JOHN PARKE YOUNG INITIATIVE ON THE GLOBAL POLITICAL ECONOMY 2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT
INTRODUCTION Under the leadership of Professor Sanjeev Khagram, the Young Initiative was critical to some of the defining events of the 2017-2018 academic year. The John Parke Young Initiative on the Global Political Economy supports the hard work and scholarship of students and faculty, which has made this another successful year for Occidental College. The Young Initiative also extended its outreach by partnering with the City of Los Angeles Council, which has further confirmed Occidental’s position as a leader among liberal arts colleges, and as a catalyst for change, especially within the broader Los Angeles community.
ABOUT THE YOUNG INITIATIVE The Young Initiative at Occidental College is funded by an endowment that supports the John Parke Young Chair in Global Political Economy, together with programs and research designed to promote national and international economic, social, financial and political policies and actions of general public and social benefit. This fund is dedicated to John Parke Young, who graduated from Oxy in 1917 and was a distinguished international economist, former chair of the College’s economics department and the son of the Rev. William Stewart Young, one of Occidental’s founders and a 50-year member of the Board of Trustees.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR The 2017-2018 year ushered in new beginnings, partnerships and the pursuit of scholarship and innovation on the global political economy. These developments took place against a backdrop of ongoing national and global crises, from heightening political polarization on issues of racial and gender justice to transnational concerns of refugee and migrant rights and environmental and climate-driven calamities. While the international community has seen dramatic shifts in governance, the Young Initiative has remained grounded in its mission to equip students with a range of tools to participate in and lead efforts toward inclusive, sustainable and equitable development. The Young Initiative’s efforts to align its agenda with the local and global community is most evident in its partnership with the city of Los Angeles and the launch of the Global Ambition–Local Action (GA–L.A.) Initiative on Sustainable Development. We had the privilege of welcoming L.A. City Mayor Eric Garcetti as our keynote speaker, as well as scholars and practitioners from all over the world, to discuss global cities and ways in which urban governance systems can better align their goals with that of the international community, serving as innovative spaces to promote access and equity. A product of these discussions has been the successful launch of the SDG Compacts R.A.T.E. (Rapid Action Team Everywhere) and the incredible work of students to initiate L.A. City–SDG alignment of stakeholders, goal prioritization, data and budgeting. In addition to these accomplishments, the Young Initiative supported the “Global Sustainable Development” and “Trump and the World” speaker series, which brought in global experts on the data revolution, sustainability, human rights, peace and security, social and economic trends, U.S. global relations and the cross-cutting nature of these issues. The nationally renowned Oxypreneurship has also seen another eventful year, with the success of the fifth annual J-Term and the third biennial TEDxOccidentalCollege (“Shifting Ecosystems of Power”) as a result of the tireless work and dedication of student leadership and supporting faculty, staff, alumni and administrators. Finally, I would like to recognize this year’s batch of Young Grant recipients, who continue to uphold the Initiative’s mission through independent research and internships on a broad range of global issues ranging from migration, gender and peace and security to data for social good and equitable education. As I announced early in April, this year was also my last serving as the chair of the Young Initiative, concluding my six-year chapter at Oxy to become dean of the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. It has been my privilege to work alongside dedicated students, faculty and staff and to end my tenure on a year that has seen Oxy’s continued growth as an academic institution dedicated to the education of driven, empathetic, globally minded and social justice-oriented individuals. I would like to acknowledge what this endowment has allowed us to accomplish and to thank the people behind its continued success. My deepest gratitude to Chamnan Lim, our exceptional assistant director; faculty colleagues of the diplomacy and world affairs department, especially Anthony Chase, Sophal Ear and Derek Shearer, director of the McKinnon Center; our outstanding student program assistants; senior administrators and staff across campus; and alumni and partners from around the world who continue to support our endeavors. I am thankful for the community that has welcomed and enriched me. Although I take my leave of this wonderful institution, I look forward to the many opportunities on Oxy’s horizon and I am confident in all that the Young Initiative can and will accomplish for years to come.
Sanjeev Khagram John Parke Young Professor of Global Political Economy Director, Young Initiative on the Global Economy
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Global Sustainable Development Speaker Series
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Trump and the World Speaker Series
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Workshops and Initiatives
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Young Initiative Student Grants
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Faculty Grants and Activities
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Oxypreneurship
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TEDxOccidental
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People
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GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SPEAKER SERIES
The Young Initiative’s signature Global Sustainable Development speaker series is inspired by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 global goals that integrate the efforts of various countries to achieve transformative global progress and address issues of poverty, all while promoting equality and prosperity. A number of distinguished speakers were invited to Occidental College to discuss collaborative and innovative approaches to achieving the SDGs.
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GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SPEAKER SERIES ADITYA AGRAWAL OCT. 17, 2017
The Data Revolution and the SDGs Aditya Agrawal is the director of data ecosystems development at the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. In his talk, he discussed the recent data revolution and the diverse ways in which it can be harnessed to aid in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. With 17 goals, 169 targets and more than 230 indicators, not a single country would be able to accomplish the goals on their own, which is why global partnership through accessible, transparent and even alternate data sources is both desirable and necessary.
