UBC Lind Initiative 2026: Rachel Maddow UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2026-09-24 | UBC Lind Initiative 2026: Rachel Maddow
Security Competition and Our Digital Future UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2023-08-22 | The Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research, in partnership with the Centre for the Study ofDemocratic Institutions, and with support from the Centre for Korean Research, is organizing aseries of panel events on the theme of digital transformations, titled: “Global Conversations AboutDigital Disruptions”. The third panel in the series will take place in February 2023, with the followingobjectives:1. To understand the value and limitations of, using a security lens for the current state of globaldigital competition;2. To discuss whether, and how, components of the digital space interact with the effects of digitalcompetition; and3. To understand the effects of securitized digital spaces on democracies and democratic institutions.Speakers:Elina NoorDr. Atsushi SunamiProfessor Henry Farrell
Reflecting on 24 Years at UBC: A Conversation with Paul Evans UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2023-06-30 | The UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs bids farewell to Professor Paul Evans who will be retiring this month after an illustrious and impactful time as a researcher, teacher and mentor. We caught up with him to ask about his reflections on retirement, his early UBC memories, and what's in store for him next.
UBC Phil Lind Initiative 2023 Presents: Jonathan Haidt UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2023-04-28 | What can moral psychology teach us about better understanding those who hold opposing viewpoints? In the final event of the 2023 Phil Lind Initiative series, (Un)Civil Discourse, Jonathan Haidt discusses the state of political dysfunction and fracture in the US with his talk Democracy After Babel: Self-governance in an era of fragmentation, outrage, and anomie moderated by Kathryn Gretsinger.Find more details on the series hosted by UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs here: lindinitiative.ubc.ca/series/uncivil-discourse
UBC Phil Lind Initiative 2023 Presents: Linda Greenhouse UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2023-03-31 | The 2023 Phil Lind Initiative series continues on March 23 with Linda Greenhouse — a senior research scholar in law at Yale Law School, and was the Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1998 for her coverage of the Court. This event was moderated by Anna Maria Tremonti.Find more details on the series hosted by UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs here: lindinitiative.ubc.ca/series/uncivil-discourse
UBC Phil Lind Initiative 2023 Presents: Dr. Safiya Noble UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2023-03-22 | How do search algorithms perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce systemic inequalities? In what ways does technology further fuel the political divisiveness in our society? Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble shares expertise on these and other pressing issues in her Phil Lind 2023 Initiative talk, moderated by SPPGA Prof. Hugh Gusterson.Find more details on the series hosted by UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs here: lindinitiative.ubc.ca/series/uncivil-discourse
UBC Phil Lind Initiative 2023 Presents: John McWhorter UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2023-03-22 | Enjoy this recording from the Phil Lind Initiative series on (Un)Civil Discourse with John McWhorter on Beyond Free Speech: Understanding the True Nature of What Divides Us, moderated by Celina Caesar-ChavannesFind more details on the series hosted by UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs here: lindinitiative.ubc.ca/series/uncivil-discourse
Upland Geopolitics: Postwar Laos and the Global Land Rush - Book Talk with Michael B. Dwyer UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2023-03-22 | Upland Geopolitics: Postwar Laos and the Global Land RushBook Talk with Michael B. Dwyer | Recorded February 15, 2023 In the twenty-first century, transnational land deals in economically poor but “land-rich” countries of the global South have become increasingly prevalent and controversial. Drawing from Michael B. Dwyer's new book Upland Geopolitics: Postwar Laos and the Global Land Rush (University of Washington Press, 2022), this talk uses the boom in Chinese rubber plantations in Laos’s so-called Northern Economic Corridor to examine and theorize the uneven geography of the new global land rush. By examining the human terrain that underlies foreign land allocations that are both economically “necessary” and politically difficult, the talk shows how legacies of Cold War conflict continue to pave the way for transnational enclosure in a socially uneven landscape. With moderator Jessica DiCarlo and discussant Juliet Lu from the University of British Columbia.Postwar Laos and the Global Land Rush: A Conversation with Michael Dwyer (in Global China Pulse) thepeoplesmap.net/globalchinapulse/postwar-laos-and-the-global-land-rush-a-conversation-with-michael-dwyerOpen-access to the book, Upland Geopolitics: books.openmonographs.org/articles/book/Upland_Geopolitics_Postwar_Laos_and_the_Global_Land_Rush/20756434
Get to Know UBC SPPGA Adjunct Prof. Andrea Reimer UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-12-15 | Meet Andrea Reimer, Adjunct Professor of Practice at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA), University of British Columbia. A former Vancouver City Councilor, Prof. Reimer brings her expertise on housing, transportation, and land use issues across the city.Learn more about Prof. Reimer: sppga.ubc.ca/profile/andrea-reimer
Get to Know UBC SPPGA Prof. Rashid Sumaila UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-12-12 | Meet Rashid Sumaila, Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) and the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) at UBC. He is also Canada Research Chair in Interdisciplinary Ocean and Fisheries Economics.Informed by his experience working in the fisheries and natural resources sector, Prof. Sumaila specializes in bioeconomics, marine ecosystem valuation, and the policy and economics of fisheries.Learn more about Prof. Sumaila: sppga.ubc.ca/profile/rashid-sumaila
Get to Know UBC SPPGA Prof. Sara Shneiderman UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-12-09 | Meet Sara Shneiderman, Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) and the Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia. As a sociocultural anthropologist, her research on South Asia explores issues of citizenship, cross-border mobility, conflict and political mobilization, and disaster aftermath and preparedness.Learn more about Prof. Shneiderman: sppga.ubc.ca/profile/sara-shneiderman
