- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to Host Conversation about War in Ukraine May 5

John Hill — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 12:58:40 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will hold a conversation about the war in Ukraine on Thursday, May 5. The event, “,” will be held at 6 p.m. May 5 at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown, 333 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. The event is free and open to the public. Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, will discuss the Russian-Ukraine war, including if the conflict could have been prevented and what actions the international community should take in the present day to deal with the invasion. The event will also look at the United Nations response to the war, the possible role of the International Criminal Court, how to evaluate Russian concerns about NATO, how members of the community can help with the crisis in Ukraine, and how to discern between credible news coverage and misinformation surrounding the war. “The idea for the event emerged after getting frequent questions about the war from members of our community,” said Wiebelhaus-Brahm. “My goal is to provide community members with ideas and resources to help them analyze the multiple dimensions of the conflict that are on their minds.” The event is sponsored by the and Arkansas WAND. For more information, contact Dr. Wiebelhaus-Brahm at ejwiebelhaus@ualr.edu.

Kirk, Wiebelhaus-Brahm, and Glazier Win 2022 CHASSE Faculty Excellence Awards

John Hill — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 15:47:22 +0000

Every year since being established in 1989, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock celebrates the most influential and highest achieving professors in the university by presenting them with its highest award possible—the Faculty Excellence Award.�� These most prestigious and coveted awards go to the professors who are making the biggest differences in their classrooms, communities, and in the world of academia due to their teaching, public service, and research. This year, the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education (CHASSE) has chosen Dr. John Kirk, George W. Donaghey distinguished professor of history, for public service, Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs, for research and creative endeavors, and Dr. Rebecca Glazier, associate professor of political science, for teaching. Kirk, Wiebelhaus-Brahm, and Glazier will also be competing for the university-wide Faculty Excellence Awards that will be announced April 7.

Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service

A scholar of the civil rights movement, Kirk has previously served five years as chair of the Department of History and four years as the director of the former Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity, where he helped develop the award-winning Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail. Kirk helped a dedicated Arkansan, Leatrice Russ-Glenns, gain recognition for the life of her brother, Carnell Russ, who was killed by the police in Star City, Arkansas, in 1971. Kirk researched and wrote articles about Russ in the Arkansas Times and Arkansas Historic Quarterly and helped establish the Carnell Russ Day Community Unity Festival in Star City, which offers a series of events to bring together the Black and white residents of the community. Kirk has also hosted “Arkansas Moments,” a show on K��Vlog��ýR, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s National Public Radio affiliate, for 10 years. Kirk has researched and written more than 100 radio segments that provide lessons on civil rights and Black history. Since 2004, Kirk has served on the editorial board of the Arkansas Historical Quarterly, the premier journal for historical studies in the state. “John has been one of the finest and most prolific scholars in the fields of Arkansas and U.S. civil rights history,” said Patrick Williams, editor of Arkansas Historical Quarterly. “Over the past quarter-century, he has been among the most frequently published authors in the Arkansas Historical Quarterly, offering deeply researched and skillfully crafted studies on such topics as the desegregation of the state’s schools and public facilities, race and urban development in Little Rock, the Black Power movement, and policing and the African American community. His books and essays have repeatedly been honored for excellence, winning four of the Arkansas Historical Association’s top prizes.”

Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching

Dr. Rebecca Glazier

Glazier’s love for and effectiveness in teaching is apparent in the awards she has received from her students, just in the past five years: The Student Government Faculty Appreciation Award (We Heart our Faculty Awards) in 2020 and the Student Government Association Faculty Member of the Year award she received for the 2016-2017 year. Glazier has also spent a considerable amount of time learning how to be a more effective teacher and has shared her considerable knowledge with the academic world by publishing several articles and books on the subject of teaching. Her latest book, “Connecting in the Online Classroom: Building Rapport between Teachers and Students,” published in 2021, came at a critical time in teaching, when so many have needed to switch their tactics in reaching their students. “With many faculty members suddenly moving their classes online—some for the first time—building connections with online students became more important than ever,” Glazier said. “Over the past two years, I have written blog posts, given interviews, taught webinars, published peer-reviewed articles, recorded videos, and even Tweeted teaching advice in order to share my research and knowledge on online teaching.” In addition to her teaching duties, Glazier has also been overseeing the Little Rock Congregations Study, which aims to understand the impacts of faith-based community engagement, get students out of the classroom and involved in the community, and to provide relevant information regarding findings in the community. She has been overseeing the research project since 2012, engaging graduate and undergraduate students in hands-on research about the religious organizations in their community. Glazier is also heavily involved in several committees and organizations including serving as the Politics and Religion Program Chair at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting in 2021, a member of the Chancellor’s University Plaza Content Committee, the Academic Technology and Computing Committee, the Winthrop Rockefeller Distinguished Lecture Series Committee, and more.