PAUL DIVAKAR OCT. 24, 2017
Sustainable Development Goals as a Vehicle to Break Caste and Ethnicity-Based Discrimination Paul Divakar is a founding member of the National Campaign on Dalit Rights and the general secretary of Dalit Arthik Adhikar Andolan of the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR). He works in the South Asia region, addressing issues of untouchability and caste-based discrimination. Divakar spoke about the challenges facing Dalit communities in India and the growing power of international groups and the SDGs to promote inclusion and recognition of communities impacted by discrimination based on work or descent (DWD).
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PAUL ZEITZ NOV. 28, 2017
Implementation of the Global Sustainable Development Goals Paul Zeitz specializes in the fields of health, sustainable development and data. Throughout his career, he has been active in strategic political advocacy for sustainable development, an AIDS-free generation, human rights and global justice in the United States and the world. He has worked to ensure the success of the sustainable development goals as the director of the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development Team with the U.S. Department of State. During his time at Oxy, Zeitz discussed the potential of the SDGs as a global framework and model, focusing specifically on Goal 3: Good Health and well-being.
CHARLES CALL DEC. 5, 2017
SDG 16: Peaceful and Inclusive Societies Charles “Chuck” Call is the senior external adviser at the UN-World Bank Flagship Study on Development and Conflict Prevention and a professor at American University’s School of International Service in Washington, D.C. His research focuses on issues of post-war peacebuilding, democratization, human rights and police and justice reform. He has worked for the United Nations, the U.S. State Department, the Brookings Institution, and the Washington Office on Latin America and Human Rights Watch. During his talk, Call shed light on the importance of SDG 16 and its implications in diverse global societies.
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GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SPEAKER SERIES APRIL RINNE APRIL 3, 2018
The New Economy and the Future of Work April Rinne is a primary thought-leader on the New Economy. She has visited over 100 countries, has an interest in economic development and microfinancing, and has advised stakeholders in the public, private and social sectors. While on campus, she discussed types of economies, emerging technologies and challenges and opportunities related to the New Economy, noting that climate change, mass urbanization and unprecedented levels of connectivity will pose challenges for global citizens and markets. However, Rinne also explained that new technologies, developing business models and innovative organizational structures have the power to harness the positive aspects of these economies.
SHALMALI GUTTAL APRIL 10, 2018
Globalization and the Rise of Populist Authoritarianism in Asia Shalmali Guttal is the executive director of Focus on the Global South, an activist think tank in Asia that provides analysis and alternatives for just social, economic and political change. Her work and research are focused on economic development, trade and investment and issues surrounding ecological and social justice in Asia. She has worked in India, the United States and Southeast Asia. At Oxy, Guttal discussed her organization’s work and efforts and the emerging political realities in Southeast Asia, specifically the rise in populist authoritarianism.
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PARDIS MAHDAVI ’00 MARCH 27, 2018
Trafficking and Terror: Questioning the Construction of a Global Social Problem Pardis Mahdavi is a distinguished alumna of Occidental who studied diplomacy and world affairs during her time here. The Young Initiative was incredibly grateful to welcome her back to discuss her work on human trafficking and terrorism and her extensive background in sexual politics, sexuality, intersectionality and the disconnect between policy and lived experience. Mahdavi serves as the dean of the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies. Mahdavi’s research interests include gendered labor, human trafficking, migration, sexuality, human rights, youth culture, transnational feminism and public health in the context of changing global and political structures.
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TRUMP AND THE WORLD SPEAKER SERIES
The Trump and the World speaker series, the Young Initiative’s newest speaker series, was introduced this year to critically assess President Donald Trump’s foreign policy initiatives and objectives during his first year in office. We invited distinguished speakers to discuss the United States’ relationships with China, Japan, Russia, the European Union, the Middle East, Latin America and other nations and regions under the Trump administration.
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WILLIAM DROZDIAK SEPT. 25, 2017
Trump and Europe William Drozdiak is a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution and a senior adviser for Europe with McLarty Associates. He has served as president of the American Council on Germany (ACG) and is the founding executive director of the Transatlantic Center in Brussels. Drozdiak is also the author of Fractured Continent: Europe’s Crises and the Fate of the West, and has written for various international relations publications including the Washington Post and Foreign Affairs. He offered valuable insight into the current political arenas of the United States and Europe, including the state of this fragile and critical relationship.
JEFFREY WASSERSTROM SEPT. 27, 2017
Trump and China Jeffrey Wasserstrom is a noted academic specializing in Chinese history. He is Chancellor’s Professor of History and department chair at UC Irvine and has written for renowned academic periodicals including China Quarterly, Urban History and the Journal of World History. He has authored many books, his most recent being, China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know, and Chinese Characters: Fast-Changing Lives in a FastChanging Land. Wasserstrom is also an associate fellow of the Asia Society. While at Oxy, Wasserstrom discussed the emerging complexities of the Trump administration’s relationship with China.
