pm
This event is at no charge and open to the public. Readers are welcome.
SPONSORS:
Irish Nationality Room Committee
Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs
University Center for International Studies
Thursday, April 18th, 2024
International Studies Digital Portfolio Workshops
Location: A522 Public Health - Crabtree
A Digital Portfolio (ePortfolio) is required for all students completing area or global studies certificates. The ePortfolio will help you synthesize your experiences inside and outside the classroom to demonstrate your understanding of world regions and global issues. You will also learn how to use the ePortfolio in future job and graduate school applications!
European Moments in the Making of Islam's "Image Problem"
Location: 602 Humanities Center, Cathedral of Learning
Announced by:
on behalf of
Hosted by the Humanities Center and visiting fellow, Finbarr Barry Flood. This event will be hybrid, so you can attend it either in person in 602 CL or via Zoom as you prefer.
The image of Islam in the West has been consistently informed by the idea that the religion fosters distinctive attitudes towards the image. Recent controversies about Islam, aniconism and iconoclasm are typical in this respect, often taking the idea of an Islamic Bilderverbot (image prohibition) as a given. Seen from the perspective of the longue durée, however, the idea of an image problem is only partly informed by knowledge or understanding of beliefs and practices that are internal to Islam. Representations of Islam produced by non-Muslims over more than a millennium have been no less important to the perception, perhaps even creation, of an Islamic Bilderverbot. This persistent idea should, therefore, be analyzed not only in relation to the tenets of Islam, but also as an aspect of European intellectual history. Doing so sheds light upon the current reinvestment of the image as a site for the construction of difference in debates about Islam, secularism and European identity.
Tuesday, April 16th, 2024
Global Experiences Peer Conversation Hour
Presenter: Rachel Vandevort
Join Global Experiences Office Peer Advisors for this weekly roundtable in the Global Hub! Bring your questions about study abroad programs!
Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a
globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more
about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript,
receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to
prospective employers!
Tuesday, April 9th, 2024
Global Experiences Peer Conversation Hour
Presenter: Rachel Vandevort
Join Global Experiences Office Peer Advisors for this weekly roundtable in the Global Hub! Bring your questions about study abroad programs!
Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a
globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more
about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript,
receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to
prospective employers!
Conversations on Europe: Elections 2024: European Parliament Elections across the 27 Member States”
During this session of our Conversations on Europe, we will focus our discussion on the ongoing election campaign to the European Parliament, as the elections will take place between June 6th and 9th. With a looming economic slowdown, increasing migration both on the southern and eastern border of the EU, and growing support for populist and nationalist parties, what are the prospects for EU integration? What are the main topics of the campaign, and how will they impact the elections? Which parties will gain a majority in the upcoming five-year term and shape the future of the EU?
Moderators:
Jae-Jae Spoon, University of Pittsburgh
Zeynep Somer-Topcu, The University of Texas at Austin
Panelists:
Kai Arzheimer, University of Mainz
Catherine DeVries, Bocconi University
Jan Rovny, Sciences Po-Paris
Monday, April 8th, 2024
Talk Time – English Conversation Hour
Come meet international students, make friends, practice conversational English, and have fun together, during these weekly discussion groups coordinated by the English Language Institute. Feel free to bring your lunch :)
GEORG SPARBER-Ambassador of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the United States of America
A Fireside Chat with Dean Carissa Slotterback, GSPIA
Presenter: Moderated by: Prof. Randall Halle, European Studies Center
Location: William Pitt Union, Lower Level Lounge
Georg Sparber is Ambassador of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the United States of America since 2021. He also serves as Liechtenstein’s Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States.
Before assuming his current duties, he held the position of Deputy Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein to the United Nations in New York since January 2017. His portfolio included disarmament, peace and security and political issues.
Light refreshements will be proivded
Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024 to Thursday, April 3rd, 2025
Yellow Peril in Vladivostok: The Chinese Diaspora in Russia and the Soviet Union
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Presenter: Sören Urbansky, Ruhr University Bochum
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall
Dr. Urbansky discusses the challenges faced by Chinese immigrants during the late Tsarist Empire and early Soviet Union, highlighting the racial and cultural prejudices that fueled hostilities in urban settings. His analysis explores how these early interactions shaped the experiences and perceptions of Chinese communities in a rapidly changing socio-political landscape.
Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024
Global Experiences Peer Conversation Hour
Presenter: Rachel Vandevort
Join Global Experiences Office Peer Advisors for this weekly roundtable in the Global Hub! Bring your questions about study abroad programs!
Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a
globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more
about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript,
receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to
prospective employers!
The Roma in Europe: Development and Inclusion
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
The aim of this panel is to bring together academic and non-academic perspectives to reflect on two issues:
1) The challenges Europe/the EU faces in terms of programs that target Roma inclusion, equality, and community development.
2) Roma-driven social justice initiatives at the local, national, or transnational level that seek to address the gap between policy and community needs.
Moderated by:
Angéla Kóczé, Director of the Romani Studies Program (Central European University)
Zsuzsánna Magdó, Associate Director of the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (University of Pittsburgh)
Panelists:
Adriana Helbig, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies (DSAS) and Associate Professor of Music
László Fosztó, Senior Researcher (Romanian Institute for Research on National Minorities)
Silas Kropf, Independent Consultant and former Member of the Independent Commission on Anti-gypsyism in Germany
Monday, April 1st, 2024
Talk Time – English Conversation Hour
Come meet international students, make friends, practice conversational English, and have fun together, during these weekly discussion groups coordinated by the English Language Institute. Feel free to bring your lunch :)
Thursday, March 28th, 2024
The EU's Security and Defense Partnerships in a World in Transition
European Security: A European Studies Seminar
Presenter: Joachim A. Koops
Location: 4419 Posvar Hall
This seminar will provide an overview of the historical, legal, institutional, and policy dimensions of the EU’s evolution as an international security actor. It will examine the development
of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and will analyze the EU’s partnerships with core strategic partners, as well as the EU’s inter-organizational cooperation with the UN and NATO in the context of rising geopolitical rivalries. This will also include the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, shifting international alliances, and the future of European strategic
autonomy. Seats are limited to allow for good conversation.
About the Speaker:
Joachim A. Koops is Chair of Security Studies and Scientific Director (WD) of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) at Leiden University’s campus in The Hague. His research focuses on Global Security Governance and the European Union’s foreign and security policies, the role of the United Nations, European Union, NATO (and their inter-organizational relations) in peace and security as well as crisis management, peacekeeping, the responsibility to protect(R2P) and the changing nature of diplomacy. In addition, Joachim is interested in issues of academic diplomacy as well as higher education innovation and reform.
Facilitated by Randall Halle, Director of the European Studies Center, University of Pittsburgh.
EU Enlargement - Spotlight: Cyprus
EU ENLARGEMENT LECTURE SERIES: 20th Anniversary of the EU Enlargement
As part of our continued efforts to bring together experts with diverse perspectives to discuss contemporary issues facing Europe, the European Studies Center/European Union Center of Excellence (ESC/EUCE) along with the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (REEES) offers a new lecture series to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the EU Enlargement. This virtual lecture series will be held on the last Thursday of each month.
2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the biggest enlargement of the European Union in its history. Ten countries, mainly former socialist Eastern European states, almost doubled the EU from 15 to 25 member states. May 1, 2004, was the triumphal return to the European Family for many. But for some, it initiated a process of disenchantment with the EU and the West.
Each month, the ESC/EUCE, together with REEES at the University of Pittsburgh, will focus our attention on a specific country or a group of countries in the EU by inviting experts and eyewitnesses to discuss the hopes and realities of the EU integration before and after expansion to address what hopes were fulfilled and what new hopes exist for the Union in the present.
Each session is recorded and later posted on the internet with suggested additional readings and further resources. Please check out our webpage for more details and mark the last Thursday of the month to attend this event.
Moderator:
Panelist:
Tuesday, March 26th, 2024
Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a
globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more
about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript,
receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to
prospective employers!
Monday, March 25th, 2024
Talk Time – English Conversation Hour
Come meet international students, make friends, practice conversational English, and have fun together, during these weekly discussion groups coordinated by the English Language Institute. Feel free to bring your lunch :)
Saturday, March 23rd, 2024
Technology, Humanity, and Social Justice
As humans rely more and more on electronic devices to support their everyday activities, there are ever present warnings about the impacts such reliance has on human autonomy ranging from who owns and controls information networks, the inequitable impact of technology consumption on peoples and places, varying accessibility of technology around the globe, and the promises and limitations of technology in improving human health.