Faculty Excellence Award for Research and Creative Endeavors

Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm

An international expert in the field of transitional justice, Wiebelhaus-Brahm is a co-investigator on the UK Global Challenges Research Fund-supported “Strategic Network on Justice, Conflict and Development,” which links a group of academics and practitioners in the developed world with those in Colombia, Sri Lanka, Syria, and Uganda. In the Hub, he is working with Dr. Kirsten Ainley of Australian National University to study donor funding priorities that focus on justice and peacebuilding. From 2015-2017, Wiebelhaus-Brahm was a co-principal investigator on a Norwegian Research Council grant evaluating the implementation record of the recommendations of 13 Latin American truth commissions. As part of this major project, he co-led a multinational research team that conducted field research in 11 countries in Latin America and has led to two books, “Exploring Truth Commission Recommendations in a Comparative Perspective: Beyond Words” and “Latin American Experiences with Truth Commission Recommendations: Beyond Words.” Since 2020, he has co-organized the “Transitional Justice in the USA” Speaker Series in which academics, activists, and policymakers discuss justice needs and efforts past and present to address historical injustices faced by racial and ethnic minorities in the US. In Arkansas, Wiebelhaus-Brahm has worked with the Pulaski County Community Remembrance Project to memorialize lynching victims in the county. He also met with Gov. Asa Hutchinson and testified before the Arkansas legislature to advocate for a truth commission to address the state’s history of racial violence. “We awarded the CHASSE Award for Excellence in Research to Dr. Wiebelhaus-Brahm because his research is meaningful, extensive, and pedagogical,” said Dr. Jana McAuliffe, chair of the CHASSE Awards Committee. “His research projects stand out as particularly meaningful because they confront the effects of violence, war, and mass atrocity, engaging human suffering as part of the difficult process of working toward global peace. He endeavors to figure out what actually works to help communities across the world heal from violence and build healthier, safer societies.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock grad plans to transform the world through transitional justice, conflict research

John Hill — Tue, 19 May 2020 13:23:54 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate wants to make the world a better place by becoming a scholar in transitional justice and peace building in countries affected by conflict and civil war.�� Ra’phael Davis, a native of Newport, Arkansas, is graduating with bachelor’s degrees in international studies and philosophy as well as a certificate in professional Spanish. In the fall, Davis will begin a Ph.D. program in political science at Ohio State University, where he will study international relations and comparative politics. He is also a recipient of the Dean’s Distinguished Graduate Enrichment Fellowship, a fellowship that lasts for three years and is supplemented by a two-year assignment as a teaching or research assistant. “There is a deep seated moral commitment from me since I was in grade school to help reduce conflict in the world, specifically for marginalized groups,” Davis said. “In the fourth grade, I learned about genocide. It startled me just to learn that it existed. I knew that somebody had to do something to stop this, and that is what stuck with me. I wanted my life committed to helping other people and improving their lives. I want to find ways to prevent genocide, hold people responsible, and improve people’s lives after conflict.”�� After taking a 2018 seminar on peace building and post-conflict reconstruction with Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs, Davis was inspired to apply for the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates in Conflict Management and Peace Science. After spending the summer of 2018 conducting research at the University of North Texas with Dr. Jaqueline Demeritt, Davis’ research on the impact of transitional justice and reparations on post-civil war peace was published in two academic journals on philosophy and international relations. “As a transitional justice and conflict scholar, I can attest that he is poised to make important contributions to the field,” Wiebelhaus-Brahm said. “Ra’phael is interested in how victims and conflict-affected communities respond to material and symbolic forms of reparation.” Davis was also selected by the United Nations to work as a volunteer with Education Watch Pakistan, which focuses on human rights education, where he helped produce two books on the state of human rights in Pakistan. “He has taken on several roles in the community that demonstrate his character, leadership, and citizenship,” Wiebelhaus-Brahm said. “He currently works with Global Ties Arkansas, which seeks to promote understanding by bringing foreign leaders to the U.S. He has interned with The Confess Project, which is implementing mental health awareness campaigns through social media and in majority African American neighborhoods to combat the stigmatization of minority men’s mental health.” While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Davis found ways to give back to the community that have helped him become the man he is today. In addition to being a Donaghey Scholar, Davis has served as president of the International Honor Society of Philosophy, president and founder of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s International Studies Association for Undergrads; and president of the Ethics Bowl Debate Team. He’s also volunteered as a mentor with the Student Affairs Success Initiative (SASI). “SASI’s mission was compelling, because I would have the chance to be influential in helping other first-generation and minority students succeed in college,” Davis said. “I began mentoring a group of 9-10 students for the 2018-2019 school year with SASI. Thankfully, I was able to help the majority of these students on a one-on-one basis which I think improved their chances at educational success. One of my mentees was taking a math class, but he could not afford the textbook for the class. He also would not reach out to his family back home because of the extreme poverty he knew his family was facing. Within a matter of hours, I was able to connect him with the resources he needed on campus, allowing him to get his textbook and do well in class.” Among his many accomplishments, Davis also earned a competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State in 2019 to study abroad at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. As part of a course in social policy, he worked with other international students to develop a project on poverty and mental health in migrant communities in the Netherlands. “We worked with a local nonprofit called Trajekt to help improve the lives of immigrants and forced migrants in the Netherlands by finding innovative ways to reduce poverty levels and foster social integration in trauma sensitive ways,” he said. “In the end, we developed a proposal for programming through funding from the Maastricht municipality to help with the community mission in another country. It didn’t matter that we might never see the people we would impact again, it only mattered that we improved the lives of others in the human community.” Over the summer, Davis plans to work with fellow ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alums Connor Donovan and Madeline Burke to create a virtual summer program on international and political affairs for high school students. The Gilman International Scholarship Alumni Network, of which Davis and Burke are alumni, has a COVID-19 action fund, and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alums plan to apply for a grant to fund the summer program. “If we get the grant, I hope high school students will learn that these careers are possible for them in political science and international relations, what colleges have strong programs in these areas, and to have an idea of what career options are available,” Davis said. “People often don’t know about the resources and job options that are available in these kinds of careers.”