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TRUMP AND THE WORLD SERIES GLEN FUKUSHIMA OCT. 23, 2017
Trump and Japan Glen S. Fukushima co-leads the Japan operations of NCR Corporation and leads the Japan operations of Airbus S.A.S., the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft. Fukushima was based in Washington, D.C. as deputy assistant U.S. trade representative for Japan and China and director for Japanese Affairs at the Office of the United States Trade Representative. In December 1997, Fukushima was elected the 44th president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. He is a founding member of the Pacific Council on International Policy, a distinguished associate of Stanford University’s Asia/Pacific Research Center, and served as vice chairman of the Japan-United States Friendship Commission. Fukushima drew from his extensive experience to compare U.S.Japan relations under the Obama and Trump administrations. He offered valuable insights into what to expect of U.S.-Japan relations under the Trump administration going forward.
HUSS BANAI NOV. 6, 2017
Trump and the Middle East Huss Banai is a professor of international studies at the School of Global and International Studies at Indiana University and a research affiliate at the Center for International Studies at MIT. He has also co-authored Becoming Enemies: U.S.-Iran Relations During the Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988, which discusses the U.S.-Iran relationship from the fall of the Shah to the Iran-Iraq War. He has taught previously at Occidental. We were thrilled to welcome Banai back to campus, where he discussed Trump’s developing relationship with various actors in the Middle East, including Iran and Israel.
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PAUL ZEITZ NOV. 29, 2017
What’s the Future for Sustainable Development in the U.S. and Around the World? In addition to his insightful discussion on the implementation of the SDGs during the Global Sustainable Development speaker series, Paul Zeitz returned to Oxy to discuss the future of sustainable development under the Trump administration. Zeitz also gave a broader perspective on the global movement toward sustainable development, specifically, how the Trump administration is approaching global efforts to focus on the sustainability of cities and communities worldwide.
CHARLES CALL DEC. 4, 2017
Trump and Latin America Charles “Chuck” Call is a nonresident senior fellow in the Latin America Initiative in the Foreign Policy program at Brookings. He has dedicated his work and career to issues of peacebuilding, security and justice. Specifically, Call is an expert in the role of rising powers, state-building, civil wars and anti-corruption reforms in Latin America. The Young Initiative was honored to invite him back to campus, after being a part of the Global Sustainable Development speaker series, to discuss his knowledge of Latin America and the Trump administration’s developing relationship with the region. 12
TRUMP AND THE WORLD SERIES CELESTE WALLANDER JAN. 29, 2018
Trump and Russia Celeste Wallander is the president and CEO of the nonprofit U.S.-Russia Foundation. As a professor in the department of government at Harvard University, she has taught courses in international affairs, security, Russia, Eurasia and Europe. Wallander has also served on the Council on Foreign Relations as a senior fellow and director as well as senior fellow of the Russia/Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In 2009, she served as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia. Wallander also joined the National Security Council as special assistant to the president and senior director for Russia and Central Asia. She was able to provide a unique perspective while on campus on the Trump administration’s relationship with Russia.
DIANE AMANN JAN. 31, 2018
Trump and Human Rights Diane Amann is the Emily and Ernest Woodruff Chair in International Law and faculty co-director of the Dean Rusk International Law Center at the University of Georgia School of Law. She visited Occidental to discuss the Trump administration’s emerging perspective on human rights, noting that the importance of human rights has changed and will continue to change both at home and abroad. Amann emphasized that America must help to sustain human rights and also hold those in positions of power accountable for their actions.
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MARY THOMPSON-JONES MARCH 29, 2018
The State of Diplomacy Under Trump Mary Thompson-Jones is the chair of women in national security and diplomacy at the U.S. Naval War College (USNWC). Her diplomatic experience spans a 23-year career as a foreign service officer in leadership roles in the Czech Republic, Canada, Guatemala, Spain and Washington, D.C. She is a retired senior foreign service officer in the United States’ Department of State. She retired with the rank of minister-counselor and is the recipient of several superior and meritorious honor awards. Thompson-Jones came to Oxy to discuss with students and faculty how the Trump administration approaches diplomacy and what we can expect going forward when analyzing the administration’s current and potential diplomatic negotiations and diplomatic strategies.
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WORKSHOPS & INITIATIVES
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GLOBAL AMBITION–LOCAL ACTION (GA–L.A.) FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS INITIATIVE LAUNCH WORKSHOP
Global Ambition–Local Action for the Sustainable Development Goals was the Young Initiative’s largest event of the year. Professor Sanjeev Khagram and Occidental students, as part of Oxy’s UN Week, and with the partnership of the City of Los Angeles Council, came together for a discussion around Los Angeles’ work to align itself with the UN 2030 agenda. As part of the event, Occidental was honored to host Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on campus. Garcetti provided the keynote address and highlighted the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for the city.
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GA–L.A. AND UN WEEK 2018 The mayor’s speech kicked off a series of United Nations Week events at Occidental, an annual project jointly sponsored by the McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Young Initiative on the Global Economy, diplomacy and world affairs department and the Kahane Program at the United Nations. Students and faculty invited a diverse array of global experts, academics and city officials to discuss how growing “global ambition” related to the implementation of the UN SDGs can be reflected in local action in cities and communities worldwide. Through a series of workshop events, local as well as visiting experts from around the world emphasized how the SDGs can and will serve as a model for L.A.’s sustainability plans, partnerships and growth potential.
