Hello, Political Pulse readers! Welcome to the March edition of the newsletter, where we bring you the latest updates of the department. In this issue we feature one of our more senior members of faculty, Dr. Roy Amore.

There’s a lot going on at UWindsor and in the department:

• Annual Accessibility awareness days

• Strategic planning, invitation to students to address Indigenous issues

• French Film night

• Pre-Law Student’s Gala

For students who are looking for what to do after graduation, in addition to considering a MA at UWindsor, there are other great career choices out there. For example, many of our alumni have built great careers in urban planning. One program that has been effective for our students is the Master of Urban Planning at Wayne State in Detroit.

You can find out more about the MUP here. Students have the opportunity to specialize in Housing and Community Development, Urban Economic Development, or Managing Metropolitan Growth. You can see our syllabi for MUP classes (scroll down) and samples of the kinds of the capstone projects that students produce at the end of their studies. They offer a repeatable, fixed schedule of classes that allows students to plan their schedule to graduate in a timely matter. You can also learn about what recent alums do. Please feel free to get in touch with the Chair of the program, Rayman Mohamed) or any other faculty in the program.

There are lots of jobs in Ontario:

• The Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), a nationwide professional organization, reports that job postings spiked by 78 per cent from 2020 to 2021, and by another 53 per cent from 2021 to 2022.

• The city of London’s shortage of planners creating a bottleneck in the city.

• Housing Minister Steve Clark hopes he can start planning for planners.

• Housing Minster Says More City Planners “Critical” in Delivering 1.5M Homes by 2031.

Thanks everyone for the kind notes regarding my new puppy. As you can see she has grown quite a lot in the last month and is settling in quite nicely. Just think of all the things you have learned over the same time.

Q: What inspired you to become a professor?

A:  I went to university at age 17 and loved the environment. I got hooked on reading, writing, and discussion, so I wanted to continue that. And that led to me developing the confidence to become a professor and attending graduate school. But the intellectual exchange on a university campus was the most appealing aspect to me.

 Q: What is your area of research?

A: My speciality is religion and politics and also Buddhism. I just published a book recently called Oxford Handbook of Religion and Economic Ethics as a co-editor. I wrote the chapter on Buddhism.

Q: Do you have any recommendations or further readings on your topic?

A: I’m interested in the interactions between Buddhism and culture/politics, and I pay attention in particular to Sri Lanka and Thailand. I would definitely recommend that students read the Chapter of Buddhism in the oxford handbook and the chapter on Buddhist Traditions in Concise Handbook on World Religions and Buddhism in the Modern World. Other than that, there are just so many books out there on the topic so it’s hard to narrow it down.

Q: Has your thinking on your topics of expertise evolved over time, and if so, how?

A: Definitely. I was trained on world religions and taught in the Religious Studies Department for a long time at UWindsor. I was always interested in the interactions between religion and culture, but when I moved to the Political Science Department, I became more interested in Asian politics as it relates to religion and Buddhism.

Q: Do you have any tips on how to succeed in university?

A: Yes, the old standard of come to class, engage with the subject matter, read, come to class prepared. Many students nowadays skip class a lot, but they don’t realize the consequences of that. They are missing out on learning and developing their skills.

Q: Do you have any hobbies? 

A: Yes, my main hobby is golfing, I like golfing at Pointe West Golf Club.

Your voice matters: Indigenous Strategic Planning Student Consultations

Where:

Turtle Island CAW building

When:

• March 25, 2024, 12:00-2:30

Incentives:

• lunch and snacks

• $20 e-gift card for completed surveys

• one on one consultation by request

Albino Barrera and Roy C. Amore, editors (2024). Oxford Handbook of Religion and Economic Ethics. Oxford University Press.

Jesse Salah Ovadia (Team Leader), Antonio Andreoni, Simon Roberts, Celso Monjane, Padil Salimo, Matt Huxham, Muhammed Anwar, Ellen Davies and Saliem Fakir. (2024) Sustainable Energy Transitions for African Petroleum Producers - The African Climate Foundation 

Are you a spirited, enthusiastic, undergraduate student looking to gain experience in event planning and leadership? The Student Success & Leadership Centre is hiring Student Orientation Coordinators for Summer 2024! This paid, in-person opportunity runs from May to September and includes a comprehensive 4-week training program. As a Student Orientation Coordinator, you'll mentor volunteers, welcome incoming students, and make lasting connections across campus. Applications are open until Wednesday, March 13 on MySuccess! 

Link for more info: https://www.uwindsor.ca/orientation/studentjobs 

• Mar 8th, 2024 - Reading Liberty 12:00pm

• Mar 15th, 2024 - No Fee Deadline to Apply to Graduate at Spring 2024 Convocation

• Mar 17th, 2024 - Last Day to Voluntarily Withdraw from Winter 2024 courses

• Mar 24th, 2024 - French Film Night, 6:00pm

• Mar 25th, 2024 - Indigenous Strategic Planning Student Consultations

• Mar 29th, 2024 - Good Friday: University Closed