Vol. 1, Issue 2 Political Fall 2008 Persn pectives D e par t m e n t o f P o l i t i ca l S c i e n c e M c M as t e r U n i v e rs i t y

n Congratulations On December 2, our Undergraduate Assistant, Kathleen Hannan, will be inducted into the Quarter Century Club at McMaster University. Congratulations on achieving 25 years of service here at McMaster and for being an invaluable member in the Department of Political Science!

n in this issue n Department introduces new MA in International Relations n PoliticalT heory strengthened through appointment and visiting professor n Four new PhDs defended n Discussion of global financial crisis

Message from the Chair – Robert O’brien Honorary degree recipient

The months since our October also featured the intensification During the November last newsletter have of the US credit crisis and its spread to 2008 Convocation proved to be an other parts of the world. Tony Porter, who ceremonies, McMaster extremely busy time specializes in international finance, led a awarded a Doctor of for the Political Science roundtable discussion on the financial crisis Laws degree to Dr. Department and we and some of his thoughts are enclosed. Janice Gross Stein. hope that this brief This Fall we are very pleased to welcome a Professor Stein is the Robert O’Brien newsletter gives you new faculty member, James Ingram, to the Janice Gross Stein Belzberg Professor of an overview of that activity. We have been Department. James is a political theorist Conflict Management in the Department working on redesigning our Departmental specializing in modern political thought. of Political Science and the Director of WebPages which we invite you to visit We are also honoured to have a visiting the Munk Centre for International Studies (http://www.socsci.mcmaster.ca/polisci/). scholar from the University of Stockholm at the University of Toronto. She has We are excited to announce that our new stay with us for the year. Peter Hallberg is written widely on international relations MA in International Relations has been conducting research on the impact that the and public policy. In addition to being an approved and it will take in its first student Age of Discovery had on Western political outstanding academic, Professor Stein has enrolment in the Autumn of 2009. Four thought. Finally, in this issue of the also been a leading contributor to public of our PhD students successfully defended newsletter we feature a brief update on one policy debate in Canada. their dissertations. Faculty members of our many of successful MA graduates. such as Peter Graefe, Henry Jacek and Karen Bird have been engaged with local, national and international media commenting upon the Canadian and US Robert O’Brien elections. The months of September and Professor and Chair Focus on current issues n NEW M.A. Lecture Series

