April 11: Another chance to hear Pierre Atlas on the Middle East

Pierre Atlas, head of Marian College's Franciscan Center for Global Studies, discuses what can be done in the Middle East

When: Wednesday April 11 -- talk 11 AM to noon, lunch noon to 12:30

Where: Where: North United Methodist Church, N. Meridian St. at 38th St.

Although the U.S. will remain engaged in Iraq during the next year, other factors have emerged to challenge stability in the region. Iran’s nuclear program, the outcome of the conflict in Lebanon, and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations will all play a key role. How will these issues shape the Middle East?

No one in Central Indiana explains these issues more clearly and humanely than Prof. Pierre Atlas of Marian College. Don't miss this talk. It's part of the Mid-North Shepherd Center's Great decisions series. Questions? Contact 317-924-0959 or mnscenter@aol.com

Feb. 10: Let your spirit soar with Sufi music (in Bloomington)

One of the country's foremost experts discusses Sufi Music & Ritual in Turkey

When: Saturday, February 10th 4:00-6:00pm

Where: IMU, Faculty Room of the University Club, IU Bloomington

Irene Markoff is adjunct faculty members in the York University Graduate Program in Music. Of Bulgarian heritage, she directs York’s Balkan Ensemble. She is considered one of the world's leading experts on Sufi music, having written her PhD dissertation on musical theory, performance and the professional baglama (folk lute).

On Friday February 9, she will lead a workshop on strategies and reflections on an ethnomusicology career. On Saturday February 10 Irene Markoff will give a talk on Sufi Music and Ritual in Turkey. The presentation will include a discussion on poetry, rituals, music, and the concepts of sama and zikr. Performance (baglama and voice) will be integrated into the presentation. Light refreshments provided

Bloomington is also hosting the Annual Middle Eastern Festival Feb 1st-10th. Middle Eastern film, poetry, and cuisine, lectures on Middle Eastern art and architecture, Egyptian and Saudi folkdance, Windfall Dancers with Salaam, Historical Society photo archive project, and more. NELC sponsored events such as Irene Markoff's performance/lecture are free and open to the public. For more information call the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at 812-855-5993.

More about Irene Markoff here. She wrote an important article about "Sufi Music and Ritual in Turkey" that you might want to read before her talk.

IndyBuzz can find no examples of Markoff playing, but this is a nice example of baglama playing; so is this.

Feb. 1-10 Make the trip to Bloomington for the Middle Eastern Arts Festival

A lot of excellent events if you are in Bloomington between February 1st and 10th:
Annual Middle Eastern Arts Festival

Contact: Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Program102 Goodbody, 3rd St, Bloomington, IN 47404, 812-855-5993, Melissa Henige at nelcmesp@indiana.edu

The Annual Middle Eastern Arts Festival Feb 1st-10th celebrates Middle Eastern art, culture, and influence. Visit the event website at www.indiana.edu/~nelcmesp/arts for descriptions, dates, locations, etc. This year, theFestival will feature Middle Eastern art and ethnomusicology, art demonstrations, films, food tasting, folkdance, poetry, lectures, and much more. The sponsored events are free and open to the public.









Windfall Dancers, and Iraqi music group Salaam

When: Feb. 2nd, 3rd, 9th, and 10th at 8:00pm

Where: John Waldron Arts Center,122 S. Walnut St. http://www.artlives.org/

Windfall Dancers use modern dance as a narrative to tell the age-old stories of Arabian Nights. The Iraqi music group, Salaam, performs with them. This show will be a magical event suitable for the entire family. Non-sponsored NELC event, so tickets cost: $10, $8 students and seniors. Tickets available by calling 812-334-0506, at 1101 N. Dunn St, or online at http://www.bloomingtonarts.info/


*********************************************************************************** Middle Eastern Book Exhibit

When: Feb 1st-18th 9AM-5PM
Where: IU-Fine Arts Library, 2nd floor 1133 E. 7th St,

A selection of Fine Arts Library books and facsimile editions of manuscripts on Middle Eastern arts and culture will be exhibited. Accompanying this exhibition will be a selection of artists' books by Buzz Spector, Chair, Department of Art, Cornell University. Contact B. J. Kish Irvine, Fine Arts Librarian for more information 812-855-5445. Free


************************************************************************************ Persian Film: "The Twilight"

When: Thursday Feb 1st, 7-9pm
Where: Swain East 140, IUB campus

"The Twilight", directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, presents an intense and stark portrait of life among the rural underclass and meditates on the meaning of freedom.