Grad believes ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has prepared him for future career of public service

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 18:28:53 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate is grateful for the personalized yet flexible college education he received that helped him gain experience in politics, public policy, and nonprofits that will be invaluable to his future career.�� Dylan Wright of Little Rock will graduate Dec. 14 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and minors in economics, math, and creative writing. “I think the biggest reason that I attended ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is that I got the Donaghey scholarship,” Wright said. Donaghey Scholars receive a financial package that includes full tuition and fees, a housing subsidy, a stipend, a study abroad experience, and a new laptop computer. “I knew I would have a lot of opportunities to be flexible in my education,” Wright said. “I got to study abroad and take a bunch of classes in different areas. Dr. Jessica Scott and Dr. Simon Hawkins from the Donaghey Scholars Program have been amazing and helped me through any problems I’ve had.” The Little Rock native has also studied human rights and social movements at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. During his study abroad trip, Wright researched queer cinema in Argentina and the role it plays in citizen’s LGBTQ rights under the mentorship of Dr. Erin Finzer, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and assistant professor of Spanish. He presented his research at the Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies conference in Mexico in March.�� In another research project, Wright is working with Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs, to study the implementation of more than 1,000 recommendations of truth commissions in 13 Latin American countries. The truth commissions investigated histories of human rights violations. Wright and Wiebelhaus-Brahm have presented their research at the Law and Society Association conference and will present at the Midwest Political Science Association meeting in Chicago next year with support from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s presidential Studies Program. “Dylan has done some amazing things at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Wiebelhaus-Brahm said. “He’s�� supported some of the most important nonprofits in our community. He’s worked on several election campaigns, ranging from mayoral to presidential. There are great things in his future.” Wright remains thankful to the research opportunities he had with his mentors. “Dr. Brahm and Dr. Finzer have been the two professors who have been the most active in guiding my interests and helping me explore the topics I’ve been interested in, including human rights, international relations, and social justice,” Wright said. “The professors here have done a really great job of providing me with guidance and resources and passion for different areas that I am now interested in and want to pursue.” During his time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Wright has become an active volunteer in the Little Rock nonprofit world. He has served on the advisory board for Lucie’s Place and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Diversity Council. He has also volunteered with El Zócalo Immigrant Resource Center, Heifer International, and the Clinton Presidential Library.�� “I started out as an English major, but I didn’t feel fulfilled,” Wright said. “I switched my major to political science. As I became more politically aware, I wanted to become more active in local organizations who are doing important work. I tried to dedicate as much of my time as I could to volunteering.” In the political arena, Wright has interned for the Democratic Party of Arkansas, the Clinton Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign: Project One America, and two political campaigns. After graduation, Wright plans to attend a joint graduate program where he will attend law school while studying public policy. While he’s keeping his options open, Wright’s future career will most likely involve law, politics, and public policy. “I’m applying to graduate programs, but I do know I want my career to be nonprofit or public-service oriented,” Wright said. “I really want to spend my career helping people.”

