In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the EUCE/ESC and the Department of German are pleased to present a group of events to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall. Author of the book “Berlin Now: The City After the Wall”, Peter Schneider, who moved to Berlin in 1962 and witnessed the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, visits the University of Pittsburgh to share his experiences as keen observer of Berlin. His novel Der Mauerspringer (The Wall Jumper) was first published in 1983, and has become a classic. In it he describes life in the shadow of the Wall.

University of Pittsburgh Alumni and local international business professionals will present about employment options and important skill development for those interested in careers in international business.

During her studies in the GSPIA PhD program, Vera Achvarina was a researcher at the Ford Institute for Human Security from 2005 through 2007. She will present on:

-A Ford institute project under her leadership which closely examined security situations in African refugee and IDP camps.
-Her research on child soldiering seeking to answer why some armed rebel groups recruit minors for armed conflict while others do not.
-Her recent co-authored work on transitional justice in Northern Uganda and people's attitudes towards retribution.

Have you ever thought about interning or working with refugees or internally displaced people (IDP) in a camp where they sought shelter?

Vera Achvarina conducted research in a refugee camp (Liberian refugee camp in Ghana) for her doctoral fieldwork.

Hear about camp conditions, viability of interning at a camp, and ways to do field research with people in this situation.

Orientalism and Hollywood: A Match Made in Heaven

Join Dr. Luke Peterson, UCIS Visiting Professor in Contemporary International Issues at The University of Pittsburgh for a film screening event and discussion connecting the contemporary practice of Orientalism with modern American culture, Hollywood films, and twenty-first century American policy in the Middle East and beyond. The film screening and discussion will take place on Friday, September 19, 3:00-5:00pm in 4130 Posvar Hall.

Learn about the various events and programs the GSC offers through this opportunity to interact with various faculty, GSC students, and staff. Mingle with current and new Global Studies students, fellows, and faculty and learn about our new programming initiatives.

The 2011 documentary film visits more than a dozen countries across five continents to discover what makes people happy. Among those who share their thoughts with Academy Award-nominated director Roko Belic and his crew are a crab fisherman in Louisiana, a Kolkata rickshaw driver, an Okinawa centenarian, a lifelong surfer dude, and scientists who probe the neuropsychological roots of our emotional lives. The film addresses many of the fundamental conflicts inherent in modern society and provides insights into ways to not only cope but thrive.

For the last decade there has been wide debate on European Union (EU) as a normative power actor in international politics. Visiting scholar Işık Kuşçu contributes to this debate by analyzing the impact of the EU in Kazakhstan in the field of human rights. As one of the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, Kazakhstan has emerged as an actor with a desire to win the recognition of the West as a modern, progressive power in the region. While the EU`s engagement in Central Asia does not have a long history, it considers Kazakhstan an important partner in the region.

Jason Dury is an International Security and Crisis Management leader with experience in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, Insider Threat and Corporate Espionage awareness among other areas. With over 20 years of experience, he has served in the US Intelligence Community, worked for Fortune 500® companies, and as a consultant to corporations and individuals around the world. He has successfully developed key security programs for employee travel safety, investigations, and corporate information protection to enable success in the complex international business arena.

With responses by Paul Bove (English), Nancy Condee (Global Studies), and Michael Goodhart (Political Science)

Readings for Thursday's colloquium can be found here.