In 1998, petty criminal, Reza, who has spent half his life in prison in a northwestern part of Iran marries a woman prisoner. They have a child together and, after a while, the woman is pardoned. Several months later the man is also released. The three of them begin a new life outside the prison, but a harsh society is waiting for them. The director, Mohammad Rasoulof, was born in Shiraz in 1973. He has made numerous short films and has worked as assistant director on feature films. "Twilight" is his first feature film. It is based on true events and the characters play themselves.

Contact: plosensk@indiana.edu; sdaneshg@indiana.edu

************************************************************************************ Children's Spectacular

When: Sunday Feb 4th, 2-3pm
Where: Monroe Public County Library, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave, Library Auditorium

Children's comic program with folkdance, swordsman, and tales from the Middle East. The program has been designed specifically for children, though enjoyable for any age! Performers Katya Faris and Mohamed Shahin will dazzle with their elaborate colorful costumes, dance, and music! Free. For more information call 812-349-3100 or http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/



*********************************************************************************** Middle Eastern Cuisine Sunday

When: Sunday Feb 4th, 7pm
Where: Café Ragazzi, 212 S. Rogers Bloomington

Middle Eastern Cuisine Sunday fills up quickly so please call for reservations for International Cuisine Sunday. Graduate student, Ahmad Almallah, and Café Ragazzi owner, Tamyra Dippolito, will present the cuisine and history of Palestine. Call for reservations: 812-323-9005.

************************************************************************************ Internationally known contemporary artist Najjar Abdul Musawwir

When: Monday February 5, 7:00pm
Where: Foster International Center

Najjar Abdul-Musawwir is an award-winning painter, community-arts organizer, educator and consultant. Signatures of Musawwir’s paintings are harmonious visions of contrasting colors, flowing liquidation, and symbolic transparency. He believes the liquidation of the under painting gives balance to the glazing brush strokes in his works. Contact Andrew Gipe

************************************************************************************ Middle East Art related lectures

When: Friday Feb. 9th, 2:30-5:30pm
Where: Lilly Library, 1200 E. 7th St.

Distinguished professors and graduate students of IU-Bloomington--Christiane Gruber, Yasmine Gencer, and Deborah Justice--will provide talks on Middle Eastern art and architecture. Light refreshments will be provided. Free: 812-855-2452, http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/

************************************************************************************ Ethnomusicology Career Workshop

When: Feb. 9th, 7-9pm
Where: Mather's Museum of World Cultures, 416 N. Indiana. St

Irene Markoff, who is well-versed in Sufi music, having written her PhD dissertation on musical theory, performance and the professional baglama(folk lute),and specialist of Turkey. She will give a workshop on "The Challenges of Teaching Turkish Music in an Ensemble/Lecture Setting," as well as strategies and reflections on an ethnomusicology career. Light refreshments provided. Free, call 812-855-6873 for more information. Sponsored by the American Turkish Society.

************************************************************************************ Ethnomusicology Presentation and Performance by Irene Markoff

When: Saturday Feb 10th, 4-6pm
Where: IMU, Faculty Room of the University Club

Irene Markoff will give a talk on Sufi Music and Ritual in Turkey. The presentation will include a discussion on poetry, rituals, music, and the concepts of sama and zikr. Performance (baglama and voice) will be integrated into the presentation. Light refreshments provided. Sponsored by the American Turkish Society. For more on this event, see

February 22: Listen to Taner Akçam, the Turk who believes in the Armenian Genocide

Taner Akçam, one of Turkey's most historians, comes to the Indianapolis Committee on Foreign Relations's dinner to discuss "The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish Responsibility"

When: Thursday February 22, 5:45 refreshments; 6:30 dinner; 7:30 presentation
Where: Five Seasons Country Club, 1300 E. 96th St.

