The Pundit Political Science Newsletter€¦ · the current challenges the state faces in...
Transcript of The Pundit Political Science Newsletter€¦ · the current challenges the state faces in...
The Pundit—Political Science Newsletter
A Note from the Chair, Lanethea
Mathews-Schultz
At the time of writing it is only one month into my
term as the new Chair of the Political Science De-
partment. In this short time, I have come to realize
how adeptly and collaboratively Dr. Michele Moser
Deegan has led our department over the past five
years with seemingly limitless energy. Dr. Dee-
gan’s accomplishments as chair are manifold, par-
ticularly in the areas of advising and mentoring
students, in setting the course for our department
curricular assessment, and in working to actively
link political science classes and students to our
local community. Recent graduate Nicole Baltzer
(’17) credits Dr.
Deegan with
helping “me navi-
gate my interests
and develop my
understanding of
research meth-
ods, both of
which prepared
me for my own
future independ-
ent projects.”
Emma Lewis
similarly shared
with me how
significant Dr.
Deegan has been for promoting “the necessity of
the inclusion of the political voices of all students
on campus.” We all owe Dr. Deegan our gratitude;
please join me in thanking her for her service to
our political science community!
The Department is very proud to share our 9th is-
sue of the Political Science newsletter, The Pundit,
edited by Maureen Bayraktar, Peter Carroll (’20),
and Dr. Mohsin Hashim. A key feature this year:
coverage of the Department’s 2016 election pro-
gram, Election 2016: Politics as Unusual. This
program represents the 6th nonpartisan election
series coordinated by the Department since 1992.
It was a collaborative effort and we are thankful for
support we received from Pi Sigma Alpha, the
Muhlenberg International Relations Council, the
College Republicans, the College Democrats, the
Department of Media and Communication, the
President’s Office and the Provost’s Office. In total,
we hosted nine events during the Fall 2016 se-
mester, including a visit from two former Members
of Congress (James Coyne R-PA and Joe Hoeffel D-
PA); Andrew Bacevich, Professor of International
Relations at Boston University (Time calls him “one
of the most provocative national security writers
out there today”); and Janine Wedel, Professor at
George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy
and Government. The Election Series both support-
ed and was supported by bergVotes, a non-
partisan student movement at Muhlenberg (also
featured in this newsletter).
Writing close to a full year after Donald J. Trump
was inaugurated as the nation’s 45th president,
there remains little consensus about the causes
and consequences of the historic nature of the
2016 election. If there is a silver lining to the era
of unusual politics it may be in the form of a re-
newed interest in civic education and political
engagement. It has been encouraging to see our
campus engaged in issues of public concern and
to see an increase in our course enrollments, par-
ticularly among students who are not political sci-
ence majors but
who nonetheless
appreciate the
value of gaining a
more nuanced
understanding of
political institu-
tions, power, and
the factors that
contribute to so-
cial change. From
a “teach-in” fol-
lowing Trump’s
initial January 27th
immigration exec-
utive order, to student and faculty participation in
the Women’s March on Washington, to President
John William’s statement concerning the College
response to the rescinding of DACA—these are
lively and important times to be a student of poli-
tics. Political scientists, perhaps, know it best: de-
mocracy is a collective act.
As we showcase here in the Pundit, our faculty,
students, and alumni take seriously a collective
commitment to informed and engaged democratic
citizenship. You’ll see our faculty involved in pre-
senting and publishing research, delivering presen-
tations to diverse audiences, and fulfilling leader-
ship positions in regional disciplinary organiza-
tions. Our students are completing significant hon-
or theses, presenting research at the Pennsylvania
Political Science Association, and generating new
opportunities for the College to more fully engage
with contemporary social and political issues
across the Muhlenberg community.
If you’re interested in getting involved in the de-
partment or in citizenship-oriented events happen-
ing around campus please feel free to reach out.
You can also follow department happenings on our
Facebook page. We always enjoy hearing from
students, alumni, and friends of the department.
