‘Pre-Conference’ Seminar Takes on Immigration and Citizenship

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About 100 academics, practitioners, students, and pollsters attending this week’s 115th American Political Science Association’s meeting in Washington, D.C., were treated to a day-long “pre-conference” seminar on migration and citizenship, sponsored by the Schar School of Policy and Government and its Center for the Study of Social Change, Institutions and Policy. The program was chaired by Associate Professor Justin Gest.

The program of three panels focused on “Career Advances,” “Methods and Challenges,” and “Migration and Citizenship 2030,” including a keynote conversation with Washington Post columnist and MSNBC contributor Jonathan Capehart, who was interviewed on stage by Gest. Among other topics, Capehart addressed how the scholars and practitioners in the room could best present their findings for maximum public impact. His answer: “Make it understandable” to the non-academic reader. Too often, the importance of the message is buried under academic and professional jargon.

Wednesday’s event also included a “mentorship lunch,” a tour of an art exhibit of works created by immigrants, and topped off with an afternoon networking session that included a most welcome ice cream sundae buffet.

Program participants included:

“Career Advances”

Angela Chnapko, Politics Editor, Oxford University Press USA

Michael Jones Correa, President’s Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania

Terri Givens, Provost Emerita, Menlo College; Director, Center for Higher Education Learning

Jennifer Hochschild, Professor of Government, Harvard University

Gary Segura, Dean, Luskin School of Public Affairs, UCLA

ChairSara Wallace Goodman, Associate Professor, UC Irvine

“Methods and Challenges”

Lauren Duquette, Assistant Professor, Wayne State University

Noora Lori, Assistant Professor, Boston University

Kelsey Norman, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia

Tom Wong, Associate Professor, UC-San Diego

Chair: Willem Maas, Professor, York University

“Migration and Citizenship 2030”

Angie Bautista-Chavez, PhD Student, Harvard University

Aixa Cintron, Senior Program Officer, Russell Sage Foundation

Jeremy Ferwerda, Assistant Professor, Dartmouth College

Shom Mazumder, PhD Student, Harvard University

Margaret Peters, Associate Professor, UCLA

ChairJustin Gest, Associate Professor, George Mason University