Veteran, alum making a difference through Medicaid fraud investigations

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 06:30:52 +0000

A veteran and 2018 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is helping to uncover Medicaid fraud as part of his journey to become a lawyer.�� Ben Bowers, 31, of North Little Rock, graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in political science in December 2018.��With the ultimate goal of becoming a lawyer, Bowers put his degree to good use by gaining experience in state politics. He served as a senatorial aide for state Sen. Kim Hammer from December 2018 to April 2019. “As Sen. Hammer’s aide, I would read and summarize proposed legislation and report any issues that might counter his ideology,” Bowers said. “When Sen. Hammer would present a bill in committee, other representatives and members of the community would voice their concerns. I would write reports on their concerns so he could address them.” After the spring 2019 legislative session closed, Bowers began work as a legal support analyst with the Arkansas Office of the Medicaid Inspector General. “My job is similar to paralegal work with a lot of research involved,” Bowers said. “I do the initial phase of investigation when someone calls and reports a provider or homecare aid cheating on Medicaid. I also prepare exhibits for use in court.” Bowers graduated from Benton High School in 2006 and joined the U.S. Army. During his four years in service, Bowers earned two Army Commendation Medals and the Iraq Campaign Medal for his deployments in Iraq and Kuwait. Upon his return to Arkansas, Bowers joined University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College, having always wanted to complete his college education. Unfortunately, Bowers struggled during his first post-service years and faced bouts of unemployment, homelessness, and legal problems. He earned his Associate of Arts degree in general studies from Pulaski Tech in 2017 and transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, where he participated in the Model Arab League and the Little Rock Congregations Study. “My ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professors that stand out the most for me are Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm and ��Dr. Rebecca Glazier of the Department of Political Science and Dr. Kristin Mann of the Department of History,” Bowers said. “Dr. Brahm was willing to meet with me and helped me craft my personal letter for law school. Dr. Glazier does the Model Arab League, and you can really tell she cares about her students.” In 2017, Bowers also become a volunteer with Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, a national nonprofit organization that engages, assists, and empowers members of the military, law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and first responders. Bowers is applying to law schools for the fall and is grateful for a job where he feels like he is making a difference. “I feel like I am contributing to society and doing something meaningful,” Bowers said. “The Medicaid program provides good help to many low-income people. We try to stop people from abusing the system and to pay back what they have stolen so there are funds available for the people who really need it.”