The politics of the Global Credit Crisis In 2008-2009 the Department of Political By: Tony Porter Science launched a new Career Series of Visiting Speakers designed especially for our MA students. The speakers are MA Tony Porter is s professor in the Department of Political Science, graduates of our Department who have McMaster University. developed interesting and successful Tony conducts research on business regulation and global governance, careers. These speakers demonstrate including financial regulation, private and hybrid public/private how a student can go from a MA degree in rulemaking, the organizational effects in governance of technologies, Political Science to such a career. and safety and environmental standards in the automobile industry. He is the author of several books on these topics and aside from his Nigel Fisher, President teaching and research obligations, Tony is currently the Undergraduate Chair in the Department of Political Science. and CEO of UNICEF CANADA, was our first speaker. Nigel has had a lifetime of experience n For much of the past quarter century derivatives that supposedly reduced risks, in international NGOs. supporters of the rapid expansion of and sold worldwide. Actors all along this Nigel Fisher Along the way he has global financial markets applauded the chain, including bank CEOs, enjoyed been Assistant Secretary apparent ability of these markets to astoundingly lucrative fees and bonuses escape the control of political authorities while passing off to others the risk or General of the United Nations as well as and manage their own risks, even if many responsibility that supposedly justified Deputy Special Representative of the political scientists have long pointed to those payments. Public authorities, Secretary-General for Relief, Recovery the key role played by states in facilitating especially in the US, often spent more and Reconstruction in Afghanistan. Other this expansion. Now, in the midst of the time cheering on this new system than assignments have taken him to Iraq and the global credit crisis, and with governments regulating it. around the world nationalizing key Middle East during and after the Gulf War. parts of their banking systems or taking There are very significant political His most notable contribution was as one other aggressive measures to prevent consequences of this crisis. The credibility of the firstNG O responders to the genocide of the exuberant faith in the self- financial collapse, it is glaringly obvious in Rwanda. For his heroic efforts there that politics and the state matter. Indeed governing capacities of markets that has he was awarded the Meritorious Service it is likely that we are living through a been so powerful has been irreparably transition to a new epoch in which global damaged as has the stature of the US as Cross from the Canadian Government. financial markets and the broader trends a global power. Not only was US global they signaled and supported will play a leadership ideologically entangled with Our second speaker much more modest role and the role of the promotion of global financial markets, was Chris Charlton, MP political institutions in formulating and but US economic well-being was staked (). on the success of its financial industries protecting the public interest will become Chris has served as an much more prominent. and was prolonged by its impressive ability to attract financial flows from Legislative Intern The crisis has revealed a massive systemic around the world. In the short run the followed by developing failure to ensure that self-interested actors decline of this US-centric system may be Chris Charlton equity programmes, did not dump the costs of their reckless delayed by the lack of alternatives but in especially for women, pursuit of financial gain on others, the medium term these alternatives are for the Ontario Government. She also including taxpayers. Traditional bank certain to be constructed in Asia, Europe, loans, in which regulators and the bank and elsewhere. While some of the more served as a top aid and policy advisor to structure itself ensured that banks bore ambitious proposals for global reform Premier . Charlton has also served the cost of bad lending decisions, were are likely to fail, it is certain that an array as a Director of Government Relations, and replaced by the “originate-to-distribute” of less visible multilateral regulatory a policy and communication analyst for model in which loan originators arranged collaborative arrangements that have been non-profit organizations.I n the recent 2008 loans, banks packaged these into constructed over the past quarter century “structured investment vehicles” which will be greatly strengthened. However Federal General Election she doubled her then issued opaque securities with the exact contours of new national and margin of victory. different risk profiles, inaccurately priced transnational regulatory regimes will be with reassuring but faulty risk models, the product of intense political struggles - Dr. Henry Jacek carelessly rated by credit rating agencies, that have yet to be waged, and that will often backed up by complex credit be fascinating to study. n n NEW M.A. Lecture Series Focus on Faculty Focus on Alumni In 2008-2009 the Department of Political ROBERT LUMMACK Science launched a new Career Series of n The Department of n We are pleased to Political Science would welcome Dr. Peter In July 2008, Robert Visiting Speakers designed especially for like to welcome the Hallberg as a visiting Lummack, a MA graduate our MA students. The speakers are MA most recent addition professor in the of the Political Science graduates of our Department who have to our faculty, Department for the Program at McMaster, developed interesting and successful Dr. James Ingram. 