Here's the publisher's description of his book, From Empire to Republic: Turkish Nationalism and the Armenian Genocide:

The murder of more than one million Armenians by the Ottoman Turkish government in 1915 has been acknowledged as genocide. Yet almost 100 years later, these crimes remain unrecognized by the Turkish state. This book is the first attempt by a Turk to understand the genocide from a perpetrator's, rather than victim's, perspective, and to contextualize the events of 1915 within Turkey's political history and western regional policies. Turkey today is in the midst of a tumultuous transition. It is emerging from its Ottoman legacy and on its way to recognition by the west as a normal nation state. But until it confronts its past and present violations of human rights, it will never be a truly democratic nation. This book explores the sources of the Armenian genocide, how Turks today view it, the meanings of Turkish and Armenian identity, and how the long legacy of western intervention in the region has suppressed reform, rather than promoted democracy.

For a taste of the controversy Akçam inspires, visit his book's page at amazon.com and read the reviews by readers.

To RSVP for this important event contact Courtenay Weldon at Courtenay@cweldon.net.

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January 30: Watch John McCormick and John Clark debate whose power is more super

The Indianapolis Committee on Foreign relations hosts a dinner and debate between IUPUI political scientist John McCormick and IndyBuzzer John Clark over the relative merits of US and European power in the 21st century

When: Tuesday January 30, Reception at 5:45 dinner at 6:30, speaker presentation shortly after 7:30 and ends at 9:00
Where: Woodstock Club 1301 W 38th St, Indianapolis, 46208

This will be an interesting and perhaps even important discussion. Much more will be written about it on IndyBuzz and Provocate.org.

John McCormick is professor and chair of political science at IUPUI, and a British national. He specializes on comparative politics, the EuropeanUnion, and transatlantic relations. He is the author of eleven books, the most recent The European Superpower, which argues that the EU is a new kind ofglobal powerhouse that relies on soft power (economic and diplomatic pressure, encouragement rather than coercion) rather than hard power (mainlymilitary force), giving it a significant advantage over the US in the new globalized international system.

John Clark believes that the US is the most powerful country today and will be into the foreseeable future. Part of this power must be hard. Meaningful solutions to the most urgent problems the world faces will require an America that is strong, self-confident, and wise. The current disasters in Iraq and elsewhere created by the Bush Administration have weakened the ability of DC to impose its will around the world (although there is no compelling reason to think this can't be reversed). More critical is to recognize that the nature of problems in the 21st century are changing in ways that diminish the importance of national (or supranational) governments in places like DC or Brussels.

For RSVPs and more details about this event, contact Courtenay Weldon at courtenay@cweldon.net. More details about the substance is the debate will kick off Provocate.org.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out some others dealing with contemporary Europe. Prof. Didier Gondola discusses the explosive ethnic conflicts in France (and elsewhere in Europe). Stefan Halper looks at the "silence of the Rational Center" in US foreign policy from the Europe's eyes. In fact, many discussions this spring will examine the disoriented American "empire."

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January 17: Calculate the Costs and Benefits of Preventive War vs. Deterrence in Iran with a Cato scholar

Justin Logan brings the libertarian-leaning views of Cato Institute to a discussion of "Iran's Nuclear Program: A Look at America's Options" with the Indiana Council on World Affairs

When: Wednesday, January 17 Social hour 5:30-6:30; dinner 6:30-7:15; talk 7:15-8:45
Where: The Marten House 1801 West 86th Street Indianapolis 46260

Justin Logan is one of the very bright young Foreign Policy Analysts that the Cato Institute seems so good at recruiting. Cato is seen as the leading libertarian think tank in the US. Its love of unfettered markets and deep suspicion of government action would lead most to think of it as conservative. But on many issues of military action and international security, Cato sounds a lot like left-leaning critics of the Bush Administration.

Logan's recent paper on “The Bottom Line on Iran: The Costs and Benefits of Preventive War versus Deterrence,” is interesting. A summary:

It appears increasingly likely that the Bush administration's diplomatic approach to Iran will fail to prevent Iran from going nuclear and that the United States will have to decide whether to use military force to attempt to delay Iran's acquisition of a nuclear weapons capability. Some analysts have already been promoting air strikes against Iran, and the Bush administration has pointed out repeatedly that the military option is "on the table." This paper examines the options available to the United States in the face of a prospective final diplomatic collapse.... The United States should begin taking steps immediately to prepare for a policy of deterrence should an Iranian bomb come online in the future. As undesirable as such a situation would be, it appears less costly than striking Iran.

