Hello, Political Pulse readers! Welcome to the Fall 2024 semester. For those just entering your program, this monthly newsletter is intended to keep you informed on the events and activities of the department and assist you in getting to know some of the faculty and students. The newsletter provides a calendar of events and reports on department activities.

This edition features an interview with our newest faculty member, Professor Esentsei Staats-Pangowish who is our Indigenous scholar.

The focus of this issue is “what we did during our summer.” As I mentioned in my last newsletter, Tulip (my border poodle puppy) and my family took a road trip to Alberta. She did very well on those long car rides. We were delighted to be invited to a dinner with UWindsor alumni, Steve and Vicki Adams who shared their love of art and put up with Tulip’s subpar table manners. It was a wonderful evening hearing about their life story and the influence the university had on their amazing lives.

Our travels took us to the plains of Saskatchewan, Kananaskis, Alberta and on the way back we toured the historic upper peninsula of Michigan where Ernest Hemingway spent a summer.

Many of our faculty went even further as Dr. Richez was in Paris for the Olympics, and Dr. Brooks continued the EU Study abroad program in Brussels. Read on for more details on their adventures.

This issue also has important information regarding student activities, clubs, and even some paid positions.

Table of Contents

• Student Groups and Campus Opportunities

• What we did during the Summer

• Conversation with Prof. Staats-Pangowish

• Reading Liberty

• Model UN

• Faculty Publications

• Important Dates

Some of the best parts of university life happen outside the classroom. From paid positions to volunteer groups, being active on campus helps foster life-long friendships, skills, and even boosts your resume for future jobs as well as professional and graduate school applications.

We have several department groups and we support them by providing meeting spaces and assisting in their elections.

USIRPS

The Undergraduate Society for International Relations and Political Science Students USIRPS is holding elections for executive positions.  Nomination forms are available from the Political Science Office - Room 1149 Chrysler Hall North.  The nomination forms must be completed and submitted to the Political Science Office by Friday, September 20^th, by 3:30 p.m. Each nomination form requires the signature of the nominee, the nominator, and a seconder. 

 All positions are open: 

• Prime Minister 

• Deputy Prime Minister 

• Governor General 

• Secretary 

• Minister of Finance 

• 3^rd year rep 

• 2^nd year rep 

• 1^st year rep 

Once all the nominations are in, an email will be sent out with the list of candidates, and as well, a list will be posted outside 1149 CHN (Political Science Office).   

Voting will take place on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 and Thursday, September 26, 2024, both days from 9:00 – 12:00 and 1:00 – 4:00 pm in Room 1149 CHN.  All students registered in a Political Science program will be eligible to vote.  You MUST bring your student ID card when you vote. 

All nominees (as well as nominator and seconder) for the USIRPS positions must be student in one of the Political Science programs.  Requirements for the different positions are as follows: 

• Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Secretary must be at least a 2^nd year student,

• 1^st year, 2^nd year, and 3^rd year representatives must be in their respective years. 

• Other positions such as webmaster and events coordinator may be appointed at a later date. 

AAU Council Reps

Undergraduate

Student Representatives serve on departmental Committees to provide a student voice in the operation of the Political Science department. Becoming a Student Representative is a great way to get involved in the department and meeting the Faculty Members in a collegial environment. 

There will be one Student Representative position available for each cohort, as follows: 

Undergraduate Representatives: 

• 1^st Year Student Representative  

• 2^nd Year Student Representative 

• 3^rd Year Student Representative 

• 4^th Year Student Representative 

If you wish to self-nominate for your cohort’s Student Representative position, please send an email noting your year of study and your self-nomination by Friday, September 6, 2024 to [email protected].  

Following the nomination period, a vote for each year’s representative will commence. 

Please note that you can only apply to the position of the year of study that you are currently in. 

Graduate Representatives

There will be one Graduate Student Representative position available  

If you wish to self-nominate for the Graduate Student Representative position, please send an email noting your self-nomination by Friday, September 6, 2024 to [email protected].  

Following the nomination period, a vote for each year’s representative will commence. 

Ignite Positions

EU Study Abroad - 2024

By Stephen Brooks, Professor

This was the fourteenth year of our popular European Union Study Abroad Program. Twenty students from the University of Windsor and Western University participated—14 from Windsor and 6 from Western— bringing to about 280 the number of students who have participated since the program began in 2009.

