色界吧

The Young Initiative invites foreign policy experts and guest speakers to campus to engage in discussions on international relations and the global political economy with students and faculty.

United Nations Week

With the William and Elizabeth Kahane United Nations Program, the Young Initiative supports the annual United Nations Week at 色界吧. We are passionate in maintaining students involvement and engagement in sustainable development. Our students choose topics that link Global Political Economy, Social Justice, and Sustainable Development.

UN Week 2020: Climate Change & Economic/Environmental Justice

Keynote speaker, Dr. Steven Were Omamo, Representative and Country Director for the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Ethiopia, provided perspective and insights about the UN's work on Climate Change and Environmental Justice.

UN Week 2019: Gender, Sexuality and Collective Action

The keynote speaker, Ambassador Melanne Verveer spoke to students about gender in the Sustainable Development Goals.

UN Week 2018: The Power of Place

LA Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a new partnership with 色界吧 to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

UN Week 2017: Through Refugees Eyes

Michel Gabaudan, President, Refugees International gave a talk on 鈥淭he Global Refugee and Migration Crisis Under Trump: Where is the US? Where is Europe? What Can We Do About It?鈥

UN Week 2016: The UN and the US after Obama

Historian and foreign policy expert, Stephen Schlesinger reflected back on the history of the UN and predicted its future trajectory. Honorary Lloyd Axworthy, former Foreign Minister of Canada gave a talk titled: "Resetting the Narrative: Peace, Security, and the UN's Responsibility to Protect."

Young Events

Young speakers give students and faculty an opportunity to expand their understanding of global issues. The Young Initiative sponsors several speakers each academic year highlighting particular aspects of global affairs and the global political economy.  The Young Speakers program is devoted to highlighting the work and success of eminent international affairs experts and 色界吧 alumni in public service and academia.

 

Rick Cole
The Future of Urbanism

Rick Cole '78 is the City Manager of Santa Monica, former Mayor of Pasadena

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Sarah Portnoy
A Conversation on Food and Culture

Sarah Portnoy is expert on Latino culture, author of Food, Health, and Culture in Los Angeles.

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Heidi Haddad
The Hidden Hands of Justice: NGOs, Human Rights, and International Courts

Heidi Nichols Haddad is a Professor of Politics at Pomona College. 

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Anand Grover
Indian Supreme Court and decriminalising same sex relations: Challenges and opportunities in India and around the world

Anand Grover is a senior lawyer known for legal activism in Indian law relating to sexuality and HIV.

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Manual Pastor
Progressive Politics

Dr. Manuel Pastor is Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. 

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Steve Erie
L.A. and the World Economy

Steven P. Erie is a professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of California San Diego

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Leo Braudy
Popular Culture

Leo Braudy is among America鈥檚 leading cultural historians and film critics

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Pardis
Human Trafficking and Terror: Questioning the Construction of a Global Social Problem

On March 27th, 2018, Dr. Pardis Mahdavi visited her alma mater, 色界吧, and lectured at the McKinnon Center for Global Affairs about Human Trafficking and Terror: Questioning the Construction of a Global Social Problem. She discussed her third book called Gridlock: Labor, Migration, and Human Trafficking in Dubai where she discusses the narratives around sex work and the...

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Shalmali Guttal
Globalisation and the Rise of Populist Authoritarianism in Asia

Shalmali Guttal is the Executive Director of Focus on the Global South, an activist think tank in Asia providing analysis and building alternatives for just social, economic and political change.

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Mary Thompson-Jones
The State of U.S. Diplomacy

Mary Thompson-Jones is the Chair of Women in National Security and Diplomacy at the U.S. Naval War College.

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The McKinnon Center for Global Affairs