Hamilton Lugar School welcomes new Assistant Dean for Research Kevin Meskill

Posted on November 28, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

Kevin Meskill has been named the new assistant dean for research (ADR) in the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, effective December 1, 2023. In this new academic position, Meskill will raise HLS’s overall grant consumption by encouraging faculty to apply for more and larger grants, supervising and providing faculty and staff opportunities to enhance grant writing skills, and improving relations with Office of Research Administration and major funders and program officers.

Meskill has combined overseas research with nearly 20 years of teaching at IU. Since 2007, he has been working in research and proposal development at IU, emphasizing collaborative team building, convergent research, broader impacts, outreach and engaged research. He has facilitated preparation of competitive multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional proposals and demonstrated expertise in researcher mentoring, grant writing, editing, and providing reviewer-based feedback for a wide range of federal and foundation sponsors. In his most recent position as research development specialist in Office of the Vice President of Research, Meskill has focused on projects in STEM, social science, and arts and humanities.

In his new role at the Hamilton Lugar School, Meskill will work closely with HLS Executive Associate Dean David Bosco to enhance the academic research portfolio of the school. He will be involved in strategic planning, identification of potential external funders, data-gathering and analysis, and other activities that support the development and submission of major grant proposals by faculty, working groups, centers, and institutes.

Hamilton on Foreign Policy #232: We can fix our broken politics

Posted on November 22, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

Lee H. Hamilton

By Lee. H. Hamiton

Americans are fed up with politics. That’s the obvious conclusion of a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, which found many of us have “unrelentingly negative” views of politics and elected officials.

It’s understandable that people are discouraged. There are plenty of reasons to feel that way. I’m not especially alarmed at the findings of the survey, however. The key thing is that we maintain an interest in improving our broken politics. That’s critically important.

If the American people were to get so turned off by politics that they refuse to participate, that would be a real problem for our democracy. Fortunately, there’s evidence that we haven’t reached that point.

Americans have long had a healthy skepticism about political power and those who wield it, but the Pew survey suggests distrust has reached new heights. Some 65% of those questioned said thinking about politics left them exhausted. More than half said it made them angry. Only a few said it made them hopeful or excited.

Asked to describe U.S. politics in one word, many came up with “divisive,” “corrupt” or “chaotic.” Asked to identify the strong points of our politics, more than half couldn’t come up with anything.

It’s obvious that our politics are going through a difficult time. Congress seems dysfunctional, struggling to pass spending bills to keep the government operating. A single senator has blocked promotions for hundreds of military officers. Election campaigns are filled with personal attacks. Divisions threaten our support for allies, including Ukraine, a rejection of the adage that politics stops at the water’s edge.

Partisanship has reached new heights, with Democrats and Republicans seeming to inhabit separate worlds. The one thing both sides agree on is that our politics aren’t working.

Dissatisfaction with politics crosses political, social and demographic lines, according to the Pew survey. It is shared by White, Black, Asian and Hispanic adults. It affects old people as well as young people.

Nearly nine out of 10 Americans say politicians are more focused on fighting each other than on solving problems. Some 28% distrust both major parties, the highest figure in nearly 30 years. It’s common to hear people say that neither party cares about ordinary people. Americans distrust the executive and legislative branches of government, and a majority have a dim view of the Supreme Court.

Americans are rightly suspicious of the growing role that money plays in politics. About 85% said that the cost of election campaigns keeps good candidates from running and that special interests have too much influence on politicians. Only about a quarter of the people rate the quality of political candidates as very or somewhat good, down 20 percentage points in the past five years.

You might expect this distrust and discouragement would cause Americans to disengage from politics. Fortunately, that doesn’t seem to be happening.

The elections of 2018, 2020 and 2022 featured some of the highest voter turnout rates in decades. About two-thirds of eligible adults voted in 2020, the highest rate for a national election since 1900. Those are very encouraging signs.

