Russia / en Podcast - EP41: What it means to build peace /news/2022-07/podcast-ep41-what-it-means-build-peace <span>Podcast - EP41: What it means to build peace</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/266" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Damian Cristodero</span></span> <span>Mon, 07/25/2022 - 12:26</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/president" hreflang="und">Gregory Washington</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/aozerdem" hreflang="und">Alpaslan Özerdem</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">Alpaslan </span></span><span style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:#5f6368">Ö</span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">zerdem, dean of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, talks to Mason President Gregory Washington about the keys to effective peacebuilding, whether it concerns the war in Ukraine, gun violence or local issues. And don’t miss the discussions about how the Carter School helped broker a peace accord in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and how an alien invasion could help heal the rift between Russia and the West.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen="" allowtransparency="true" data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=hyb23-6e8bcd-pbblog-playlist&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7&size=315" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" title="Access to Excellence Podcast" width="100%"></iframe></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7311" hreflang="en">Access to Excellence podcast</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/326" hreflang="en">Podcast Episode</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">podcast</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1241" hreflang="en">Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15151" hreflang="en">Ukraine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8866" hreflang="en">Russia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/16211" hreflang="en">Russia-Ukraine war</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3096" hreflang="en">Peacebuilding</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/5456" hreflang="en">gun violence</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 25 Jul 2022 16:26:35 +0000 Damian Cristodero 73261 at Richard Rubenstein attends conference in Rome on peacemaking in Ukraine /news/2022-06/richard-rubenstein-attends-conference-rome-peacemaking-ukraine <span>Richard Rubenstein attends conference in Rome on peacemaking in Ukraine</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/276" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Mariam Aburdeineh</span></span> <span>Tue, 06/28/2022 - 15:20</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/rrubenst" hreflang="und">Richard Rubenstein</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p class="paragraph"><span class="intro-text">AV <a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">Carter School</a> professor <a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/profiles/rrubenst" target="_blank">Richard Rubenstein</a> attended a workshop conference at the <a href="http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en.html" target="_blank">Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences</a> at the Vatican on June 6-7 to discuss peacemaking in Ukraine and other global conflict sites. The conference was organized by the U.N. Development Solutions Network headed by Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs.</span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2022-06/Richard%20Rubenstein%20at%20Pontifical%20Conference_George%20Mason%20University_Thumbnail.png?itok=3TXNR2Cx" width="350" height="350" alt="AV Carter School professor Richard Rubenstein speaks at the Pontifical Institute for Social Sciences at the Vatican. He is seated at a table, wearing a gray suit and tie, and reading into a microphone. His name is shown on a desk plate. Behind him is Francesco Di Nitto." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Carter School professor Richard Rubenstein speaks on peacemaking in Ukraine at the Vatican. Photo by Gabriella C. Marino.</figcaption></figure><p class="paragraph"><span><span><span><span>“The purpose was to produce <span>a statement </span>that would be given to the pope<span> and that might also influence the parties to the conflict in Ukraine,” Rubenstein said.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <figure class="quote"><span><span><span><span><span><span>“The meeting addressed the question </span></span></span><span><span><span>of how to prevent </span></span></span><span><span><span>the conflict in Ukraine</span></span></span><span><span><span> from becoming</span></span></span><span><span><span> a ‘frozen conflict,’ and the need for </span></span></span><span><span><span>early peace </span></span></span><span><span><span>negotiations,” Rubenstein said. “While the issue of what kinds of concessions might need to be made by both parties was discussed, the experts were in agreement that trust needs to be built on both sides and </span></span></span><span><span><span>that </span></span></span><span><span><span>a guarantee of peace in Eastern Europe is a necessity.”</span></span></span> </span></span></span></figure><p class="paragraph"><span><span><span><span>About 40 VIPs were in attendance, including Romano Prodi, former prime minister of Italy and 10th president of the European Commission; Jeffrey Sachs, university professor at Columbia University;</span> <span>Michael von der Schulenburg, former United Nations assistant secretary-general in UN Peace Missions; Mario Marazziti, former deputy and president of Human Rights Committee, Italian Parliament; and Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international affairs at The New School.</span> </span></span></span></p> <p class="paragraph"><span><span><span><span>Attendees each gave a 10- to 15-minute presentation, Rubenstein said, which included open discussions.</span> <br />  </span></span></span><br /><span><span><span>“<a href="https://www.unsdsn.org/participants-of-the-science-and-ethics-of-happiness-study-group-call-on-religious-leaders-for-peace" target="_blank"><span><span>The statement</span></span></a> is now getting more signatories,” said Rubenstein. “It was a good meeting, and it may have some results. We’ll see.” </span></span></span></p> <h3><span><span><span><strong><span>What do you hope the impact of the statement will be?</span></strong> </span></span></span></h3> <p class="paragraph"><span><span><span><span>“What we want to happen is to get the document into places where it will be discussed by decision makers.” </span> </span></span></span></p> <h3><span><span><span><strong><span>What was the pope’s reaction?