Beijing Study Abroad Summer 2010

All IR majors should have received this email a couple of weeks ago, but in case some didn't...

The Kennedy Center has initiated a new study abroad program in Beijing (summer 2010 term) to serve the interests of IR and Asian Studies majors. Below are the details of the program. If you are interested and have any questions please contact the International Relations or Asian Studies faculty advisors.

Beijing China Summer Term Study Abroad
Summer Term 2010

Program Details

The People’s Republic of China is emerging as one of the world’s leading economic and military powers. It has a rich history and Beijing is the historical and contemporary cultural and political capitol of China. The focus of the program is contemporary Chinese foreign relations and culture. The program emphasizes international relations, Asian Studies, political science and history. Although designed for students that haven’t studied Chinese or are at the intermediate level. Advanced Chinese language students can be accommodated through independent study. Course offered can be counted toward the IR, Political Science, and Asian Studies majors. Language credit can be arranged through the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages.

Course Offerings
• Asian 330R Sino-American Relations (3hrs.)
• Asian 330R Politics and Culture (3 hrs.)
• Chinese language (beginning, intermediate, independent study) (3-4 hrs)

Where do Students Live?
Students live in the newly constructed international students dorms at the Chinese Foreign Affairs University located near the center of Beijing.

Semester/Dates
June 21-August 9, 2010
Application deadline is 29 January 2010

How Much Does This Cost?
• Estimated $3800-4200
• Includes LDS, undergraduate tuition (increased cost for graduate and non-LDS students).
• Does not include airfare, personal expenses, or most meals

Interested Students Should Contact:
Director: Eric Hyer is a member of the Political Science Department and specializes in Chinese politics. He has lived for many years in Taiwan and China and from 1995-1996 was a Fulbright Scholar at China Foreign Affairs University.
Director Contact Information: 209 HRCB, Tel: 422-4699, Email: eric_hyer@byu.edu

Undergraduate Research Opportunity

from Eric Hyer:

Central Washington University, the National Science Foundation, the Center for Historical Environment and Socioeconomic Development of Northwest China at Shaanxi Normal University, and the Northwest Socioeconomic Development Research Center of Northwest University would like to announce the call for applications for the 2010 NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program entitled “Great Western Development, Rural Peasants, and Water Policy across China’s Loess Plateau.” This unique program in social science research will be conducted in Ellensburg, WA, and in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, China in the summer of 2010. Twelve highly-qualified undergraduates and a team of faculty mentors will undertake collaborative research on how economic development and societal change is impacting China’s already precarious environmental position across the Yellow River loess plateau. The six-week program will be conducted between June 21 and August 1, 2010.

The program’s primary objective is to mentor students through the complete process of designing a research agenda and performing primary research in the social sciences at an international field site. It includes a unique combination of close mentoring, student/faculty teamwork, multidisciplinary research, and international field experience. Student participation will be encouraged from all fields of the social sciences, including sociology, anthropology, geography, environmental studies, economics, political science, Asian studies, history, and land/resource management. Juniors and non-graduating seniors are particularly encouraged to apply. Graduate students are not eligible. Applicants are limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Faculty mentors include Richard Mack (economics), Hong Xiao (sociology), Roberta Soltz (biology), and James Cook (Asian studies) of Central Washington University.

Costs of participation (travel, room, board), including the payment of a significant research stipend, will be paid by the program. Student participants are only responsible for their travel to/from Central Washington University.

Deadline for applications is February 15, 2010. Additional information and application forms can be found at http://www.cwu.edu/~nsfreu. Central Washington University is an EEO/AA/Title IX Institution/TDD.

Email from Students for International Development

Hi,

My name is Michelle Alejandra Rubio from the Students for International Development club (SID.) I am sending this email to ask for your support with our Creative Competition, a new way to help students get involved with international issues. For the past twenty years, SID has hosted an annual Hunger Banquet to raise awareness within the BYU community about global poverty and wealth inequality. The Hunger Banquet is designed to serve as both a fund-raising event and an opportunity for members of the BYU and Provo communities to think critically about the systems of inequity that permeate our world.

This year’s Hunger Banquet theme is Human Dignity, and we are hosting a creative competition as a way of exploring this theme. Our goal is to encourage students to create art that shows the dignity within the bounds of poverty. We are accepting paintings, film, photography, dance, music, creative writing, or any other type of creative platform that can be displayed in a gallery here on campus. I have attached the official flier and ask that you share it with your classes to encourage involvement. As a further incentive, several $200 prizes will be awarded to the outstanding entries.

As a final note, if there is any way for us to send a representative from SID to do a short presentation in class, we would love to stop by. Just email me back and let me know when and where. The deadline for entry is February 18th.

Thank you for your involvement,
Michelle Alejandra Rubio

Check out our website:
http://kennedy.byu.edu/student/SID/hunger/#

Sigma Iota Rho Winter Semester Social

Winter Opening Social for Sigma Iota Rho - BYU's International Relations Honor Society

Come learn about SIR and eat JDAWGS!

When: Thursday, January 28th

Where: 3223 WILK

Time: 11am

Join SIR on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=268775343570#/group.php?gid=5212700138&ref=ts