And the public has ideas for improving our politics. In the Pew survey, majorities favored limits on campaign contributions and spending. The survey found broad support for term limits on members of Congress and for age limits on elected and appointed officials, including Supreme Court justices. Elections this month in Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia drew strong interest and participation. In another hopeful sign, more young people have been running for office – and often winning.

We Americans have always been an optimistic and forward-looking people, confident in our ability to solve problems and make progress. We’re right to be unhappy with the condition of our politics, but we have the power and the ability to make our politics better.

Hamilton on Foreign Policy #231: Australia is a key U.S. ally

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

Rep. Lee Hamilton speaking — Rep. Lee Hamilton

By Lee H. Hamilton

Australia may not be the first nation to come to mind when we think about important U.S. allies. It’s on the far side of the globe, an area of the world we often neglect. Its largest city, Sydney, is a 22-hour flight from New York. Most Americans have never traveled there.

But, in fact, Australia is very important to U.S. foreign policy. It is “a vital ally, partner and friend,” in the words of the State Department, and a bulwark of freedom in the region. With shared democratic values and common interests, we have had diplomatic relations for 83 years.

The relationship was on display last month when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a state visit to Washington, the Australian leader’s ninth and highest-profile meeting with President Joe Biden. The two leaders said in a joint statement that they were inaugurating “a new era in U.S.-Australia strategic cooperation” focused on defense, the economy and climate change.

As is typical with state visits, Albanese and his partner, Jodie Haydon, were treated to pomp and pageantry, including a red-carpet welcome on the White House lawn, a 19-gun salute, a lavish black-tie dinner, a military band performance and the ceremonial exchange of gifts. But there was substance to the visit as well. Biden and Albanese advanced plans to partner in space exploration, artificial intelligence, applied research and regional finance. They pledged to work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen supply chains for critical minerals, which are important for clean energy.

The U.S. and Australia have a great deal in common. We’re both nations shaped by immigrants with language and culture that show the influence of British settlement. We are both large and diverse countries, demographically and geographically. We were allies in World War I and World War II. Australian troops fought with American forces in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

We are also important trading partners, with two-way foreign direct investment totaling $261.5 billion, according to the State Department. U.S. trade and investment contribute 7% of Australia’s annual economy, and more than 1,000 American companies employ 320,000 Australians.

Arguably the most critical U.S.-Australian partnerships are focused on defense and security. Biden and Albanese didn’t mention China in their prepared remarks, but they didn’t have to. From the American perspective, Australia is a critical deterrent to China’s aggressive efforts to increase its influence in the Asia Pacific region.

The so-called AUKUS nations, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, are implementing plans to equip the Australian military with nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines and increase defense-related trade. The leaders welcomed Japan’s participation in military exercises with American forces.

The U.S., Australia, India and Japan make up the Quad, a security dialogue that includes a focus on peaceful space exploration and sustainable energy development.

The Biden-Albanese meeting came amid heightened global tensions. Just over two weeks earlier, Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israel, killing more than 1,400 people and taking hundreds of hostages. Israel responded with airstrikes and sent troops into Gaza. Biden and Albanese strongly condemned Hamas and supported Israel’s right to defend itself while cautioning against civilian casualties and a wider war.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has kept up its resistance to Russia’s brutal invasion and pleaded for more international assistance, and Australia announced it would provide $13 million in military support for Ukraine. In the South China Sea, Chinese vessels reportedly rammed a Philippine coast guard ship, and a Chinese fighter jet nearly collided with an American bomber in a night-time maneuver.

These are sobering reminders that the world is a dangerous place, and there are potential flashpoints on every hand. In such a world, we Americans need friends, and Australia is as solid and reliable an ally as we’re likely to find. The relationship deserves to be celebrated.

Institute for European Studies welcomes new director

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

Effective today, Roberta Pergher, Associate Professor of History, has assumed the role of director of the Institute for European Studies (EURO) at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. As a scholar of European fascism and colonialism, Pergher brings a dynamic and relevant perspective to the institute’s continued programming that supports its mission of providing European Studies outreach and education at IU and beyond.

