Events

The computing and digital revolutions have created new tools and capabilities that are challenging the liberal world order. If the Cold War was an era of static state superpowers, modern computing gives not only developed states but even a moderately trained rebel group their own superpowers: to teleport their presence around the globe, move vast sums of money instantly, and make evidence vanish. From Wikileaks to the hacking of elections, headlines across the democratic world have highlighted transnational cyber-enabled crime, violence and polarization. The goal of this workshop is to bring scholars together from a variety of backgrounds to discuss whether current concepts and theories are sufficient to suggest solutions to these cyber dilemmas, particularly for open liberal democracies. Topics would include current and emerging cyber security challenges like hacking, election manipulation and disinformation, cyber crime, online radicalization, as well as topics related to domestic and international trust and distrust, including intelligence cooperation, surveillance, repression, leaking and whistle-blowing, evolving alliance commitments and rivalries. One cross-cutting theme that will be of particular interest is how the tools and technologies maintained by international cooperation and liberal societies, such as the internet, open source software and free social media, are being used to undercut governance and bipartisanship; and what can be done about it.

Come and join the African Studies Program to welcome in the new academic year. Meet staff, affiliated faculty and fellow students and discuss the program, events for the year and opportunities for engagement!

Join us for tea and conversation from 2-3 pm in the Kurtzman Room. Visit the information and activity tables from Pitt and local community groups. The program will start at 3 pm and include interfaith prayers, a keynote speech, and cultural performances in the Assembly Room.

Nisi Shawl will present on themes that surround her recent novel "Everfair" which is set in an alternative future of the Congo. Please join us for an interesting conversation!

Everfair is a wonderful Neo-Victorian alternate history novel that explores the question of what might have come of Belgium's disastrous colonization of the Congo if the native populations had learned about steam technology a bit earlier. Fabian Socialists from Great Britian join forces with African-American missionaries to purchase land from the Belgian Congo's "owner," King Leopold II. This land, named Everfair, is set aside as a safe haven, an imaginary Utopia for native populations of the Congo as well as escaped slaves returning from America and other places where African natives were being mistreated.

Come here about your fellow ASP students' summer experiences in Africa. Whether it be in the Tanzania, Ghana or South Africa study abroad programs, the Uganda field-based internship program, or independent research and learning, your fellow students have some amazing stories to tell. This is a great opportunity for you to learn about options and logistics if you are contemplating studying or working abroad in Africa this coming summer!

Pitt's Model UN Student Club will host the 22nd Annual University of Pittsburgh Model United Nations Conference on Monday, November 5th, 2018!

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. Pitt Model United Nations is a long-standing club at the University of Pittsburgh. The club prepares and competes in Model United Nations conferences throughout the year. Through the conferences, our club members have the opportunity to gain knowledge on current events, international relations, and countries' diplomacy.

Dr. Oni is a visiting professor at Robert Morris University this fall. He specializes in Sociology of Education. His area of research focus includes; social problems in education, Social change in education, social deviances/social disorganizations in education with particular focus on students’ secret cult in Nigeria.