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GA–L.A. SESSIONS FEB. 5-9, 2018
Opening Plenary Keynote Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles Plenary Panel on Cities, SDGs and Diplomacy Nina Hachigian, deputy mayor of Los Angeles for international affairs, with senior officials from Mumbai, Bogota, Nairobi and Mexico City Opportunities and Challenges for Cities to Advance SDGs I and II Plenary Keynote and Panel on Data for SDGs in Cities Patricia McCarney, president and CEO, World Council on City Data Jeanne Holm, senior technology adviser to the mayor, city of Los Angeles Ania Calderon, executive director, Open Data Charter UN Representative Keynote Mila Rosenthal, director of communications, United Nations Development Programme Open Discussion on Data and Resource Mobilization Advancing GA–L.A. Collaborative on SDGs Cities: Goals, Modalities, Next Steps Global Cities Keynote Saskia Sassin, world expert on global cities, Columbia University and the London School of Economics and Political Science Commentary by Oxy Emeritus Professor Robert Gottlieb
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GA–L.A. HIGHLIGHTS Eric Garcetti announces an exciting new partnership with Occidental College. Oxy will support Los Angeles’ emerging leadership as a global city that will advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals and align L.A.’s progress to the UN 2030 agenda.
Saskia Sassen shares her unparalleled knowledge of global cities in the context of the GA–L.A. Initiative, highlighting cities’ potential as “strategic spaces for advanced economic functions.”
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GA–L.A. PARTICIPANTS Aditya Agarwal Director, data ecosystems team Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data Carlos Alejandro Ibarra Cisneros Executive director of institutional strength and internal affairs Administrative Office of Mexico’s City’s government Amita Bhide Professor and dean, School of Habitat Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India
Felipe Cusnir Director of international trade Los Angeles Mayor’s Office Carolien de Bruin Founder and CEO C-Change Co., Amsterdam Sophal Ear Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum Associate professor, diplomacy and world affairs, Occidental College
Sabrina Bornstein Sustainability and Resiliency Team
Melika Edquist Manager UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Erin Bromaghim Director of Olympic and Paralympic development City of Los Angeles
Jessica Espey Senior adviser UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Ed Cain Vice president for grant programs Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Doug Gardner Director William and Elizabeth Kahane United Nations Program at Occidental College
Ania Calderon Executive director Open Data Charter Pleres Choi International affairs specialist Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of International Affairs Nidhi Choudhari Deputy municipal commissioner Mumbai
Kathryn Goldman C40 climate adviser Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, city of Los Angeles Sofia Gruskin Professor, department of preventive medicine Keck School of Medicine and Gould School of Law, USC
Maria Monica Conde Vice president of international chamber of commerce Bogota 20
GA–L.A. PARTICIPANTS Alice Gugelev Global development incubator and director Member of Global Development Incubator’s Kenya Board Nina Hachigian Deputy mayor for international affairs City of Los Angeles Alexandra Hiniker Strategic relationships manager New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs Jeanne Holm Senior technology adviser to the mayor and assistant general manager City of Los Angeles
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Sanjeev Khagram John Parke Young Professor of Global Political Economy Occidental College Lily Lapenna Founder, MyBnk, Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum Chamnan Lim Assistant director, administration and programs Occidental College Ilir Lita Program manager Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles Priscilla Mahinda Lead business partner Plume Consultants Limited, Nairobi
Allan Igambi CEC Commerce, Tourism and Cooperatives Nairobi City County, Kenya
Patricia L. McCarney President and CEO World Council on City Data
Marina Kaneti Senior manager, Global Development Incubator Assistant professor in global studies and social impact Grand Valley State University
Jaime Nack President, Three Squares Inc. Board Member, UCLA Alumni Association Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum
Ashwini Kantak Assistant director in the environmental services department City of San Jose
Elizabeth Njau Deputy director, trade and enterprise development Nairobi City County
Shaheen Kassim-Lakha Director of international programs Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
James Patava Vice president for public affairs and international relations World Council on City Data
Lizzy Paulson United Way of Greater L.A. Kerrie Romanow Director, environmental services department and chief sustainability officer City of San Jose Mila Rosenthal Director of communications United Nations Development Programme
Sherry Simpson Scholar-in-residence Young Initiative on the Global Political Economy, Occidental College Emily Skeehan Program officer Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Malia Smith International affairs intern Los Angeles Mayor’s Office
Saskia Sassen Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology Columbia University
Philip Thigo Senior adviser Office of the Deputy President, Kenya
Philipp Schonrock Director Centro de Pensamiento Estratégico Internacional
Sara Wallace Communications lead Global Development Incubator
Isaac Serrano Urban/human geographer and coordinator of lab Proposed City, Mexico City Monica Sharma Tata Chair Visiting Professor Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
Paul Zeitz Co-founder, SDG Compacts and Sustainable Development Games Action for Sustainable Development Visiting fellow, Young Initiative on the Global Political Economy, Occidental College
Derek Shearer Chevalier Professor of Diplomacy and World Affairs Occidental College Dilpreet Sidhu Director of international relations, policy and protocol Los Angeles Mayor’s Office Alexandra Silfverstolpe Founder and managing director Data Act Lab, Sweden
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SDG COMPACTS WORKSHOPS RAPID ACTION TEAM EVERYWHERE (RATE)
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The Global Development Incubator (GDI) and the Young Initiative also hosted a series of SDG Compacts workshop sessions, which brought together a diverse group of participants with a wide range of expertise in data, technology, entrepreneurship and local government to discuss how to implement the Sustainable Development Goals at a local level. The SDG Compacts is “a movement that brings together cities, local governments and other stakeholders to accelerate measurable progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on local priorities and actions.� Using this framework, participants spent two days discussing and creating models and structures for local SDG implementation, brainstorming how to mobilize and incentivize cities and governments and creating an action plan for future implementation. The themes of this workshop largely overlapped with the GA–L.A. Initiative.