“I look forward to continuing EURO’s strong tradition of bringing together faculty and students across campus to discuss European history and current affairs,” said Pergher. “Our initiatives range widely and are meant to involve scholars from all disciplines. Next semester, for instance, in collaboration with European Studies Centers at other universities, we are hosting a series of film viewings that will bring film directors to campus to help us reflect on representations of Europe’s past, present, and future.”

Elizabeth Cullen Dunn, who was recently named director of EURO, has accepted a new role as the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the IU College of Arts & Sciences. Dunn’s record of scholarship, teaching, and leadership on campus has made her highly sought after, and the College will benefit from her insight and vision for graduate studies.

Dunn will continue her role as the Jean Monnet Chair in Refugee & Migration Studies, a position sponsored by an Institute for European Studies grant from the European Union. In this role, Dunn offers courses and workshops on topics surrounding refugee and migrant populations in the European Union.

The IU Institute for European Studies promotes knowledge of Europe and the European Union through education, scholarship, and public outreach. Its academic degree programs train specialists committed to strengthening transatlantic ties through careers in public service, business, research, and teaching. The Institute for European Studies is one of eight Hamilton Lugar School centers recently awarded $8.6 million from the U.S. Department of Education Title VI Foreign Language and Area Studies program to directly support students. Information can be found at euro.indiana.edu.

$8.6M to support IU students learning world languages

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

Students can use FLAS fellowships to fund language coursework, including through the IU Language Workshop

As previously announced, the Indiana University Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies (HLS) was awarded $8.6 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships and scholarships program to support students studying less commonly taught languages. The application to apply for 2024-25 fellowships opens on December 1, 2023, and students are encouraged to research the application process now.

Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships support both coursework and study abroad opportunities for students studying critical and less commonly taught languages. FLAS fellowships are open to all eligible undergraduate and graduate students who are citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States.

IU students can study 55 languages with the support of Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships.

Emma Dabelko, senior International Studies major, recently received a FLAS fellowship to study Swahili.

“My FLAS award allowed me to dedicate more time to studying Swahili and the African continent as a whole,” she said. “As a critical language, Swahili has and will continue to prepare me for my academic and professional careers.”

Dabelko’s Swahili language skills allowed her to gain professional experience in international development in East Africa.

“My Swahili skills enhanced my summer 2022 internship at the International Livestock Research Institute in Nairobi, Kenya and created pathways for cross-cultural understandings while studying abroad in Malawi and communicating in Chichewa, a Bantu language with numerous linguistic similarities,” she said. “With an expansive population of Swahili speakers around the world, my FLAS-supported language learning will connect me with people and make a personal and professional difference after graduation.”

Jack Rosswurm with Former U.S. Rep. Lee H. Hamilton

Jack Rosswurm, graduate student pursuing an MA in European Studies, said a FLAS fellowship helped him hone Estonian language skills he needed to secure an internship.

“I’ve had the fortune of studying the Estonian language, which is made possible by generous FLAS funding from the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center, for over two years now, as I am currently in third year advanced Estonian,” said Rosswurm. “This language has inspired in me a deep interest in the Baltic states Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. One result of that interest and my Estonian language studies was my internship with the Joint Baltic American National Committee this past Summer.”

Rosswurm and Dabelko’s experiences illustrate that FLAS fellowships are awarded to students preparing for careers in which knowledge of foreign languages and cultures is required. This includes college or university teaching and government service.

IU senior Jenna Felty used her FLAS fellowship to study Arabic, part of her academic requirements for her Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures and International Studies majors.

“My FLAS award allowed me to participate in the 2021 IU Language Workshop where I studied Arabic 10 hours a day for two months,” she said. “It was an invaluable experience that gave me the perfect foundation in grammar and vocabulary retention to continue learning Arabic at IU and for the rest of my life.”