</span></strong> </span></span></span></h3> <p class="paragraph"><span><span><span><span>“Pope <span>Francis </span>has already made a statement on this. The pope says to stop dramatizing, stop trying to turn this into some type of titanic struggle about the fate of an autocracy—that’s not what it’s about. It’s a very interesting statement by the pope and, I think, partly, that’s a response to our discussion.”</span> </span></span></span></p> <h3><span><span><span><strong><span>What was your role at the conference?</span></strong> </span></span></span></h3> <p class="paragraph"><span><span><span><span>“One of my roles there was to raise the question of when this is all over, how do these people learn to live with each other again? What kind of reconciliation is going to be possible considering how many people are getting killed and how much bitterness has been created by the war?”</span> </span></span></span></p> <h3><span><span><span><strong><span>What does this say about the Carter School and Mason to be represented at the meeting?</span></strong> </span></span></span></h3> <p class="paragraph"><span><span><span><span>“It’s a really good sign. It’s not just our expertise in negotiation that's being recogni<span>zed, but our </span>independence of mind and our ability to think about the possibilities of peacemaking even in a wartime atmosphere.<span> Everyone at the conference understood that peacemakers may be blessed, but this doesn’t mean they will be popular.</span>”</span> </span></span></span></p> <figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-06/Pontifical%20Conference%20Group%20Shot_Rich%20Rubenstein.png" width="1200" height="552" alt="Attendees of the Pontifical Institute for Social Sciences stand for a photo together outside the Vatican. " loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Attendees at the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences outside of the Vatican. Photo credit: Gabriella C. Marino</figcaption></figure><p class="paragraph"> </p> <p class="paragraph"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6916" hreflang="en">Carter School Leadership</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2971" hreflang="en">Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1241" hreflang="en">Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3096" hreflang="en">Peacebuilding</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3586" hreflang="en">peacemaking</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1346" hreflang="en">peacebuilding and analysis</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15151" hreflang="en">Ukraine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8866" hreflang="en">Russia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1001" hreflang="en">global understanding</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">Campus News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/206" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff News</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 28 Jun 2022 19:20:16 +0000 Mariam Aburdeineh 71796 at Podcast - EP 39: Russia's war in Ukraine is tied to corruption, organized crime /news/2022-05/podcast-ep-39-russias-war-ukraine-tied-corruption-organized-crime <span>Podcast - EP 39: Russia's war in Ukraine is tied to corruption, organized crime</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/266" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Damian Cristodero</span></span> <span>Fri, 05/20/2022 - 12:39</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/president" hreflang="und">Gregory Washington</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/lshelley" hreflang="und">Louise I. Shelley</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">Louise Shelley, a University Professor and director of Mason’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center explains to Mason President Gregory Washington the connections between the war in Ukraine and Russian corruption and organized crime, and how criminals and terrorists take advantage in diverse ways of the globalized world in which we live. Shelley’s center exposes that criminality and recently helped take 55 million counterfeit and sub-standard medical masks out of circulation worldwide with the takedown of more than 50,000 online marketplaces and social media posts.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><iframe allowtransparency="true" data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="150" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=bjhzt-122f101-pb&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7&size=150" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" title="Russia’s war in Ukraine tied to corruption, organized crime" width="100%"></iframe></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7311" hreflang="en">Access to Excellence podcast</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/326" hreflang="en">Podcast Episode</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">podcast</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/556" hreflang="en">Schar School of Policy and Government</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8866" hreflang="en">Russia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15151" hreflang="en">Ukraine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/591" hreflang="en">Schar School of Policy and Government Terrorism Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC)</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6241" hreflang="en">transnational crime</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8701" hreflang="en">Corruption</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 20 May 2022 16:39:34 +0000 Damian Cristodero 70451 at Mason students map the Russia-Ukraine war through personal stories /news/2022-05/mason-students-map-russia-ukraine-war-through-personal-stories <span>Mason students map the Russia-Ukraine war through personal stories</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/276" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Mariam Aburdeineh</span></span> <span>Mon, 05/09/2022 - 13:17</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/aozerdem" hreflang="und">Alpaslan Özerdem</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/ckoroste" hreflang="und">Karina Korostelina</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/ssimmon5" hreflang="und">Solon Simmons</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">Despite being more than 5,000 miles away from the war in Ukraine, students at AV’s <a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/">Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution</a> are actively assessing the conflict dynamics, with hopes that their research could improve the situation.