THE WHITE WOMEN OF HARLEM
Davis Distinguished Professor of American Literature Carla Kaplan released her book Miss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the Black Renaissance. The ground-breaking group biography has received much acclaim from media outlets, such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and NPR. Professor Kaplan is now in the midst of a national book tour.
15 MINUTES WITH POTUS
Senior international affairs and political science combined major Connor Goddard took home top honors at the inaugural “15 Minutes with POTUS” competition hosted by George Mason’s School of Public Policy. Connor demonstrated his policy briefing skills against other students – undergraduate and graduate – from across the country. He presented his winning brief “ Policy Options in the Syrian Civil War” to a panel of judges, which included former U.S. Senator Charles S. Robb; former director of the CIA and NSA, General Michael V. Hayden; and Dr. Janine Davidson, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense of Plans. Connor has also recently received an Undergraduate Research Award from the Provost’s Office for his project entitled, “The Development of Political Parties in Jordan.”
ASL ALUM ELECTED PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL ORGANIZATION
Dawn Whitcher, a 2001 alum of the American Sign Language Program and current ASL lecturer at Northeastern, has been elected president of the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). RID plays a leading role in advocating for excellence in the delivery of interpretation and transliteration services between people who use sign language and people who use spoken language. Dawn, who will serve a two-year term, credits the passion of the Northeastern faculty for instilling in her a passion for what she does, the key to serving as president of the organization.
EXPERTISE ON SYRIA
Several CSSH faculty members have provided expertise and insight into the latest news events in Syria in order to help us to better understand the issues. Associate Professor of Political Science Denise Garcia wrote about global norms in the context of Syria for the Academic Council on the United Nations System; Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Denis Sullivan, who co-directs of the Middle East Center, wrote about U.S. intervention in Syria for the Carnegie Corporation’s Perspectives on International Peace and Security series; and Assistant Professor of Public Policy Max Abrahms has been interviewed extensively by international media outlets and has outlined the implications of an attack on Syria for news@Northeastern. Professors Sullivan, Abrahms, and Professor of Sociology Valentine Moghadam also took part in the panel “Syria and the World” held at Northeastern on October 8.
AFGHAN NATIONALISM AND TREES
Associate Professor of Political Science Amilcar Barreto and Mariam Raqib PhD’11 authored the article, “The Taliban, religious revival and innovation in Afghan nationalism,” which has been accepted for publication by the journal National Identities. The article examines the Taliban movement and asks how we should assess nationalist movements’ claims of antiquity. While writing the article, the Afghanistan-born Raqib has founded and now directs the Afghan Tree Project, a campaign to repopulate the war-torn Afghan landscape with trees. For more on this project, view the campaign summary here.
FROM CO-OP STUDENT TO INTERNATIONALLY-PUBLISHED AUTHOR
On a co-op in Belgrade, Serbia with CANVAS, the Center for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies, international affairs senior Tori Porell conceived the idea for a handbook for activists, which would focus on overcoming governmental oppression. After close collaboration with her supervisor and inspired by her work with young Syrian activists, Porell drafted the handbook. It has just now come to life in a powerfully illustrated, 80-page published edition. The organization is also running a fundraising campaign to further distribute the handbook and put it into the hands of those fighting for democracy who need it the most.
CONTESTING THE INDIAN CITY
Associate Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs Gavin Shatkin released his most recent book Contesting the Indian City: Global Visions and the Politics of the Local. Professor Shatkin edited the volume, which features a collection of cutting-edge empirical studies that offer insights into issues of politics, equity, and space relating to urban development in modern India. He wrote or co-wrote several of the chapters, including one with Northeastern Assistant Professor of Sociology Liza Weinstein entitled “Contested Developments: Enduring Legacies and Emergent Political Actors in Contemporary Urban India.” Professor Weinstein also wrote the chapter, “‘One-Man Handled’: Fragmented Power and Political Entrepreneurship in Globalizing Mumbai.”
EMBRACING ORGANIC WASTE
On September 21, The Boston Globe published an op-ed by Joan Fitzgerald, professor and interim dean of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, entitled, “Boston needs to embrace curbside collection of organic waste.” Professor Fitzgerald explains how far behind Boston is to other similar-sized cities across the country in recycling rate, particularly that of organic waste. In support for the state starting an organic waste diversion program she writes, “Recycling is the low-hanging fruit of urban sustainability. For a city just named the most energy efficient in the nation, we shouldn’t settle for being in the bottom third.”