IU students in all areas of study are eligible to apply for FLAS fellowships. Patrick Conroy, a senior Supply Chain & Operations Management major, received a FLAS award to study Chinese in Taiwan.

“FLAS funding has greatly helped me provide funding for studying Mandarin,” he said. “Still apply for FLAS even if you are not an HLS major! You can still get FLAS and learn valuable international skills minoring at HLS.”

Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships are generous. Undergraduate and graduate students may receive up to $8,500 for summer language training. For the academic year, undergraduate students can receive up to $15,000 and graduate students can receive up to $38,000 for language and area studies training.

Students interested in applying for FLAS fellowships are invited to a FLAS information session on Monday, November 13, 5-6:00 p.m. in the Hamilton Lugar School Shreve Auditorium. Virtual office hours are also available every Monday in November from 3-4:00 p.m. More information about FLAS and the Zoom link to virtual office hours can be found on the FLAS website.

Title VI of the Higher Education Act builds American expertise in critical foreign languages, including less commonly taught languages, world areas and transnational trends. Sen. Todd Young introduced legislation, the Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act, in 2021 to strengthen Title VI. As a recipient of Title VI funding, Indiana University is a top producer of regional experts who are highly proficient in languages critical to U.S. security and global competitiveness.

Tserenchunt Legden receives prestigious award from the Mongolian Government

Posted on October 31, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

Ambasador Batbayar and Tserenchunt Legden — O. Batbayar, Mongolian ambassador to the United States with Hamilton Lugar School Senior Lecturer for Mongolian Tserenchunt Legden.

Tserenchunt Legden, senior lecturer for Mongolian in the Hamilton Lugar School Department of Central Eurasian Studies (CEUS), recently received the prestigious Order of the Red Banner of Labour from the Mongolian government.

The award was presented on October 21 by O. Batbayar, Mongolian ambassador to the U.S., in a ceremony at the 2023 Mongolia Society Annual Meeting. The event was held in conjunction with the Central Eurasian Studies Society conference at the University of Pittsburgh.

Legden says, “I am honored to receive this award. I believe this award is given not only to me but also to Indiana University in recognition of its world-renowned Mongolian studies program.”

Enameled medallion — The Order of the Red Banner of Labour from the Mongolian Government

The Order of the Red Banner of Labour recognizes Legden’s decades-long career teaching the Mongolian language. Prior recognition for her professional excellence includes Indiana University’s Trustees Teaching Award (2021), the Order of the Polar Star of the Republic of Mongolia (2011), and the Excellence in Education National Award from Mongolia’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (2000).

Legden was born and raised in a nomad family in the Mongolian steppes, tending livestock during her school vacations. Her love of languages led her to complete an A.B. in Russian Language and Literature from the Irkutsk University of Education, Siberia, then an M.A. in Comparative Linguistics at the University of Humanities, Mongolia. For thirteen years, she taught at the Academy of Management, Mongolia, achieving the rank of senior lecturer.

She then spent eleven years as the director of Bridge International College in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the first private college in Mongolia to teach Mongolian language and culture programs to foreigners. While there, Legden developed proficiency-oriented programs of Mongolian language for foreigners in collaboration with Sharon Luethy, an American English language specialist.

In 2004, Legden joined IU’s Department of Central Eurasian Studies as a visiting lecturer of Mongolian language. In 2007, she taught the first at IU summer intensive Mongolian course which has been taught annually since then. In 2014, she reached her current rank of senior lecturer.

While at IU, Legden has standardized the school’s Mongolian language program based on current advances and trends in foreign language teaching. In addition to teaching three or four courses each semester, she has been developing new Mongolian language textbooks and online courses. In addition to co-authoring a series of three Mongolian Language textbooks for non-native speakers, and an English-Mongolian/Mongolian-English mini-dictionary, she regularly presents at professional conferences and publishes in academic journals.