Mind the Gap: Digital Trade Explosion vs Fragmented Data Governance UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-12-09 | The Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research, in partnership with the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, organized a virtual discussion on international data flows and governance. This panel is part of an event series on the theme of digital transformations, titled: “Global Conversations About Digital Disruptions."Speakers:• Stephanie Honey, Managing Director, Honey Consulting • Professor Susan Aaronson, Director of Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, Elliot School of International Affairs • Professor Henry Gao, Singapore Management University • Professor Kyung Shin “KS” Park, Korea University; founder of Open Net Korea • Professor Masahiro Kawai, University of Tokyo
Get to Know UBC SPPGA Prof. Heidi Tworek UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-12-07 | Meet Heidi Tworek, Associate Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) and the Department of History, University of British Columbia. She is also a Canada Research Chair in History and Policy of Health Communications.Prof. Tworek's work examines history and policy around communications, particularly the effects of new media technologies on democracy. Learn more about Prof. Tworek: sppga.ubc.ca/profile/heidi-tworek
Get to Know UBC SPPGA Prof. Kai Ostwald UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-12-05 | Meet Kai Ostwald, Associate Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) and the Department of Political Science, University of British Columbia.As a political scientist, Prof. Ostwald's research examines development, public policy, and ethnic politics. His focus is strongly on Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Myanmar.Learn more about Prof. Kai Ostwald: sppga.ubc.ca/profile/kai-ostwald
Get to Know UBC SPPGA Prof. Veena Sriram UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-11-30 | Meet Veena Sriram, Assistant Professor in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) and the School of Population and Public Health (SPPH), University of British Columbia.Prof. Sriram's research explores the intersection of global health, social science, and public policy in order to address inequity in health policy processes.Learn more about Prof. Sriram here: sppga.ubc.ca/profile/veena-sriram
Get to Know UBC SPPGA Prof. Julian Dierkes UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-11-30 | Meet Julian Dierkes, Associate Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA), University of British Columbia. He is also Keidanren Chair in Japanese Research at UBC SPPGA.As a sociologist, Prof. Dierkes' research focuses on Japan and Mongolia. His work on contemporary Mongolia has led him to various areas of professional practice: political risk analysis, global indices, and development assistance.Learn more about Prof. Dierkes: https://sppga.ubc.ca/profile/julian-d...
Get to Know UBC SPPGA Prof. Kristen Hopewell UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-11-28 | Meet Kristen Hopewell, Associate Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA), University of British Columbia. She is also a Canada Research Chair in Global Policy.With a professional background in policy making, Prof. Hopewell's research examines international trade, global governance, industrial policy, and development, with a focus on emerging powers.Learn more about Prof. Hopewell: sppga.ubc.ca/profile/kristen-hopewell
Get to Know UBC SPPGA Prof. M.V. Ramana UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-11-24 | Meet M.V. Ramana, Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA), University of British Columbia. He is also Simons Chair in Disarmament, Global and Human Security at UBC SPPGA.With a background in physics, Prof. Ramana's research spans areas of international security and energy supply, with a particular focus on topics related to nuclear energy.Learn more about Prof. M.V. Ramana: sppga.ubc.ca/profile/m-v-ramana
Decoding G20 Indonesia Summit UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-11-21 | On November 17, 2022, the Konwakai Chair in Centre for Japanese Research at UBC SPPGA hosted a panel event titled "Decoding G20 Indonesia Summit."The virtual panel event explores how G20 leaders are navigating economic and societal hurdles in the post-pandemic world, in the context of the recent G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.Speakers:• Alan S Alexandroff, Director, Global Summitry Project; Professor, University of Toronto• Colin Bradford, Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Global Economy and Development Program, Brookings• Yoshiko Kojo, Professor, Aoyama Gakuin University• Swaran Singh, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University• Maria Monica Wihardja, Visiting Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute; former World Bank Economist Moderators:• Yves Tiberghien, Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research, and Director of the Center for Japanese Research at the University of British Columbia (UBC)
The Politics of the Kishida Cabinet in the Post-Abe Era UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-11-16 | On November 14, 2022, the Centre for Japanese Research at UBC SPPGA hosted a panel event titled "The Politics of the Kishida Cabinet in the Post-Abe Era." The event was co-hosted the University of Toronto Munk School Centre for the Study of Global Japan and the University of Tokyo ISS Methodology of Social Sciences Project.Speakers:• Takako Hikotani, Professor, Gakushuin University• Rieko Kage, Professor, University of Tokyo• David Leheny, Professor, Waseda University• Kenneth McElwain, Professor, University of Tokyo• Harukata Takenaka, Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy StudiesDiscussant:• Andrew Horvat, Senior Fellow, University of British ColumbiaModerators:• Phillip Lipscy, Professor, University of Toronto• Yves Tiberghien, Professor, CJR Director, University of British ColumbiaThe UBC Centre for Japanese Research, in partnership with the University of Toronto Munk School Centre for the Study of Global Japan and the University of Tokyo ISS Methodology of Social Sciences Project organized a panel event on the theme of Japanese politics titled: “The Politics of the Kishida Cabinet in the Post-Abe Era.”This panel took place on November 14, 2022, with the following objectives:• To understand the implications of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s state-funeral, revealed connections to the Unification Church, and resulting public backlash;• To map out the current power holders and bureaucratic balance of power within the Kishida administration in the post-Abe era, including Abe policy legacies and;• To understand Kishida policy priorities and achievements regarding COVID, national economic security, R&D, green tech and Japan’s role in the G20.