Check out these unique course selections for summer 2019

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 12:38:34 +0000

The summer 2019 session is right around the corner. For students still searching for an interesting course to fill out their summer break, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has some great choices.�� Vlog��ý Little Rock courses offer students the chance to learn how cultural ideas about race still have a significant impact on the lives of minorities, learn conversational French for business and travel, and prepare for National Board Teacher Certification, as well as many other interesting topics. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will offer four convenient summer sessions: Session 1, May 28 to July 30; Session 2, May 28 to July 1; Session 3, June 10 to July 31; and Session 4, July 8 to Aug. 9. Priority registration runs March 25-29 while regular registration for all summer sessions begins March 30. Check out the following guide for courses that explore interesting and unique topics: ANTH 4312: Race and Human Variation Summer 4 (July 8 to Aug. 9) online Contact Kathryn King at kaking@ualr.edu The course will examine how cultural ideas about race still have a significant impact on the lives of minorities. GATE 7393: National Board Certification Pre-Candidacy Summer 1 (May 28-July 30) Contact Christine Deitz at mcdeitz@ualr.edu This special topics class offers an in-depth study of various instructional and curriculum strategies appropriate for use with students. It empowers teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to begin the National Board Teacher Certification. Students examine the National Board for Professional Teaching standards, rationale for becoming a National Board Certified Teacher, and develop materials suitable for documenting accomplished teaching practices. HHPS 3320: History of Physical Education Summer 4 (July 8 to Aug. 9) online Contact Katie Helms at kehelms@ualr.edu This class studies the historical development of organized physical activity designed to improve the understanding and appreciation of the purpose, value, nature, scope, and significance of physical education throughout history. HHPS 2230: Introduction to Sport Management Summer 4 (July 8 to Aug. 9) online Contact Katie Helms at kehelms@ualr.edu This course will provide an overview of all facets of sports including management, career opportunities, marketing and promotion, public relations, fundraising, economics and finance, legal and ethical issues, and event and facilities management. LANG 1210: French for Travel and Business Monday and Wednesday, 4-5:30 p.m., May 29 – June 17 Contact Zac Hagins at zrhagins@ualr.edu This is an introductory course focusing on basic conversational skills in French for individuals interested in language primarily for travel and business. No prior knowledge of French is required. This is a hybrid course with online components in addition to class meetings. MGMT 4383/5383: Entrepreneurial Perspectives Summer 1 (May 28 to July 30) online Contact Joe Bell at jrbell@ualr.edu �� The course exposes students to an array of videos of entrepreneurs and business professionals. As an overview of entrepreneurship, it will help students determine their level of interest in pursuing an entrepreneurial endeavor while at the same time providing numerous tools the student can apply in today’s challenging marketplace. POLS 3301: Violence, Peace, and Justice Summer 1 (May 28 to July 30) online Contact Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm at ejwiebelhaus@ualr.edu Transitional justice encompasses the study of how societies deal with the legacies of violence and human rights abuses – how they punish those responsible, rehabilitate victims, heal deep social and ideological divisions, and remember or forget the past. There is a growing acceptance around the world that gross human rights violations and acts of mass atrocity must be addressed. A variety of mechanisms have been devised and employed with growing frequency in an attempt to provide some form of accountability. This course will draw upon the insights of the interdisciplinary transitional justice field to examine a range of conceptual, empirical, and ethical questions related to dealing with histories of conflict and repression. Specifically, students will consider how transitional justice influences democratization processes; why countries deal with troubled pasts in different ways; the role of the international community in transitional justice processes; the tension between different conceptions of and demands for justice that exist at local, national, and international levels; and the moral bases for engaging in different forms of transitional justice. The class will cover a range of transitional justice mechanisms including international tribunals, trials, amnesties, truth commissions, vetting procedures, and reparations. SOWK/GERO 4310/5310: Social Gerontology Summer 1 (May 28 to July 30) online Contact Jacqueline Burse at jrburse@ualr.edu This course gives a broad overview of aging in the world. By 2030, 20 percent of American will be older than 65. Many people are living longer and healthier lives, and older adults will soon outnumber children in this rapidly changing world. This course will explore intriguing issues, including the effects of aging, the future of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, how to plan for retirement in this new age, and how future workers will support an aging society in a time of decreasing fertility rates. SOWK 8311: Family Life Cycle Summer 1 (May 28 to July 30) online Contact Rosalie Otters at rvotters@ualr.edu This online graduate course, which can serve as an elective for social work or gerontology programs, focuses on the theoretical underpinnings of the many and varied life cycles families experience. Particular emphasis will be placed on cultural influences and populations at risk.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock student studies effects of reparations in post-civil war countries