Uranchimeg Tsultem

According to Legden’s colleague, Uranchimeg Tsultem, Edgar and Dorothy Fehnel Chair in International Studies, “We are all so rejoiced and happy for Tserenchunt…she is helping to keep alive the Mongolian Studies as a field in the U.S. and IU as the center of the field.”

Öner Özçelik, associate professor and chair of Central Eurasian Studies, said, “Tserenchunt has helped successfully train countless learners of the Mongolian language and is one of the leading names in Mongolian Studies in the US, having already been awarded numerous awards for her teaching and authored – or in the process of authoring – various groundbreaking works, including innovative textbooks for teaching Mongolian.”

Hamilton on Foreign Policy #230: As Americans, we have a duty to respond to disasters

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

By Lee H. Hamilton

The earthquakes that struck northwestern Afghanistan this month were devastating and horrific. They caused at least 1,295 deaths and injured at least 1,800 people, according to the United Nations. They compounded a humanitarian crisis that has grown worse since the Taliban took over the country in 2021.

Faced with such immense suffering, the human response is to want to help, and we are. The U.S. Agency for International Development, our nation’s primary international disaster response agency, is providing $12 million in humanitarian assistance. Other nations and private organizations are also providing relief.

But the scale of the world’s suffering can seem overwhelming, and 2023 has been an especially bad year:

In February, two powerful earthquakes hit southern Turkey, killing more than 50,000 people in Turkey and war-torn Syria and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. They were the deadliest quakes in Turkey’s modern history.
In September, a massive Mediterranean storm dumped heavy rain on Libya. Two dams collapsed, resulting in floods that killed more than 11,000 people and displaced tens of thousands. It followed a string of deadly floods in China, Brazil, Greece and elsewhere.

Also in September, an earthquake struck the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, killing nearly 3,000 people, injuring over 5,000 and leaving many homeless in remote areas.
And there have been disasters here at home, including the wildfires that killed nearly 100 people in Hawaii in August as well as floods, drought and more. In the first eight months of 2023, the U.S. experienced a record 23 weather and climate disasters that caused more than $1 billion in damages. President Joe Biden has issued dozens of disaster and emergency proclamations this year.

All this hardship challenges us to respond. It raises an important recurring question: What is our duty to people who, through no fault of their own, have their lives turned upside down by disasters.

In my view, Americans can and should take a leading role in relieving suffering. We have the resources, and most of us take pride in helping as much as we can. We have a moral duty to step up: it’s the right thing to do. It also provides an opportunity to win favor in the world. It generates a lot of goodwill when we provide assistance.

And we can afford it. Americans consistently overestimate what we spend on foreign aid. In fact, it’s less than 1% of the federal budget, and disaster assistance is just a fraction of that.

The world sees the U.S. as a leader in humanitarian relief. We respond to dozens of international disasters every year. Our help is more effective when it’s delivered in coordination with other countries, of course, often through organizations like the United Nations.

Philanthropic efforts also play a vital role. Many Americans donate generously to organizations like the International Red Cross, the Red Crescent, CARE, Save the Children and many others. When a disaster strikes, experts typically recommend giving money to established organizations, which have the experience and infrastructure to get help where it’s needed.

Of course, it would be ideal if we could prevent disasters, or lessen their likelihood. In some cases, we can. For example, climate change has increased the frequency and severity of floods, drought and fires. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions and conserving energy can reduce the likelihood that these disasters will continue to grow more serious. We can’t prevent earthquakes, but we can support efforts to build resilient physical infrastructure in regions where quakes are common.

And when disasters strike, as they inevitably will, we can respond promptly and generously. True, Americans can’t do all this on our own. But we are the richest country in the world. We can do a lot to respond to and alleviate human suffering, and we should.

