December 4, 2013 – Coffee & Politics Series
Coffee with your Legislators
Washington District 9 Senator Mark Schoesler, and Representatives Susan Fagan and Joe Schmick.
November 4, 2013 – Coffee & Politics Series
Danny Hayes: “How Foreign Voices Shape U.S. Support for Military Action”
In the wake of the American invasion of Iraq and failure to find weapons of mass destruction, many Americans expressed concerned about the power of political leaders to manipulate public attitudes about the use of military force. Professor Danny Hayes’s research suggests that public opinion on matters of war and peace depend not only on partisan elites in the U.S., but also on whether the media incorporate alternative, foreign voices into policy debates. Danny Hayes is assistant professor of political science at George Washington University. A former journalist, Professor Hayes’ research focuses on how information from the media and other political actors influences citizens’ attitudes during public policy debates and election campaigns.
November 4, 2013 – Coffee & Politics Series
Yoran Bauman: “Should Washington Adopt a Carbon Tax?”
In Washington, CarbonWA.org is leading an effort to promote a revenue-neutral carbon tax swap that will reduce taxes and fund the Working Families Sales Tax Rebate. Yoram Bauman, an environmental economist based in Seattle and a fellow at the Sightline Institute, a non-profit research center focused on Northwest sustainability, leads the discussion.
October 3, 2013 – Coffee & Politics Series
Matt Levendusky: “Are Partisan Media Polarizing America?”
While elected elites are more polarized than at any time since the turn of the twentieth century, there is a growing debate about how polarized the general public is about political matters. Associate Professor Matt Levendusky will explore the evidence of a fractured public and the role that partisan media is playing in that process. Levendusky is an Associate Professor of political Science at the University of Pennsylvania and he is the author of The Partisan Sort (2009) and How Partisan Media Polarize America (2013).
October 10, 2013 – Coffee & Politics Series
Abbas Milani: “The U.S. – Iranian Relationship”
Professor Abbas Milani from Stanford University will discuss recent developments in the U.S.-Iran relationship and prospects for improved relations.
October 28, 2013 – Science, Ethics, & Public Policy Series
Panel discussion: “GMOs and Your Food”
With Washington Initiative 522 set for the ballot this November, learn about the process of artificially modifying genes, as well empirically and ethically-grounded stances on the situation. Are GMOs safe? Is it right for us to genetically modify our crops? Panelists include Paul Thompson, Michael Neff, Chuck Benbrook, and Heather Hansen.
October 28, 2013 – Coffee & Politics Series
Nelson Dong: “China and Cybersecurity”
As more companies and government agencies go online, cybersecurity is an increasing concern. Cyber-attacks coming from China in particular have been rising, with most cases targeting U.S. intellectual property and state secrets. Nelson Dong is a partner in the Seattle office of international law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP.
September 3, 2013 – Coffee & Politics Series
Gillian Peele: “American Democracy through British Eyes”
How do American politics look from the other side of the Atlantic? Gillian Peele will discuss the quality of American democracy and the extent to which American political and constitutional systems have become dysfunctional. She will explore reform proposals with a look at the United Kingdom’s experiences. Gillian Peele is a Fellow and Tutor in Politics at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford. She has published widely on British and American politics.
September 10, 2013 – Coffee & Politics Series
Lawrence Pintak: “Revolt in the Desert”
After the ousting of the democratically elected Muslim Brotherhood backed President Morsi, Egypt finds itself in the midst of a second revolution. Dean of the Murrow College, Lawrence Pintak, discussed the tumultuous happenings in the Arab world’s largest country and explain the impact the revolution will have on the United States. Lawrence Pintak is a professor and Founding Dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University. Before joining WSU he directed the Kamal Adham Center for Journalism Training and Research at The American University in Cairo.
September 27, 2013 – Coffee & Politics Series
Christian Wells: “Culture and Sustainable Development Policy”
Associate Professor of Anthropology, Christian Wells discussed potential advantages and challenges of the White House research of a group of social and behavioral scientists to explore how academic findings from these fields can be used “to design public policies that work better, cost less, and help people to achieve their goals.” Christian Wells is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of South Florida, where he has served as founding Director of the Office of Sustainability and Deputy Director of the Patel School of Global Sustainability.
August 26, 2013 – Public Lecture
Sylvain Brouard: “Can European nation states survive the European Union?”
Can European nations survive the European Union? Will the Europeanization of law erode national sovereignty? Sylvain Brouard has been Senior Research Fellow at the Center of Political Research of Sciences Po, in Bordeaux, France, since 2003. He studied at the Institute of Political Studies in Bordeaux where he received his PhD in political science in 1999.