</span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-05/Keil%20Eggers%20300x300.jpg" width="300" height="300" alt="Headshot of Keil Eggers" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Keil Eggers is part of a team at AV that is digitally mapping the Ukraine-Russia war.</figcaption></figure><p><span><span>“A lot of students in [<a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/profiles/ssimmon5">Solon Simmons’</a> Peace Engineering and Participatory Approaches to Narrative] class felt it would be important to do what we could locally with our set of methods and tools to try and help,” said Keil Eggers, Peace Engineering Lab manager and Carter School PhD student.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>They’re creating a digital map of the war through peoples’ lived experiences.</span></span></p> <h3><span><span><strong><span>Mapping the Conflict</span></strong></span></span></h3> <p><span><span>The team, which includes faculty and seven students ranging from the undergraduate to PhD levels, is creating this map using <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkRe7Xg7pk4">SenseMaker</a>, a program that allows for a large-scale collection of narratives.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>Their <a href="https://peaceengineering.carterschool.gmu.edu/sensemaking-in-ukraine/">SenseMaking in Ukraine</a> project asks participants—ranging from U.S. citizens to those impacted on the ground in Ukraine and Russia—to answer one of three prompts. Responses can be submitted in English, Ukrainian or Russian:</span></span></p> <figure class="quote"><ul><li>How can ordinary people support peace in Ukraine? Share one of your lived experiences that shows how help can be given or how it has been blocked.</li> <li>Start a conversation: Tell us one of your lived experiences that you would want people who are on the other side to hear.</li> <li>What have you noticed about the conflict in Ukraine that makes you hopeful or concerned about a peaceful future</li> </ul></figure><p><span><span>A unique aspect of SenseMaker is that participants evaluate their submissions through questions, including a series of triangles, where each point represents an opinion. </span></span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-05/situation%20will%20improve%20when%20people%20triangle.png" width="300" height="300" alt="A diagram of one of the SenseMaker triangles with coordinates scattered within it, indicating where participants placed their answers. " loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>SenseMaker Triangle showing where participants placed their answer among the three choices within the triangle.</figcaption></figure><p><span><span>For the question, “The situation will improve when people…,” the points represent:</span></span></p> <ol><li><span><span>Thoughtfully react to the needs of the present</span></span></li> <li><span><span>Overcome historical divides</span></span></li> <li><span><span>Achieve security over the long term</span></span></li> </ol><p><span><span>“By placing their dot as a balance between one of those factors, you get quantitative data for each person’s story,” Eggers said, adding that Mason students designed the survey questions and will support the data analysis. </span></span></p> <p><span><span>The data will help uncover patterns, he said, and will become part of a public dashboard the team is creating to support understanding and next steps.</span></span></p> <h3><span><span><strong><span>Impacting Change</span></strong></span></span></h3> <p><span><span>This is the first time the school has used SenseMaker in an active conflict, Eggers said. The class hopes to influence change by hosting workshops about the narratives.</span></span></p> <figure class="quote"><span><span>“Most of the time in those stories, you start to ask people, ‘What can you do tomorrow to create more stories like ones you want to see and fewer stories like the ones you don’t,’” Eggers said, quoting SenseMaker thought leader Dave Snowden. </span></span></figure><p><span><span>“You get people directly thinking about what they can do in their own lives, whether that’s giving aid, doing some kind of really local small action, or for somebody who’s actually making decisions, to change policy.”</span></span></p> <h3><span><span><span><strong><span><span>More Than a Story</span></span></strong></span></span></span></h3> <p><span><span>“The SenseMaking tool is one way to uncover the very complex process of meaning-making in how people see the peace process,” said <a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/profiles/ckoroste">Karina Korostelina</a>, professor and director of the <a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/research-and-impact/programs-and-projects/program-prevention-mass-violence" target="_blank">Program for the Prevention of Mass Violence</a>.</span></span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-03/Karina%20Korostelina%20Thumbnail.jpg" width="300" height="300" alt="Headshot of Professor Karina Korostelina. She is smiling at the camera wearing a blue and white dress and beaded necklace." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Karina Korostelina, professor and director of George Mason's Program for the Prevention of Mass Violence. </figcaption></figure><p><span><span>In Ukraine, she said, peacemaking will likely include territorial concessions, which create moral dilemmas. Another dynamic, she said, is that people on both sides view the conflict drastically differently because of <a href="/news/2022-03/conflict-ukraine-fueled-putins-information-war-carter-school-expert-says-heres-what">Putin’s information war</a>.</span></span></p> <p>“Helping reveal these complex patterns, and how people think about the issues, is very important for informing the peace process because governments and international actors have to know how people see and think about it,” she said.</p> <p><span><span>The class, which is part of the school’s <a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/research-impact/carter-school-peace-labs/peace-engineering-lab">Peace Engineering Lab</a>, exemplifies the Carter School’s key principles of innovation, integration of research and practice, and global impact, said Dean <a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/profiles/aozerdem">Alpaslan Özerdem</a>.</span></span></p> <figure class="quote"><span><span><span><span><span>“At the Carter School, we always strive to incorporate the cutting edge of scholarship and practice in our classroom experience,” Simmons added. “This project is a great example of how to do just that.”</span></span></span></span></span></figure><figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-05/Solon%20Simmons_Thumbnail.jpg" width="300" height="300" alt="Headshot of Solon Simmons" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Solon Simmons, Associate Professor of Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason.</figcaption></figure><p><span><span>Students also benefit from the experience, as their contributions have peace-impacting potential.  </span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“SenseMaking in Ukraine brings an innovative way of responding to the war, and preparing our future capacities and knowledge base for the war’s end, so that the Carter School could respond to its peacemaking and peacebuilding challenges from a more informed basis with solid partnerships on the ground,” </span>Özerdem said.<span> “It shows the real impact that our Peace Labs have started to have.”</span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1241" hreflang="en">Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6916" hreflang="en">Carter School Leadership</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3096" hreflang="en">Peacebuilding</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3586" hreflang="en">peacemaking</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/336" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">Campus News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15776" hreflang="en">Peace Engineering Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15151" hreflang="en">Ukraine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8866" hreflang="en">Russia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6796" hreflang="en">Narrative</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 09 May 2022 17:17:45 +0000 Mariam Aburdeineh 69846 at Podcast - EP 37: On Ukraine, Russia, China, and a very messy world /news/2022-03/podcast-ep-37-ukraine-russia-china-and-very-messy-world <span>Podcast - EP 37: On Ukraine, Russia, China, and a very messy world</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/266" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Damian Cristodero</span></span> <span>Tue, 03/15/2022 - 10:11</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/president" hreflang="und">Gregory Washington</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="font-family:Times"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:#333333">Larry Pfeiffer, director of AV’s Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security, explains to Mason President Gregory Washington about Vladimir Putin’s real agenda in Ukraine. He explains why the war in Ukraine matters to the United States even though the U.S.’s long-term geopolitical, economic and technological challenge is from China. Pfeiffer also asks Americans to guard against autocracy at home because, as he said, it doesn’t take much for a country’s values to be subverted and freedoms suppressed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><iframe allowtransparency="true" data-name="pb-iframe-player" height="150" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=xcp3u-11d1aa5-pb&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7&size=150" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" title="On Ukraine, Russia, China, and a very messy world" width="100%"></iframe></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/556" hreflang="en">Schar School of Policy and Government</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15151" hreflang="en">Ukraine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8866" hreflang="en">Russia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/4661" hreflang="en">China</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3056" hreflang="en">Cybersecurity</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/371" hreflang="en">AV</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/226" hreflang="en">podcast</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7311" hreflang="en">Access to Excellence podcast</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/326" hreflang="en">Podcast Episode</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 15 Mar 2022 14:11:20 +0000 Damian Cristodero 66966 at First-Ever Multi-Campus ‘Teach In’ Explores in Depth the Crisis in Ukraine /news/2022-03/first-ever-multi-campus-teach-explores-depth-crisis-ukraine <span>First-Ever Multi-Campus ‘Teach In’ Explores in Depth the Crisis in Ukraine</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/586" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Andrew J Schappert</span></span> <span>Wed, 03/09/2022 - 13:15</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/jwedel" hreflang="und">Janine R. Wedel</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/elaipson" hreflang="und">Ellen Laipson</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/rkauzlar" hreflang="und">Richard Kauzlarich</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/mhunzeke" hreflang="und">Michael Hunzeker</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/mkatz" hreflang="und">Mark N. Katz</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/ddinan" hreflang="und">Desmond Dinan</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/emcglinc" hreflang="und">Eric McGlinchey</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-03/Schar-School-PhD-student-Mariia-Panga-600x400.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="Photo of Ukrainian national and Schar School PhD student Mariia Panga." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Ukrainian national and Schar School PhD student Mariia Panga greets the Arlington audience. Arlington photos by Buzz McClain/Schar School of Policy and Government</figcaption></figure><figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-03/Michael-Hunzeker-Mark-N-Katz-and-Eric-McGlinchey-200x200.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="Photo of Schar School Professors Michael Hunzeker, Mark N. Katz, and Eric McGlinchey from left to right." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>In Fairfax, from left to right, Michael Hunzeker, Mark N. Katz, and Eric McGlinchey. Photo by Gretchen Curry/Schar School of Policy and Government</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The grim realities and uncertain prospects of the war in Ukraine were examined from all fronts Tuesday night in a first-ever </span></span></span></span><a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/"><span><span><span><span><span>Schar School of Policy and Government</span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span> multi-campus, in-person “teach-in,” presented by the </span></span></span></span><a href="https://csps.gmu.edu/" target="_blank"><span><span><span><span><span>Center for Security Policy Studies</span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span> (CSPS) and cosponsored by the International Relations Policy Task (IRPT) learning community.