The Office of the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences announces three new symposia for the Fall 2014 semester.

The Dean’s Symposium series will feature outstanding accomplishments of our faculty, new curricula developments, and events of national and international import with the goal of fostering conversations that stimulate the intellect, introduce new perspectives, and engage the attendees’ emotions.

On Tuesday, September 30, Anat Niv-Solomon, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Global Affairs, and Bilge Yesil, Assistant Professor, Department Media Culture, will present “New Media, Politics, and the State” in the Center for the Arts Recital Hall from 2:30pm to 4:00pm.

We live in an era of fractious politics. How do citizens and the State respond? How much of the unrest is a reflection of what the two have done? What role have the rapid changes in media—the rise of social media, for example —played in the politics of nations around the globe? What are the long-term implications?

The second symposium, “Creating Institutions for International Justice—Past and Present,” with Mark Lewis, Associate Professor, Department of History, and Ming Xia, Professor, Department of Political Science and Global Affairs, will be held on Tuesday, October 21 in the Center for the Arts Recital Hall from 2:30pm to 4:00pm.

The wars of the 20th century precipitated calls for systems to support international justice. These two scholars examine the forces and voices behind these efforts, the institutions created, their effectiveness, the gaps that remain, and, finally, how these international institutions intersect with national priorities.

The third and final symposium, “Pop Culture and Society: Representations, Interactions, and Comparisons,” with Timothy Gray, Professor, Department of English, and Giancarlo Lombardi, Professor, Department of World Languages and Literatures, will take place on Tuesday, December 2 in the Center for the Arts Lecture Hall from 2:30pm to 4:00pm.

Popular culture both reflects and is shaped by the societies in which we live. Drawing from sources as divergent as indie rock and television dramas, these presentations explore relationships among media and cultures—from segments of the U.S. population to cross-national comparisons.

A reception will follow each symposium. All events are CLUE certified.