- The Political Pulse
- Posts
- June 2024
Head’s Message
This edition of Political Pulse highlights the department's events and achievements over the last year. Our faculty have diligently overseen defenses, grading papers, and getting back to research projects. I congratulate all our successful MA students who completed their degree in the 2023-24 academic year. A list of those defenses is included in this issue. Additionally, faculty members have received accolades (Dr. Major for Outstanding Principal Investigator) and participated actively in student-led conferences and initiatives, such as Dr. Richez's involvement with the French Open Door Day and the mock constitutional negotiations.
This newsletter marks the end of this academic year. Look forward to the next issue in September, which will continue faculty profiles and departmental updates.
As we conclude the academic year, I extend heartfelt congratulations to all our graduates at both the BA and MA levels. The convocation ceremony is scheduled for June 4th. As you venture into new beginnings, I wish you the utmost success and hope you remain in contact to share your future achievements. Remember, if you wish to continue receiving these newsletters, please subscribe using any new email address you may have.
As for me, I’m taking Tulip off on a road trip to the West in June. Look forward to the September issue where we will give you highlights of the trip. Have a safe and productive summer!
Tulip and Dr. Miljan heading off for a road trip
Trip to Brussels sprouts insight into European Union
Students from the University of Windsor and Western University pose in front of the European Commission’s Berlaymont building, in the heart of the European quarter in Brussels, Belgium.
A trip to Brussels to learn about the European Union surpassed the expectations of fourth-year political science major Taylor Lafontaine.
Taylor was one of 14 UWindsor students accompanying six from Western University on EU Study Abroad, a political science course taught by Dr. Stephen Brooks.
“The experience has been amazing in all respects,” Lafontaine said. “Although there was certainly a novelty to being in Europe, my trip was truly informative and worthwhile in ways that I did not expect.”
For two weeks, students were involved in the experiential learning program and immersed in the culture of EU politics, where they participated in briefings from policy-makers, administrators, diplomats, journalists, and non-governmental organization researchers at their places of work.
Overall, the students took part in approximately 40 hours of educational and cultural activities, including meetings with officials of all the major EU institutions and NATO; the United Kingdom, Chinese, German, and Turkish missions to the EU; and spokespersons for NGOs including International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch, and the anti-human trafficking group Payoke; and Matina Stevis-Gridneff, the New York Times EU bureau chief.
Cultural activities included tours of Leuven and Antwerp, a visit to the House of European History, hiking in the Flemish countryside immortalized by landscape painter Pieter Bruegel, a tour of the Stella Artois brewery in its original location, and a sobering visit to the Nazi transit camp Fort Breendonk that drove home the original and continuing reason for the European integration project.
Misha Gagnidze, entering his fourth year in international relations and development studies, recommends the experience to future students.
“The program was an amazing experience which opened me up to new perspectives and insight into the workings of international relations,” he said. “It was great to meet new people and those who play a part on the global political landscape.”
Students received scholarships from the University of Windsor’s Go Global STEPs program to participate in this opportunity. Go Global STEPs is a Global Skills Opportunity project that is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and administered jointly by Universities Canada and Colleges and Institutes Canada.
Event opens door to study of French
The second annual Francophone Open Door Day promoted French-language programming at the University of Windsor to high school students.
More than 150 Grade 11 students from French and French immersion high schools came to campus April 30 for the second annual Francophone Open Door Day.
Organized by Languages, Literatures & Culture department head Tanja Collet-Najem; political science professor Emmanuelle Richez; and Sheri Lowrie, recruitment and outreach co-ordinator in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences ¾ and supported by all French Studies faculty, the event promotes French-language programming at the University of Windsor.
“We want to raise awareness among future applicants that there is a significant shortage of qualified French-language personnel in a number of areas on the job market in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent,” said Dr. Collet-Najem.
Among the shortages she identified in relevant sectors are teachers in French and French immersion school systems; nurses, technicians, and other health-care practitioners; judges in courts of law; and translators, editors, speech pathologists, computer programmers, and other language professionals.
A secondary aim of this event is to highlight the size and vitality of the French-language minority of Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent, an area officially designated as bilingual by the province of Ontario.
Visitors came from École secondaire catholique E.J. Lajeunesse, École secondaire catholique l'Essor, École secondaire catholique pour adultes Sainte Trinité, and French immersion programs at Sandwich Secondary School and Saint-Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School.
After being welcomed to campus by Erika Kustra, associate vice-president academic, and Cheryl Collier, dean of FAHSS, they heard a plenary address by Drs. Collet-Najem and Richez highlighting French-language programming at the University of Windsor and the area’s need for French-language professionals.