Join UBCs Master Program at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-10-26 | As future policymakers and world leaders, MPPGA graduates are prepared with multidisciplinary skill sets in policy analysis and expertise in development, sustainability, global governance, and/or Asia.
UBC Alumna Anoushka Chandarana on the Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs Program UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-10-26 | Anoushka Chandarana, Class of 2022 reviews the Master program (MPPGA) at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA).
Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs at UBC Vancouver UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-10-26 | Learn more about the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs' unique Master (MPPGA) and how it can enhance your career or transition it into policy roles in institutions, companies, non-governmental organizations, and various levels of government in all parts of the world.
Can Democratic Elections Survive the Digital Age? UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-10-24 | Watch a virtual panel on digital disruptions in democratic elections, with experts on Brazil, Kenya, the Philippines, and South Korea. This event was hosted on October 18, 2022 by the Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research and the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, University of British Columbia.Panelists: • Dr. Aim Sinpeng, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney• Professor Ivar Hartman, Insper Institute of Education and Research• Ms. Angela Odour Lungati, Executive Director, Ushahidi• Professor Jade Kim, Texas A&M UniversityCo-chairs:• Heidi Tworek, Director, Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, UBC; Associate Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and Department of History, UBC• Yves Tiberghien, Faculty Associate, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBC; Professor, Department of Political Science, UBCLearn more about the event: democracy.ubc.ca/events/event/can-democratic-elections-survive-the-digital-age
Book Launch – The Rise of the Infrastructure State UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-10-17 | Watch a virtual book discussion from October 13, 2022 on "The Rise of the Infrastructure State: How US-China Rivalry Shapes Politics and Place Worldwide." The book was co-edited by Dr. Jessica DiCarlo, Chevalier Postdoctoral Fellow in Transportation and Development in China at UBC SPPGA.This event was hosted by the Centre for Chinese Research at the Institute of Asian Research, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia.Panelists: Jessica DiCarlo, Charis Enns, Nick Jepson, Dinesh Paudel, Seth SchindlerModerator: Kristen HopewellDiscussants: Alyssa Brochu and Joy YeeLearn more about the event: sppga.ubc.ca/events/event/the-rise-of-the-infrastructure-state
Book Discussion – Canada and China: A Fifty-Year Journey UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-10-11 | Watch a virtual book discussion from October 6, 2022 on "Canada and China: A Fifty-Year Journey," written by B. Michael Frolic.Co-hosted by:• The Centre for Chinese Research at the Institute of Asian Research, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia• East Asia Seminar Series at the Asian Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of TorontoDiscussion by:• B. Michael Frolic, Author of "Canada and China: A Fifty-Year Journey" Moderators:• Paul Evans, Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia• Diana Fu, Associate Professor, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and Political Science, University of TorontoCommentators:• Jack Austin, Former Federal Minister and Senator• Julia Bentley, Senior Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto• Pascale Massot, Assistant Professor, School of Political Studies, University of OttawaLearn more about the event: sppga.ubc.ca/events/event/book-discussion-canada-and-china-a-fifty-year-journey
The Impact of the Tokyo Quad Summit on Emerging Indo-Pacific Strategies UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-06-20 | 19:00PM – 20:00PM PST // 22:00PM – 23:00PM EST; June 16th, 202211:00AM – 12:00PM JST/KST; June 17th, 202207:30AM – 08:30PM IST; June 17th, 2022On June 16, 2022, at 7pm (PDT), the Centre for Japanese Research hosted an important panel discussion on the Tokyo Quad Summit and how it will affect geopolitical strategies in the Indo-Pacific. On May 24th 2022, Japan hosted the fourth Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The Quad, as a Strategic Security Dialogue between these four countries, establishes a security dynamic in the Indo-Pacific region that will compete with the geopolitical interests of certain Indo-Pacific states, such as China. The summit concluded with the four leaders agreeing to their commitment to a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” to “… resolve to uphold the international rules-based order where countries are free from all forms of military, economic, and political coercion.” This poses a question on the political and geopolitical ramifications the Quad Summit has in the Indo-Pacific and the entire international community.To address this question, the Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research at the UBC Centre for Japanese research will host an online event conversing with esteemed scholars throughout the world to share their opinions of this Summit.Speakers:Dr. Swaran Singh (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Dehli)Dr. Yul Sohn (Yonsei University, Seoul; East Asia Institute)Dr. Janice Gross Stein (Munk School of Global Affairs – University of Toronto, Toronto)Dr. Haruka Takenaka (GRIPS, Tokyo)Dr. Yves Tiberghien (Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research; UBC SPPGA)Moderators/Discussants:Hari Narayam (University of British Columbia, Vancouver) Follow us for more events like this!Twitter – @ubcCJRFacebook – www.facebook.com/CJRatUBCNewsletter – cjr.iar.ubc.ca/news-events/newsletters