Feel free to contact me at
[email protected] at any time.
Inside this issue:
A Note from the
Chair
1
Election Series 2,3
Honors Theses 4
Faculty Highlights 5,6
Institute of Public
Opinion
7
Alumni Spotlight 8,9
Student Research
and Awards
10
Pi Sigma Alpha 11
Center for Ethics 12
BergVotes 12
Fall 2016 -
Spring 2017
Page 2
Election 2016: Politics as UNusual
Congress to Campus Discussion with Trevor Waldron ‘17, Emma Lewis ‘19, Megan Lafayette ‘17, Andrew Berdahl ‘17, Hon. Joseph M.
Hoeffel (D-PA 13, 1994—2004), and Hon. James K. Coyne (R-PA 8, 1981—1983)
Sidney Milkis ’72, the White Burkett Miller Professor of the Department of
Politics and Faculty Associate in the Miller Center at the University of
Virginia, speaking at Election Series event
Francine Koitz ‘19, Annu Suresh ‘19 and Hailey Goldberg ‘17 with Janine Wedel, University
Professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government
Page 3
Andrew Bacevich, Professor of International Relations and History at
Boston University, speaking at Election Series event
Jake Solari ‘17 and Chris Borick at PBS 39 campaign debate
Terry Madonna, Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs, Professor of Public Affairs, and
Director of the Franklin and Marshall College Poll with Holly Lehren ‘19 at Election Series event
Page 4
Political Science Honors Theses 2016-2017
Susanne Boss’s thesis “The Intentional
Destruction of Art in Conflict: An Analyti-
cal Framework” seeks to intersect the
theoretical lenses of Constructivism and
Transitionalism in constructing an ana-
lytical framework from which it would be
possible to operationalize available data
as indicating factors that may reveal if,
when, and where art will be intentionally
targeted and destroyed in conflict. The
theories of Constructivism and Transi-
tionalism were chosen not only due to
the distinct connection between art,
identity, and international relations, but
also to demonstrate the flexibility of the
analytical framework in its implementa-
tion. Art is everywhere, and is an im-
portant manifestation of the present,
future, and perhaps most uniquely: the
past. It represents and connects people
from all over the world, and plays a ma-
jor role in culture, whether it be on a
micro or macro scale. Once art is de-
stroyed, it and the history associated
with it, is irreparably lost.
Hailey Goldberg’s thesis “Human Bombs:
the rationale behind suicide terrorism in
the modern era” explores the prolifera-
tion of suicide terrorism by insurgent
organizations since the 1980s. It begins
by examining whether it is advisable or
event possible to focus on individual
level theories of terrorism. This is partic-
ularly relevant if the primary goal of the
research is to provide information and
overarching theories that can be used to
prevent the use of suicide terrorism.
After concluding that there are signifi-
cant practical and theoretical barriers to
individual level explanations the thesis
explores suicide terrorism as a rational
tactic employed by organizations be-
cause it is the most efficient means of
achieving the organization’s stated and
operational goals. It does this through
five primary mechanisms that can be
used against the true enemy and organi-
zational rivals alike: deterrence, sabo-
tage, retaliation, outbidding, and provo-
cation. The research ends by applying
this theory to Hamas, running a qualita-
tive analysis of its decision to use or not
use suicide terrorism from its inception
in 1987 through 2015.
Page 5 Faculty Highlights
Dr. Chris Borick Dr. Chris Borick continued his research on environmental
policy and public opinion during the 2016-2017 academic
year with a number of publications in scholarly journals and
other venues. Dr Borick, along with his co-author Barry
Rabe were invited to write a chapter on the relationship
between weather and public opinion regarding climate
change in the Oxford University Press Encyclopedia of Cli-
mate Change. He also published a piece with a number of
co-authors in the journal Cosmos entitled “Is Support for
International Climate Action Conditional on Perceptions of
Reciprocity? Evidence from Survey Experiments in Canada,
The US, Norway and Sweden.”