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SDG COMPACTS SESSIONS FEB. 2-4, 2018 Session I: Setting the Stage (Introductions, Objectives) Sanjeev Khagram, Occidental College, and Paul Zeitz, Global Development Incubator SDG Compacts Action Plan 2018-2020 Marina Kanetii, Global Development Incubator Session II: Introduction to SDG Compacts Implementation Model Breakout Group 1: Propose Improvements to SDG Compacts Implementation Model for Cities and Local Governments Session III: SDG Compacts Movement Structures and Approaches Moderator, Philip Thigo, government of Kenya Breakout Group 2: Propose Improvements on SDG Compacts Movement Structures Session IV: Mobilization of Cities and Local Governments Moderator, Jeanne Holm, City of Los Angeles Session V: From Vision to Action Moderator, Ania Calderon, Open Data Charter Session VI: SDG Compacts Fundraising Strategy and Plan Moderator, Alice Gugelev, Global Development Incubator Session VII: Next Steps, SDG Compacts Action Plan and Timeline 2018 Moderators: Sanjeev Khagram, Occidental College, and Paul Zeitz, Global Development Incubator
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CHINA AND THE EMERGING ECONOMIES: DEFINING THE RELATIONSHIP IN A POSTHEGEMONIC (TRUMP) ERA The Young Initiative also partnered with the Center for International Studies at USC to host a two-day conference to discuss China’s economy and how it will affect the United States’ foreign policy. Academics and foreign policy experts discussed the complexities of the Chinese economy and how both diplomatic efforts and the Trump administration’s emerging strategies will impact these economic realities and relationships.
GLOBAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
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WORKSHOP SESSIONS Session I
Session II
Moderator, Clayton Dube, USC’s U.S.China Institute
Moderator, Brett Sheehan, USC
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China’s Internationalized Development Strategy Shoujun Cui, Renmin University Benjamin Creutzfeldt, Johns Hopkins University
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The Politics (and Anti-Politics) of Chinese Agribusiness Investment Gustavo Oliveira, Swarthmore College Xu Siyuan, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
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Is Chinese Infrastructure Investment Really the Next Big Thing? Leonardo Stanley, Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad Victoria Chonn Ching, USC
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Latin America and the Belt and Road Initiative Margaret Myers, Inter-American Dialogue Di Dongsheng, Renmin University
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China’s Economic Relations With LAC: Soft Power, Hard Power or Smart Power? Carol Wise, USC Nicolás Albertoni, USC
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China’s ‘Strategic Partners’ in Latin America: Energy Politics Yanran Xu, Renmin University
Session III
Public Forum
Moderator, Sanjeev Khagram, Occidental College
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What Difference Do Diplomatic Relations Make? Chinese Development and Diplomacy Politics Monica DeHart, University of Puget Sound
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Sources of Development Bank Finance for Big Extractive Projects: Does It Matter? Kevin Gallagher, Boston University Rebecca Ray, University of Massachusetts–Amherst
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Trump’s Jettisoning of the Trans-Pacific Partnership: What Might this Mean for ASEAN? Sigfrido Burgos Cáceres, independent scholar Sophal Ear, Occidental College
“Finessing the China Relationship in the Trump Age” Moderator, Sanjeev Khagram, Occidental College Panelists: Shoujun Cui, Renmin University Monica DeHart, University of Puget Sound Gustavo Oliveira, Swarthmore College Leonardo Stanley, Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad
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WORKSHOP SESSIONS Featured speakers and moderators Nicolás Albertoni Student, political science and international relations USC
Margaret Myers Director, Latin America and the world program Inter-American Dialogue
Sigfrido Burgos Cáceres Exports and compliance officer Aviagen
Gustavo Oliveira Postdoctoral fellow and visiting assistant professor, environmental studies Swarthmore College
Victoria Chonn Ching Ph.D. candidate and student USC Benjamin Creutzfeldt Resident postdoctoral fellow, SinoLatin American-U.S. Affairs School of Advanced International Studies Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins University Shoujun Cui Associate professor and assistant dean School of International Studies, Renmin University of China Monica DeHart Professor of anthropology University of Puget Sound
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Rebecca Ray Research fellow BU-GEGI (Global Economic Governance Initiative, part of Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center) Brett Sheehan Professor, Chinese history, USC Director, USC’s East Asian Studies Center Xu Siyuan Ph.D. candidate Department of applied social sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Clayton Dube Director USC U.S.-China Institute
Leonardo Stanley Associate researcher, economic department Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad, Argentina
Sophal Ear Associate professor, diplomacy and world affairs Occidental College
Carol Wise Associate professor, international relations USC
Kevin P. Gallagher Professor, global development policy, Boston University; Director, Global Development Policy Center