In Spring 2024, the focus will be on the impact technology has on criminal justice. This will include a discussion about technology’s impact on human safety, including the increasing use of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and other technology by various authorities of the criminal justice system. This will include discussions on the benefits and risks in the implementation and automation of such technology within criminal justice apparatuses. We will also consider how such implementation differs across global criminal justice systems, including how this technology is governed.
Friday, March 22nd, 2024
Technology, Humanity, and Social Justice
As humans rely more and more on electronic devices to support their everyday activities, there are ever present warnings about the impacts such reliance has on human autonomy ranging from who owns and controls information networks, the inequitable impact of technology consumption on peoples and places, varying accessibility of technology around the globe, and the promises and limitations of technology in improving human health.
In Spring 2024, the focus will be on the impact technology has on criminal justice. This will include a discussion about technology’s impact on human safety, including the increasing use of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and other technology by various authorities of the criminal justice system. This will include discussions on the benefits and risks in the implementation and automation of such technology within criminal justice apparatuses. We will also consider how such implementation differs across global criminal justice systems, including how this technology is governed.
European and Eurasian Undergraduate Research Symposium
The Undergraduate Research Symposium is an annual event since 2002 designed to provide undergraduate students, from the University of Pittsburgh and other colleges and universities, with advanced research experiences and opportunities to develop presentation skills. The event is open to undergraduates from all majors and institutions who have written a research
paper from a social science, humanities, or business perspective focusing on the study of Eastern, Western, or Central Europe, the European Union, Russia, or Central Eurasia.
After the initial submission of papers, selected participants are grouped into panels according to their research topics. The participants then give 10- to 15-minute presentations based on their research to a panel of faculty and graduate students. The presentations are open to the public.
Limited travel grants are available to help defray travel expenses for accepted participants located outside the Pittsburgh region.
Application deadline: January 7, 2024.
Symposium: March 22, 2024.
https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/creees/urs
Keynote Address: Past Identities or Moving Past Identity? Literary Cultures, Bureaucratic Aesthetics, and Forgotten Collectives in Eurasian History
Presenter: Dr. James Pickett
The broad rubric of identity is the single most dominant research agenda in academic scholarship, and Eurasian history is no exception. When it comes to questions of ethnic identity, scholars most often focus on groups that can boast some kind of institutional backing - such as a nation-state. Yet, historically, there were many ways that people integrated into collectives - whether or not they were conscious of doing so - that did not lead to a modern nation-state. This keynote address highlights some of the Central Asian groups all but forgotten by history, as well as non-identitarian forms of human integration, such as language, cultures of documentation, and performances of sovereignty.
Thursday, March 21st, 2024
Coffee With a Diplomat: Sherry Sykes
Location: Global Hub, First Floor Posvar Hall
Come have coffee and refreshments with Sherry Sykes, Pitt’s own Diplomat-in-Residence! She will provide guidance and mentorship to students interested in careers, internships, and fellowships with the U.S. State Department. Sherry will be available to chat anytime between 2-4 P.M. All are welcome!
Sherry is a senior Foreign Service officer, who previously served as Consul General in Durban, South Africa, and has held diplomatic postings in Mozambique, Nigeria and Ethiopia. In D.C. she has served in the State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, leading U.S. efforts on ocean, air, chemical and plastic pollution agreements, and in combating wildlife trafficking and climate change. As Diplomat-in-Residence, she will provide guidance and mentorship to students interested in careers, internships and fellowships with the U.S. State Department.