Institution-led Social Reform and Justice: Modernizing Gender Expression on Government-Issued ID UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-05-30 | On May 18, 2022, the Collective for Gender+ in Research (Office of Regional and International Community Engagement, UBC SPPGA) hosted a webinar on modernizing gender expression on government-issued ID within British Columbia.Panelists:• Natasha Thambirajah, Adjunct Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBC• Dr. Daniel L Metzger, MD, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, UBC and Pediatric Endocrinologist, Endocrinology & Diabetes Unit, BC Children's Hospital• Grace Lore, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, Province of BCModerator: Dr. Helina Jolly, Lead, The Collective for Gender+ in Research, UBC ORICE
The Relevancy of Public Policy in a Digital Age UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-05-30 | On Monday, May 16, 2022, the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs hosted a virtual event on the relevancy of public policy in a digital age. The panel discussed the role of policy in the oversight and regulation of technology, and whether the status quo is upholding key values such as vertical equity, cultural safety, and parity in access to the modern economy.Panelists: Natasha Thambirajah (Adjunct Professor, SPPGA, UBC), Jessica Wood (Associate Deputy Minister, Declaration Act Secretariat, Province of B.C.), and Andrea Reimer (Adjunct Professor of Practice, SPPGA, UBC)Moderator: Chris Tenove, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBCStudent Host: Mackenzie Edwards, Student, Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBC
CSIS Director Vigneault’s Speech on Protecting National Security in Partnership with all Canadians UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-05-17 | On Wednesday, May 4, 2022, the Institute of Asian Research at the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs hosted an event featuring Mr. David Vigneault, Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Mr. Vigneault discussed the imperatives of diversity and partnerships in protecting national security, and the organization's ongoing transformation.Speaker: David Vigneault, Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)Moderator: Professor Kai Ostwald, Director, Institute of Asian Research, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBCStudent Host: Savannah Tuck, Student, Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBCRead his speech here: http://ow.ly/imUJ50J5a3CLearn more about the Institute of Asian Research at the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs: sppga.ubc.ca/iar
Guillermo O’Donnell Democracy Award and Lectureship, Latin American Studies Association, May 6, 2022 UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-05-16 | On February 2022, UBC Professor Maxwell A. Cameron (School of Public Policy and Global Affairs; Political Science) received the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Guillermo O’Donnell Democracy Award and Lectureship. Professor Cameron delivered a keynote lecture at the LASA Congress on May 6 as part of the award.Learn more: sppga.ubc.ca/news/prof-maxwell-cameron-awarded-lasa-guillermo-odonnell-democracy-award-and-lectureship-2022
Part 3: Future Paradigm for Climate Change Movement UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-05-05 | Part 3: Future Paradigm for Climate Change Movement 5:30PM – 7PM PST // 8:30PM – 10:00PM EST; March 17th, 20229:30AM – 11:00AM JST; March 18th, 2022Climate change is one of the greatest challenges our world has ever faced, already devastating our environment, economy, and our health. The difficulty of addressing climate change is that it requires global coordination. World leaders have made attempts through conferences and accords but the proposed measures will not stop global temperatures from rising above 1.5 ℃–the limit set by the International Panel on Climate Change to avoid the worst effects of climate change. This has pitted climate activists who demand more robust climate governance against state actors who must balance environmental concerns with other political agendas. To address the politics of climate change, the Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research at the UBC Centre for Japanese research, in collaboration with the International Relations Student Association (IRSA), will host a three-part series event in March. The third event of the series will cover the normative considerations of the future of climate justice. We will primarily focus on young activists and students, as well as indigenous speakers who are involved in the climate movement, such as Anika Kurebayashi. They will address what climate justice means and what actions need to be taken to create a just future for our planet.Moderator: Meghan Wise (UBC Climate Hub)Anika Kurebayashi (Youth climate activist in Japan), Japan)Eden Luymes (UBC Political MA candidate)Dr. Yolanda Lopez (Environmental Science Specialist & Maya Community Expert)Detmer Kremer (Policy and Communications Officer, Protection Approaches)Follow us for more events like this!Twitter – @ubcCJRFacebook – www.facebook.com/CJRatUBCNewsletter – cjr.iar.ubc.ca/news-events/newsletters