Yanran Xu Assistant professor School of International Studies, Renmin University of China
Sanjeev Khagram John Parke Young Professor of Global Political Economy Director, Young Initiative on the Global Political Economy, Occidental College
YOUNG INITIATIVE STUDENT GRANTS
John Parke Young sought to promote the study of global political economy and global affairs during his lifetime. The Young Initiative is committed to supporting this vision by providing student grants for independent research, internships and conference attendance around the world. This was another successful year for students who applied for and received Young Student Grants. Through a competitive process, the Selection Committee awarded grants to 24 students for their projects totaling $65,989.77. Upon completion, recipients are expected to submit a report and present their activities and findings. 30
YOUNG INITIATIVE GRANT RECIPIENTS Lexi Nicole Banbury ’19 Research: The Impact of Female Friendships With a Bi-National Identity Amman, Jordan Troy Van Buskirk Barter ’20 Conference: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Washington, D.C. Ronald Chan ’18 Conference: The Global Forum for Food and Agriculture Berlin Kiera Cox ’18 Research: Transnational Anti-Femicide Movements as Agents of Social Change in Latin America Buenos Aires Henry Doyle ’19 Research: Northern Ireland and the Palestinian/Israeli conflict Belfast Chidire Obioha Ezeh ’19 Internship: Global Ambition, Local Action Initiative (GA–L.A.) with L.A. City Mayor’s Office Los Angeles Adrianna Housman ’18 Documentary: The Eyes of Crisis—The Visual Narratives of Immigration : Who Is Framing the Immigrant Experience? Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco Mason Vaughn Hurlocker ’20 Internship: Onward Israel Government and Politics Program 2018 Jerusalem
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Ovie Ayebatari Kabba ’19 Internship: Proyde Madrid Hallaamal Mohamed Keir ’19 Internship: Yemen Peace Project Washington, D.C. Miki Konishi ’18 Research: Stateless in Japan— Experience and Biopolitical Management Tokyo Sam Kowitch ’18 Research: Catholic Nonprofit Work With Assisting Migrants Seville, Spain Juliah Lee ’19 Research: Putting Theory into Practice: Integrating Moral Disengagement Theory into Counterterrorism Washington, D.C. Qin Mei ’18 Research: China’s Soft Power Campaign in the Trump Era Shenzhen, China Gaea Patrice Morales ’18 Conference: 62nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, United Nations New York City Megan Elizabeth Mundell ’19 Internship: IES Tokyo Summer Program Resident Assistant Research: Literature Review and Qualitative Analysis of Working Women and Family Planning Tokyo
Marie Andrea Snyder ’19 Internship: Ashoka Africa Partnerships and Fundraising Arlington, Va. Zachary Sasha Solomon ’19 Internship: Global Ambition, Local Action Initiative (GA–L.A.) with L.A. City Mayor’s Office Los Angeles Snigdha T. Suvarna ’20 Internship: Global Ambition, Local Action Initiative (GA–L.A.) with L.A. City Mayor’s Office Los Angeles Georgia Tucker ’18 Conference: Sixth International Conference on Heritage and Sustainable Development Granada Abigail Wilson ’20 Conference: 10th Annual Mental Health Conference, “Out of the Shackles: Pursuit of Civil Justice in the Face of Psychological Trauma” Washington, D.C. Emily Winfield ’17 Conference: Visual Science of Art Berlin Jayne Seeger Wixtead ’19 Internship: IAEA’s (International Atomic Energy Agency) Central Security Coordination Office Regarding Policy and Planning Vienna Haiyi Zhao ’19 Internship: Global Ambition, Local Action Initiative (GA–L.A.) with L.A. City Mayor’s Office Los Angeles
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FACULTY GRANTS AND ACTIVITIES
The Young Initiative continues to support an array of scholarly activities, projects and research conducted by Occidental College faculty in the diplomacy and world affairs department.
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ANTHONY CHASE Anthony Chase spent his sabbatical year reinventing, as academics must do periodically, his research agenda. Young funding was absolutely essential to this. His work took on three focal points: • A continuation of his work on human rights in the Arab world, specifically 1) contributing his 2017 Handbook on Human Rights in the Middle East and North Africa to be the centerpiece of an upcoming (fall 2018) workshop and 2) following up on that Handbook with an article reflecting on reasons behind the failures of the Arab revolutions. •
An increasing focus on human rights theory in a global context, specifically 1) an article with Huss Banai on “Human Rights in Nationalist Times” 2) coordinating and contributing to a multiauthor section in Human Rights Quarterly on “Reza Afshari and the Future of Human Rights” and 3) planning for a spring 2019 “Workshop on Human Rights in Interdisciplinary Perspective.”
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A new focus on Colombia, specifically 1) using Colombia’s postpeace agreement transitional processes as an example of the sort of multidimensional transitional processes that are needed both to make transitions work and to allow human rights to better inform alternatives to rising global xenophobia and 2) a proposed article putting transitions in the Arab world and Colombia in comparative perspective, making the argument not just for a multidimensional approach but also for the fundamental importance of attention to economic and social equality, with particular reference to gender and sexuality.
Young funds enabled research and travel in support of these varied projects (as well as to a few conferences). As ever, it was both much needed and much appreciated.