During the last year Dr. Borick continued in his role as Direc-
tor of the National Surveys on Energy and the Environment
(NSEE). In this capacity he oversaw two national surveys in
conjunction with the University of Michigan. The results of
the surveys led to a number of publications with the Brook-
ings Institution in Washington. D.C.. The findings reported in
these Brookings articles indicate Americans are increasingly
confident that climate change is happening and that the
public wants both the national and state governments to be
more active in pursuing policies to address this global prob-
lem.
Borick also served as the editor of a special edition of the
journal Commonwealth that focused on environmental and
energy issues in Pennsylvania. In this role he contributed a
piece on the history of environmental policy in the state and
the current challenges the state faces in protecting environ-
mental health and resources in the state.
As is often the case in election years Dr. Borick was active in
his role as Director of the Institute of Public Opinion. During
2017 he gave over 400 interviews for media outlets ranging
from local to international sources. He wrote a number of
opinion pieces for papers in Pennsylvania and Washington
D.C.
Dr. Michele Deegan
While on sabbatical this fall, Dr. Deegan is completing a
study that measures quality of life perceptions of residents
of Center City Allentown. This study is sponsored by Upside
Allentown, which is a new collaborative organization com-
prised of city officials and non-profit leaders who are work-
ing with neighbors to ensure that the downtown revitaliza-
tion has a positive impact in the surrounding neighbor-
hoods. In addition, her research with Dr Mathews-Schultz
on the Affordable Care Act, will again be featured in the
Commonwealth journal this December. Along with this
study of Pennsylvania’s implementation of this policy, she is
completing a national study that measures the impact of
states’ political environments on an individuals’ access to
healthcare. Dr. Deegan also is continuing the College Ad-
missions Mentoring Program for William Allen High School
juniors in need of a partner to guide them through the col-
lege admission and financial aid processes. This program
brings together Muhlenberg College, Cedar Crest College,
DeSales University students and local high school students
in a shared learning environment. The first year of the pro-
gram was a success as 22 high school students enrolled in
two or four year higher education institutions and said that
they benefited from the interaction with current college stu-
dents.
Dr. Jack Gambino
Dr. Jack Gambino presented a paper entitled “`Our End was
in Our Beginning:’ Judith Shklar and the American Founding”
at the 75th Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science
Association, held in Chicago in April 2016. The paper focus-
es on the late Harvard political theorist Judith Shklar’s dis-
cussion of liberalism and democracy in the early American
republic. Dr. Gambino currently teaches a first year seminar
on George Orwell and the art of political writing, as well as
courses on democratic theory, political ideologies, and uto-
pian political thought. He also co-teaches a course with Dr.
Rich Niesenbaum (Biology) on community and environmen-
tal sustainability, which includes a two-week study trip to
Costa Rica in May. Dr. Gambino currently serves as Faculty
Constituent Representative to the Muhlenberg Board of
Trustees.
Dr. Mohsin Hashim
Dr. Hashim’s article “Putin’s High-Modernism and its Limits -
Assessing the Sources of State Incapacity in Russia” was
published in the journal Communist and Post-Communist
Studies (Vol. 50, Issue 3: 195-205). He gave the First Lec-
ture to the Class of 2021. His talk was titled “The Urgency of
Democratic Citizenship in an Age of Unreason.” He delivered
a talk to Muhlenberg College’s Board of Associates on Rus-
sia’s international security calculus. He also gave an invited
presentation on the Rohingya crisis at Lafayette College. He
will serve as chair and discussant of a panel titled “The Nex-
us of International Relations and Comparative Politics” at
the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Northeast Political Science
Association. He is also presenting his research on political
decay in Bangladesh at the forthcoming Annual Meeting of
the Midwest Political Science Association.