Part 2: Global Leadership or Status Quo Proponent?: Japan at the COP 26 UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-05-05 | Part 2: Global Leadership or Status Quo Proponent?: Japan at the COP 265:30PM – 7PM PST // 8:30PM – 10:00PM EST; March 10th, 202210:30AM – 12:00AM JST; March 11th, 2022Climate change is one of the greatest challenges our world has ever faced, already devastating our environment, economy, and our health. The difficulty of addressing climate change is that it requires global coordination. World leaders have made attempts through conferences and accords but the proposed measures will not stop global temperatures from rising above 1.5 ℃–the limit set by the International Panel on Climate Change to avoid the worst effects of climate change. This has pitted climate activists who demand more robust climate governance against state actors who must balance environmental concerns with other political agendas. To address the politics of climate change, the Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research at the UBC Centre for Japanese research, in collaboration with the International Relations Student Association (IRSA), will host a three-part series event in March. The second event will focus on the Japanese environmental agenda. Japan has played a leading role in climate change policy in the past. However, after making some bold commitments toward carbon neutrality in 2050, Japan appears to play a more defensive role at COPD 26. What are the key drivers behind climate innovation and the energy status quo in Japan? This panel brings together leading experts, civil society leaders, and a top political leader to discuss Japan’s critical role in addressing the global climate emergency.Speakers:Hiroshi Ohta (Waseda University)Dr. Masako Konishi (WWF Japan) (TBC)Dr. Kameyama Yasuko (NIES Japan, Social System Division Director) (TBC)Dr. Llewelyn Hughes (Crawford School of Public Policy, scholar on climate policy inJapan) (TBC)Moderator:Yves Tiberghien (Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research at the Institute of Asian Research)Follow us for more events like this!Twitter – @ubcCJRFacebook – www.facebook.com/CJRatUBCNewsletter – cjr.iar.ubc.ca/news-events/newsletters
Hope for the Future of Youth in Asia Part II UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-05-05 | Hope for the Future of Youth in Asia Part II: Problems and solutions to foster a political, economic, and social future for the youthOrganized by the Centre for Japanese Research at the University of British Columbia www.cjr.iar.ubc.ca---------------------------- With the rise of the ageing population in East Asian countries, many have come to question the role that young generations will play in the next few years. It is without doubt that frustrations amongst the youth have increased from the rise in cost of living to policies catered towards the elderly. This will delve more into the specifics by inviting scholars, young leaders and policy makers to discuss the realities surrounding youth participation in politics and social movements in a panel discussion.__________________Join our mailing list here: https://cjr.iar.ubc.ca/news-events/ne...Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ubcCJR
UBC Phil Lind Initiative Presents: Ed Yong UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-05-04 | Enjoy this recording from the Phil Lind Initiative series on The Future of Media with Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize-winning science staff writer for The Atlantic. The conversation was held on April 19, 2022 and was moderated by Nahlah Ayed, Host of CBC Ideas.Find more details on the series hosted by UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs here: lindinitiative.ubc.ca/series/the-future-of-media
UBC Phil Lind Initiative Presents: Kara Swisher UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-04-21 | Enjoy this recording from the Phil Lind Initiative series on The Future of Media with Kara Swisher, Silicon Valley's 'most powerful' tech journalist, New York Times contributor, and co-founder of Recode. The conversation was held on April 4, 2022 and was moderated by Kathryn Gretsinger, Associate Professor of Teaching, School of Journalism, Writing, and Media, UBC.Find more details on the series hosted by UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs here: lindinitiative.ubc.ca/series/the-future-of-media
A Policy with a Vision for Self-Determined Development for Indigenous Peoples Globally UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-04-08 | On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs hosted a virtual event featuring Mr. Luis Felipe Duchicela. Luis Felipe launched the USAID Policy for Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in March 2020. The lecture explained the central tenets of this policy and how this policy represents a pivotal change in international engagement cooperation with Indigenous peoples because it enhanced their ability to protect their rights, determine their own priorities, and advance their self-determined development and self-reliance.Musqueam Welcome: Elder Larry Grant, Adjunct Professor, First Nations and Endangered Languages Program; Consultant, Musqueam Language and Culture DepartmentSpeaker: Mr. Luis Felipe Duchicela, Senior Advisor for Indigenous Peoples’ Issues, USAIDModerator: Grace Jaramillo, Sessional Instructor, Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs program, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBC
The Crisis In Long Term Care: Richard B. Splane Lecture in Social Policy UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-04-04 | On Thursday, March 31, 2022, UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs co-hosted a virtual panel discussion with the United Nations Association in Canada – Vancouver Branch and UBC School of Social Work about the challenges facing long term care in B.C. and Canada, as part of the 2022 Richard B. Splane Lecture in Social Policy.Panelists:- Isobel Mackenzie, Seniors Advocate, British Columbia- Pat Armstrong, Distinguished Research Professor in Sociology, York University- Máire Kirwan, Private Sector Coordinator, Hospital Employees’ UnionLand Acknowledgement, Welcome & Closing Remarks: - Prof. Donna Baines, Director, UBC School of Social WorkBackground to the annual Splane Lecture, Introductions to Partners: - Patsy George, Past President, United Nations Association in Canada, Vancouver BranchModerator: - Tim Stainton, Professor, UBC School of Social Work; Director, Canadian Institute for Inclusion and CitizenshipFor full bios and event details, visit: sppga.ubc.ca/events/event/the-crisis-in-long-term-care-richard-b-splane-lecture-in-social-policy