Our program’s model involves experiential learning and an immersive cultural experience. With the exception of a lecture that I gave on “Sources of Resilience in Transatlantic Relations,” the rest of our 14-day program consisted of briefings from policy makers, administrators, politicians, diplomats, journalists, and NGO researchers at their places of work. This keeps us constantly on the go, travelling between locations and institutions by train, metro, and on foot. This movement is, in fact, part of the students’ cultural immersion. They experience personally, and on a daily basis, the rhythms of life in Belgium and particularly in Brussels, the administrative capital of the European Union. Being able to read the train departure board well enough to know that Luik (Dutch) and Liège (French) are the same place, as are Antwerpen and Anvers, and that the train to Leuven should always be taken and not the one to Louvain (which is how Leuven is spelled in English and French, and is a mistake that several of our students have made over the years) is part of this cultural learning. Remembering to stay out of bicycle lanes in the EU quarter of Brussels and elsewhere—a more serious matter than you might imagine!—is likewise part of this learning process. And all the walking that we do over the course of two weeks—an average of 25,000 steps per day—sensitizes students to the non-car culture that is more prevalent in European cities than in Canada.

The core of our program remains the same each year, consisting of visits to all the major institutions of the European Union, NATO, Europol, the College of Europe (a prestigious finishing school for Eurocrats), several NGOs, and a handful of country missions to the EU. This year we added a meeting with Matina Stevis-Gridneff, the New York Times Brussels bureau chief (who will be the New York Times correspondent in Canada beginning in August 2024). We also had the privilege of being invited to a talk by Ambassador Willem van de Voorde, Belgian Permanent Representative of the European Union, organized by the Ambassador’s Lecture Series at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. One of our students asked a question during the Q&A and was congratulated by the rector of KULeuven on his insightfulness!

The highlights of each year's program vary depending on who you ask. The visits to the UK, German and Chinese missions to the EU, and to NATO, are perennial favorites. During this year’s debriefing session, the meeting with the head of Europol, Catherine De Bolle, was mentioned by many students as one of the most memorable and interesting parts of this year’s program. Aside from the fact that what she had to say was fascinating, the fact that Mme De Bolle is always accompanied by a bodyguard probably helps to get students’ attention. The Turkish Mission to the EU has always been a highlight. Over the last three years the Turkish Ambassador to the EU has met with us. His intelligence and candor leave a strong and positive impression, and it doesn’t hurt that we are served Turkish tea. But this year’s hands-down favorite seemed to be the New York Times journalist, Matina Stevis-Gridneff. Prior to being assigned to Brussels, she was the New York Times chief correspondent in East Africa. Her stories about life as a journalist and her observations about the parts of the world that she has covered were fascinating. And there was more. As I said above, the highlights depend on who you ask.

In total, students spent about 40-42 hours in meetings, attending talks, and in cultural activities over the two weeks of the program. One of these activities was the Procession of the Holy Blood, held in Bruges every year on Ascension Day since 1304. It weaves together history, pageantry and culture on the streets of a medieval city that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (one of four such sites that we visit during the program). We were among the thousands of people from across the world who attended this spectacle on a glorious, sunny day. A rather different cultural activity always takes place on the final day of the program when the group visits Breendonk, a Nazi transit camp just north of Brussels. It is a sober and eye-opening experience for the students and one that probably makes a stronger impression on them than anything else that we do during our time in Belgium.

The group always stays at the Irish College in Leuven. It was founded by Franciscan monks fleeing Ireland in the first years of the 17th century. In the mid-1980s it was reinvented as a conference center. A number of university groups stay there. Overlapping with us this year were groups from Northeastern University (Boston) and Lehigh University (Pennsylvania). Utah State University students were arriving shortly after our departure. It is very important that our students have a safe and comfortable place to return to every evening. The Irish College provides a home away from home in the university town of Leuven, one of the jewels of Western Europe. Dr. Ryan McGuiness, the joint CEO of the College, spoke to the students about the history and current soft power importance of this outpost of Irish culture on the European continent.

Many people contribute to the success of this program. Dr. Lydia Miljan, Head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Windsor, provided greatly appreciated support for this year’s group. Dylan Margerison, the head’s secretary, was indispensable in helping me navigate the financial challenges that always arise. Christie Hall in the cashier’s office smoothed the way for the guest students from Western University. Emily Stadder, the Go Global Coordinator at the University of Windsor, was a valuable resource person at our pre-departure meetings and was always there to answer students’ questions about the Go Global funding they received as participants in our program. In addition, there are the dozens of persons in Belgium who help organize our visits and make us welcome every year. I cannot list them all, but I want to make special mention of Susan Hill at the Irish College, and of Ellen Lorang and Saskia De Landtsheer at the Residence Palace in Brussels. The Residence Palace annually provides us with meeting space at no charge. It is always a pleasure to acknowledge the important roles played by these friends of our program.