Page 6 Faculty Highlights, continued
Dr. Chris Herrick
During late May, Dr. Herrick sponsored a
number of Muhlenberg political science and in-
ternational studies students in an internship at
the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indige-
nous Issues. During the summer, Dr. Herrick
oversaw two research projects. The project un-
dertaken by Andrew Berdahl involved policy rec-
ommendations for addressing the issue of con-
flicting claims to the South China Sea. The pro-
ject undertaken by Susanne Boss addressed
possible ways to involve the international com-
munity in the early identification and potential
prevention of the destruction of antiquities and
art in the course of international conflict. Dr. Her-
rick’s co-authored book, China’s Peaceful Rise:
Perceptions, policy and misperceptions pub-
lished by Manchester University Press (UK) will
be available in early October. Elected to the
Board of ASIANetwork, a consortium of over 160
US liberal arts colleges teaching courses in Asian
Studies in 2015, Dr. Herrick was chosen as Vice
Chair of the Board in 2016. In that capacity, he
will be overseeing the 2017 annual conference
and act as a liaison to various foundations fund-
ing educational opportunities associated with
East and South Asia.
Dr. Lanethea Mathews-Schultz
During the 2016-17 academic year, Dr. Mathews-
Schultz published, with co-author Dr. Michele
Deegan, "The Limits of Medicaid Reform in Penn-
sylvania: Thinking Regionally About Access to
Insurance and Health Care Under the Affordable
Care Act," in Commonwealth: A Journal of Penn-
sylvania Politics and Policy. She also completed a
significant community health project in collabora-
tion with Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network
examining the unmet needs of people with disa-
bilities in the Lehigh Valley region. In 2016-27,
Dr. Mathews-Schultz served as the Vice President
and Program Chair of the Pennsylvania Political
Science Association and the Second Vice Presi-
dent of the Northeastern Political Science Associ-
ation. Dr. Mathews-Schultz's classes were deeply
immersed in the 2016 Election Series: Politics as
Unusual; her Presidency course helped facilitate
a session at a campus wide teach-in following
the January 20th Trump administration executive
order restricting immigration and her first year
seminar, Bread, Circuses & The Election of 2016,
published a public blog on politics
(breadandcircus2016.blogspot.com). In Spring
2018, Dr. Mathews-Schultz was promoted to
Professor of Political Science. In Fall 2018, she
began a four year term as the next Department
Chair.
Dr. Brian Mello
Dr. Mello recently accepted a one-year appoint-
ment as Associate Dean of Diversity Initia-
tives. In this position he is tasked with advancing
the Diversity Strategic Plan, which is halfway
through its period of implementation. During the
summer of 2017 he prepared a revised version
of a paper exploring ISIS for publication in the
journal International Sociology, and began a re-
search project that explores the way particular
framing of ISIS violence correlates with changing
support for direct military intervention against the
Islamic State. In July, Dr. Mello was part of the
Muhlenberg College delegation at the American
Association of Colleges and University's workshop
on integrative learning, and he looks forward to
helping advance new and innovative pedagogies
and research possibilities related to integrated
learning. Last year, Dr. Mello presented a paper
based on a class simulation project at the North-
eastern Political Science Association, and deliv-
ered three separate talks on Saudi Arabia in
Transition as part of three different Lehigh Valley-
based Great Decisions in Foreign Affairs Lecture
Series.
Dr. Alton Slane
Dr. Alton Slane presented a paper titled,
“Satellite-Based Monitoring (SBM) of Recidivist
Sex Offenders and Fourth Amendment Issues” at
the 48th Annual Meeting of the Northeast Political
Science Association, Boston, MA, November 11,
2016. He presented another paper titled,
“Fourth Amendment Issues Relating to Warrant-
less Breath Tests and Blood Tests Incident to
Arrest for Drunk Driving,” at the Annual Meeting
of the Pennsylvania Political Science Association,
March 31, 2017, Pittsburgh, PA. He will also
present a paper titled, “Fourth Amendment Is-
sues and the Provocation Rule and the Use of
Excessive Force,” at the Annual Meeting of the
Northeast Political Science Association, Novem-
ber 10, 2017, Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. Slane also continues to serve the College as
Faculty Parliamentarian.
