Institute Insider

April 20 | Population Association of America Paper Presentations
12:15–1:15 p.m., 50 Willey Hall

Minnesota Population Center members, students, and staff members will present their 2009 Population Association of America papers on Monday, April 20, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. in Room 50 Willey Hall. This program is one in a series presented by the Minnesota Population Center.

April 21 | "Rethinking Community Participation in Inner-City Neighborhoods"
12:15–1:30 p.m., Lukermann Conference Room

Teresa Terrell, postdoctoral fellow with the Center on Women and Public Policy, will present her postdoctoral research "Rethinking Community Participation in Inner-City Neighborhoods" on Tuesday, April 21 from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in the Lukermann Conference Room (280B Humphrey Center). This event is free and open to the public. Cookies and beverages will be provided.

April 21 | Freeman Center workshop: "The Political Economy of Agricultural Trade Intervention in Africa"
12:45–2 p.m., Stassen Room

How are demography, democracy and agricultural policies related in Africa? Professor Steve Block of Tufts University will present initial answers related to this question at a Freeman Center workshop on Tuesday, April 21, from 12:45 to 2 p.m. in the Stassen Room (170 Humphrey Center). Rural populations in Africa are often targeted for higher taxation and price controls on their agricultural output in order to keep foodstuffs cheap and certain non-agricultural groups better off. Opening up the political process and promoting more competitive elections reduces such distortions significantly and substantially. All are invited to attend and learn more about how more open and competitive electoral politics are changing agricultural policies and privileges in Africa.

April 21 | The Economic Crisis: What is Happening to Workers and What can we do about it?
4 p.m., Cowles Auditorium

Join us on Tuesday, April 21, at 4 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium as an expert panel explores the national and regional (Minnesota) impacts of the current financial crisis on different industries and occupations and workers of different ages, genders, races, immigrant status, and educational attainment. Panelists include Ann Markusen, professor of regional economics, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs; Steve Hine, labor market information director, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development; Matt Kane, policy fellow for infrastructure and economic development, Growth and Justice; and Representative Jeanne Poppe, member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division. Sean Kershaw, president of the Citizens League, will moderate the discussion. This event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required to hhhrsvp@umn.edu. This is one in a series of programs designed to bring together experts to talk about the current state of the economy.

April 22 | Traditions and Travails of the Foreign Service: Yesterday and Today
12:45–2 p.m., Freeman Commons

The Career Services Office and the Global Policy Area will co-sponsor "Traditions and Travails of the Foreign Service: Yesterday and Today" on Wednesday, April 22, from 12:45 to 2 p.m. in Freeman Commons. Former Foreign Service Officers William Davnie and Thomas Hanson will discuss the traditions of the Foreign Service from its founding to the current administration, as well as the historic travails of keeping a professional diplomatic service funded and staffed in the United States. Changes in the Foreign Service under recent administrations and plans for the expansion of the Foreign Service under the Obama Administration will be discussed. All are welcome to attend this free event. Pizza will be served.

April 22 | Memorial reception for Barbara Lukermann
5–7 p.m., McNamara Alumni Center

The Humphrey community is invited to attend a memorial reception celebrating the life of Barbara Lukermann on Wednesday, April 22, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the McNamara Alumni Center. No RSVP is necessary.

April 22 | The Economy and You
6:30–8 p.m., Brian Coyle Community Center

In this economic climate, it seems like there are a lot of questions and not enough answers. “The Economy and You” is a community meeting designed to answer your questions about the economy, personal finance and the business climate. This free event will take place on Wednesday, April 22, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Brian Coyle Community Center, 420 South 15th Avenue, Minneapolis. Hussein Samatar, executive director of the African Development Center and a member of the Humphrey Institute Advisory Council, will co-host the event with noted economic correspondent Chris Farrell of Minnesota Public Radio. Hussein and Chris will help clarify some of the economic issues you may have been wondering about. All are welcome to attend—no need to bring anything but your curiosity!