IU Arabic debate team wins second place at national championship

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

Left to right: The IU Arabic language debate team and coaches: Ammar Alnakhli, Sachin Talagery, Senior Lecturer Iman Alramadan, Fares Hajji, Emma Holdren, Madison McEwen

The Indiana University (IU) Arabic language debate team won second place in the non-native speakers category and eighth place overall at QatarDebate’s 4^th U.S. Universities Arabic Debate Championship 2023, held Oct. 13-15 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. IU Arabic language tutor, Fares Hajji, also won second place for the best debater in the native speakers category. The IU team competed against more than 200 participants from 42 university teams across the U.S., including Ivy League schools.

Senior Lecturer Iman Alramadan, Director of Cultural and Co-Curricular Activities in the IU Arabic Flagship program

The team included IU Hamilton Lugar School students and those in the IU Arabic Flagship Program, who are regularly immersed in Arabic language and culture through their coursework and programming. In addition, students spent many evenings and weekends preparing for the competition with support from Hamilton Lugar School coaches: Ammar Alnakhli, Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures doctoral student, and Senior Lecturer Iman Alramadan, Director of Cultural and Co-Curricular Activities in the Arabic Flagship program.

“The experience has proven to be immensely valuable for our students, providing them with a total immersion in both language and culture,” said Alramadan, who is a member of the U.S. Arabic Debate Union academic steering committee, which took part in organizing the championship. “One of the notable aspects of this experience is that our students could debate against teams of native speakers of Arabic. This challenging environment enhanced students’ linguistic abilities and significantly boosted their confidence in using Arabic as a means of communication.”

The team’s performance is a testament to their hard work and the dedication of IU Arabic language faculty, who use highly effective, interactive teaching methods. IU Arabic language students build strong vocabularies and learn to discuss global issues through their regular coursework and programming in the Arabic Flagship program. The Arabic Debate Championship gave students the opportunity to showcase their strength in global issues discussion.

“The championship was a fantastic opportunity for our students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-life contexts,” said Alramadan. “Understanding others and discussing global issues are crucial to our students’ learning experience.”

Hamilton Lugar School senior Madison McEwen said the competition was transformational.

“Though I was nervous to be immersed in an Arabic-only setting, this competition is designed to respect where you come from linguistically and empower you to go further with your skills,” said McEwen, who is majoring in International Studies and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. “This tournament was a highlight of my college experience, and I look forward to participating in any way after I graduate.”

The IU Arabic debate team and coaches with Mohamed A. Almarri, QatarDebate ambassador in the U.S.

The team’s win was especially meaningful to Hamilton Lugar School senior Sachin Talagery, who was a student coach for the team. Talagery, who is double majoring in Middle Eastern Languages & Cultures and International Studies, has participated in QatarDebate competitions for the past three years.

“Attending the US Arabic Debate Championship each fall has consistently been the highlight of my academic year and will continue to define my college experience,” he said. “I have always left each year’s championship inspired by the progress achieved under the intense pressure of the rounds. Returning to subsequent championships as I further develop my Arabic language skills has been reassuring. It’s a pleasure to reunite with familiar faces and meet new ones, forging a supportive community that spans Arab Americans of my age, fellow language learners, and role models from across the country.”

While Talagery anticipates graduation in May 2024, he is confident in the team’s future.

“I am deeply appreciative of Dr. Alramadan’s unwavering support year after year, and I eagerly anticipate what the future holds for the numerous Arabic language learners at Indiana University who will thrive as debaters in the championships to come,” he said.

Emma Holdren, who is triple majoring in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Arabic, and Environmental and Sustainability Studies, said she was proud to participate.

“It was an immersive environment where I was speaking Arabic all the time all weekend, both formally in the debate and more informally with my peers,” she said. “It was a great opportunity to use my Arabic and meet Arabic speakers and learners from around the country. By the last debate, our team had improved so much, and we all spoke more confidently and fluidly. I am proud to have debated such complex topics in my second language.”

Finance major and Arabic Flagship program tutor, Fares Hajii, said the competition was fulfilling.