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span>CSPS director <a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/elaipson">Ellen Laipson</a> moderated from a conference room in Arlington’s Van Metre Hall; a second panel convened in Fairfax’s Horizon Hall. Overflow live audiences of AV students, including many from the Schar School’s <a href="/news/2021-10/new-democracy-lab-fosters-networking-growth-first-year-students">Democracy Lab</a> learning community, participated in the brisk 90-minute event by asking questions of professors at both campuses.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>The discussion, an event that combined audiences of graduate and undergraduate students, was broadcast in real-time via Zoom. <a href="https://youtu.be/5FbaZQXzJkI" target="_blank">View the recording</a>: https://youtu.be/5FbaZQXzJkI</span></span></p> <ul><li><span><span>Professor <a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/mkatz">Mark N. Katz</a> presented a thorough examination of Russia president Vladimir Putin’s personality traits and lagging legacy and speculated on Putin’s ultimate intentions with the invasion of Ukraine.</span></span> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-03/Ellen-Laipson-200x200.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="Photo of Schar School Professor Ellen Laipson" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Ellen Laipson moderates two panels from Van Metre Hall in Arlington.</figcaption></figure></li> <li><span><span>Professor <a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/jwedel">Janine R. Wedel</a>, a specialist in international corruption who taught in Ukraine in 2015, put into context the ancient civilization and culture the Russians are trying to destroy with the invasion, pointing out, among other aspects, that Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv is older than Moscow.</span></span></li> <li><span><span>Assistant Professor <a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/mhunzeke">Michael Hunzeker</a>, a Marine Corps veteran who led forces in the Iraq War, described details of the ground war that international audiences are seeing in real-time on social media. As for the Russian convoy that seems stalled as it makes its way to Kyiv, Hunzeker pointed out it took coalition forces 15 days to reach Baghdad in 2003.</span></span></li> <li><span><span>Professor <a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/ddinan">Desmond Dinan</a>, a former advisor to the European Commission in Brussels, suggested the crisis strengths and unifies the European Union.</span></span></li> <li><span><span>Associate Professor <a href="https://mcglinchey.gmu.edu/">Eric McGlinchey</a>, who researches Eurasian and Central Asian politics, put the current crisis into context by recalling the history of the former Soviet Republics.</span></span></li> <li><span><span>Distinguished Visiting Professor <a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/rkauzlar">Richard Kauzlarich</a>, former ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan, described the uncertain diplomatic opportunities to bring the war to an end.</span></span><br /><figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-03/Anton_Liagusha-200x200.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="Photo of Schar School Professor Anton Liagusha" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Ukrainian ‘scholar in exile’ Anton Liagusha sheds light on Putin’s propaganda campaign.</figcaption></figure></li> <li><span><span>For her part, Laipson said the U.S. intelligence community has performed well and the decision to release intelligence on Putin’s plans denied him the element of surprise.</span></span></li> <li><span><span>Associate Professor <a href="/news/2022-02/schar-school-welcomes-exiled-ukrainian-media-professor">Anton Liagusha</a>, a Ukrainian “scholar in exile” at the Schar School who studies the media’s influence on politics and culture, applied his expertise to Russia’s propaganda and warned what Putin might do in the near future.</span></span></li> </ul><p><span><span>In the most moving testimonial of the evening, Schar School PhD student and graduate research assistant Mariia Panga, a Ukrainian national who has been in the U.S. for seven months, reminded audiences that “Russians are killing Ukrainians right now, even as we speak” and, with remarkable emotional control, read a letter listing those in her home country that she would like to provide words of encouragement but cannot.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>“I cannot express all the anger and frustration, despair and fear I have been experiencing for the past two weeks,” she said. “Every morning I text my family members and friends to check if they are still alive.”</span></span></p> <p><span><span>Among those family members is “my 5-year-old niece, who tells younger kids in the bomb shelter, ‘Don’t be afraid, it will be over soon.’”</span></span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-03/Desmond-Dinan-200x200.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="Photo of Schar School Professor Desmond Dinan" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Desmond Dinan details Europe’s response to the crisis.</figcaption></figure><figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-03/Janine-R-Wedel-200x200.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="Photo of Schar School Professor Janine Wedel" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Janine Wedel describes Ukrainian culture and the ramifications of the war.</figcaption></figure><figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-03/Richard-Kauzlarich-200x200.jpg" width="200" height="200" alt="Photo of Schar School Professor Richard Kauzlarich" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Can the war in Ukraine end with diplomacy? Richard Kauzlarich offers insight.</figcaption></figure></div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15151" hreflang="en">Ukraine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/10386" hreflang="en">Diplomacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2076" hreflang="en">Military</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15226" hreflang="en">Europe</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8866" hreflang="en">Russia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15236" hreflang="en">Putin</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15181" hreflang="en">Schar School News March 2022</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15231" hreflang="en">War</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/13021" hreflang="en">Democracy Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17756" hreflang="en">Democracy Lab Learning Community</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Wed, 09 Mar 2022 18:15:30 +0000 Andrew J Schappert 66726 at The conflict in Ukraine is fueled by Putin’s information war, Carter School expert says. Here’s what needs to be done. /news/2022-03/conflict-ukraine-fueled-putins-information-war-carter-school-expert-says-heres-what <span>The conflict in Ukraine is fueled by Putin’s information war, Carter School expert says. Here’s what needs to be done.