April 23 | Philanthropy for Extraordinary Times: Reflections, Ideas, and Action
8:30–11:30 a.m., Cowles Auditorium

Join us for "Philanthropy for Extraordinary Times: Reflections, Ideas, and Action," a conversation with the Louis W. Hill, Jr. Fellows in Philanthropy, on Thursday, April 23, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Humphrey Institute. The fellows include Joseph Selvaggio; Reatha Clark King, Ph.D.; Sage Cowles; John Cowles, Jr.; Laura Waterman Wittstock; and Charles M. Denny, Jr. Coffee and registration begins at 8 a.m., with the program from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Registration is required to pnlc@umn.edu.

April 23 | "The Disenfranchised: Concept, Consequences and Remedies"
Noon–1:10 p.m., 186 Humphrey Center

Sukhadeo Thorat, chairman of the University Grants Commission in New Delhi India, will present "The Disenfranchised: Concept, Consequences and Remedies" on Thursday, April 23, from noon to 1:10 p.m. in Room 186 Humphrey Center. Social exclusion of certain social and cultural groups due to their group identity is something seen in many nations under diverse social, economic, and political systems. National governments are concerned about the well-being of groups which suffer the denial of equal rights due to social exclusion and discrimination. Several countries have developed policies to overcome the consequences of past and continuing exclusion and discrimination in the form of equal opportunity policies, including legal safeguards. In this lecture, Thorat will discuss the concepts of social exclusion and economic discrimination in an international context, thinking over the consequences and remedies of social exclusion and discrimination drawing from current literature and the experiences of some countries. All are welcome to attend. This event is sponsored by the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice and the India Center Initiative.

April 23 | 2009 State of the County Address
5 p.m., 3M Auditorium, Carlson School of Management

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners invites you to the 2009 State of the County Address on Thursday, April 23, at 5 p.m. in the 3M Auditorium, Carlson School of Management. Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat will deliver the address. This event is free and open to the public. A reception will follow. The address will be broadcast on Friday, April 24, at 8 p.m. on Metro Cable Network/Channel 6.

April 24 | The Permaculture Approach: Designing Self-Sufficient Sites, Neighborhoods and Cities
9 a.m.–4 p.m., Guthrie Theater

The Minnesota Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects invites you to attend the 2009 MASLA Spring Education Session on permaculture on Friday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Guthrie Theater. Lead by two of the region's premier permaculturalists, this session will address a range of topics linking permaculture and design and identify how designers and planners can utilize principles of permaculture to create self sufficient developments and systems. For more information and to register, download the registration form or visit www.masla.org.

April 24 | Writing workshop "Know your audience:Writing influential policy memos"
1–3 p.m., Room 1-149 Carlson School of Management

The Humphrey Institute will offer a special policy memo writing session with Louise Dunlap, author of Undoing the Silence: Six Tools for Social Change Writing, on Friday, April 24, from 1 to 3 p.m., in room 1-149 Carlson School of Management. Building on real-life budget memos written for state legislators, this workshop will look at how attentiveness to audience shapes the organization and style of an effective memo. Dunlap will demonstrate how the policy memo format opens up space to influence outcomes that writers may not be aware of and how memo-writing can strengthen academic writing by developing audience awareness and the habit of making clearer arguments. Registration is required. Contact Mary Lou Middleton at garza001@umn.edu for more information.

April 24 | Dissent and American Democracy
1–3 p.m., Cowles Auditorium

The Cowles Family Endowment for the Study of Public Service presents "Dissent and American Democracy" on Friday, April 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium. Dara Z. Strolovitch, associate professor of political science at the University of Minnesota, and Jules Boykoff, assistant professor in the department of politics and government at Pacific University in Oregon, will lead a two part discussion for this special lecture. In "The Intersections of Dissent," Strolovitch will discuss the multiple valences of dissent, focusing on their relationships with the intersecting politics of race, class, gender, and sexuality. In "The Suppression of Dissent," Boykoff will discuss surveillance as a critical step in the process of suppression and explore the historical and contemporary development of efforts to limit dissent. An open forum, moderated by Joe Soss, Cowles Professor for the Study of Public Service, will take place following the speakers. This event is free and open to the public.