“From a linguistic perspective it was very exciting to reconnect with the language in a complete immersion,” he said. “It felt like we were in an Arabic speaking country, and this was cool. From a more personal perspective, I enjoyed the experience. I met a lot of incredible people from across the nation and bonded with a lot of them.”

Due to the growing interest in Arabic debate at IU, doctoral student Ammar Alnakhli is starting an Arabic debate club in collaboration with Hajii and other members of the Arabic Flagship program. Senior Lecturer Iman Alramadan is also developing a new Arabic debate course to be offered in spring 2024.

The IU Arabic debate team and coaches celebrate with QatarDebate debate instructor Saad Elasad and Malak Alnakhli

The U.S. Universities Arabic Debating Championship is an outreach program of the Qatar Foundation that aims to spread the culture of open dialogue and the Arabic language across the globe. The 4th United States Arabic Debate Championship 2023 follows the tremendous success of QatarDebate’s 1st USADC at Harvard University in 2019, the 2nd USADC at the University of Chicago in 2021, and the 3rd USADC at the University of Stanford in 2022. The US Arabic Debate Union is a QatarDebate initiative in the United States that works to coordinate efforts, maximize the impact, and ensure the sustainability and quality of Arabic debate-related programs and events.

IU Language Workshop expands study abroad to Czech Republic, Montenegro, Poland

Posted on October 20, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

Anton Ermakov’s love for bookstores only grew stronger when he studied abroad in Budapest, Hungary through the Indiana University (IU) Language Workshop.

“Being able to go into bookstores and speak to people at the cash register and parse through books in Hungarian was really gratifying to me,” he said. “It made me happy when I could have an interaction and people understood me and didn’t have to switch to English.”

As a dual Master’s student pursuing Central Eurasian Studies and Library Science, Ermakov was only a first year student of Hungarian when he studied in Budapest. The fact that he was able to speak Hungarian conversationally in Hungary is a testament to his dedication and to the rigor of the IU Language Workshop.

The Language Workshop, offered through the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, is one of the oldest and most selective programs of its kind in the U.S. The workshop offers students one year of language study in two months, with an optional month abroad. Through a new partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, the Language Workshop has expanded its study abroad programs for summer 2024 to include the Czech Republic, Montenegro, and Poland, in addition to Hungary and Taiwan programs.

The study abroad programs are fully immersive, meaning students will be required to speak only the languages they are learning. Before studying abroad, students will have two options to complete language coursework: either online at IU in eight weeks, or six weeks at the University of Pittsburgh. Students will then spend four weeks abroad, immersed in language and culture while studying and visiting historical sites.

Hungarian Parliament Building. Photo by Jessica Gover.

Polish language learners will travel to Krakow to study at the Prolog Language School in the historical center of Krakow and visit top attractions, including Old Town and Jewish Quarter. Students learning Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian will attend the University of Donja Gorica in Podgorica, Montenegro and travel to Cetinje, Lovcen, Petrovac, the ancient Roman settlement of Duklja, and Dubrovnik. Students learning Czech will attend Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic and see historical sites, including the Unesco Cultural Heritage site, Kutná Hora, and the Theresienstadt Museum of the Holocaust.

Students pursuing Hungarian will study at Central European University in Budapest and travel to cultural sites in and around Budapest. Ermakov said these excursions were some of his favorite parts of the program.

Students in the IU Language Workshop tour Budapest, Hungary by bike

“We had class every morning for four hours, and most days we had cultural programming, going to museums, on walking tours, and to the Hungarian State Opera,” he said. “Outside of Budapest, we went to a little town called Szentendre which was home to many Hungarian artists and the site of the Szentendre Artists’ Colony in the early 20^th Century. We got to see three or four art museums and that was excellent. Getting exposed to Hungarian art, which is something I didn’t know much about before, was also really great.”