</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/276" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Mariam Aburdeineh</span></span> <span>Fri, 03/04/2022 - 16:25</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/ckoroste" hreflang="und">Karina Korostelina</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2021-05/140522502.jpg" width="300" height="336" alt="Headshot of Professor Karina Korostelina. She is smiling at the camera wearing a blue and white dress and beaded necklace." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Karina Korostelina. Photo by Alexis Glenn.</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span>The ongoing war in Ukraine is unique from other conflicts, and the international community can take five actions to control the situation, said </span><a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/profiles/ckoroste"><span>Karina Korostelina</span></a><span>, professor and director of the </span><a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/research-and-impact/programs-and-projects/program-prevention-mass-violence"><span>Program for the Prevention of Mass Violence</span></a><span> at AV’s </span><a href="https://carterschool.gmu.edu/"><span>Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution</span></a><span>. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Korostelina shared her perspective over Zoom:</span></span></span></p> <h4><span><span><strong><span>What makes this war different?</span></strong></span></span></h4> <p><span><span><span>This is not a war between people—it’s completely orchestrated by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his close supporters who made decisions about invasion through a groupthink process that prioritizes selected information, cuts off other sources, and silences people who are afraid to raise their voice because they’ll be ousted or persecuted.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The invasion also was backed by a very strong media propaganda and information war, as they try to convince their population that Ukrainian people are hateful and aggressive, that they prosecute Russians and support Nazis. This has been going on for multiple years to justify Putin [invading] Ukraine and now is a part of the nested model of war. But the conflict is not rooted in negative relations between Russian and Ukrainian people.  </span></span></span></p> <h4><span><span><strong><span>Where did Putin’s narrative come from?</span></strong></span></span></h4> <p><span><span><span>Calling Ukrainians Nazis is completely irrelevant, because, for example, the president of Ukraine is Jewish. Every country has nationalist groups, and this one is such a small percentage of the population, which should not be taken into account. Putin is using this to justify his actions to his own people.</span></span></span></p> <hr /><h3><span><span><strong><em><span>Russian forces invaded Georgia in 2008, annexed Crimea in 2014, and the lack of serious consequences for Putin’s actions encouraged continued acts of aggression, such as those we see today, Korostelina said.</span></em></strong></span></span>   </h3> <hr /><h4><span><span><span><strong>What could have been done to prevent escalation?</strong></span></span></span></h4> <p><span><span><span>The president of Ukraine called for preemptive actions, but unfortunately our administration in the United States and the European Union were very reluctant to outline specific sets of sanctions. Now they are establishing sanctions, but it’s too late because so many people already died. Cities are destroyed.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>There is also no representative of the United Nations in Ukraine right now. It took six days and devastation of civilians in such cities as Kharkiv and Volnovakha for international organizations to step in and organize humanitarian support. However, several cities, including Kherson, did not receive “green corridor.” We have to save civilians. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>For me, this war brings up a question we really need to discuss: What is the responsibility of the United Nations and other organizations, which could not prevent war and could not immediately provide support during a humanitarian crisis? </span></span></span></p> <h4><span><span><strong><span>What needs to be done now?</span></strong></span></span></h4> <ol><li><span><span>Sanctions are key for cutting off the financial support of the war and for reducing support for Putin among the Russian population.</span></span><br />  </li> <li><span><span>Putin is using tactics of civilian devastation to intimidate the Ukrainian government and the West. The continuous support for safe “green corridors” and the creation of a “no fly” zone over Ukraine is essential for protecting civilians.</span></span><br />  </li> <li><span><span>I believe in stopping visas and stripping citizenship from all Russian oligarchs who live in England, France, and other places, who are still giving money to this war or supporting Putin. </span></span><br />  </li> <li><span><span>Putting pressure on Putin. It is great that the International Criminal Court opened investigation for civilian devastation. It’s a mandate to prosecute individuals for war crimes.</span></span><br />  </li> <li><span><span>We need to give Russian people the opportunity to realize, not only by sanctions, but also through information given to them, what Putin is actually doing and that he is a war criminal. A strong response to Putin’s information war is essential for increasing pressure from inside. </span></span></li> </ol><h4><span><span><strong><span>You’ve researched resiliency in conflict. What do you see as contributing to Ukrainians’ resiliency?</span></strong></span></span> </h4><p><span><span><span><span>One of the key components for resilience of Ukrainian society during the regional armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine, which we also see now, was volunteering. Right now, everyone is stepping in, in very creative ways. People are using bottles to create weapons, others are calling every Russian phone number they can find to tell them what is actually happening, other people are medical volunteers, and others are buying food to feed displaced people. Everybody is involved in some creative way, and that is very important.</span></span></span></span> </p><h4><span><span><strong><span>How has the Carter School played a role in Ukraine?