By Steven Krolak
(NEW ALBANY, Ind.)–Will Spain pull apart?
That question is the subject of the next Social Sciences On Tap, Thursday, March 12 at 6 p.m., at Our Lady of Perpetual Hops in New Albany.
The talk, “The Fraying Ties That Bind,” is presented by Dr. Jean Abshire, associate professor of political science and international studies.
In her presentation, Abshire will consider whether ethnic nationalism in the form of Catalonia’s pro-independence movement, which brought more than half a million people into the streets to protest and delivered pro-independence parties victories at the ballot box, could pull Spain apart. Should a “Catalexit” follow upon Brexit, the impact on the European Union could be profound, with effects felt around the world.
Abshire’s talk is part of the World 101: Global Civic Literacy Series, IU Southeast’s contribution to the Global Civic Literacy Initiative, a collaboration of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the Council on Foreign Relations.
The World 101: Global Civic Literacy Initiative is designed to help students increase their knowledge of our global society and understand how global issues influence the lives of everyday citizens.
IU Southeast is one of only ten institutions selected to participate, enabling it to offer an international context not only to students, but to the community as well.
“Our campus is part of our local community, but we are also part of the global community, and this series helps us serve as a bridge between the local and the global,” Abshire said. “By serving as a connecting bridge, IU Southeast can offer the community insights and perspectives that will help the community understand the global forces that affect all of us and, hopefully, help our community respond to those forces effectively.”
Upcoming events in the series include:
Trade Talks: A Fireside Chat on Global Trade
- With Dr. Johnny Alse (School of Business) and Ken Stammerman (U.S. Foreign Service, ret.)
- Thursday, March 26, 6 p.m., Meadow Lodge (IU Southeast residence hall)
Activism and Film
- With Dr. Charlie Pooser (School of Arts and Letters) and Dean Otto (Speed Art Museum)
- Thursday, April 89, 12:20 p.m., IU Southeast Library, Third Floor
Friend and Foe on the Korean Peninsula: US Relations with the South and the North
- With Major General Rick Martin (USAF, ret.), Col. Steve Lee (US Army, ret.), Dr. Clint Work (Stimson Center, 38 North)
- Wednesday, April 15, 2:45, Location TBA
“This series gives people the opportunity to enhance their global knowledge and thereby empower themselves,” Abshire said. “The topics are varied, covering different issues and regions, and that provides attendees some broad-based and interdisciplinary perspectives for more comprehensive understanding.”
The Global Civic Literacy Series is sponsored by the Global Civic Literacy Initiative and the Department of International Studies, in cooperation with the School of Social Sciences, the American Democracy Project and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Homepage photo: Catalan separatists at a demonstration in Barcelona, Spain. Photo by Toimetaja Tolkeburoo on Unsplash.