2008-2009 academic began a seven month CIDA IYIP internship careers. These speakers demonstrate James completed year. Professor his doctorate at the Hallberg comes working in Guatemala how a student can go from a MA degree in Dr. James Ingram Dr. Peter Hallberg New School of Social from the University Robert Lummack City as a legal researcher Political Science to such a career. Research in 2007 and spent a year teaching of Stockholm and his research is being for COPREDEH, the at the University of Oregon before arriving supported by the Pro Futura Fellowship Guatemalan Presidential Human Rights Nigel Fisher, President at McMaster in 2008. in Honor of Eva Österberg. He specializes Commission. The Commission is responsible and CEO of UNICEF in democratic theory and early modern for overseeing the government’s adherence CANADA, was our first Trained in the area of Political Theory, political thought. Professor Hallberg has to obligations in regards to International Human Rights agreements to which speaker. Nigel has had James commands a wide repertoire published articles in journals such as of teaching and research specialties, History of Political Thought, Race & Class, Guatemala is a ratified member. a lifetime of experience including contemporary continental Scandinavian Journal of History, History As part of his internship role, Robert was in international NGOs. political philosophy, cosmopolitanism, of European Ideas and the Swedish responsible for analyzing cases before the Along the way he has human rights, imperialism, Journal of Political Science. He is also Interamerican System of Human Rights multiculturalism, and democratic theory. author of Ages of Liberty, Social Upheaval, been Assistant Secretary and synthesizing reports from the different A very active researcher, he has a History Writing and the New Public Sphere General of the United Nations as well as bodies of the Guatemalan government. Many growing list of published articles and in Sweden, 1740–1792. (Stockholm: Deputy Special Representative of the of the cases pertained to crimes committed book chapters focusing on the political Stockholm University). During his visit by the state during the war: massacres Secretary-General for Relief, Recovery thought of Claude Lefort, Hannah with us Professor Hallberg will be and extrajudicial disappearances, torture and Reconstruction in Afghanistan. Other Arendt, and Jacques Rancière amongst working on the impact that the Age and killings. If a case was admitted by the others, and he has just completed a of Discovery had on European assignments have taken him to Iraq and the Interamerican Commission, the state would manuscript which seeks to reassess the political thought. n Middle East during and after the Gulf War. not usually deny the crimes but rather concept of cosmopolitanism in light attempted to negotiate a settlement of moral His most notable contribution was as one of the shortcomings of “top-down” and material reparation, so as not to proceed of the firstNG O responders to the genocide universalisms. He has also worked n Our best wishes are to the Interamerican Court. in Rwanda. For his heroic efforts there extensively as a translator from the French extended to Charlotte he was awarded the Meritorious Service and German originals of a wide variety Yates who steps During his time there, Robert witnessed of continental political thinkers, including out of her role as a Cross from the Canadian Government. first hand the effects of a 36 year long Balibar, Derrida, Honneth, and Schmitt. Faculty member in the systematic and widespread violation Department of Political Our second speaker of human rights in the form of: forced James adds to our Department a much Science, to take on was Chris Charlton, MP disappearances, torture and genocide in needed and significant strength to the the new position of which over 200,000 people were killed; (Hamilton Mountain). Dr. Charlotte Yates area of Political Theory and, given his Dean in the Faculty the vast majority being indigenous people Chris has served as an evident interest in contemporary political- of Social Sciences. We are confident that and non-combatants. Major challenges Ontario Legislative Intern philosophical issues, he is well situated her boundless energy and supportive in the protection of human rights persist to contribute to other areas in Political management style will contribute to the followed by developing as unresolved consequences of the war; n Science and, more generally, to inter- Faculty’s success! the most flagrant being the impunity for equity programmes, n disciplinary studies at McMaster. the authors of past and current authors especially for women, - By: Dr. John Seaman of crime. This manifests into alarming for the Ontario Government. She also rates of violence, delinquency, inequality served as a top aid and policy advisor to of wealth, crime against women and Premier Bob Rae. Charlton has also served continued marginalization of Indigenous people. This is all complicated by a high as a Director of Government Relations, and Focus on Programs level of poverty; (Guatemala has the second a policy and communication analyst for New MA in International Relations lowest HDI in the Western Hemisphere non-profit organizations.I n the recent 2008 Capitalizing on the Department’s internationally recognized strengths we are launching behind Haiti). Robert reports that, given Federal General Election she doubled her a new MA degree in International Relations. Students specialize either in global politics the short comings of the Guatemalan margin of victory. or global political economy. They will take six courses and write a major research paper. judicial system, the Interamerican system In addition to the wide range of opportunities in the Department, graduate students can must be strengthened, as it is a necessary - Dr. Henry Jacek take advantage of courses and activities in McMaster’s Institute on Globalization and recourse for victims to seek justice when the Human Condition. Applications are now being accepted for Autumn 2009. unattainable internally. Focus on Awards Congratulations United Nations association Bursary award to our recent PhD Graduates