Sami Day
A Cultural Celebration of the Indigenous People of Northern Europe
Location: 4130 Posvar (FILM: 4310/4316)
Sami Day: A Cultural Celebration of the Indigenous People of Northern Europe
10:30am-12:30pm (Posvar 4310/4216 CUE Common Room)
- Watch the film Historja-Stitches for Sapmi (2022)
- Introduction by Randall Halle, Director of the European Studies Center at Pitt
12:30-2:00pm (Meet Virtually)
- Ann-Helen Laestadius, writer of international bestseller Stolen
- Anne Heith, Associate Professor in Comparative Literature and Media Studies
2:00-3:45pm
- Listen to Sami music and taste some light Sami snacks
Contact Gunnerl Bergstrom, LCTL Swedish Program (gwb40@pitt.edu)
Wednesday, March 20th, 2024
Rock Paper Grenade (2022)
Time: 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Based on Artem Chukh's autobiographical novel Who Are You?, this Ukrainian drama is an encounter in a provincial town between Tymofiy (a Ukrainian boy) and Felix, a charismatic veteran of the Afghan War, broken by PTSD. A difficult portrait of generational difficulties between children and adults in the Ukrainian 1990s, this film is a coming-of-age story about the first lessons of kindness and cruelty.
The screening will be followed by a talk with the film's director, Iryna Tsilyk. Tsilyk is a prominent Ukrainian director and poet whose awards include the Documentary Directing Award at Sundance (2020).
Tuesday, March 19th, 2024
Spring 2024 UCIS Digital Narrative Workshops
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Are you an undergraduate Pitt student planning to embark on a summer global experience? Join the Spring 2024 3-part UCIS Digital Narrative Workshop Series and create a short video to document your experience, which will be displayed on the big screen in the Global Hub!
3-part Workshop Series:
Workshop #1: Monday, February 26 | 5-8 pm | Posvar 4217
Workshop #2: Tuesday, March 5 | 5-8 pm | Posvar 4217
Workshop #3: Tuesday, March 19 | 5-7 pm | Global Hub (1st floor, Posvar Hall)
Note: Students should attend all 3 workshops. If you have class or other pressing conflicts, special exceptions might be made, although you are strongly encouraged to join as much as you can to get the most out of the experience!
Registration deadline: February 23
Global Experiences Peer Conversation Hour
Presenter: Rachel Vandevort
Join Global Experiences Office Peer Advisors for this weekly roundtable in the Global Hub! Bring your questions about study abroad programs!
Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a
globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more
about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript,
receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to
prospective employers!
International Careers Networking & Mentoring
Location: William Pitt Union Dining Room A
If you are interested in an international career, come join former and current government professionals to learn more about the range of opportunities available to early-career individuals! Panelists will talk about their career journeys followed by small breakout groups where students can ask questions and gain mentorship. Refreshments will be served.
Panelists:
Isabel Brum - U.S. Department of State Thomas R Pickering Fellow, University of Pittsburgh (linkedin.com/in/isabel-brum)
Betty Cruz - World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, President and CEO( linkedin.com/in/bettycruz)
Megan Keil - Peace Corps, Regional Recruiter, Office of Volunteer Recruitment & Selection (linkedin.com/in/megan-keil)
Julia Santucci - University of Pittsburgh, Senior Lecturer in Intelligence Studies and Director, Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership (linkedin.com/in/julia-santucci-431732129)
Sherry Zalika Sykes - U.S. Department of State, Diplomat in Residence Allegheny (linkedin.com/in/diplomat-in-residence-allegheny-4bb223288)
High School Euro Challenge Competition
Location: 100 South Jackson Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202
The Euro Challenge is a competition for high school students on European economic and monetary policy. It gives participants the opportunity to learn about the Euro, the single market, and other important concepts central to the European Union and macro/microeconomics.
The PA regional competition is hosted by the University of Pittsburgh, with generous support from Northgate High School who provided space for the event.
Monday, March 18th, 2024
"Memories of a Massacre: A Dialogue with Alessandro Portelli on the 80th Anniversary of the Fosse Ardeatine in Rome"
Location: Sennot Square Room 4127
In occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Fosse Ardeatine massacre in Rome, oral historian Alessandro Portelli will lead a discussion of his book, The Order Has Been Carried Out (2003), a seminal work that challenged long held assumptions about the event.
On March 23, 1944, during the Nazi occupation of Rome, a partisan unit detonated a bomb in Via Rasella that killed thirty-three German police officials. In the span of a day, the Germans retaliated by killing 335 Italian civilians in an abandoned quarry outside of Rome known as the Fosse Ardeatine. Following the massacre, a false narrative emerged that the Germans had carried out the reprisal only after the partisans failed to turn themselves in. Portelli's book examines the struggle over the memory of this event, as well as key assumptions about Rome, the German occupation, and war using oral testimony from two hundred interviews.
