International Studies at the Josef Korbel School

Pardon the delay…

josefkorbelschool — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:51:19 +0000

As we transition to new group of incoming students we are determining who will be our next fabulous International Studies blogger. Please check back at the end of October to meet this new person, I promise you won’t be disappointed…

Nicole

Nicole Vilegi
Associate Director of Graduate Admissions
Josef Korbel School of International Studies

Summer at Korbel

josefkorbelschool — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:41:14 +0000

Well I’ve faux-graduated, received my grades from spring quarter, and have settled in to a nice work and thesis existence. Korbel world at Cherrington Hall is pleasantly quiet and the most exciting interruption we have around here is FIFA World Cup cheering. It feels pretty deserted but it’s also eerily calming.

What I mean by faux-graduated is that I participated in the June 4th graduation ceremony and have completed my coursework at Korbel but I still need to complete my thesis oral defense in order to officially receive my MA. Regardless, it was a fun weekend with a lot of family in town and it felt good to celebrate. That said, the last several weeks have been devoted toward my thesis in order to prepare for my defense. I feel pretty good about it- it has been nice to have time to focus.

Other than summer classes which begin July 19th, we are gearing up to welcome our incoming autumn quarter class of 2010! Leave me a comment if there are any topics I should address in this blog!

Finals fun

josefkorbelschool — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:28:02 +0000

Finals mess with your mind. Their subject matter creeps in your head until you can’t contextualize anything else. That said, as I struggle through applying Hegel’s Master-Slave analytic in terms of Fanon’s “Wretched of the Earth” and its application to pre-state Israel I can’t help but throw a little party about the fact that I have two courses left in my Korbel curriculum. In the spirit of completing finals, let me share an interesting, albeit controversial, excerpt (a work in progress not be regurgitated please) that attempts to address human rights in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a concrete, applicable manner :

“We need to imagine an evolutionary process toward peace that contains milestones in which the seeds of security, economic cooperation, and political freedom are planted and nurtured simultaneously. We refuse to ignore the evidence on the non-viability of a two-state solution, nor the obstacles in the way of a stable one-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians will live together in peace… The opposing narratives of the parties have made it impossible to reach a starting point for negotiations. The framework suggested relies on the need to advance protection of group and individual rights of all, Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians. These standards represent not just moral criteria, but also constraints on what is practical and durable in the peace process. They offer, moreover, a common starting point and a common goal. Reflecting on the need to implement this framework and on alternative strategies for doing so may provide direction toward overcoming the present impasse.”

The future, kickball, and iguanas

josefkorbelschool — Fri, 21 May 2010 20:17:52 +0000

Today someone mentioned to me that graduation is two weeks from today and that little realization freaked me out. I have two finals and my thesis oral defense standing in my way before the June 4th ceremony. While I can’t believe how quickly graduation is approaching, I can’t say that I’m sad about the fact that I have two classes left and then a whole summer of wrapping up thesis and finally getting around to that pile of novels in my room that have taken a back seat to academic, class-related readings. I will continue to work in the graduate admissions office throughout the summer as we prepare for the incoming class of 2012 and will be simultaneously preparing for my next step which is returning to Jerusalem next fall. I will be a visiting research scholar at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and continue to work with the organization for which I previously interned, Emek Shaveh, beginning October 2010. I’m anxious to get back but can’t get too ahead of myself when I have two finals and my oral defense pending.

In the meantime I am excited about a kickball game today in Wash Park! A bunch of Korbel peeps and friends will be enjoying popsicles, scooby-doo adorned kickballs, and lovely spring weather; I think it will be a much needed break from the stress of finals.

Another example of stress-relieving entertainment? Yesterday while mock-interviewing a friend for a UNDP position, we met a 7 year-old, 4 foot long iguana named Leo. So random and so funny.

School’s (almost) out for summer : )

Globalization and Human Rights

josefkorbelschool — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:10:03 +0000

Last week my classes overlapped in a really interesting way regarding the effect of globalization on the viability of human rights. This discussion started in my Human Rights in the Middle East course in terms of the advantages and disadvantages of competitive markets, technology, etc., as well as who benefits (or who does not benefit) as a result.

Three days later in my HIV/AIDS in International Affairs course, a similar topic arose in the discussion of the spread of technology in the spread of HIV/AIDs awareness and education. We addressed a case-study that reported a direct link between American pornography and the spread of HIV in Ghana and the class discussion responded by proclaiming the horrors of globalization; however, two minutes later we were talking about the benefits of children in Ghana having access to video recording equipment to teach their peers about condom use and other HIV/AIDS prevention methods. It was an interesting moment coming from my first class in to the second that highlighted the manipulation of the effects of globalization for what one believes is good or evil. Do we get to pick which aspects of globalization stick and which do not? It’s clear that what benefits some may directly harm others so, if it were even possible to pick and choose, who gets to pick?