n Alina Sajed n Michael Kpessa a fourth-year PhD student in Political Science, was Title: Postcolonial Encounters in the Maghreb: the 2008 recipient of the United Nations Association Bursary Award. Transgressing International Relations. This award was established during the 50th anniversary year of the n Adrian Jones United Nations by the Hamilton and District Branch of the United Title: Vertical Integration, the Reconstituted State Nations Association of Canada. It is intended to encourage a graduate and the International Criminal Court: Expanding the student at McMaster University who is undertaking field training or Horizons of International Law and Governance. studying among other cultures distant from Hamilton or in remote n Mario Levesque areas. It is the hope of the Association that direct experience of other Title: Unraveling Nested Institutional Arrangements. cultures may influence recipients’ future commitment to proactive support of Untied Nations’ goals in their professional and personal n Kristina Maud Bergeron lives. Michael was presented with his award at the Environmentalists Title: Global Activism and Collective Identities: Michael Kpessa of the Year Awards Dinner on Wednesday, June 4, 2008. A Comparative Analysis of their Evolution in the Grand Council of the Crees, the Saami Council, and Médecins Sand Frontières-Canada, 1990-2005. Focus on Publications Bird, Karen - “Many Faces, Few Places: The Political Under-Representation of Ethnic Minorities in the City of Hamilton.” In Caroline Andrew, John Biles, Myer Siemiatycki, and Erin Tolley (eds.), Electing a Diverse Canada: The Representation of Immigrants, Minorities and Women (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2008). G raefe, Peter - ‘The Spending Power and Federal Social Policy Leadership: A Prospective View’; IRPP Policy Matters, vol. 9, no. 3., 2008. Hering, Martin - and Michael Kpessa. “The Integration of Occupational Pension Policies: Lessons for Canada.” Canadian Public Policy, 34 (Special Issue) 2008, 137-153. Huque, Ahmed Shafiqul - “The Enigma of Development – Rethinking Goals, Strategies and Outcomes” (New Delhi: South Asian Publishers, 2009). - ‘Expectations and performance; assessment of public service training in Hong Kong’, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol 19, n.1, January 2008, 188-204. Nyers, Peter - ‘In Solitary: Detainees, Hostages, and Contesting the Anti-Policy of Detention’, European Journal of Cultural Studies 11:3 (August 2008), 333-49. - ‘Community without Status: Non-Status Migrants and Cities of Refuge’, in Diana Brydon and William Coleman, eds., Renegotiating Community: Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Global Contexts (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2008), 123-38. - ‘No One Is Illegal Between City and Nation’, in Engin F. Isin and Greg Nielson, eds., Acts of Citizenship (London: Zed Books, 2008), 160-81. Robert O’Brien - “Labour, Globalization and the Attempt to Build Transnational Community” in William Coleman and Diana Brydon eds. Renegotiating Community (Vancouver: UBC Press 2008), 64-82. - “Global Labour Policy” in Nicola Yeates ed., Understanding Global Social Policy (Bristol: Policy Press, 2008), 123-146. - “No Safe Havens: Labour, Regional Integration and Globalisation” in Andrew F. Cooper, Christopher W. Hughes and Phillippe De Lombaerde, eds., Regionalisation and GlobalGovernance: The Taming of Globalisation? (New York: Routledge, 2008), 142-56. Stubbs, Richard - and Amitav Acharya, eds, Theorizing Southeast Asian Relations: Emerging Debates (London: Routledge, 2008). - ‘The ASEAN Alternative: Ideas and Institutions and the Challenge to ‘Global’ Governance’, The Pacific Review 21 (No.4 September), 2008, 451- 68.

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The Political Perspectives Newsletter Please send suggestions or contributions to: Research in progress seminars is published semi-annually by the Department of Political Science The Department of Political Science is happy to offer Research in Department of Political Science, Kenneth Taylor Hall, Rm. 527 Progress Seminars, where varied speakers are invited to speak on McMaster University. McMaster University, their ongoing research and share it with interested students, faculty 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton ON and staff. These seminars are scheduled Thursdays, 2:30-4:00 p.m., Editors: Phone: 905-525-9140 ext. 24420 Dr. R. O’Brien, Chair Fax: 905-527-3071 KTH 732, unless otherwise noted. A schedule of upcoming talks can Ms. R. Mason, Administrator www.socsci.mcmaster.ca/polisci/ be found at: http://www.socsci.mcmaster.ca/polisci/.