If you want to learn more about Logan, check out his website: www.justinlogan.com/

Reservations for this special talk and dinner (at the Marten House!) should be made by calling 317-566-2036, or e-mailing cmatthewfox@gmail.com. E-mail reservations must have the subject heading "ICWA Dinner Reservations" and must contain all contact information, including name, address, telephone, and number of reservations being made. All reservations must be received by the end of the day Thursday January 11. This is also the date by which any cancelations must be received.

Dinner for ICWA members is $22 per person, $24 for non-members. If you would like to attend only the talk, the cost for ICWA members is $3; for nonmembers, the talk alone is $4.

At 3:00 PM on January 17th Logan will informally discuss Iran and other Middle East topics with experts and students at the Sagamore Institute. To reserve a spot, contact John Clark at john@sipr.org.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out some of the other events about the Middle East coming up this spring. As part of local Great Decisions series, Pierre Atlas will talk about the region on January 24, Prof. Nafhat Nasr will talk February 13. Logan's theme is not only exactly Iran but US policy stance toward Iran. That means some of the discussions of US power and responsibility -- the American Empire -- will be very relevant. Check out the debate about the US vs Europe between John McCormick and John Clark January 30, and the talk by the critic of neo-conservative foreign policy Stefan Halper February 21.

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January 20: Watch high school brainiacs do battle at the Academic WorldQuest Tournament

Qualifying competition for an Indianapolis high school team of geniuses to represent the city in a national tournament of international knowledge and (let's be honest) trivia

When: Saturday January 20 1:00 PM
Where: Marian College Stokely Mansion 3200 Cold Spring Road

Academic WorldQuest is widely played at the adult and high school levels around the country. It is a team game testing competitors' knowledge of international affairs, geography, history, and culture. You can find out about it here. The World Affairs Councils of America holds a national competition for high schools in DC in April. Last year the Indiana Council on World Affairs sponsored a team from Lawrence North High School ... despite it being their first exposure to the compeition, they did very well. (LNHS: More than just basketball.) This year there will be a competition at Marian College to select the representative to the DC tournament. It will be grueling, check out last year's questions. IndyBuzz has a dream of staging a WorldQuest tournament for all comers in Indianapolis next year, let's check out the competition at Marian College on January 20.

Stretch your brain with questions from last year's Academic WorldQuest. If you plan to attend, please contact Janet Jegen by email or phone (849-2691) so that there will be enough chairs and refreshments for everyone.

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January 24: Hear Pierre Atlas explain the causes of the many Middle East crises

Prof. Pierre Atlas of Marian College kicks off the Church of the Saviour's Great Decisions series with a discussion of the Middle East

When: Wednesday, January 24 7:00 PM
Where: Church of the Saviour, 6205 Rucker Road Indianapolis

Although the U.S. will remain closely engaged in Iraq during the next year, other factors have emerged to challenge stability in the region. Iran's nuclear program, the outcome of the conflict in Lebanon, and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations will all play a key role. How will these issues shape the Middle East?

A deceptively simple question, and no one is better at clarifying the issues' complexity and ambiguity than Pierre Atlas of Marian College. Want a taste of the Pierre Atlas experience? Check out this GeoPol video. Pierre is a professor of political science at Marian College, columnist for the Indianapolis Star, pundit for Real Clear Politics, founder and director of the Franciscan Center for Global Studies, associate fellow with the Sagamore Institute, etc. Sponsored by the Bob Calhoun Memorial Great Decisions Series.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out the ICWA's Great Decisions discussion of the Middle East on February 13 with Prof. Nafhat Nasr, who is sure to present a very different perspective on the region. For an important contrast, John Clark will give a couple of Great Decisions talks about Central Asia on March 7 and March 20. Definitely see the film "Iraq in Fragments" February 23 to March 1.

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February 13: Learn about Lebanon and the rest of the Middle East from Prof. Nafhat Nasr

DePauw Emeritus Prof. Nafhat Nasr leads a discussion of the Middle East as part of the Indiana Council on World Affairs Great Decisions Series

When: Tuesday, March 29 7:00-9:00 PM
Where: Butler University, Pharmacy Building

Prof. Nafhat Nasr, one of the most distinguished political science professors ever to have served at DePauw University, addresses the ICWA. A native of Lebanon, he specializes in the sources and possible causes of international conflicts.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out Pierre Atlas's Great Decisions on the Middle East talk January 24. John Clark will talk about a less well-known reigion with similar problems -- Central Asia -- March 7 and March 20. Hear a libertarian-leaning perspective on the region January 17. And see a couple of excellent films that illuminate the region's crises: "Iraq in Fragments" February 23 to March 1, and Battle of Algiers March 22.