After graduating, Ermakov plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Central Eurasian Studies. Ermakov’s family is from Irkutsk, Russia in Eastern Siberia, and he became interested in researching 20^th Century Buddhism in Mongolia and Eastern Siberia. He says he brought home many Hungarian books from Budapest that will help inform his research.

“Hungarian is a useful research language for Mongolian studies,” he explained. “Hungary has a very long tradition of Inner Asian and Central Asian studies, including Mongolia. I’m going to use Hungarian mostly for reading in the future for my dissertation.”

While in Budapest, Ermakov also made a valuable professional connection, Ágnes Birtalan, from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), a former student of the late IU and ELTE Professor György Kara.

Because of these academic benefits and cultural highlights, Ermakov encourages all students to apply for funding to attend the IU Language Workshop.

“I got a [U.S. Department of State] Title VIII grant that covered almost everything,” he said. “Don’t be daunted by the cost. As a graduate student, I’m on a tight budget, so without the funding, I couldn’t have done it.”

Title VIII grants from the U.S. Department of State are robust, providing tuition, fees, and a stipend for students learning Russian, East European, or Central Asian languages.

Sharon Sun, Hannah Szabo, and Hungarian instructor Valéria Varga have lunch on an excursion to Lake Balaton in the IU Language Workshop Hungarian language program

Students interested in attending the IU Language Workshop can apply for over $1 million in scholarships available in 2024. These scholarships are available through a variety of sources, including the U.S. Departments of Defense, Education, and State, to incentivize students to gain foreign language skills.

In addition to study abroad programs, the Language Workshop offers on-campus language immersion programs in Arabic, Chinese, and Russian, and a myriad of online language programs. The workshop is open to qualified graduates and undergraduates from all universities, high school students, and professionals in all fields. Details and the application for funding can be found at the Language Workshop website. The deadline to apply for funding is February 2, 2024.

Foreign policy experts to speak at IU on developments on Korean Peninsula

Posted on October 19, 2023 by Hamilton Lugar School

Leading foreign policy experts will convene at the Indiana University Hamilton Lugar School to analyze the dynamic landscape of East Asian international relations on Friday, Oct. 27 for “South Korea’s Foreign Policy in a Changing East Asia,” the 2023-24 Institute for Korean Studies Annual Conference. The event will be held from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Hamilton Lugar School in Shreve Auditorium. The event is funded by The Korea Foundation.

Experts from Indiana University, American University, the U.S. Department of Defense, Korea National Defense University, and the U.S. Naval War College will discuss recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, and South Korea’s evolving relations with its neighbors.

Conference Schedule:

3:00pm — Welcome

3:10pm-4:10pm — The Korean Peninsula: Old and New Challenges from North Korea

Panelists:
Lami Kim, Professor at Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, a U.S. Department of Defense Institute
Youngjun Kim, Professor of National Security Affairs, National Security College, Korea National Defense University

Moderator: Adam Liff, Associate Professor, East Asian Languages and Cultures, Director, 21st Century Japan Politics and Society Initiative, Indiana University

4:25pm-5:25pm — Beyond the Peninsula: South Korea’s Evolving Relations with its Neighbors

Panelists:
Terence Roehrig, Professor, National Security Affairs, U.S. Naval War College
Adam Liff, Associate Professor, East Asian Languages and Cultures, Director, 21st Century Japan Politics and Society Initiative, Indiana University
Ji-Young Lee, Associate Professor, School of International Service, American University

Moderator: Nick Cullather, Hamilton Lugar School Interim Dean, Professor of International Studies, Indiana University

Indiana University’s Korean Studies program, established in 1950, is one of the oldest programs in the U.S. The Institute for Korean Studies, led by Seung-kyung Kim, was established in 2012 and has since grown rapidly in size and stature, becoming a Midwest hub for Korean Studies. Due to its global ties and faculty expertise, the Institute for Korean Studies recently began to offer intercultural programming for the growing number of Korean-owned businesses in Indiana to help them prepare to welcome workers and their families from Korea.