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SOPHAL EAR In 2017-18, Sophal Ear was on sabbatical for the year, but enjoyed the continued support of the Young Initiative to speak at the Forum of Web Summit 2017 in Lisbon. He spoke on a panel entitled “Best of Frenemies: Europe and China.” He was joined by Zachary Karabell, Ph.D., head of global strategy at Envestnet; Ambassador Tomáš Valášek, director of Carnegie Europe; and Aman Verjee of 500 Startups. Support from the Young Initiative also enabled Professor Ear’s conference participation in the United Kingdom, where he spoke on China’s involvement and influence in Cambodia and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Subsequent work has resulted in keynotes, presentations or papers at the University of Hawaii, Manoa; the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; the University of Massachusetts, Lowell; the University of Colorado, Boulder; Texas A&M University School of Law; a USCOccidental College joint workshop; UCLA; Ulster University, Northern Ireland; Warwick University, UK; University of Redlands; Ubud Writers and Readers Festival; the World Khmer Conference, Melbourne, Australia; the Asian American Alumni Association of Princeton; and the Princeton Club of Southern California, among many others. Draft papers enjoyed the support of editorial assistance funded by the Young Initiative. Finally, Professor Ear held the biennial license for TEDxOccidentalCollege, thanks to funding from the Young Initiative and support from Oxypreneurship. The event was a huge success with 250 attendees, including a number of trustees and alumni and speakers, headlined by Christine Ha, winner of “MasterChef” Season 3.
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LAURA HEBERT The Young Initiative supported Laura Hebert’s teaching, research and professional activities in 2017-18 in a number of ways, including funding the purchase of books and other materials for her ongoing book project, Gender & Human Rights in a Global, Mobile Era, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. The Young Initiative provided funding for the continued research support of two diplomacy and world affairs student assistants who were responsible for compiling databases to track police complaints of human trafficking globally, as well as prosecution and conviction rates and domestic and international efforts to prevent trafficking. It also supported Professor Hebert’s participation in the Western Political Science Association’s annual conference in San Francisco in March 2018, where she presented a paper titled “A Feminist Perspective on Human Rights in a Global, Mobile Era: The Case of Domestic Servitude in the United Kingdom” (a case study from her book). In addition to book-related activities, the Young Initiative provided funds for membership in professional associations and the purchase of books and subscriptions relevant to the teaching of her courses on international organizations, gender and human rights and human rights and trafficking in persons.
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MOVINDRI REDDY During summer 2017, Movindri Reddy worked on an article entitled “Curry and Race: Gender, Diaspora and Food in South Africa.” This research was based on fieldwork she had completed under the Young Grant the year before; Professor Reddy had interviewed women from different class, religious and ethnic backgrounds regarding Indian cuisine and its relationship to India and the diaspora. The article has subsequently been published in Women in the Indian Diaspora: Historical Narratives and Contemporary Challenges, edited by Amba Pande (Springer, 2017). Professor Reddy continued to be on the international advisory board of Diaspora Studies Journal and has been active as a reviewer for articles on diasporas and transnationalism. In December 2017, she was in South Africa for fieldwork in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. There, she is concentrating on ways in which minorities have survived and thrived through the various state formations in the country. She interviewed and observed local social movements in urban townships, mainly youth movements that have been actively engaging with transnational social and cultural organizations. Professor Reddy’s next project is on southern Africa, with specific emphasis on social movements among ethnic minorities in the post-revolution or colonial period. In June 2018, she was in Surinam to participate in a conference on slavery and indenture at Anton de Kom University of Suriname in Paramaribo. Her paper is entitled “Ethnic Erasure and Indigenous Identity: Indian Diaspora Identity in South Africa and Fiji.” Finally, her book Social Movements and the Indian Diaspora has just been published in paperback (Routledge, 2018).
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OXYPRENEURSHIP
A cornerstone of the Young Initiative, Oxypreneurship is a student-led, multi- “For me, the goal is to have a higher percent of our students, stakeholder hub that strives to inspire in any department, go out and increase student engagement in across the world and believe entrepreneurship through a wide range in themselves and have of events, including a motivational the confidence to become speaker series, problem-solving and entrepreneurs.” experiential workshops and forms —Sanjeev Khagram, of community outreach. This year, John Parke Young Chair Oxypreneurship faculty advisers and students successfully hosted the fifth annual J-Term and third biannual TEDx, and established its first Women in Entrepreneurship event. As always, curated speakers throughout the year helped to further inspire the entrepreneurial spirit. In addition, students created Oxypreneurship’s very own incubator, which hosted its first Data + Innovate L.A. event.
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OXP HIGHLIGHTS
INCUBATOR: DATA + INNOVATE L.A. EVENT STUDENT LEADERS: SHARON ZHANG ’19, JULIAN CARAVANTES ’20 AND TASO WARSA ’21 Centered around the urban landscape of Los Angeles, students were placed in groups based on their interests and academic backgrounds and were then tasked with creating either a minimum viable product or a policy proposal by the end of the day. Innovate L.A. featured a broad range of “facilitators,” individuals and mentors who are leaders in their fields who helped to critically guide discussions around complex issues. Mentors for the event included community organizers and policy experts, the vice president of business development at Uber Media, a UI/UX designer and Oxy alumni. The day culminated with presentations from student participants as well as a keynote presentation from the senior technology officer of the city of Los Angeles, Jeanne Holm.
