Professor Spoon’s presentation is based on work (with Heike Klüver) on how voter polarization affects party responsiveness. The authors analyze party responsiveness across nine West European countries and argue that party responsiveness increases with the polarization of issues among voters. Professor Spoon is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at North Texas and a candidate for the position in European politics in the Department of Political Science.

This paper is based on Professor Slapins’ forthcoming Cambridge University Press book (with Sven-Oliver Proksch) of the same title. Professor Slapin is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Houston and a candidate for the position in European politics in the Department of Political Science.

Countering violent extremism remains a critical security challenge confronting Western democratic societies. Policy makers face difficult questions about how to prevent their citizens from engaging in terrorism, what to do with citizens that seek to travel abroad to fight in “jihad,” and how to minimize the potential for violent attacks when fighters return to their countries of origin. Local communities also have an important role to play in countering violent extremism.

The exhibit will be on display in the 2nd floor display cases of Hillman library from November to March, and will include various photographs, articles, and items featuring Berlin between World War II and the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Model United Nations provides students the opportunity to learn about and discuss today's most relevant issues of international diplomacy through participation in an academic simulation.

Major General Gronski has commanded troops in Iraq, Europe and, as Commanding General of the 28th Infantry Division, oversees the men and woman who serve in Pennsylvania's National Guard. Major General Gronski also deployed the 28th Infantry Division headquarters in support of Exercise Rochambeau in France during the summer of 2014.

Free and open to the public, the Society for Ethnomusicology is offering a free workshop to those interested in learning the basics of Irish dance. Registration is not necessary for this portion of the conference's program.

Welcome and Brief Introduction: Meng Ren, PhD Candidate, Department of Music

Dance Menu:
Two Hand Reel
Walls of Limerick
Waves of Tory
Gay Gordon

Dance Performance by Children of the Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance

Haymaker's Jig
Two Hand Honpipe
Rakes of mallow
Keel Row

The number of refugees entering the EU and Turkey has risen dramatically as a result of conflicts and crises in North Africa and the Middle East. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHRC) reported that European countries recorded 264,000 asylum applications during the first six months of 2014, an increase of 24 per cent from the same period the year before. The largest increase – 73 per cent – in asylum seekers was reported by countries in Southern Europe, in particular Italy and Turkey.

Center Associate Dr. Gabriella Saputelli will explore the characteristics and the evolution of EU citizenship 20+ years after the Maastricht Treaty. She will consider EU citizenship in light of the finding by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that it “…is intended to be the fundamental status of nationals of the Member States”. In fact, the way in which EU citizenship and ECJ case law function raises questions about its future development.