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February 23 - March 1: You HAVE to see the film "Iraq in Fragments"

Iraq in Fragments, an extremely well received highly awarded film makes its Indianapolis debut

When: Feburary 23-March 1
Where: Key Cinemas 4044 South Keystone Avenue Indianapolis

If you like a good story, you’re in for three of them. Iraq in Fragments (the title itself evokes images of a war-torn country tainted by religious strife) examines the life of an 11-year old Sunni boy in Baghdad, follows sympathizers of the Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr, and also focuses intimately on a tiny village located among the Kurdish populace in northern Iraq. The film and its director, James Longley, have already received numerous international and national honors, including Sundance awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Editing.

This is Longley’s second acclaimed documentary to hit the silver screen. The success of his first film, Gaza Strip, which captures the quotidian life of Palestinians, may have been the impetus for a second Middle East- based film. Most likely, though, it was his need to tell another good story. During the process of filming and editing, he spent three years in Iraq, living both alone and also with translators and journalists, in Baghdad and in the more stable North. It was his wish to expose as much of the country as possible, within the limits of safety. Longley asserts, “It is important to me that this film presents many layers and points of view-reflecting the diversity I found.” In his director’s statement (which, along with the production notes, is highly recommended pre-viewing reading) he goes on to say that it was his aim to show “not only the divisions, but also the unifying forces that tie it together.”

Your interest and attendance is important for two reasons. First and most evidently, it is good to witness coverage in Iraq through a different lens and from several different angles. Second (and equally as important), your attendance will directly affect Indianapolis’s growing ability to access important films that, all too often, silently pass us by.

Read more about the film, including background, notes and critical responses here: www.iraqinfragments.com

February 21: Join Stefan Halper in searching for the "the Rational Center" in policy discussions

Stefan Halper, influential critic of neo-conservative foreign policy, turns his attention to the debasement of public discourse of media-hungry public intellectuals

When: Wednesday, March 21 Social hour 5:30-6:30; dinner 6:30-7:15; talk 7:15-8:45
Where: The Marten House 1801 West 86th Street Indianapolis 46260

A couple of years ago Stefan Halper came to public notice with America Alone: The Neo-Conservatives and the Global Order (written with Jonathan Clarke), a conservative critique of the hijacking of US foreign policy by radical neo-conservatives. Today their argument is well on its way to becoming accepted wisdom among conservatives. In Silence of the Rational Center: Why American Foreign Policy Is Failing, Halper (and Clarke) turn from an ideology to the shrill and sterile DC-centered media and policymaking climate.

Stefan Halper is a Senior Fellow at the Centre of International Studies and a Senior Research Fellow at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He directs the Donner Atlantic Studies Programme at the Centre of International Studies and lectures on latter 20th Century US foreign policy, Anglo-American relations, and contemporary international security issues. Stefan Halper holds doctorates from both Oxford and Cambridge. He has served four American presidents in the White House and Department of State and is an expert on U.S. foreign policy, national security policy, the United Nations and Anglo-American relations. Dr. Halper's research interests remain centred on Anglo-American relations, US national security issues and international security matters. Recently he has focused on the nature of the political discourse of the right. and the left, the rise of extremist views and their prevalence in the national political discussion, the rise of anti-Americanism among European elites and the implications for US policy in the decades ahead.

Read this early review of The Silence of the Rational Center, and see this film of Halper and Clarke discussing America Alone.

Prof. Halper will participate in an informal discussion at Sagamore Institute the afternoon of February 21. For more information, contact John Clark at john@sipr.org.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out other discussions of America's disoriented empire such as the debate over Europe vs US January 30, or Pierre Atlas's discussion of the Middle East on January 24.

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February 28: Join Sheila Kennedy in discussing bringing war crimes before the International Criminal Court

Local legend Sheila Kennedy addresses the possibilities and constraints of international law for dealing with war crimes

When: Wednesday, February 28 7:00 PM
Where: Church of the Saviour, 6205 Rucker Road Indianapolis

The creation of the International Criminal Court has established a new venue for investigating and prosecuting war crimes, despite a lack of U.S. participation. Will the non-participation of the U.S. weaken the power of the ICC? What challenges are faced by the ICC in punishing war criminals?

