Political Science

A Hamilton Forum Dialogue

Rana Abdelhamid ’15, an internationally recognized human rights advocate with a black belt in Karate, returns to Middlebury where she earned her bachelor’s degree in international politics and economics. She then earned a master’s degree in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School public. Currently Abdelhamid works for Google’s central brand team for Google Cloud. While a student, she founded the nonprofit Malikah, which is aimed at supporting women’s empowerment through self-defense, entrepreneurship, and organized trainings.

Vermont Senate President Tim Ashe will be visiting Middlebury to discuss prevalent political issues with students in a town hall-style meeting. Students of all political affiliations are welcome and encouraged to join!

Our ability to effectively respond to forced migration flows in the 21st century is hampered by legal and regulatory regimes that reflect neither the reality of modern displacement nor the moral and social imperatives of our age. Looking at Syrian refugees in Jordan as well as the forthcoming issue of the climate displaced, Peter Stavros will discuss how current regimes serve hardly any party’s interests in the ongoing debate over how to address forced migration.

Many Americans are of two minds on the issue of affirmative action in college admissions. On the one hand, they recognize that the United States has an egregious history of racial discrimination that needs to be addressed. They also believe that all students learn more—and society benefits—when colleges bring together people of diverse backgrounds. On the other hand, many Americans are uncomfortable with the idea that the racial box an applicant checks has a large impact on his or her chances of admission.

In the interest of ensuring the safety of students, faculty, staff, and community members, the lecture by Ryszard Legutko scheduled for later today will not take place

“In the wake of Ryszard Legutko” - A conversation on how we challenge ideas with which we disagree, and how we engage with challenging ideas. This is an opportunity to listen and understand; to question and disagree; and to engage in thoughtful discourse. The panel format will be modeled off of Professor Sarah Stroup’s “Engaged Listening Project.” There will be plenty of opportunities for small group discussion, and audience Q&A. Faculty are encouraged to attend to participate as members of the audience.

A talk by Diana J. Schaub (Loyola University in Maryland)

Diana J. Schuab is Professor of Political Science at Loyola University in Maryland. Her recent work is focused on American political thought, particularly Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, African American political thought, and the relevance of core American ideals to contemporary challenges and debates. Concurrently, she is visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.