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WOMEN IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP EVENT STUDENT LEADERS: AABHA SACHAR ’19, NEEHA KADAVAKOLANU ’20, ESME EPSTEIN ’21, ELLEN MCDERMOTT ’20 AND ANTHEA TAEUBER ’19 Women in Entrepreneurship was an event held on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017 that brought together female entrepreneurs from diverse fields and backgrounds. Participants shared some of the obstacles they have faced in their work as well as their success stories, all while providing sound advice to young females and male allies in the audience. This event helped to challenge the ways in which the world limits leaders and entrepreneurs to the fields of business and finance. The panel was facilitated by Occidental adjunct lecturer Sherry Simpson-Dean, and speakers included Jennifer Schwab Wangers, founder and CEO of Entity Magazine; Judy Loehr, venture partner at Cloud Apps Capital Partners; Michelle Harwell, co-founder of Lady Bosses of Eagle Rock and CEO of Michelle Harwell Therapy; Tina Hovespian, founder and CEO of Cardborigami and a Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur; Brandilyn Tebo, founder and CEO of The Shift Women’s Empowerment Retreats; and guest panelist Dave Shah, founder of Wve Labs.
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TEDx OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE 2018 Shifting Ecosystems of Power
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On April 21, 2018, Oxyprenuership hosted its third biannual TEDx event. This year’s theme was Shifting Ecosystems of Power. This event gathered leaders from various sectors to discuss how the international community can harness this rapid acceleration of change to address our most pressing issues, from human-rights violations, to climate change, to poverty. As a community, Occidental is an intellectually stimulating space full of bright and eager thinkers. As a college fostering the growth of the next generation of leaders, Occidental is the perfect environment to aggregate and share these important conversations. Student Leaders: Ronald Chan ’18, Grace Haggerty ’20, Reed Foster ’18, Christy Vong ’17, Ellen McDermott ’20, Neeha Kadavakolanu ’20, Snigdha Suvarna ’20, Adrianna Housman ’18, Ethan Glass ’19, Cord Lambrecht ’19 42
TEDx SPEAKERS Barani Maung Maung ’18 Navigating Between Two Worlds; Why “Third-World” Feminism Matters Chet McGensy Senior vice president, chief policy adviser, dividend finance, solar and PACE financing national and federal policy developer Dean Lin ’19 The Way We Define Ourselves Christine Ha “MasterChef” winner, author and public personality Jay Daigle NTT assistant professor of mathematics Model Disagreement Ashley Leon ’19 Revolution in the Courts: Balancing the Scales of Justice Nicole Vick Analyst, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and urban and environmental policy professor, Occidental College Seeing Faces and Not Just Numbers
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Yinbo Gao ’18 How to Build a Startup That Deems to Fail and Why Claire Krelitz ’19 Building Political Agency Through Self Critique Rumman Chowdhury Senior principal and leader of strategic global initiative on responsible artificial intelligence, Accenture Waruguru Waithira ’19 Thahu Roberto Milk Chief executive and co-founder, Novica Thomas Egan ’18 How Do I Connect With My Friend? The Reality of How Mental Illness Can Affect How We See People Marquita Thomas Executive director, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Chris Oze Associate professor of geology, Occidental College Changing the Concrete Paradigm
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J-TERM 2018
J-Term completed its fifth successful term this year at Occidental. Participating students were able to develop their entrepreneurial skills and hard skills in computer programming and digital media. Students also had an enriching J-Term through the lectures they attended on entrepreneurial leadership, all while meeting Los Angeles-based entrepreneurs in person. Students were able to learn from these entrepreneurs, who assisted students with their projects and final pitches. The John Parke Young Initiative and Oxypreneurship (OXP) continue year after year to join their resources in the spirit of student entrepreneurship. J-Term is a prime demonstration of how a liberal arts degree can lead to successful entrepreneurial ideas and endeavors.
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PEOPLE
YOUNG INITIATIVE LEADERSHIP
SANJEEV KHAGRAM
John Parke Young Professor of Global Political Economy Director, Young Initiative on the Global Economy
CHAMNAN LIM
Assistant Director, Administration & Programs McKinnon Center for Global Affairs Young Initiative on the Global Political Economy
SHERRY SIMPSON-DEAN Scholar-in-Residence, Young Initiative on the Global Political Economy Senior Fellow, McKinnon Center for Global Affairs Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Diplomacy & World Affairs
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PEOPLE
YOUNG INITIATIVE PROGRAM ASSISTANTS
Andrea Tuemmler Class of 2018 Diplomacy and world affairs and economics
Poppy Thekdi Class of 2019 Diplomacy and world affairs
Gaea Patrice Morales Class of 2018 Diplomacy and world affairs
Selasi Amoani Class of 2020 Diplomacy and world affairs and economics
Claire Van Fossen Class of 2019 Diplomacy and world affairs
Henry Butenschoen Class of 2020 Diplomacy and world affairs
Zachary Solomon Class of 2019 Diplomacy and world affairs
Spruce Bohen Class of 2021 Undecided
Olivia Wilk Class of 2019 Diplomacy and world affairs and East Asian studies
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