Sheila is Professor at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, teaching Law and Public Policy, a member of IUPUI’s Philanthropic Studies faculty, a Faculty Fellow with both the Center for Religion and American Culture in the School of Liberal Arts and the Tobias Center of the Kelley School of Business, an adjunct professor of political science, a founder of the American Values Alliance, former director of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, author of many books and articles on too many topics to count. Sheila loves the law and despises bullies, which probably tells you where she plunks down on this issue. If you need confirmation, check out her article on "Terrorism and the Constitution." This should be a lively evening. Sponsored by the Bob Calhoun Memorial Great Decisions Series.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out Raj Purohit's talk about the topic on March 13. For a diametrically opposed view, hear the architect of the Bush Administration's legal strategy for fighting terror, John Yoo, on March 2 at the Economic Club and Sagamore Institute.

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March 2: Meet John Yoo at Sagamore Institute

Following his talk to the Economic Club, John Yoo will talk informally at the Sagamore Institute about law, foreign affairs, and terrorism

When: Friday March 2 2:30 PM
Where: Sagamore Institute

This ought to be smaller and livelier than Prof. Yoo's talk at the Economic Club. Details about themes and format will be announced later. In the meantime, here are some suggested readings by Yoo that will give a flavor of his thinking: an excerpt from War by Other Means; articles written by Yoo from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times; a recent article from the Berkeley alumni magazine. Want something more critical of Prof. Yoo? Google "John Yoo" and "torture" ... you'll get more than 100,000 hits.

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March 7: Learn the rules for the Great Game in Central Asia for the 21st Century

John Clark relives his days as a Central Asian expert ... with a special guest who is a real expert

When: Wednesday, March 7 7:00 PM
Where: Church of the Saviour, 6205 Rucker Road Indianapolis

Rich in energy supplies and strategically located, the five countries of Central Asia attract attention from the Middle East, China, Russia and the United States. How will international competition for energy supplies affect each country? What are U.S. interests in the region?

Joining Clark will be Nodra Isamiddinova, an IUPUI student from Uzbekistan, who will report on her recent trip to her autocratic home country.

Sponsored by the Bob Calhoun Memorial Great Decisions Series

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out Clark's discussion of Central Asia for the Indiana Council on World Affairs March 20. On March 7 I will focus on the internal situation of Central Asia's economies, societies, and governments. I'll be eager to hear about Nodra's impressions of changes in Uzbekistan. On March 20 I will emphasize the geostrategic interests of the US in the region. A good contrast will be Pierre Atlas's discussion of the Middle East January 24.

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March 13: Ask expert Raj Purohit whether War Crimes belong in the International Criminal Court

Raj Puhorit, senior fellow with Citizens for Global Solutions, talks about the International Criminal Court for the Indiana Council on World Affairs Great Decisions Series

When: Tuesday, March 13 7:00-9:00 PM
Where: Butler University, Pharmacy Building

The creation of the International Criminal Court has established a new venue for investigating and prosecuting war crimes, despite a lack of U.S. participation. Will the non-participation of the U.S. weaken the power of the ICC? What challenges are faced by the ICC in punishing war criminals?

Providing answers to these tough questions will be Raj Puhorit, senior fellow with Citizens for Global Solutions. Citizens for Global Solutions is a nationwide organization that inspires America to engage the world, advocating closer American cooperation with and support for international institutions capable of responding to the threats and challenges of a new century. Despite this mission, Raj is very clear-eyed about the limitations of organizations such as the International Criminal Court.

Raj started at Citizens for Global Solutions as a Senior Fellow in Summer 2005. Most recently, Raj was Legislative Director for Human Rights First, where he was responsible for leading the organization's advocacy efforts at the Congressional and Executive levels, with a focus on international relations, judiciary and labor issues. Raj helped develop and implement new legislative initiatives and lobbying strategies. He also represented Human Rights First in a range of coalitions, including the Washington Working Group on the International Criminal Court, and was a media spokesperson. Before joining Human Rights First, Raj served as Legislative Director for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has also served as Director of Legal Services at the Center on Conscience and War. Raj received his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Sussex University (1995) and his LL.M. in International Legal Studies from American University, Washington College of Law (1997), where he also teaches.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out Sheila Kennedy's talk about the ICC and war crimes on February 28, and the very opposed view of John Yoo on March 2.

