International Initiatives Events

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021 marked a pivotal and troubling turn for women’s rights. In this webinar, two experts on women in Afghanistan assess women’s status in the country since the Taliban’s resurgence.

Xydias’s recently published book, Beyond Left, Right, and Center: the Politics of Gender and Ethnicity in Contemporary Germany, contends that both advocacy for and hindrances against expanding the rights of marginalized social groups transcend our conventional ideological categories, especially in multi-party countries. The book shows that finer-grained variation between political parties is more informative, and that a political system’s broadly held social values also play a critical role in how “left” or “right” prioritize issues. But what does this mean when the stakes are understood to be high, as in recent European elections and in upcoming elections in the United States?

Guest speaker Dr. Fiifi Edu-Afful Visiting Scholar-In-Residence American University (DC) and University of Maryland

Research on legislatures from a gender perspective has mainly been conducted from a representational perspective. This has implied that the focus primarily has been on the gender equality of political representation in numerical or substantive terms, while the gendered terms and conditions of the legislature’s inner workings have received significantly less attention in the literature. Drawing on their extensive research from the Swedish parliament, Profs. Erikson and Josefsson show how this perspective exposes remaining inequalities in this numerically gender equal context.

This virtual panel on Wednesday on March 20th at 5 p.m. EST will feature four foreign policy experts discussing how the Israel-Hamas conflict is reshaping geopolitics and America’s role in the world. 

We are excited to invite you to a special program dedicated to International Women’s Month. Join us on Saturday, March 16, 2024, for a day of insightful discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities. This program is offered by the Embassy of Switzerland, in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, The Department of Political Science, The Center for European and Transatlantic Studies, and the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech.

Women are underrepresented in politics at all levels around the world. Women’s equal participation in public life and political roles are a critical component of the sustainable development goals as women’s political inclusion facilitates a more vigorous democracy and positions governments to better address pressing issues. Various training programs have been implemented across the globe to reduce some of the barriers to women’s entry.

Three international policy experts and scholars discussed pathways to peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict and possible long term solutions for stability in the Middle East during a panel discussion co-moderated by Farida Jalalzai, associate dean for global initiatives and engagement in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, and Jim Hawdon, director of the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention at Virginia Tech.

This photo exhibit brings to life the experiences of Virginia Tech students who have recently participated in faculty-led study abroad programs based in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. The exhibit illustrates lasting impacts to VT and our global community as well as how VT students engage with the world and the humanity of these experiences.

Women are still underrepresented in most governments around the world, even in established democracies. One of the frequently heard explanations is that people won’t vote for women, and they view men as better political leaders than women; in sum, that women don’t fit the image of a leader. However, what people think a leader looks like can change, particularly as they see more women in government.

Students can learn about faculty-led study abroad programs offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Faculty program leaders will be on hand to provide additional information and answer questions. You can also learn about other programs available through exchanges between VT and partner universities and more!

Updated: Friday, December 1st, 2023 10:00 am EST | Part of the Something Supernatural Series, this webinar features Timo Duile, a post doctoral researcher at the University of Bonn. He explains the origins of that ghost which points toward a specific mode of modernity that constitutes a realm of Islamic Malay civilization in opposition to the horrors of Kuntilanak

This event will provide important information about the U.S. Fulbright Student Program, scholarship eligibility requirements, award types, application process/timeline and more! Presenters will take audience questions as well.

Join Mervi Kaukko, Professor of Multicultural Education at Tampere University, Finland, and Fulbright Senior Scholar at the Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, to discuss education and how it can help students to live a good life in a world worth living in.

As part of the Gender Equity Lecture Series, the Center for European Union, Transatlantic, and Trans-European Space Studies will host a webinar on Violence Against Women in Europe.

As part of the Gender Equity Lecture Series, this event will discuss recent trends regarding women's incorporation in executive positions in Europe (prime ministers/presidents and cabinets) and the potential benefits of having more women in positions of executive power.