We are using this conversation as an occasion not only to remember the events of Fosse Ardeatine but also to discuss the production of knowledge about traumatic events, as well as the meanings and ellipses present in collective memory. By conducting a critical inquiry into the narratives surrounding the massacre with Portelli, we will explore how to identify and challenge our assumptions and biases about histories we think we know well. We will investigate the role of dialogue in oral testimony--the foundational importance of the relationship between and interviewer and their subject--and how Portelli shaped The Order around this dialogue.
Moderated by Rachel Love, Department of French and Italian.
Tuesday, March 12th, 2024
Conversations on Europe: The Russian war in Ukraine: Displaced People and Changing Security Concerns
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine transformed European security concerns dramatically. It has disrupted the lives of countless people in the region. It triggered a new wave of rapid forced migration throughout the EU and in other neighboring countries. Displacement from the war impacts not only Ukrainian women and children fleeing to Poland, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, and other neighboring countries. It has also affected Russians avoiding mobilization or Russian intellectuals avoiding repressions in their home country.
Unfortunately, at a time of record numbers of internal and external displaced persons worldwide, the number of people seeking asylum has now risen in Central Asia and Caucasus. In addition to considering the overall security situation resulting from the war, this Conversation on Europe will ask: How do these movements of people affect the current situation in the EU and in receiving countries? How have societies and state apparatuses reacted to this migration, and what can we learn from these dynamics? What role does “security” and securitization play in these processes?
Moderator:
Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh
Panelist: TBD
Thursday, March 7th, 2024
The Polycrisis-Ethnicity, Migration, Climate, and Inequality: Where do Europe and the Nation State go?
European Security: A European Studies Seminar
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall
Hrishabh Sandaliya, Co-Director of European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM)
In this session he will speak candidly, offering insight from his "lived experience as a migrant,
student, entrepreneur and civil society activist on the seeming impossibility of Europe today, and the hope -the relational and imagination infrastructures we need to ensure its continuity." Specifically, he hopes to relate "my time in and from Europe's different nooks and corners - borders (Cyprus and Armenia), Scandinavia, MittelEuropa and its capital, to the numerous challenges we face, and posit that perhaps we need a different way to make sense of our world and address these issues -beyond the binaries of black and white and left and right." Seats are limited to allow for good conversation.
About the Speaker:
Hrishabh Sandilya is Co-Director of EPIM, the European Programme for Integration and Migration and Co-lead at ReImagined Futures, a collective systems change consultancy. Sandilya works on narratives, systems, and imagination and relational infrastructures as Co-Director of EPIM, the European Programme for Integration and Migration and at ReImagined Futures, a collective systems change consultancy he co-leads. Between 2018 and 2022, Hrishabh setup and led Project Phoenix in Cyprus working on refugee inclusion and entrepreneurship, building on a decade-long body of work in the non-profit, academic, and entrepreneurial worlds across Czechia, Armenia, India, and Sweden. Hrishabh occasionally opines and comments and his work has been featured on Czech Television and in Project Syndicate and the Indian Express (amongst others). Hrishabh was raised in Bombay and then spent 12 years in Prague, building a parallel life within the city’s engrossing cultural scene - as a restaurateur, curating a gallery and a regular DJ gig at one of the city’s favorite clubs. After naturalizing as a Czech citizen, the rest of Europe beckoned, resulting in a meandering trail through Berlin, Yerevan, Sweden’s idyllic south coast, Nicosia and eventually Brussels, during which he complimented professional pursuits with time spent sailing and filmmaking, and back at university. Hrishabh was a 2023 Marshall Memorial Fellow.
Facilitated by Randall Halle, Director: European Studies Center, University of Pittsburgh
Tuesday, March 5th, 2024
Spring 2024 UCIS Digital Narrative Workshops
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Are you an undergraduate Pitt student planning to embark on a summer global experience? Join the Spring 2024 3-part UCIS Digital Narrative Workshop Series and create a short video to document your experience, which will be displayed on the big screen in the Global Hub!