French literature professor Jeremy Worth gave a mock lecture on the poetry of Québécois poet Émile Nelligan and Richez delivered a mock lecture on political science. Collet-Najem moderated a student panel with six UWindsor student participants: French studies majors Sascha Batke, Carter Hodgins, Soleen Depape, and Athina Woldemichael, and political science students Victorieuse Samboa and Andrelle Mboudjeke. The panellists spoke about what made them choose French at Windsor, life on campus, their career aspirations, and more.
Community organizations that joined this year’s event included Workforce Windsor-Essex, Centre communautaire francophone Windsor-Essex-Kent, and Association des communautés francophones de l'Ontario, Windsor-Essex-Chatham-Kent.
Model United Nations develops student skills
High school students roleplay as delegates to the United Nations during a conference organized by UWindsor political science students April 26.
Delegates to the Model United Nations conference hosted by UWindsor political science students for local high schoolers April 26 in the Toldo Health Education Centre impressed faculty advisor Jesse Salah Ovadia.
“Our political science program attracts passionate students like these, so I know I’m going to be seeing them in my classes very soon,” Dr. Ovadia said.
He also praised the students who organized the conference, the first held in person since 2019: “I’m so proud of the work our students have done putting this event together for local high schools.”
First-year political science student Abhilaksh Abhilaksh, whose own experience dates to Grade 9 and includes more than 50 Model UNs, served as secretary-general. He said the conference is educational for the delegates.
“High school students attending this conference learn more about international cooperation; learn to be a global citizen; and improve their research, public speaking, argumentation, critical thinking, and communications skills,” Abhilaksh said.
Attendees represented a country in sessions of either the Security Council or the General Assembly.
Teams act as national delegations, research the issues to be discussed, and write a one-page position paper. Over the course of the day, they form alliances to develop and adopt resolutions addressing each issue.
Under-secretary-general Jana Jandal Alrifai is a third-year environmental studies major with a minor in political science. She said the General Assembly debated the ongoing global concern of children’s safety in Haiti.
“We use issues that have been recently resolved, or are still being discussed, and compare their resolution with the one the UN passed, Alrifai said. “Sometimes we come up with a better resolution.”
In contrast, the Security Council took on a territorial dispute between Cyprus and Turkey, said third-year international relations student Tan Kaur: “The UN resolved this dispute earlier this year.”
Teams were evaluated on their teamwork, research, and communication skills by secondary school teachers in attendance. Vincent Massey Secondary School took top honours with its team members Zayna Yousuf, Iman Ahmer, Ajay Bullar, Sitraj Singh Gadhri, Heba bint Naveed Qazi Raika Alam, Nermeen Mohie el-Deen, and Joban Singh.
The student organizers have already started planning for a larger conference next year.
CAP-CF’s Mock Constitutional Negotiations
Abhilaksh Abhilaksh, Andrelle Mboudjeke, Dr. Richez, Lorelei Sullivan, Elyssa Leitch, & Victorieuse Sambao
Dr. Richez accompanied five students for the mock constitutional negotiations at the Donald Gordon Hotel and Conference Centre, located in Kingston, ON.
Participating students represented the federal government, a province, a territory, an Indigenous nation, or even an interest group (union, social group, etc.). The student delegates were pressed to agree on amendments to be made to the Canadian Constitution, according to the formulas in force, to reform the Senate. The participants were tasked to look more specifically at the functioning of Canadian bicameralism, the role of the Senate in the Canadian federation, the representation of various communities, the selection and mandate of senators, as well as the amendment process and possible non-constitutional reforms. They received training in advance, through prior readings, and on site, through presentations given by guest speakers.
Outstanding Scholars gala honours student faculty achievements
Linda Alrefaee and Hanan Zahra display medals they received at the Outstanding Scholars gala May 3.
The first Outstanding Scholars Gala and Annual Awards Ceremony hosted family, friends, peers, and colleagues May 3 to celebrate the achievements of graduating students and award winners from the program, which provides undergraduate students with six paid research placements, peer mentorship initiatives, scholarship advising, social events, leadership curriculum, and publishing opportunities.
“I am delighted to see the work of the Outstanding Scholars students and faculty celebrated. They are the underpinning framework for much of the undergraduate research work at the University of Windsor,” says program lead Tim Brunet.
The gala was organized by the Outstanding Scholars Gala Committee and the Outstanding Scholars Student Council.
Council president Hannah Ferasol, an integrative biology major, says the ceremony is a new tradition she hopes to see grow.
“I am inspired every day by my peers and was so glad to be able to help plan an event that celebrated their achievements,” she says. “I look forward to the upcoming year to continue this new celebration of excellence.”