CCR Event: How To Overcome Diversity and Create Homogeneity UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-03-30 | [Symposium Event] How to overcome diversity and create homogeneity- the CCP’s current minority policies in historical and international perspectives------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik discusses what we observe in Xinjiang, Tibet and Mongolia as current minority policies of the CCP by relating to on-going academic debates in the PRC and the repertoires of historical as well as international experiences they draw onto. She argues that the experience of the dissolution of the Soviet Union provoked a re-assessment of minority policies pursued since 1978 under Deng Xiaoping. While Xi Jinping propagates the idea that economic development is not enough to prevent minorities from going against the Han majority academics are still discussing intensively to which degree the creation of a homogeneous nation state is feasible and possible in a multi-ethnic setting. This discussion can be traced back to the Qing dynasty and went through several rounds of re-defining minority policies during the period between 1911 and 1949. However, never before in history have rulers in China dared to impose homogeneity by coercion. Xi Jinping is the first ruler to allow for this to happen.Speaker Bio: Dr. Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik is professor emeritus at the Department for East Asian Studies, University of Vienna, and programme director for China at CSA (Center for Strategic Analysis, Austria). She is a corresponding member of the Academy of Science Austria and a member of its Academy Council. She is best known internationally for her research on Chinese and CCP historiography, as well as on politics and memory in the PRC (with a special focus on the Great Famine and the Cultural Revolution). Recently, she has been finalizing a book on the history of East Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries and has been quite active in public discussions on the changing role of the PRC in the current international order. She teaches at the University of Vienna and at the Vienna School of International Studies.Commentator: Dr. Guldana Salimjan Moderator: Dr. Timothy CheekThis event was hosted by the Centre of Chinese Research at the Institute of Asian Research, SPPGA.
Hope for the Future of Youth in Asia Part I UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-03-22 | Hope for the Future of Youth in Asia Part I: Questioning the Norms and Realities Through the Power of Young VoicesOrganized by the Centre for Japanese Research at the University of British Columbiawww.cjr.iar.ubc.caOriginally presented on March 15, 2022-----------------------------------With the rise of the ageing population in East Asian countries, many have come to question the role that young generations will come to play in the next few years. It is without doubt that frustrations amongst the youth have increased from the rise in cost of living to policies catered towards the elderly. This event, hosted by the Centre for Japanese Research attempts to set the stage for further discussion by providing an open platform for university students in Asia and Canada to contribute to talks regarding their own personal experiences and opinions on youth participation in politics, youth activism in social justice movements and how education plays into nurturing the youth. University students located in Asia and North America were invited to take part in this open discussion.-----------------------------------Join our mailing list here: cjr.iar.ubc.ca/news-events/newslettersFollow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ubcCJR
Advancing Climate Justice and Humanitarian Action: Celebrating African Women’s Leadership UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-03-21 | On March 18, 2022, Liu Institute Network for Africa (LINA), and the Collective for Gender+ in Research at the University of British Columbia’s Office for Regional and International Community Engagement (UBC ORICE), all within the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (UBC SPPGA) hosted a virtual event. The month of March is Women’s History Month, a unique period that marks women’s historical and contemporary achievements across the world. In line with this significant moment and the impetus for gender equality, the African Women’s Leadership Series celebrates African women’s outstanding contributions and examines the prevailing challenges that still require intensified investments for change to empower women.For our third instalment in the series, we are celebrating African women leading on climate justice. As the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report recently published in February 2022 shows, women are disproportionately impacted by climate change particularly in Africa, but our guests are climate champions that have overcome the barriers. They are Prof. Okorodudu-Fubara, one of the founding mothers of environmental justice research and education who laid the foundation for climate justice work in Africa, and Ms. Joyce Msuya, a United Nations leader who has worked hard to advance climate justice in global policy and Africa. Our honorees will share their journeys, challenges, and advice to emerging young female climate leaders. There will also be an opportunity to ask them questions.Moderator: Elsabé BoshoffPanelists: Joyce Msuya and Professor Margaret Okorodudu-Fubara