3-part Workshop Series:
Workshop #1: Monday, February 26 | 5-8 pm | Posvar 4217
Workshop #2: Tuesday, March 5 | 5-8 pm | Posvar 4217
Workshop #3: Tuesday, March 19 | 5-7 pm | Global Hub (1st floor, Posvar Hall)
Note: Students should attend all 3 workshops. If you have class or other pressing conflicts, special exceptions might be made, although you are strongly encouraged to join as much as you can to get the most out of the experience!
Registration deadline: February 23
Languages and Cultures Across the Curriculum: Understanding the Landscape, Exploring Possibilities
Presenter: Dr. Doaa Rashed
Integrating languages and cultures across the curriculum is an innovative approach that fosters a holistic educational experience. By intertwining diverse linguistic and cultural elements into various subjects, students gain a deeper understanding of cultural competence and global perspectives relevant to their disciplines. This method not only enhances language proficiency but also promotes empathy, cross-cultural communication, and a nuanced appreciation for the rich tapestry of human expression. Ultimately, it prepares students to navigate an interconnected world with cultural sensitivity and linguistic versatility. The talk aims to explore models of curriculum development and assessment to build and sustain CLAC programming in higher education. The speaker also presents current practices in the Language Engagement Project at Rutgers University.
Speaker:
Doaa Rashed, Ph.D.
Associate Teaching Professor, Department of English
Director, Language Engagement Project
Co-Director, Language and Social Justice Initiative
Rutgers, the State University of NJ
Sunday, March 3rd, 2024
Summer Institute for Global Educators 2024
Global conflicts, climate change, and unequal development challenge both societal and personal resilience by causing displacement, restricting resources, and counteracting efforts for a renewable world. Whether in urban or rural areas, people across the world grapple with creating sustainable livelihoods, ecosystems, social infrastructures, and economies. If resilience can be defined as the competence to reduce precarity during a crisis and build a more thriving society after, how can we best encourage students to learn about and become agents for global resilience?
The 2024 Summer Institute offers a free, week-long professional development opportunity for K-12 educators, combining joint sessions with self-selected tracks that balance interactive activities with time for individual research while prioritizing support for the design of high-quality curricular materials. All sessions will be held virtually. Educators from Title I and Title III schools are particularly encouraged to apply.
Thursday, February 29th, 2024
International Night
Location: Lincoln Elementary School
The International Night at Lincoln School was a lively gathering, with around 200-250 people attending, including 81 students who signed up via Google form. People from various countries, like Mexico, Japan, and Italy, brought delicious food to share. The event showed how diverse the community is. Also, we learned that 20.3% of Lincoln students qualify for free/reduced lunch, the highest in the district.
International Culture Day
Location: Lincoln Elementary School
The International Night at Lincoln School was lively, with around 200-250 people attending, including 81 students who signed up via Google form. People from various countries, like Mexico, Japan, and Italy, brought delicious food to share. There was even a map where attendees could mark where they were from. It showed how diverse our community is. Also, we learned that 20.3% of Lincoln students qualify for free/reduced lunch, the highest in the district. Teachers at the Lincoln Elementary School thanked the University of Pittsburgh for its support. They hope to work together again in the future.
European Union as a Civilizing Power: Reminiscent of the Past?
Presenter: Dr. Yannis Stivachtis
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall
In this meeting we will consider whether and to what extent the rhetoric and practice of the European Union resembles the rhetoric and practices associated with the historical European
international society and its expansion that led to the creation of the contemporary global international society. To this end, two comparisons will be made: first, between the historical
standard of 'civilization’ and EU’s conditionality; and second, between how Russia and the Ottoman Empire were perceived and treated in previous centuries with the way that the EU has treated the cases of Russia and Turkey in recent years.