Page 7
Institute of Public Opinion 2016—2017
The 2016-2017 academic year was a very dy-
namic one at the Muhlenberg College Institute of
Public Opinion (MCIPO). The MCIPO celebrated
its fifteenth anniversary with one of its busiest
and most challenging years. As expected the
2016 election dominated the work of the Insti-
tute last fall with Pennsylvania playing a key role
in the presidential race with the state also host-
ing the most expensive U.S. Senate race in
American history. The MCIPO conducted three
statewide surveys in the months leading up to
Election Day with each focusing on the presiden-
tial and senatorial races in the Keystone State.
Throughout the fall of 2016 the MCIPO polls
showed Hillary Clinton with a modest but steady
advantage in the state, but Donald Trump
emerged with a narrow (less than 1%) victory in
the Commonwealth. Although the final election
result was within the poll’s margin of error the
election outcome was the farthest off the MCIPO
final poll estimate in the four presidential elec-
tions it has been engaged in since its creation in
2001.
While the MCIPO polling estimates for the presi-
dential race was not as accurate as in past elec-
tion cycles it was the only poll to accurately indi-
cate Senator Pat Toomey’s win in the Senate
race between the Republican nominee Toomey
and his Democrat challenger Katie McGinty. The
final MCIPO poll had Toomey winning the state
by 1% with the actual margin of his victory being
1.7%. The varying degree of accuracy within the
presidential and senate races has raised inter-
esting methodological questions that the MCIPO
has been analyzing since the election. In partic-
ular why did the model employed by The Institute
perform very well in the senate race but not as
well in the presidential race? Factors such as a
potential “silent Trump voter” and a very high
level of last minute decisions in the presidential
race appear to have affected polling accuracy in
that high profile race.
Once Election Day had passed the MCIPO turned
to a series of national, state and local polls on
an array of important issues. As it has since
2008 the Institute partnered with the University
of Michigan on the National Surveys on Energy
and the Environment (NSEE). In the fall of 2016
and spring of 2017 the surveys found near rec-
ord levels of public acceptance that global warm-
ing is occurring and record levels of confidence
that the climate has warmed over recent dec-
ades. Americans also overwhelmingly want their
states to be more active in addressing climate
change if the federal government steps back
from engagement on the issue.
During the Spring 2017 semester the Institute
again partnered with Muhlenberg’s Public Health
program on a statewide survey of Pennsylvani-
ans regarding health matters. One of the major
focuses of this year’s survey was on the heroin
and opioid epidemic that has engulfed the na-
tion in recent years. The survey results indicate
that over half of Pennsylvanians now know
someone personally that has struggled with her-
oin and opioid addictions and that concern
about the issue continues to grow in the state.
Finally the Institute took a look at life in Allen-
town with its first citywide citizen survey in many
years. The survey results show substantial pub-
lic satisfaction with the direction of Allentown
and in particular the downtown district and its
recent development. Residents also have very
mixed views about long-time Allentown Mayor,
giving him high marks for his contributions to the
City’s redevelopment but also maintaining reser-
vations about his political future as he faces
federal corruption charges.
As the 2017-2018 year begins the Institute will
continue its focus on political, environmental
and health related surveys. This year’s manage-
ment team once again includes Dr. Chris Borick
as Director and Maureen Bayraktar as Web Mas-
ter and Office Manager, with Prianka Hashim
serving as Student Director and Dan Dobro,
Maye-gan Brown, Emeline DiCroce, Abigail Ed-
wards and Jordan Zanetti serving as Supervisors.
