Political Studies and Global Studies Professor Mark Williams Holds Tenth Model United Nations at VIU!
Every year since 2014, Professor Mark Williams has tirelessly organized a day-long Model United Nations (UN) at VIU involving Vancouver Island high school students as well as VIU students acting as delegates for nations across the world. This year, the nearly 100 delegates to the Model UN had to build bridges with different nations and rebel groups and find solutions to the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Sudan and South Sudan. Nick Coghlan, Canada’s former ambassador to Sudan and South Sudan, delivered the keynote address entitled “A Nation at War… What is Happening in Sudan?” and assisted delegates throughout the day with his wife Jenny. Thank you to Nick and Jenny for sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience with the delegates.
Congratulations to Samantha Skates from Wellington Secondary School, the South Korea delegate who won Best High School Model UN Delegate, and VIU Global Studies student and delegate for the Sudanese rebel group Rapid Support Forces Georgia Mason-Guertin who won Best University Model UN Delegate!
Many thanks to UBC graduate student Anna Toderas, who co-chaired this Model UN with Mark Williams, and to Michael MacKenzie, Jocelyne Praud, Laura Suski, Lauren Touchant, and Darrell Harvey for their assistance throughout the event.
Political Studies Professor and Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership Michael MacKenzie Publishes Article on Trust
Congratulations to Michael on the publication of the article entitled "As-If Trust" that he co-authored with Professor of Politics and International Relations Alfred Moore from the University of York in the UK! The article is published in the journal Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy and can be accessed here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13698230.2024.2423141#abstract
The Department of Political Studies and VIU’s Students’ Union Hold All-Candidates Forum
On October 8th, the Department of Political Studies and VIU's Students' Union (VIUSU) held the All-Candidates Forum. The Conservative, Green and New Democratic candidates running in the Nanaimo-Gabriola Island and the Nanaimo-Lantzville ridings came to the VIU campus to address five questions related to post-secondary students and education in BC.
The forum, which started with a keynote from Political Studies Professor and Jarislowsky Research Chair in Trust and Political Leadership Dr. Michael MacKenzie, was co-moderated by Political Studies Professor Dr. Mark Williams and VIUSU Chairperson and Political Studies student Sarah Mei Lyana.
Many thanks to VIUSU’s Caitlin Kellendonk and Janelle Wilson, Michael, Mark, and Sarah Mei for bringing this critical event together and enhancing democratic life in BC!
*Election Day is October 19th; Advanced Voting is October 10th to 13th and 15th to 16th; Students Will Be Able to Vote on Campus in Building 300*!
VIU Political Studies Running Team Raise $750
The Department of Political Studies is proud to announce that the VIU Political Studies running team raised $750 in support of breast cancer research!
A heartfelt thank you to all of our generous donors for their contributions.
Special congratulations to Political Studies students Claudia Huf and Henry Sipos and Dr. Lauren Touchant for completing the 5km CIBC Run for the Cure run on October 6, 2024 in Nanaimo. You made the Department proud!
Also, a big shout-out to Political Studies student Brandi Klee for her outstanding dedication as a volunteer during the Run and cheering on the VIU Political Studies team!
Political Studies at VIU Fest
The Department of Political Studies rocked VIU Fest! Congratulations to Political Studies students Eden Hudson, Nikki Hearns, and Hannah Downes for showcasing their amazing games at the festival. These creative projects were born from our POLI 100 course Introduction to Power, Politics, and the Public Interest’s Game Jam!
A big shout-out to Political Studies Student Representative to the Faculty of Social Sciences Brandi Klee for putting the spotlight on the Department at the Social Sciences’ Hub! And a huge thank you to Autumn Tuson for rocking it as the face of the Political Studies’ Student Association all day long.
We’re so proud of our students for turning politics into play. Way to represent the Department!
Political Studies Students Ekko Bonder, Spencer Dutchak, Mikayla Carson, and James McDermid Win Grants for the Model UN and the Wisteria Community Association
In her Fall 2023 POLI 222 Governance and Public Policy in Canada, Dr. Lauren Touchant had her students write grant proposals for different community projects. Two of the student writing teams’ proposals were successful: Ekko Bonder and Spencer Dutchak secured a $3,000 grant for the Model UN that will take place on November 15, 2024 at VIU, and Mikayla Carson and James McDermid secured a $25,000 grant for the Wisteria Community Association! Congratulations to Dr. Touchant and her POLI 222 students for these achievements!
Political Studies and Indigenous Studies Student Leah Vaisanen Wins VIU Faculty Association Community Engagement Award
Congratulations to Leah Vaisanen for winning the VIU Faculty Association Community Engagement Award! Leah has been working tirelessly as VIU's Indigenous Students' Representative and the BC Federation of Students' Indigenous Caucus Chairperson and as an organizer of community events to increase awareness of Truth and Reconciliation Day and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit and of cultural events to enhance the inclusion and well-being of Indigenous students at VIU.
Political Studies Student Tony Miyoshi Selected to be a BC Legislative Intern
Congratulations to Tony for this accomplishment! The BC Legislative Internship Program is a great opportunity to gain experience and work at the heart of BC politics. Please consider applying in your senior year. Tony is pictured here in Amsterdam which he visited during his Spring 2024 Term studying at University College Cork in Ireland.
Four Political Studies Students Win for their Research Presentations at VIU's Create 2023 Conference
Pictured above from left to right are our Political Studies student Create presentation winners: Tina, Brandon, Jasmine, and Leah. Two of the four presented research from Dr. Jocelyne Praud’s course Gender and Politics and two presented research from Dr. Lauren Touchant's Comparative Public Policy course. Congratulations to all!
Announcing our 2023 Political Studies Department Essay Prize Winners
Congratulations to Kyle Smith who won the lower-level essay contest prize for his paper, written for Dr. Jocelyne Praud’s POLI 100 class, entitled “Orbán’s Hungary and the Course of Illiberal Democracy.”
Congratulations to Jeremy Perkins who won the upper-level essay contest prize for his essay, written for Dr. Mark William’s POLI 332 class, entitled “The Future of Rentier States in the Middle East.”
The Department would like to thank all students who submitted their excellent papers. Stay tuned for details of our 2024 essay contest.