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March 20: Solve Central Asia's problems with John Clark

Indiana Council on World Affairs, Great Decisions Series
When: Tuesday, March 20 7:00-9:00 PM
Where: Butler University, Pharmacy Building

On 9/11 John Clark was working on a project for the United Nations Development Program in Kazakhstan, trying to anticipate and defuse regional instability and conflicts ... wow, that project changed all of a sudden! Now, five years later, it's time to assess how the US has changed Central Asia, and how Central Asia has changed the US.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out his talk (with Uzbek Nodra Isamiddinova) March 7.

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March 22: Lose yourself in the classic film "Battle of Algiers"

TBA

March 27: Hear Siobhán McEvoy-Levy on Children and international turmoil

Butler University's Siobhán McEvoy-Levy, internationally recognized expert on conflicts and children, presents for the Indiana Council on World Affairs, Great Decisions Series

When: Tuesday, March 29 7:00-9:00 PM
Where: Butler University, Pharmacy Building

Ensuring the safety and proper development of children is the stated goal of the global community, yet in some countries, children are exposed to unsafe labor practices, human trafficking, and participation in combat. What role do private donors, governments and international organizations play in ensuring health care, education and safety for the world's children?

Siobhán Mcevoy-Levy was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1968. She received her master’s and PhD degrees from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BA Honors degree from the Queen’s University, Belfast. She is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana where she teaches courses on Peace and Conflict Studies, US Foreign Policy, Political Communication, and Children and Youth, and where she coordinates an undergraduate minor program in Peace Studies. She is the author of American Exceptionalism and US Foreign Policy. Public Diplomacy at the end of the Cold War (Palgrave 2001).

Since 2001 McEvoy-Levy has been researching, writing, and teaching on war-affected children and youth, peace processes, and post-conflict peace building. She has written a number of articles and book chapters on youth and armed conflict, and she is the editor of, and a contributor to Troublemakers or Peacemakers? Youth and Post-Accord Peace building (University of Notre Dame Press, November 2005). The research for this book was commissioned by McEvoy-Levy when she was co-director of the Research Initiative on the Resolution of Ethnic Conflict (RIREC) at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, between 2000 and 2003.

McEvoy-Levy’s current research projects focus on conflict and post-conflict education, and on the children born as a result of wartime rape and the challenges they present for post-war reconstruction and reconciliation.

If this event sounds interesting, you should check out Siobhán March 14, and Kelly Campbell of Ambassadors for Children March 6.

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March 12: Hear what Colin Powell has to say for himself

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, one of the most distinguished soldiers and statesmen of his generation, comes to the Block Forum of Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation

When: Monday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation 6501 North Meridian Street Indianapolis 46260

The Edward A. Block Forum will host a special presentation by decorated General and former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.). A Four-Star General, Powell served 35 years in the United States Army and eventually was named Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989 – 1993). He served as National Security Advisor to President Reagan and was appointed President George W. Bush’s first Secretary of State in 2001. A VIP reception with photo opportunities begins at 5:30 p.m.; the presentation with Q&A follows. It's going to cost you: For more information or to buy tickets, contact David Leonards at 926-7566.

If Colin Powell's talk sounds interesting, you should check out the views of the President's legal adviser at the same time Secretary Powell was conducting diplomatic negotiations when John Yoo talks March 2. Critic of the neo-conservative hijacking of US foreign policy Stefan Halper will surely have interesting things to say about Gen. Powell February 21.

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April 12: Learn about foiling art thieves in Baghdad

History Makers: IHS Distinguished Speakers Series Featuring Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, author of “Thieves of Baghdad: The Journey to Recover the World's Greatest Stolen Treasures”

When: April 12 7 :00– 9:00 p.m.
Where: Pike Performing Arts Center, 6701 Zionsville Rd Indianapolis.

A real-life "Indiana Jones," Colonel Matthew Bogdanos watched in horror with the rest of the world as looters raided the Iraq National Museum after the fall of Baghdad. His mission became clear: get the treasures back and secure some of mankind's most significant artifacts. Bogdanos will recount his undertaking amidst the chaos of post-war Baghdad and his hopes for the future of the world's greatest treasures. Tickets are $25; $20 IHS members. Registration deadline April 5. Call (317) 232-1882 for reservations. The program is sponsored by Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. Members New York Stock Exchange, SIPC.

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