Page 8 Alumni News
Susanne Boss, Class of 2017
As a perpetual student, I am currently pursuing a
master’s degree at Georgetown University’s Secu-
rity Studies Program in the Walsh School of For-
eign Service. When I am not furiously reading
about military tactics and strategy, I am navigating
internships and editing my senior honors thesis
from my International Studies degree at Berg to
be published next year. Muhlenberg’s Political
Science Department has not only equipped me
with the knowledge and skills that I’ve needed
since graduation, but the faculty have been an
absolutely integral part of my intellectual develop-
ment. The first course I took at Muhlenberg was
The Introduction to International Relations, which
catalyzed my passion for international and securi-
ty studies: I couldn’t be more thankful to have had
such fond memories and experiences at the de-
partment!
The Political Science Department offers a rich
repertoire of possible experiences to its students.
My own undergraduate education was enriched by
these opportunities, whether it was a MILA course
traveling to Bangladesh, crafting policy memos
and legal analyses, or earning travel funding to
present a paper on Russian foreign policy at a
state conference. The courses offered in the de-
partment are thoughtfully constructed to fit within
a larger liberal arts context. Being able to pull from
other fields to make valuable connections and
contributions in class was not only suggested: it
was actively encouraged. I’ve found that these
skills consistently receive a positive reception
from future admissions departments and employ-
ers.
However, beyond the incredible courses and
events offered, it is the counsel and mentorship of
the department’s faculty that is truly unparalleled.
For example, if it were not for the support and
guidance (and healthy critique!) of these profes-
sors, my summer research would never have flour-
ished into my honors thesis project. The willing-
ness of the department faculty to push and en-
courage their students to the next level is a
unique attribute: rarely will one find such a bril-
liant group of intellectuals who are as enthusiastic
about their students. Muhlenberg’s Political Sci-
ence Department certainly has a gift of cultivating
intellect, fascinating debates, and passion for life-
long learning.
Masheed Mahjor, Class of 2017
Some of my most inspiring and exceptional memo-
ries of Muhlenberg were shaped at the Political
Science department, whether it was in a class-
room setting or during an in-depth conversation
with the professors over coffee or a meal. The
Political Science faculty are dedicated to students’
success while at Muhlenberg and beyond; and
want to make sure that students feel comfortable
to reach out for that extra help during office hours
or walk in for a conversation to make sense of the
current events in the news. The faculty challenge
the students academically and at the same time
they make sure to be there and guide them
through it. And I am glad that I was challenged
and had the necessary support to enhance my
academic and professional skills.
Currently, I am in Seattle Washington working for
Sahar. Sahar is a Non Profit Organization that,
among others, promotes education and builds
schools for girls in northern Afghanistan. I am
grateful to my college experience and my classes
and time that I have taken and spent at the Politi-
cal Science department.
The knowledge and skills
that I have learned there
have enabled me to con-
tribute to my current job
in meaningful ways, and
it will continue to assist
me as I pursue adult life
beyond Muhlenberg. I am
extremely thankful to the
Political Science depart-
ment’s encouragement,
guidance and mentor-
ship throughout my years
at Muhlenberg.
Page 9 Alumni News
Trevor Waldron, Class of 2017
Political consulting is not where I pictured myself
right out of college. The idea of law school and the
chance to ultimately practice law always seemed like
a straightforward and exceptional path. I still hope to
attend law school in the coming years as a law de-
gree can open many additional doors and allow for
the application of the law in other industries. Howev-
er, an opportunity to consult and contract in the polit-
ical industry presented itself, and the rest simply fell
into place with no short measure of hard work and
determination. The terms consulting and contracting
are best suited for describing the type of activities
and work I found myself involved in as twenty-three
year recent college graduate, as they provide a clear
understanding of an industry that has become in-
creasingly self-contained over the last few decades.