Beyond Debt-Trapping: Encompassing Accumulation, Infrastructure, and China’s Spatiotemporal Fix UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-03-14 | On March 9, 2022, UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs co-hosted a virtual event with the Centre for Chinese Research at the Institute of Asian Research. This talk explored the logics of Chinese capital through the financing of the Laos-China Railway. Railways often do not generate significant revenue, nor enough capital to repay project debt. It is no surprise that debt relations remain one of the most prominent concerns circulating around the Laos–China Railway. The project has attracted intense scrutiny from observers around the world due to its cost, and has been criticized as an example of predatory lending and debt-trap diplomacy—in which China uses loans to ensnare countries for political or ideological reasons. However, it is overly simplistic to assume that capital always operates under a singular profit motive or as geopolitically predatory. Instead, many of the risks and financing challenges of the railway have fallen and will fall on Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs).In this talk, Jessica DiCarlo, Chevalier Postdoctoral Fellow in Transportation and Development in China, Institute of Asian Research, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA), pushed back on narratives of debt-trapping and suggested that Chinese capital operates with additional logics of what C.K. Lee terms “encompassing accumulation.” She showed that rather than solely profit-seeking or debt-trapping, there are additional logics of capital at play. First, debt provides an outlet for over-accumulation by delaying devaluation of domestic Chinese capital. Theoretically, she built on Lee’s theory of encompassing accumulation by adding a temporal argument on delay of railway capital. Second, this deferral is possible due to the involvement of Chinese SOEs and the use of public-private partnerships and joint ventures, which able to either take on long-term risk or transfer risk to lower-level actors. She argued that Chinese capital operates with a set of imperatives that are driven by domestic economic considerations and by the dual character of SOEs and joint ventures as simultaneously commercial and embedded in the state. This affords SOEs more tolerance for risk and more power to offload it.Moderator: Associate Professor Kristen Hopewell, Canada Research Chair in Global Policy, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA)Discussants:Edi Qereshniku, Student, Master of Public Policy and Global AffairsJemimah Ogundele, Student, Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs
Part 1: Climate Summit Legacy: Ambition and Unmet Goals, COP26 Retrospective UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-03-14 | Held on Thursday, March 3, 2022, the first event of our three part series provided a critical evaluation of the outcomes of COP26, giving a multi-level analysis of implications, with a special focus on its impact on the Asia-Pacific region. This was led by highly esteemed scholars and professors, such as professors Michael Small (SFU and UBC) and Jennifer Allan (Cardiff University), and Dr. Sandeep Pai of Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). They spoke on the strengths and weaknesses of the climate conference in creating a more sustainable future as well as the equity implications of a climate agreement that will affect both the Global North and Global South. Karolina Lagercrantz, who has participated in COP26 and is a current MA candidate in IHEID Geneva, gave the perspective of the activists on the ground at COP26 and as an up-and-coming scholar in the area of climate governance. Speakers:Dr. Michael Small (SFU, Weatherhead Center at Harvard, former Ambassador, and COP 26 attendee)Dr. Sandeep Pai (Center for Strategic and International Studies)Karolina Lagercrantz (Graduate Institute, Geneva)Dr. Jennifer Allan (Cardiff University and Earth Negotiations Bulletin)Dr. Florentine Koppenborg (Hochschule für Politik, Technische Universität München) Moderators/Discussants:Yves Tiberghien (Konwakai Chair in Japanese Research; Institute of Asian Research)Patricia Gonzalez (VP External, International Relations Students’ Association at UBC) Follow us for more events like this!Twitter – @ubcCJRFacebook – www.facebook.com/CJRatUBC Newsletter – cjr.iar.ubc.ca/news-events/newsletters
Podcast with Ketty Anyeko & Michelle Meiklejohn: Prosecution Will Not Solve My Problems UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-03-04 | After living through war, abduction, sexual and gender-based violence, some female survivors in Northern Uganda escaped rebel captivity. Many returned to their communities with children fathered by rebels. Instead of being embraced, community members met survivors and their children with suspicion, rejection, blame and stigmatization. That began a new chapter of hardship in the survivors' lives.In this podcast, formerly abducted women and organizations representing them talk about what justice is to them, demanding the Ugandan government acknowledge the harms they endure.Ketty Anyeko, a Postdoctoral Fellow with Research Network on Women, Peace and Security, takes us through her doctoral research findings. She presents four senses of justice as lived articulated by survivors of sexual violence in Northern Uganda. She collaborated with UBC Master of Journalism student Michelle Meiklejohn to create this podcast.Podcast CreditDoctoral Researcher and Narrator: Ketty AnyekoExecutive Producer and Editor: Michelle MeiklejohnTranslator: Moses Komakech OringaMusic: Music for Peace and Rwot Lakica Women’s GroupFunding: UBC Public Scholars Initiative and Vanier CGSSupervisor Feedback: Dr. Erin BainesThank you to the survivors who participated in the podcast and their organizations – Watyer Ki Gen (We Have Hope) and Women’s Advocacy Network.