Yannis A. Stivachtis is Professor of Political Science and Jean Monnet Chair at Virginia Tech where he serves as Director of the Center for European Union, Transatlantic and Trans-European Space Studies (CEUTTSS) - A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence. He is the editor of Routledge’ Critical European Studies book series and co-editor of the Athens Journal of Mediterranean Studies. He currently serves as Senior Advisor of the Center for European and Mediterranean Affairs (CEMA) of the Athens Institute for
Education & Research (ATINER) (Greece) and Senior Advisor of the Research Institute for European & American Studies (RIEAS, Greece). His research and teaching interests include international relations theory (with particular emphasis on the English School of International Relations and the study of regional international system/society in
Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East), European Studies (including EU’s strategy, CFSP/CSDP, Enlargement, and ENP), European Security (including arms control and disarmament), and international organizations in Europe (NATO, OSCE, CoE, CSTO and EAEU). He previously taught at The American College of Switzerland, the Geneva School of Diplomacy;
International Relations, the European Institute of the University of Geneva, and the Vienna Diplomatic Academy and served as Research Fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), the Institute for Strategic Studies- of the Austrian Ministry of Defense, the Austrian Institute of European & Security Policy (AIES); and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). He has authored and edited several books and has published numerous journal articles and book chapters.
Moderator: Randall Halle--Director, European Studies Center
Seats are limited to allow for good conversation.
International Studies Digital Portfolio Workshops
Location: A522 Public Health - Crabtree
A Digital Portfolio (ePortfolio) is required for all students completing area or global studies certificates. The ePortfolio will help you synthesize your experiences inside and outside the classroom to demonstrate your understanding of world regions and global issues. You will also learn how to use the ePortfolio in future job and graduate school applications!
EU Enlargement - Spotlight: Hungary
Moderator/s:
Gabriella Lukacs, University of Pittsburgh
Erica Edwards, University of Pittsburgh
Panelists:
Zsuzsanna Szelényi, Founding Director, CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy
Ms. Szelényi is a former politician from Hungary, foreign policy specialist, author and Founding Director at the CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy. She is conducting research on how autocratic politics is influencing and shaping the future of the European Union. In the framework of the Democracy Institute Leadership Academy, her team develops a curriculum supporting pro-democracy activists in Central and Eastern Europe. Her book, Tainted Democracy, Viktor Orbán and the Subversion of Hungary, was listed among the best books in 2023 by Foreign Affairs.
Stefano Bottoni, Università degli Studi di Firenze (UNIFI)
Dr. Bottoni, PhD in Modern and Contemporary History (University of Bologna, 2005), is an Associate Professor at the SAGAS Department of the University of Florence. Between 2009 and 2019, he was a senior research fellow at the Research Center for the Humanities of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He was visiting fellow at the Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung (Potsdam, 2012), and Fellow of Imre Kertész Kolleg (Jena, 2015). His current research focuses on the historical legacies of illiberal rule in contemporary Hungary. He is the author of Orbán, Un despota in Europa (Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2019) and Obsessed with Power: Orbán's Hungary, published in Hungarian by Magyar Hang Könyvek in 2023.
"Peculiar Subjective Symptoms": The Limits of "Shell Shock" and its Impact on the Legacy of the First World War
Location: 602 Humanities Center, Cathedral of Learning
Announced by:
on behalf of
Hosted by the Humanities Center and faculty fellow, Bridget Keown. Respondents include Alexander Tough (Hispanic Languages and Literatures) & Susan Grayzel (History, Utah State University). This event will be hybrid, so you can attend it either in person in 602 CL or via Zoom as you prefer.
The “shell-shocked soldier” remains one of the most enduring images of the First World War, and often serves as a symbol for the anguish of combatant soldiers across time and space. Even now, scholars and writers liken “shell shock” with “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)”, often describing them as the same condition with different names and political meaning (Vance & Howell, 2020). While there is value in noting that war has always harmed those it touches, this lack of specificity also deters analysis into the construction of “shell shock” during the First World War, and the biases that continue to inform trauma research and diagnoses to the present day. My paper argues that, in professional discourse around “shell shock”, both doctors and military officials focused on combatant men, and relied on pre-war theories of gendered behavior, emotions, and self-control to define their condition, only developing new tactics and theories where necessary for victory. As a result, many groups of people, including women, did not receive consideration as patients. I analyze medical journals, conference reports, and popular media of the First World War, showing how doctors justified their choices in constructing “shell shock,” and discussing the implications such choices would have on those who were excluded, specifically women. I argue that the limits of “shell shock,” as a diagnosis and as a symbol, continue to inhibit discussions of war trauma in the past and the present.