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 14:37:17 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student is conducting research on how measures to address histories of violence affect conflict-affected societies after spending the summer at a prestigious research and graduate preparatory program.�� Solomon “Ra’phael” Davis, a junior Donaghey Scholar double majoring in philosophy and international studies, spent June and July at the at University of North Texas. Students participating in the program receive a $4,000 stipend, free room and board during the program, and paid travel expenses. Davis is one of only 10 students accepted to the program, where interns worked with faculty and graduate student mentors to conduct political science research on civil conflict management and peace studies. There, he started researching the impacts of transitional justice and reparations on post-civil war peace. Transitional justice is a term that refers to a range of policy measures, such as criminal prosecutions and memorials, that are designed to provide some form of justice for past human rights violations. The program also served as graduate school preparation, providing him with essential skills to pursue further education in political science and peace studies at the graduate level. “I absolutely loved it. I made wonderful friends and connections. It opened up a different path to my career,” Davis said. “I’ve always wanted to work toward international law, but now I can do that with political science and international relations, and it has opened up another path toward graduate school. I can do more traveling with hands on human peacebuilding research.” Davis was inspired to apply for the program after taking a seminar on peacebuilding and post conflict reconstruction with Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs. Davis’ research project is entitled, “Repairing the Breach: How Material and Symbolic Transitional Justice Affect Post Civil War Peace.” “Ra’phael’s research has the potential to make original contributions to the transitional justice field by distinguishing the effects of different types of reparations,” Wiebelhaus-Brahm said. “This project is the great foundation for a doctoral dissertation. Among other things, he will be building an original dataset that will aid future research on reparations.” Davis studied the implementation of reparations in United Nations member countries that have experienced a civil war or conflict from the 1980s through the present. Reparations were classified as symbolic, such as having memorial ceremonies, governments issuing public apologies, and building museums to commemorate the event, or material reparations consisting of monetary compensation, property restitution, or other material benefits by the government to victims. “Material reparations have the ability to change the conditions in which a person exists,” Davis said. “The government can issue a public apology, but their living conditions don’t change and the physical conditions don’t change. That’s not to say that symbolic reparations can’t be powerful. I think rebuilding buildings with cultural value, having reconciliation ceremonies, and building museums and memorials can have an immense effect.” Davis largely found that symbolic reparations only work well enough to reduce the probability of the resumption of the conflict when material reparations are made as well. “So far, material reparations should work better than symbolic reparations, but they work better together,” he said. “I calculated the different types of material and symbolic reparations. Together, most of the mechanisms work well together except for the combination of amnesties in reparation. Providing amnesties to perpetrators along with reparations to victims is counterproductive. The museum-memorials variable paired with reparations doesn’t have statistical significance. There is also an argument that museums and memorials can cause retraumatization and anger.” Davis is continuing his research with Wiebelhaus-Brahm and will present his findings at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Student Research and Creative Works Expo on April 18. He is also the recipient of a��Mentored Signature Experience Project Award. He used the award to pay for books and software needed to continue his research project as well as to fund his travel to present his research at the International Studies Association Midwest Annual Conference in St. Louis Nov. 15-17. In the upper right photo,��Ra’phael Davis is researching which type of conflict reparations are most effective in conflict-affected societies. Photo by Benjamin Krain.��

��Vlog��ý Little Rock professor joins international gender, justice, and security research hub funded by nearly $20 million grant

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 19:13:57 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor is part of an international research network that has been awarded more than £15 million pounds, or $19.6 million, to address gendered dimensions of injustice and insecurity around the world.�� Over the past two years, Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, associate professor in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, has traveled to war-affected countries across the world as part of the Justice, Conflict and Development Network. The international research team investigated how peace can be achieved in societies emerging from conflict. That project was funded by a 2016 grant worth approximately £150,000 British pounds by the, which supports cutting edge research and innovation that addresses the global issues faced by developing countries. Through the team’s study of justice initiatives and economic development challenges in Colombia, Sri Lanka, Syria, and Uganda, the researchers developed new research questions and applied for additional funding to continue their research. The London School of Economics (LSE) Centre for Women, Peace, and Security, which will lead the new coalition of research institutions, was awarded a from the Global Challenges Research Fund to create the Gender, Justice, and Security Hub. �� The new Hub is part of the, a pioneering new approach to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges through investment across 12 global research hubs. Over the next five years, these Interdisciplinary Research Hubs will work across 85 countries with governments, international agencies, partners, and nongovernmental organizations on the ground in developing countries and around the globe to develop creative and sustainable solutions which help make the world, and the UK, safer, healthier, and more prosperous. “This is building upon our previous research of the that was trying to accomplish two things. The first was to identify important research questions about the interplay of three issues: economic development issues and challenge, justice issues, and conflict dynamics,” Wiebelhaus-Brahm said. “We are trying to establish policies that might help to ensure peace in the long run, even in conflict-affected countries where the people might never see justice. The second thing we are trying to do is facilitate collaboration among academics, activists, nonprofits, and policy makers across the world.” The LSE-led Hub seeks to advance sustainable peace by developing an evidence base around gender, justice, and inclusive security in conflict-affected societies. With 44 partners across 17 countries, it will expand research capacity and interdisciplinary research. The Hub will also connect with leading ambassadors for gender justice to turn research insights into ongoing actions that will improve lives. “When you have had periods of mass violence, there are often massive human rights violations. People who are victims want to see justice, but different people have different views of what a just response is,” Wiebelhaus-Brahm said. “We are also looking at the drivers of the conflicts, the simmering tensions that continue in these areas, and how those issues prevent peace building in societies that have been deeply affected by conflict and civil war. A new focus of the project will be gender, how conflict affects individuals differently depending on their gender, and how justice and development are experienced differently according to one’s gender.” As an example of the type of research the hub will investigate, Wiebelhaus-Brahm said one of the biggest research areas emerging from post-conflict Sri Lanka is the promotion of gender equality stemming from women who fought in the civil war. “One of my colleagues has done research investigating female Tamil Tiger fighters,” Wiebelhaus-Brahm said. “She has looked at how women have adapted to the end of the war. Women decided to join the rebellion for lots of different reasons. The rebels did sometimes pressure people to support the rebellion. Some said they volunteered to protect a younger brother from joining. Finally, some women saw it as empowering, that joining the rebels gave them more independence. In interviews, a lot of women talked about the equality they experienced as part of the rebellion. After the war, a lot of these women have been shunted back into traditional women’s work.” Wiebelhaus-Brahm will be investigating issues related to the funding for peace and justice initiatives and reconstruction projects in countries emerging from conflict and civil war. His share of the grant, which is approximately £100,000 pounds (around $130,000), will be used to fund research tools, travel expenses, and graduate research assistants. “I will be collecting data on how much funding is being devoted to justice initiatives and where that funding is coming from,” he said. “I will also look at attempts to come up with comparable cross-national measures related to gender and development and justice issues. This research will look at existing data from the United Nations, such as that relating to women’s access to justice. The goal will be to identify existing measures or to come up with measures that can compare a variety of relevant issues across countries to determine how specific countries are doing in terms of successful justice initiatives and the promotion of gender equality.” Professor Christine Chinkin, founding director of the LSE Center for Women, Peace, and Security, will serve as the principal investigator for the Gender, Justice, and Security Hub. “The Hub provides an amazing opportunity to work with our partners overseas to explore, through research and exchanges, the potential of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda to help deliver on the global challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals,” Chinkin said.