The first independent contracting position I received
was through the Republican Party of Lehigh County,
as Executive Director, in late 2015. At the time, I was
a junior at Muhlenberg College majoring in both Polit-
ical Science and History, so the position was appro-
priate and appeased my political appetite outside of
academia. From the start, the political divides facing
the Republican Party and the country were present
and apparent, and would only magnify as the 2016
Primaries neared. I was given a chance as a young
college student to help lead the party in a swing
county within a swing state, which opened the door
for many additional opportunities. A year later, in the
heat of the 2016 Presidential Election Cycle, Penn-
sylvania would earn its title as a decisive swing state,
and I found myself on the front lines fighting in the
trenches.
In 2016 I began doing nomination petition contract
work for state and federal campaigns. For those of
you who are not familiar with this process, I will brief-
ly elaborate. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
requires that all interested parties acquire a certain
amount of nomination signatures from registered
voters. Once that number is achieved, barring any
legal challenges to signatures, candidates are placed
on the primary ballot.
After a successful petition period I began receiving
offers from other campaigns and ultimately got in-
volved with Congressman Charlie Dent’s Reelection
effort. It would prove to be an excellent experience.
From the people I would interact with, to the places I
would go, there is truly nothing more exhilarating
than working in Federal politics.
Over the past year my coworkers and I have hosted
many American political figures including; Vice Presi-
dent Mike Pence, Senator Pat Toomey, House Majori-
ty Leader Kevin McCarthy, Ivanka Trump, and Chair-
man Val DiGiorgio.
Shortly after graduating from Muhlenberg in May of
2017, I started South Mountain Strategies LLC, a
political consulting and independent contracting firm.
The practice is centered on campaign management
and strategic policy for Federal, State, and Local
campaigns. With the 2018 mid-term election cycle
approaching it is my hope to further expand my prac-
tice and help millennial candidates successfully en-
ter the American political field.
Page 10 Student Research Presentations & Awards
The following students presented at the LVAIC
Women’s & Gender Studies Conference at
Muhlenberg College on March 25, 2017:
Nicole Baltzer ’17 presented her paper entitled
“Gender Performance in the 2016 Republican
Primary”
Mahsheed Mahjor ’17 presented her paper
entitled “Migration and Refugee Crisis in Eu-
rope: State Sovereignty v. Human Rights”
The following students presented papers at the
78th Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Politi-
cal Science Association at Robert Morris Univer-
sity on April 1, 2017:
Susanne Boss ‘17 presented a paper entitled
“The ReCalibration of Russia’s Foreign Policy”
Daniel Cohen ’17 presented a paper entitled
“Russian Grand Strategy: Propping Up Syria
While Weakening the E.U.”
Mahsheed Mahjor ’17 presented a paper enti-
tled “A Historical and Political Analysis of the
Russian-Iranian Relationship and Their Collabo-
ration in Syria”
Kirill Tighe ‘17 presented a paper entitled
“Paperwork as an Instrument of Political Control
in Russia”
The following students presented papers at the
LVAIC Conference From War to Peace at
Muhlenberg College on April 7, 2017:
Molly Albano ’17, Hannah Busis ’18, Narges
Mahdi ’18 and Maya Shen ’17 presented a pa-
per entitled “Gender & Orientation: Considera-
tions on Regime Change and the War in Iraq”
Nicole Baltzer ’17, Susanne Boss ’17, Emily
Rybnick ’17 and Christine Scherb ’17 presented
a paper entitled “Video Games, Masculinity, and
The Omnipresence of Militarism”
Andrew Berdahl ‘17 presented a paper with Dr.
Herrick at the Northeastern Political
Science Association Annual Conference in Bos-
ton, MA on November 11, 2016. Their paper
was entitled “ Realist Consideration or Con-
structed Identities: The Evolution of the South
China Sea Territorial Disputes.”
Andrew Berdahl ‘17 received the Dr. Charles S.
Bednar Award in political science. Andrew also
received the Professor Susan Schwartz Award
in Asian Traditions as well as the Harry C. and
Mary M. Trexler Trust Pretheological Prize.
Dan Cohen ’17 received the James W. and Bar-
bara H. Herrick Award.