</span></strong></span></span></h4> <p><span><span><span><span>We've done a lot of work in Ukraine. One project was Dialogue and Difference, supported by the U.S. State Department, which involved teaching students and children how to be engaged in dialogue for resolution of conflicts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Another ongoing project, also supported by the State Department, involves </span><a href="/news/2021-03/carter-school-takes-its-expertise-overseas-bringing-hope-war-torn-ukraine"><span>teaching students conflict resolution skills</span></a><span> for dealing with issues in society and creating internships for local administrations and NGOs.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The third project was with the German </span>Civil Peace Service <span>in training history teachers in Ukraine how to teach about peace, different forms of violence, and how to address multiple controversial issues in Ukraine, including armed conflict in the East. There is such a big need for understanding and dealing with issues of peace and violence that we are providing. Mason is deeply involved in work with the Ukrainian community, and we will continue doing this work.</span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15151" hreflang="en">Ukraine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7206" hreflang="en">Carter School Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1241" hreflang="en">Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/4786" hreflang="en">Conflict</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">Campus News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8866" hreflang="en">Russia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3586" hreflang="en">peacemaking</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3096" hreflang="en">Peacebuilding</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1346" hreflang="en">peacebuilding and analysis</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 04 Mar 2022 21:25:57 +0000 Mariam Aburdeineh 66386 at Schar School Welcomes ‘Exiled’ Ukrainian Media Professor /news/2022-02/schar-school-welcomes-exiled-ukrainian-media-professor <span>Schar School Welcomes ‘Exiled’ Ukrainian Media Professor</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/586" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Andrew J Schappert</span></span> <span>Wed, 02/23/2022 - 13:41</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/mrozell" hreflang="und">Mark J. Rozell</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/jwedel" hreflang="und">Janine R. Wedel</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-02/Anton-Liagusha-350x350.jpg" width="350" height="350" alt="Photo of Anton Liagusha" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Anton Liagusha: ‘I have a really great opportunity to think in another world with different approaches to life.’ Photo by Shelby Burgess/Creative Services</figcaption></figure><p><span><span>The conflict in Ukraine the world is observing now is nothing new to Anton Liagusha.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>When gun-brandishing, Russia-backed separatists took over the Donetsk National University in Donetsk, Ukraine, in 2014, the country’s prime minister hastily relocated the school to a new campus in Vinnytsia, 20 hours away by train. Now the disused former diamond-cutting factory is the site of a university that is, technically, in exile.</span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“It was a very difficult time,” Liagusha said. Liagusha, an associate professor at the </span><a href="http://schar.gmu.edu/">Schar School of Policy and Government</a><span>, was one of 600 teachers at the university—his alma mater—who were forced to relocate. Some 150 professors did so, but only about 5,</span><span lang="RU" xml:lang="RU" xml:lang="RU">000</span> <span>of the 18,000 students followed. With few students and a diminishing source of funding, Liagusha had one more relocation in his future.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Liagusha was selected to come to the Schar School for a year under the </span><a href="https://newuniversityinexileconsortium.org/" target="_blank">New University in Exile Consortium</a><span> program, which assists endangered and persecuted scholars and provides them means to continue their teaching and research.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>He is continuing his </span><span>studies on media’s influence on politics and culture and how the public consumes information. A media studies scholar and a former radio journalist, Liagusha focuses on “fake news,” disinformation, and propaganda</span><span><span>―</span></span><span>topics for him that are far more than academic. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“It is an honor to have a world-class scholar such as Anton to serve on our faculty,” said </span><a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/jwedel"><span>Janine Wedel</span></a><span>, a Schar School University Professor who studies corruption and was instrumental in bringing him to Mason.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>“At a time of increased threats globally against academic and journalistic freedom, the consortium plays a critical role in providing threatened scholars and reporters a position from which they can do their critically important work,” said Schar School Dean </span></span><a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/mrozell"><span>Mark J. Rozell</span></a><span><span>. “The Schar School’s academic programs benefit from the many contributions that the visiting scholars and journalists make to our community during their affiliation with us.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>At the Schar School, where he teaches the course Media and Policy in the Era of Fake News, Liagusha can continue his studies, which are more important now than ever.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“</span>I have a really great opportunity to do my research and<span> to think in another world with different approaches to life,” he said.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span>“My special interest is not only public policy, but a wider field of public history, <span>how contemporary media, social media, and mass culture use different contexts—heroes, antiheroes, narratives from the past—to support political decision-makers in Europe and especially Eastern Europe. And now I would like to see how it works at the United States.”