Awards conferred at the event include:
Outstanding Scholars candidate – Victorieuse Sambao
Second-year student – Nicole Vanier
Third-year student – Rohan Talukdar
Fourth-year student – Tim Igbokwe
Student research award – Eeesha Atikkuke
Leadership award – Jeannette Vanier
Alumni Recognition award – Anita Hu
Outstanding Principal investigator award – Rebecca Major
Research Mentor award – faculty member Ofelia Jianu and student Alan Cieslukowski
Peer Mentor award – Hanan Zahra
Completed Graduate Defenses 2023-24
Congratulations to all our graduate students for completing the 2023/24 academic year.
Zahra Khan (M.A.), Monday, May 13, 2024, “The Efficacy and Challenges of Lobbying Regulation in Canada: A Comprehensive Analysis”
Irteza Atique (M.A.), Tuesday, April 30, 2024, “Israel-Palestine Conflict and How People are Labelling it”
Owen Bortolon (M.A.), Tuesday, April 30, 2024, “The Capitalistic Reproduction of Socio-Environmental Crises and Crisis Mitigating Inefficacy of Industrial-Capitalist Agricultural Techniques”
Hashem Al-Dimashki (M.A.), Tuesday, April 23, 2024, “The Role of Nonprofit Organizations in the Context of Increased Living Costs in Ontario”
Mia-Maria Tabet (M.A.), Wednesday, January 24, 2024, “US Arms Trade in the Middle East: A Complex and Dynamic Relationship”
Zakary Blomme (M.A.), Wednesday, January 17, 2024, “Climate Adaptation Plans in Ontario: Small and Medium Municipalities Preparedness for Extreme Weather ”
Md Jannutal Nayeem (M.A.), Tuesday, December 19, 2023, “Advocacy Coalitions and Canadian Energy Policy Decision: Navigating Four Pipeline Projects”
Mohammed Shiblee (M.A.), Tuesday, December 19, 2023, “Educating The Multi-Ethnic Population On The Municipal By-Laws: City Of Windsor”
Jacob Mihailides (M.A.), Monday, December 18, 2023, “Navigating Regulatory Waters: The Impact of Policy in the Case of Adderall”
Christian Fortich (M.A.), Wednesday, December 13, 2023, “In Search of a United Regional Front: ASEAN Roadblocks and Conflicting Foreign Policies in Addressing the South China Sea Dispute(s)”
Jaclyn Kouleas (M.A.), Thursday, December 7, 2023, “Saudi Arabian Foreign Policy and Hedging: Playing its Cards Right”
Peter Bawuah (M.A.), Tuesday, December 12, 2023, “Сan Ontario's Housing Crisis Be Fixed? Understanding the Origins and Proposed Solutions to an Ongoing Crisis in Housing Affordability”
James Lee (M.A.), Monday, September 18, 2023, “Unseen Vulnerabilities: Emergency Planning for Carless and Vulnerable Populations in Ontario”
Judy El Saadi (M.A.), Friday, September 1, 2023, “The Role of Financial Literacy in Gender-based Violence: Developing Financial Freedom and Confidence for Women”
Inanna Adam (M.A.), Wednesday, August 30, 2023, “From Pan-Arab Nationalism to Islamism: The Rise and Fall of Saddam Hussein”
Raiyana Rafia (M.A.), Tuesday, August 29, 2023, “Analyzing the Impact of Immigration Policies on Remittance Behavior and Its Effects on the Financial Stability and Poverty Levels of Sending Communities in the United States”
Tyler Rohleder (M.A.), Tuesday, August 29, 2023, “More than a Game: Sports Branding in Canadian Politics and the Canadian-American Relationship”
Tartil Shaheen (M.A.), Wednesday, June 13, 2023, “The Framing of Temporary Foreign Workers in Canadian Parliamentary Debates”
June Calendar
May 31st, 2024 - Grade Appeals date for Winter 2024 courses
Jun 3rd, 2024 - Last Day to Voluntarily Withdraw from Inter-Session 2024 (6 week) courses
Jun 3rd, 2024 -Financial Drop Date - Full Summer 2024 (12-week & 10-week) Full summer session
Jun 4th, 2024 - Spring 2024 Convocation
Jun 7th, 2024 -GRAD: Phase II deadline to start the Deposit (step #1 of 3)
Jun 17th, 2024 to Jun 21st, 2024 - Reading Week for Full Summer 2024 (12 week) courses (Jun 17 - 21)
Jun 17th, 2024 - Last Day of Inter-Session 2024 (6 week) Classes
Jun 17th, 2024 - GRAD: Phase II deadline to complete the Deposit (remaining steps #2 and #3).
Jun 20th, 2024 to Jun 22nd, 2024 - Final Exams for Inter-Session 2024 (6 week): June 20 - 22
Jun 24th, 2024 - First Day of Classes: Summer 2024 Session (6 week)
Jun 30th, 2024 - Academic Add/Drop for Summer 2024 (6 week)