Faculty led Workshop

Dr. Greg Feldman organized “Mobilizing Knowledge against Today’s Totalitarian Trends: Building an International Consortium of Concerned Academics”. The workshop was a resounding success with great insights, synergies, and ideas coming out of the two-day event (July 11^th and 12^th). It also signified an impressive example of cooperation among units within three Canadian universities: 

• The University of British Columbia (School of Public Policy and Global Affairs; Department of Anthropology; Department of Political Science)

•  Simon Fraser University (Centre for Contemporary Muslim Studies)

• The University of British Columbia/Simon Fraser University (Xinjiang Documentation Project)

•  University of Windsor (Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation; Office of the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Department of Political Science)

These contributions along with the original grant from SSHRC’s Connection program made the event possible and generated crucial momentum for our follow-up efforts.

Canadian Political Science Association Conference

Dean Collier (past president) of CPSA attended the annual meeting of the association in Montreal in June. Political Science students Rhyse Lamont and Lauren Lindfors-Bruno accompanied Dr. Collier as part of her Gendering Parliaments SSHRC project. In addition to viewing presentations about the program, they also attended other sessions, including the President’s dinner.

Professor’s Olympic dream takes flight at Paris games

Dr. Emmanuelle Richez ticked a big item off her bucket list this summer, jetting off to Paris for the Olympic Games.

“We arrived at Pearson and were waiting for our flight, and members of Team Canada happened to be on the same plane,” Emmanuelle Richez said.” So, the trip started right away with us getting into the Olympic mood.”

Dr. Richez has dreamed of attending the Games since she was a child, and this year, everything finally fell into place for that dream to come true.

“We knew well in advance that 2024 would be the Summer Olympics in Paris, and for the first time, the stars aligned to make it possible for me and my family because we have family in France and speak the language,” she said.

The first event she attended was gymnastics, which Richez described as both impressive and a special moment.

“Just the level of work that these athletes put into preparing to be at that level is incredible. And I was watching the event with my goddaughter, who does gymnastics herself, so it was very endearing to see her being inspired,” she said. “I think it encouraged her to pursue the sport at a very high level. She now hopes to go to the Olympics in Brisbane in 2032.”

Next, Richez’s family witnessed Poland's Iga Świątek secure a win in the women’s tennis singles against Diane Parry of France. Right after, they saw Spanish tennis pro Rafael Nadal face off against Novak Djokovic, who went on to take home the gold.

“For gymnastics, we just missed Simone Biles by one hour, but for this, we totally lucked out,” she exclaimed.

In addition to the Games, Richez said there were many activities for kids and fans to take part in.

“The most special moment was seeing the kids get excited about the Games and wanting to either become athletes themselves or pick up a new sport. For example, my son got to play tennis for the first time at Roland-Garros,” she said. “There were pros on site who were helping children get the hang of it.”

Describing the experience as much more than she expected, Richez said the backdrops to each of the Games were iconic Paris monuments. She also had the chance to visit the Canada House and watch the events with other Canadians, creating a “group spirit” to cheer on the athletes.

“We’ve already decided we want to go back to see another Olympics,” she said. “Hopefully winter this time.”

Q: What inspired you to become a professor?

A:  Being Indigenous, I grew up in a space where there weren’t many Indigenous teachers or professors. I felt that the representation wasn't there, so I wanted to ensure that students were getting exposure to Indigenous culture and traditions. Another factor was that when I did my law degree at Windsor, there were 5 Indigenous professors, which was very impactful because I felt that my voice was represented. And it also showed me that we need Indigenous teachers and professors to be in these spaces. All of these factors contributed to me wanting to teach.

 Q: What is your current area of research?

A: Indigenous tattooing and how it carries Indigenous law. When the colonialists arrived in Canada, they viewed tattoos as a characteristic of thieves. But among Indigenous communities, tattoos are an important part of kinship.

Q: Tips to succeed at the university level:

A: My biggest suggestion is to really be engaged in the classroom conversation. I encourage my students to discuss difficult topics, and it’s ok if we disagree but we need to have these difficult conversations as long as we remain respectful. The reason why I think that’s so important is because education in my opinion breaks down barriers between communities, but to do that we need to be willing to have an open conversation.

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

A:  My master’s thesis was on the Doctrine of Discovery and its impact on Haudenosaunee women. When I started the project, it was my anger at the system that propelled me forward, but over time it became more about making connections among communities. My passion is to build bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, and the anger, the passion, and the love are all contained in this. But most of all, I want my students to learn that Indigenous communities do have structure, order, and we want to work with settlers to build a better future for all of us.

Q; What courses are you teaching this semester?

A: POLS 2000, Indigenous Policy and Constitutional Relationships and POLS 4000, Indigenous Nation-Building: Traditional Governance in a Modern Era.

Q; Future readings?

A: Start looking at Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) and the Two Row Times because these are Indigenous news sources. Be aware of these sources, because this will set the foundation for the class.

Q: Do you have any hobbies? 

A: I love lacrosse, which is of course an Indigenous sport. I have two cousins that play professionally, and I enjoy watching them play. Kickboxing, weightlifting, and especially travelling when I can meet Indigenous communities from different parts of the world. And I’m an aunt to a lot of baby cousins.