A puppy named Gramsci

josefkorbelschool — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:28:48 +0000

Week 6 has come to a close and final papers are beginning to take form. While this is my last quarter at Korbel, I learn everyday that there is so much out there in the world I have yet to know. The past couple weeks this unknown has been Antonio Gramsci and I am head over heels with his conceptualization of cultural hegemony as a means of maintaining the state in a capitalist society. It has relevance to my thesis, that’s why it caught my attention, but his work is so compelling that he is my favorite theorist of the quarter. My Human Rights in the Middle East class with Professor Ishay has also integrated Gramsci in to the discussion of minority rights and globalization and I find myself referencing him in casual conversations about the movie I saw last night or where we should go for brunch. Officially and proudly a Gramsci nerd. So much so that if I ever have an adorable little puppy of my own I want to name it Gramsci. I’m a nerd, go with it.

My other course, HIV/AIDS in International Affairs, is also going well and I’m finding it really interesting. I gave a presentation today which I originally intended to be on blood donation policies in the Middle East but came to find out that there is little to no research available on this topic, at least not in English. I think it went well though, considering the minor setback of my topic not being viable, and I am going to try to work on the final for that class this weekend.

Speaking of this weekend, I cannot believe that Saturday (tomorrow) is May. Where did March and April go? As we near the end of the school year it seems that everything is just building up more quickly. Good news though, April showers bring May… kickball games! Sure it’s May and Denver may have snow flurries blowing in, totally fine though because we are having a Korbel kickball game in the park nearby and I am pumped. In the meantime, I am planning to complete my final papers so I can enjoy spring in Denver.

Discover Korbel

josefkorbelschool — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:10:29 +0000

Spring quarter is flying by! I got to meet a lot of great admitted students last week at our Discover Korbel event and now that the event has passed it has really sunk in that my thesis oral defense is less than a month away and graduation is right around the corner (June 4)! It’s the same feeling of wanting time to speed up so that it’s summer but at the same time willing it to slow down so I can catch up. This quarter has been especially hard with the balancing act that is thesis vs. classes and it’s definitely getting to me. I don’t know what I’ll do with myself if I don’t have thesis to occupy my time and worries but it will definitely involve some sort of celebration : )

Good news is that spring weather seems to be here to stay!

spring quarter snow day

josefkorbelschool — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:55:07 +0000

This first week of spring quarter has been a total whirlwind. I got back late Monday from Florida, had work and class on Tuesday, and a snow day on Wednesday. Today, Thursday, back to 50 degress; CO weather is crazy. So far so good though as we near the end of week 1 : )

Like I’ve mentioned before, I’m a school supply nerd. I just love getting new books and notebooks and the feeling of starting a new routine of classes is so refreshing and exciting, albeit daunting. In the spirit of the new quarter, Nicole offered to take this creepy and cheesy picture of me on my way to class. Awesome.

It’s my last quarter at Korbel and I’m wrapping up my thesis and my last 8 credits. It’s shaping up to be a hard but fun term! Let me know if you have any questions!

Ready for spring

josefkorbelschool — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:56:40 +0000

It’s hard to believe it’s already week 9. I swear that it happens every quarter that finals suddenly sneak up on me. This quarter I feel like I’m in a good place though; I’ve turned in a second draft on my thesis (oral defense coming up in late April!) and I only have one final paper and one take home exam left before spring break. This year is the first time I am actually doing something for spring break so the build up of finals will have a fun celebration.

Next quarter is my last and I am registered to take 8 credits: a 5 credit course entitled “Human Rights and the Middle East” and a 3 credit course entitled “HIV/AIDS in International Affairs.” I’m excited about both and I think the HR and the Middle East will be particularly interesting since I’ll be returning to Jerusalem next fall.

For now, I’m trying to not get ahead of myself and get my finals done. We are having nice, spring weather here this week and I’m ready for the exciting change that starting a new quarter brings!

Draft 2, Wedding, and Hyannis

josefkorbelschool — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:15:34 +0000

I’m such a planner. I thrive off to-do lists and my weekly planner notebook. This is why I find myself organizing my life around the next few weeks’ coming attractions. For instance, today is Thursday; that means my second draft is due a week from today, my friend’s wedding is in two days, and I will fly to Boston to run a half-marathon in Hyannis a week from tomorrow. Everything else just seems to work around these main events which leaves me feeling stressed and slightly panicked but also kind of thriving in the madness.

Also on the thesis front, I am trying to get my oral defense committee together and that should take place some time mid-April! Otherwise I’m just plugging along with class and continue to be amazed with how fast the quarter passes (week 8, yikes)! Albeit stressful, this time of the quarter is a flurry of interesting academic presentations and research discussions as we near finals. I’m sure the next two weeks will fly by!