Devin Domeyer ’18 received the President’s
Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement
and Promise for Post Graduate Study by a Jun-
ior. She was also awarded the Morris K. Udall
Scholarship.
Pat Fligge ’10 received the Julie Pfanstiehl
Hamre ’72 and John Hamre Prize.
Jake Gordon ’18 was awarded the Paul M.
White ’27 Business Award.
Masheed Mahjor ’17 received the Sojourner
Truth Award.
Mahsheed Mahjor ‘17, Kirill Tighe ‘17, Susanne Boss ‘17, and
Dan Cohen ‘17 at the PPSA Conference
Page 11 .
Class of 2017:
Michael Dziuba
Hailey Goldberg
Mahsheed Mahjor
Kate Rael
Class of 2018:
Mia Becker
Nicole Case
Olivia Chatfield
Sasha Gibbel
Hailey Goldberg
Pi Sigma Alpha Welcomes New Members
Congratulations to the following students who have been inducted into the Eta Upsilon Chapter
of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science Honor Society.
Page 12
War & Peacebuilding—Center for Ethics The 2016-2017 Center for Ethics focused on the
theme of War and Peacebuilding. Dr. Mello and Dr.
Gambino, as well as Dr. Roland Kushner (Business)
co-directed the program. The program was initially
proposed by Dr. Mello as a means to explore ethical
questions of war and conflict, and the requirements
for peacebuilding. In addition, the program sought to
deepen the campus community’s discourse about
what it means to live in a country that has been en-
gaged in near constant warfare for at least the last
fifteen years. The program kicked off in early Sep-
tember with Kelly Denton-Borhaug, associate profes-
sor of religion at Moravian College and culminated in
early April with a one day Lehigh Valley Association of
Independent Colleges conference titled From War to
Peace: Drawing on the Power of the Arts to Build a
Just Society in the Lehigh Valley, which featured a
theatrical presentation from the New York-based
groups, Theater of War. In between the campus
engaged with scholars, activists, professionals, and
journalists who spoke about topics ranging from the
moral consequences of torture in Iraq to the role of Hollywood in World
War II propaganda to the omnipresence of militarism (made evident
through an exploration of the protest at Standing Rock) to the condi-
tions necessary for post-war justice. Andrew Bacevich provided the
Constitution Day lecture as part of the Center for Ethics program and
evaluated President Obama’s foreign policy legacy.
BergVotes, by Brigid Deegan ’19 and Emma Lewis ’19 , founding members and
current officers of BergVotes.
Begun in early 2016, BergVotes was created to increase voter turnout of Muhlen-
berg students and give students a chance to talk and learn about public policies
and problems in a non-traditional peer learning environment. BergVotes promotes
nonpartisan political education to the Muhlenberg community in the hope to in-
crease civic engagement and voter turnout in order to develop good civic habits
now that students can carry with them throughout their lives as American citizens.
BergVotes works throughout the year to make sure that students are registered to
vote and holds events to give students the chance to actively think about who they
are casting their ballot for and what their vote represents in our political system. In
2016 we held a mock-caucus and two Issue Forums, where student clubs tabled
about a public policy issue affecting college students. We also work with other
clubs on voter registration.
In the Spring 2017 semester, BergVotes held several Roundtable discussions
where students shared information about the Affordable Care Act and federal tax
policy with other students and members of the Berg community. This Fall 2017
BergVotes is hosting a conversation about immigration policy and gearing up for
municipal-level elections, which will take place on November 7, 2017. If you are
not registered to vote, we encourage you to pick up a form in the OCE in the Stu-
dent Life Suite on the ground floor of Seegers Union. The last day to submit your
completed registration form to OCE for complimentary mailing is October 10,
2017.
Emily Morton ’18 and Hannah Turner ’19
at BergVotes event
Elena Nahrmann ’19, Chris Chin ‘19, Dr. Brian Mello, Chris Cuomo,
Professor of Philosophy & Women’s Studies at the University of Georgia,
and Pierce Lockett ‘19