Reading Liberty is a reading group hosted by Dr. Miljan. It is free and open to all students. The benefits of the group are numerous. The group meets three times a semester to discuss a book chosen by Dr. Miljan. The books are provided, and lunch is served! This year we start with a different spin with Look Again: The power of noticing what was always there. Any student can join, and we especially like to see first year students!

Have you ever noticed that what is exciting on Monday tends to become boring on Friday? Even passionate relationships, stimulating jobs, and breathtaking works of art lose their sparkle after a while. As easy as it is to stop noticing what is most wonderful in our lives, it’s also possible to stop noticing what is terrible. People get used to dirty air. They become unconcerned by their own misconduct, blind to inequality, and are more liable to believe misinformation than ever before.

Now, neuroscience professor Tali Sharot and Harvard law professor (and presidential advisor) Cass R. Sunstein investigate why we stop noticing both the great and not-so-great things around us and how to “dishabituate” at the office, in the bedroom, at the store, on social media, and in the voting booth.

This groundbreaking and “sensational guide to a more psychological rich life” (Angela Duckworth, New York Times bestselling author), based on decades of research, illuminates how we can reignite the sparks of joy, innovate, and recognize where improvements urgently need to be made. The key to this disruption—to seeing, feeling, and noticing again—is change. By temporarily changing your environment, changing the rules, changing the people you interact with—or even just stepping back and imagining change—you regain sensitivity, allowing you to identify more clearly the bad and more deeply appreciate the good.

To sign up and receive more information regarding dates and times, visit: Autumn 2024 | Reading Liberty Group (uwindsor.ca)

A team of UWindsor students who will represent Bangladesh at a Model United Nations conference in Washington, D.C. this November is seeking guidance from citizens of that country attending or working at the University.

The students, drawn from participants in the UWill Discover Sustainable Futures Project, will join nearly 2,000 delegates from around the world to learn about the United Nations, human development, and diplomacy through mock sessions of the General Assembly, Human Rights Council, International Organization for Migration, United Nations Children’s Fund, and United Nations Environment Assembly.

Tim Brunet, chair of the UWill Discover project, says he is delighted with the 10 talented members of the team.

“Our students have lived experiences in four of six continents and come from faculties across campus,” he notes.

The delegates are:

• Anastasia Kulaga, history and political science

• Eric Joshi, political science

• Faadel Asfari, business

• Femi Soluade, political science

• Jana Jandal Alrifai, environmental studies

• Kennedy Murray, education

• Linda Nguyen, integrative biology

• Malaka Asfari, sociology and criminology

• Sona Regonda, integrative biology

• Yoha Llacza Chavez, business

In portraying the delegation from Bangladesh, the team must represent the positions of that nation’s government in discussions. To that end, members hope to hear the perspectives of local Bangladeshis.

To provide some thoughts, contact Dr. Brunet at [email protected].

The team will also host an event at the Faculty of Law on Nov. 2. Students who participate in UWill Discover activities can compete to be on the team next year. Registration will begin in September. Find further information about the project on its website.

Biology major Sona Regonda, the 2024 head delegate, also participated in last year’s conference.

“Preparing boils down to researching to understand a country’s values and goals,” Regonda says. “I am excited to engage our diverse UWindsor community and learn from different perspectives and experiences: the real purpose of Model United Nations.”

• Collier, Cheryl, N. and Jonathan Malloy (Eds). 2024. The Politics of Ontario, 2nd edition. University of Toronto Press

• Miljan, Lydia. 2024. Federal Support for Journalism | Fraser Institute

• Richez, Emmanuelle. “The Possibility of Constitutional Amendment for Municipal Empowerment.” 2024. Cities and the Constitution: Giving Local Governments in Canada the Power They Need, edited by Alexandra Flynn, Richard Albert, Nathalie Desrosiers. Montreal/Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press.

• Sept 2nd, 2024 - Labour Day: University Closed

• Sept 3rd, 2024 - GRAD: Deadline for public posting of final oral defenses

• Sept 4th, 2024 - Welcome Week activities

• Sep 5th, 2024 - First day of Fall 2024 classes

• Sep 6th, 2024 - Nominations close for AAU representatives

• Sep 9th, 2024 - Deadline to apply for department Ignite positions

• Sep 10th, 2024 - GRAD: Final Oral Defense deadline for Phase I and Fall 2024 Graduation

• Sep 10th, 2024 - GRAD: deposit deadline for Phase I and Fall 2024 Graduation

• Sept 15th, 2024 - Deadline to apply to graduate at Fall 2024 convocation

• Sep 18th, 2024 - Academic Add/Drop for Fall 2024

• Sep 20th, 2024 - Nomination deadline for USIRPS

• Sep 24 & 25th, 2024 - Voting for USIRPS