</span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15151" hreflang="en">Ukraine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/4831" hreflang="en">Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/14896" hreflang="en">Schar School News February 2022</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/596" hreflang="en">Schar School</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15171" hreflang="en">Media Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8866" hreflang="en">Russia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15161" hreflang="en">University in Exile Consortium</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15166" hreflang="en">Endangered Scholar</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2011" hreflang="en">global affairs</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2911" hreflang="en">global politics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">Campus News</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Wed, 23 Feb 2022 18:41:38 +0000 Andrew J Schappert 65921 at Ukraine crisis part of a broader end game for Putin, Mason professor says /news/2022-01/ukraine-crisis-part-broader-end-game-putin-mason-professor-says <span>Ukraine crisis part of a broader end game for Putin, Mason professor says</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/231" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Colleen Rich</span></span> <span>Wed, 01/26/2022 - 11:57</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/rkauzlar" hreflang="und">Richard Kauzlarich</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2022-01/180223627.jpg" width="350" height="484" alt="headshot of Richard Kauzlarich" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Richard Kauzlarich. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span>For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Cold War with the United States never ended, said </span><a href="https://schar.gmu.edu/profiles/rkauzlar"><span>Richard Kauzlarich</span></a><span>, a distinguished visiting professor at AV.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>And that is what makes the current crisis in Ukraine, against which Russia has amassed 100,000 troops, so dangerous.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“This is something Putin created himself, and he’s not approaching it with real policy objectives you can negotiate with or deal with,” said Kauzlarich, who from 1991 to 1993 was deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of European Affairs, with responsibility for relations with the former Soviet Union and economic ties with the European Union.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Putin wants NATO to declare it will not allow Ukraine to become a member. But Kauzlarich and others point out that such a declaration would be in direct opposition to NATO’s traditional open-door policy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“So, could we say, ‘Well, we understand Ukraine isn’t really ready to join NATO and therefore we’re going to shut that door?’" Kauzlarich said. “I don’t think that solves anything. [Putin’s] game is bigger than that.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong><span>What is Putin’s end game?</span></strong><br /><span>“He wants to reverse what he sees as U.S. and NATO victories, if you will, during that period immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union,” Kauzlarich said. “Another element is whether he wants to reconstitute the Soviet Union. He certainly wants to reconstitute Russian presence in a much stronger way in those former Soviet republics. So this may be the opportunity to do just that.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong><span>Why now?</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“I think Putin believes he has an advantage over Biden,” Kauzlarich said. “He sees the U.S. weakened by the internal political differences that have affected our political system. People are distracted by COVID. Maybe he thinks the U.S. would be too concerned about China to care wat he might have in mind for Ukraine. I don’t know whether he believes Ukraine is going to join NATO or not. I just think he’s a tactician. He tries to take advantage of any opportunity, and he saw one here.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong><span>Do you foresee U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine?</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“If there is an attack on Ukraine, NATO would respond,” Kauzlarich said. “It may not be with troops in Ukraine, but there are any number of ways the U.S. and its allies can get Russia’s attention. My guess is there would be economic sanctions. There are measures we can take against the leaders of Russia that won’t affect the people of Russia. We’re doing assistance to the Ukraine military that could expand, as well as strengthening weaker allies of the alliance like the Baltic states, in particular.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong><span>Is the crisis an existential threat to NATO?</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>“I really don’t think so,” Kauzlarich said. “It’s had the opposite affect from what Putin wanted. For goodness sake, you have people in Finland and Sweden talking about joining NATO. That’s the last thing the Russians would want is to have neutral countries on their border join NATO.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong><span>So how will this play out?</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>"At a minimum, we’re looking at a continuing crisis with Russia over Ukraine,” Kauzlarich said. “[Putin] may want to move out into Ukraine further, solidify control on Donbas and that’s it.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Kauzlarich said he’s not sure that would lead to a full-blown invasion. “It will be less direct, and we’ll have some collateral activities where Putin will try to show the U.S. and our allies that he can reach out and touch us as well. By that I mean cyber attacks on vulnerable U.S. infrastructure. He may try to do more joint military exercises with China,” such as through cyber attacks on U.S. infrastructure.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong><span>Richard Kauzlarich</span></strong><span>, who served as U.S. ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1997-99, and to Azerbaijan from 1994-97, can be reached at </span><a href="mailto:rkauzlar@gmu.edu"><span>rkauzlar@gmu.edu</span></a><span>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>For more information, contact <strong>Damian Cristodero</strong> at 703-993-9119 or </span><a href="mailto:dcristod@gmu.edu"><span>dcristod@gmu.edu</span></a><span>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong><span><span><span>About George Mason</span></span></span></strong> <br /><span><span><span>AV is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/361" hreflang="en">Tip Sheet</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/8866" hreflang="en">Russia</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2911" hreflang="en">global politics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/556" hreflang="en">Schar School of Policy and Government</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/14611" hreflang="en">Schar School News January 2022</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Wed, 26 Jan 2022 16:57:43 +0000 Colleen Rich 64066 at