Graduating student plans to make difference by teaching in high-needs urban schools

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:39:28 +0000

When Jessica Tate, a 22-year-old native of Nashville, Arkansas, spent this summer teaching English as a second language in China, what she experienced led her to make a life-changing decision.�� “What I saw in China blew my mind,” Tate said. “I went to five different schools over the course of my internship, so I got to see the disparities in educational access. It gave me a totally new perspective.” Tate will graduate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Saturday, Dec. 15, earning two Bachelor of Arts degrees in international studies and Spanish. For many years, Tate assumed she would join the United Nations as an interpreter following her graduation, or perhaps a think tank to do research on international policies. But the internship she completed in China, a part of her requirement for her international studies degree, changed those plans. “The internship legitimately changed my life,” she said. “There was one school where we had to teach in this building that seemed so disconnected from the rest of campus. I remember being in this building that was meant to be a gym. I didn’t have access to a computer, projector, or desks. I only had a small board, and I had to squat down in order to write anything to teach. It was really that experience that opened my eyes to that I should be doing something that is fulfilling to me.” Tate applied and has been accepted to a four-year teacher residency position with the, a nonprofit organization operating in Dallas, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. The mission of Urban Teachers is to prepare highly effective teachers who are committed to teaching students in school districts that need them most. In June, Tate will move to Baltimore, where she will teach secondary mathematics in high-need schools, all while earning her state teacher license and earning a Master of Science degree in education from Johns Hopkins University School of Education. After graduating high school at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts in 2014, Tate started at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a recipient of the Donaghey Scholars Program. The campuswide honors program includes full tuition and fees, a living stipend, financial assistance toward a study abroad program, a housing subsidy, and a new laptop computer. “I was very fortunate to have the Donaghey Scholars Program,” she said. “I get to graduate debt free, and I am very thankful for that. Meeting new people was the most enjoyable part.” Dr. Simon Hawkins, director of the Donaghey Scholars Program, described Tate as an inspiring student who always rises to the challenge. “Jessica is one of those inspiring students who takes advantage of everything ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has to offer, both in the classroom and the world,” Hawkins said. “She is the model of a well-rounded student who always seeks challenges, whether it be teaching English in Mongolia or learning photography and piano or tackling world quality research with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty. She is driven by a desire to understand the world. Many of her experiences have been hard and have pushed her personally and intellectually, but she has always risen to the challenge.” She credits Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm and Dr. Joseph Giammo, professors in the School of Public Affairs, as two of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professors who helped her the most. “I have been very lucky to have some professors like Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm and Dr. Joe Giammo. Dr. Brahm has helped me a lot to try to figure out my life. He’s been a great mentor to have, and I have learned a lot from him. He is one of the most knowledgeable people I know. He cares about his students and wants to see the best for them. Dr. Giammo was very helpful and understanding. I enjoyed his classes, and he was a good mentor.” Working with Wiebelhaus-Brahm also gave Tate amazing research experience. She completed three research projects with him. The most memorable project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid peace operation in South Sudan, a project that she presented in the university’s Student Research and Creative Works Expo and the College of Social Sciences and Communication Research Symposium. During the six months between graduation and her move to Baltimore, Tate plans to get a job and earn some money, but she also has some major life events to look forward to. As part of her graduation present, Tate and her mother will travel to the Philippines to visit her mother’s family. “My mom and I are going to the Philippines for a whole month as part of my graduation present to visit the homeland and visit my family,” Tate said. “My mom and I have been planning this for a long time. It’s part of the reason I studied so hard. I wanted to do this for my mom. I’ve never been there before, and I’m going to meet my family for the first time over there.” On May 17, 2019, Tate will marry her fiancé, Zachary Cochran, a senior economics major at the university who will graduate next May. They met at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock when Cochran was taking a Spanish class and needed a tutor, who turned out to be Tate. “I was reading a book, ‘The End of Poverty,’ she said. “He looked at the book, and said ‘I know that book.’ We talked about how much we like the Penguin publishing company. We hit it off first thing. It happens when you have two bookish people. We even have these book dates where we go to Barnes and Noble to sit down and read.” In the upper right photo, graduating senior Jessica Tate is an avid reader and origami artist. Photo by Benjamin Krain.��

��Vlog��ý Little Rock student researches the role of Argentinian films in LGBTQ rights

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:09:21 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student spent the summer at a prestigious study abroad program where he examined Argentina’s films to determine the role they play in citizens’ LGBTQ rights.�� Dylan Wright, a junior Spanish and political science double major from Little Rock, attended the School for International Training through the study abroad program, “Argentina: Human Rights and Social Media,” from March through June. “I didn’t want to just study Spanish,” Wright said. “I looked for programs that were taught in Spanish, and I was very interested in human rights. I found a program based in Buenos Aires that was taught in Spanish and studied human rights. It was really interesting to see Argentina’s human rights history up close.” The law regarding human rights in Argentina is unique since the country included several international human rights treaties into its constitution in 1994, which resulted in the importation of international law into the country’s legal system. “They are at the forefront of human rights in many areas. People talk about human rights there all the time; things that people in the U.S. would not realize they have human rights to. Even on the buses, there is a sticker on the bus outlining the human rights that pertain to transportation. Everyone has the right to health care. They don’t view it as a privilege. They view it as a fundamental right.” Wright completed his research paper this semester under the mentorship of Dr. Erin Finzer, associate professor of Spanish and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. He plans to present the paper, “Framing LGBTQ Rights: Critical Film Perspectives in the Argentine Queer Community,” at a conference in the spring 2019 semester. Through the study of Argentine film, particularly the ��Latin American film movement known as Third Cinema, as well as through the concept of cultural agency, Wright worked to enhance and develop an understanding of the role that art and culture can play in advancing civil rights and social equality.

Dylan Wright (left) and a fellow student take a walk near a Mapuche organization’s headquarters in Bariloche, Argentina, a largely tourist town known for its Swiss colonial influence.

“Third Cinema developed in Argentina. The people who first coined the term were film directors from Argentina in 1968 and 1969,” Wright said. “After the dictatorship ended, there was a big call for cultural products that opposed the dictatorship. I looked at independent queer cinema in Argentina. It was interesting to look at how the directors implicitly took inspiration from Third Cinema’s tropes and styles. I interviewed one film director, one film historian, and an artistic director of a film festival that focuses on queer cinema.” In the spring 2019 semester, Wright will put his language skills to use in another international human rights project. He received a Signature Research Experience Award to work with Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs, who is examining truth commissions in 11 Latin American countries, including Argentina, which were created to investigate human rights violations committed during military dictatorships or during civil wars in the region. “We are looking for the truth in what happened during the dictatorships in these 11 countries,” he said. “Since Eric does not speak Spanish, I will use textual analysis to see what language might have been more effective in these truth commission reports and what might have been copied from other reports.” Through the project, Wright will learn new research methodologies. Wright, who is currently taking a human rights course with Wiebelhaus-Brahm, is interested in how international law can be used to help people who have suffered human rights violations. “I am really interested in human rights in general,” Wright said. “Since I speak Spanish, it’s easier to focus on Latin American commissions. There is a push for truth there that isn’t in a lot of the rest of the world. I am interested in how international law can make tangible differences in people’s lives in a way that is not arcane.” After graduation from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2019, Wright plans to attend a graduate program in law and public policy to eventually work in the field of civil and human rights. In the upper right photo,��Dylan Wright overlooks Esquel in Argentina’s Chubut province, where he and fellow students learned about local organized resistance to large mines.��

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