[Book Launch] Active Non-Alignment: An IR Doctrine for this Century UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-03-02 | On Monday, February 28, 2022, UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs co-hosted a virtual book launch with the Canadian Association for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CALACS) to explore a new book by Ambassador Jorge Heine, Research Professor at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, titled El No Alineamiento Activo y América Latina: una doctrina para el nuevo siglo (Active Non-Alignment and Latin America: A Doctrine for the New Century). The discussants addressed the topic from American and Canadian interests and potential reactions.Welcome Remarks: Clara Renault, Student, Master of Public Policy and Global AffairsSpeaker: Ambassador Jorge Heine, Research Professor, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston UniversityDiscussant: Jeff Reeves, Vice-President, Research & Strategy, Asia Pacific Foundation of CanadaDiscussant: Paul Evans, Professor, School of Public Policy and Global AffairsModerator: Grace Jaramillo, Sessional Instructor, School of Public Policy and Global AffairsView more SPPGA events: sppga.ubc.ca/events
‘Like Spring Drizzle Falling Without a Sound’: Xi Jinping and the Political Aesthetics of Empire UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-03-02 | On Saturday, February 12, 2022, UBC’s Centre for Chinese Research hosted a symposium featuring Professor Vivienne Shue. She discussed certain notable features in the ‘political aesthetics’ of Chinese Communist Party rule under Xi Jinping today, placing these into longer and fuller historical perspective. Recalling successive transformations in the communications technologies available to political leaders pursuing propaganda work over the past 100 years, her analysis highlights the almost unceasingly strenuous effort of the party to radiate its own positive spirit, outward, over the people— to sustain a keen sensation of dynamic social energy and purpose. This palpable sensation of energetic purpose, distilled initially within the core of the party itself, is meant to permeate the hearts and minds of people in all corners of the realm — generating (through a process akin to sympathetic resonance) a vibrantly charged hum of popular recognition, assent, and appreciation for the party’s leadership and direction. This distinctive model of political legitimation, she argues, borrows its inspiration from concepts and practices of political authority first articulated within the cosmological frames of very early Chinese thought; later refined and augmented over centuries of imperial governing practice; all quite intentionally being revived under Xi Jinping today.Commenter: Dr. Shoufu YinModerator: Dr. Timothy Cheek
The Rise and Fall of Imperial China: The Social Origins of State Development UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-03-02 | China was once the world’s leading superpower for almost two millennia, falling behind only in the last two centuries and now rising to dominance again. What factors led to imperial China’s decline? On Friday, February 25, UBC’s Centre for Chinese Research hosted Yuhua Wang to discuss his new book The Rise and Fall of Imperial China, which offers a systematic look at the Chinese state from the seventh century through to the twentieth.Speaker Bio:Dr. Yuhua Wang is the Frederick S. Danziger Associate Professor of Government at Harvard University. He is the author of Tying the Autocrat’s Hands: The Rise of the Rule of Law in China (Cambridge University Press, 2015) and The Rise and Fall of Imperial China: The Social Origins of State Development (Princeton University Press, 2022). Yuhua received his B.A. from Peking University and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.Commentator: Dr. Kerry Brown Moderator: Dr. Timothy Cheek
Reckoning With the U.S. Role in Global Ocean Plastic Waste UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-02-17 | A virtual briefing by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Hosted by Beyond Plastics.
Virtual Book Launch: Infinity Fish by Dr. Rashid Sumaila UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-02-14 | Pursuing systematic change in the fisheries sector or interested in the preservation of marine resources? Watch this virtual book launch by author and professor Rashid Sumaila and learn about his new book, Infinity Fish: Economics and the Future of Fish and Fisheries.Infinity Fish: Economics and the Future of Fish and Fisheries is a practical and science-based reference that demonstrates how to value the benefits from restored marine ecosystems to sustain ocean and fishery resources for years to come. It discusses ecological and economical aspects to support the preservation of marine resources by understanding cost-benefits of fishery management systems.Learn more about the book here: https://infinity.fish/Welcome Remarks: Arthur Bledsoe, Student, Master of Public Policy and Global AffairsSpeaker: Dr. Rashid Sumaila, University Killam Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs; Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, UBCDiscussant: Farha Guerrero, Host of The Blue Hour, UBC’s CiTR 101.9FMView more SPPGA events: sppga.ubc.ca/events
Pirates and Publishers: A Social History of Copyright in Modern China UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-02-09 | On Friday January 21, 2022, UBC’s Centre for Chinese Research hosted an online book talk featuring discussions with Dr. Fei-Hsien Wang on her newly published book— Pirates and Publishers: A Social History of Copyright in Modern China.Dr. Wang gives a book talk on the history of copyright, and how it was negotiated and protected by authors, publishers, and the state in late imperial and modern China. She is joined by discussants Jiaqi Yao and Haoyue Li, both PhD Candidates at the UBC Department of Asian Studies. This talk is also be moderated by Dr. Renren Yang, from UBC’s Department of Asian Studies.In Pirates and Publishers, Fei-Hsien Wang reveals the unknown social and cultural history of copyright in China from the 1890s through the 1950s, a time of profound sociopolitical changes. Developing multiple ways for articulating their understanding of copyright, Chinese authors, booksellers, and publishers played a crucial role in its growth and eventual institutionalization in China.
2022 Virtual UBC MPPGA Q&A Info Session UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs 2022-01-17 | View this 2022 virtual Q&A Info Session where attendees asked their final questions before the application deadline on Jan 20. The program is delivered by the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.Presenters:- Krista Knechtle, Program Manager, Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBC- Hui Jia, Program Coordinator, Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBCApplications are closing soon! Apply to the MPPGA program by January 20, 2022: sppga.ubc.ca/master-public-policy-global-affairs/admissions
