News from W&M International Relations Institute

In this edition of In the World, we are proud to share the latest news from the Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations at William & Mary.

Featured below are stories covering recent events as William & Mary's academic year culminates with the completion of several significant international relations initiatives.

We have much in store for the coming months, so stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates on the Institute's endeavors.

Sincerely,

Sue Peterson & Mike Tierney, Directors

AidData partners with Center for Global Development to shed light on China's foreign aid

A database that tracks China's financial commitment to development in Africa was released Monday by researchers from the Center for Global Development (CGD) and AidData. The database and the interactive web portal rely on media reports to track Chinese development aid and shed light on more than $70 billion of Chinese financial commitments. Read more.

AidData's release of China data garners
world-wide media attention

The release of the data on Chinese aid to Africa attracted the attention of media around the world, including Reuters, The Guardian, The Japan Times and Economy Watch. The full analysis, database, methodology and interactive online platform can be found at china.aiddata.org.

NEW VIDEOS: Researchers discuss AidData's groundbreaking dataset on Chinese financial
commitments to Africa

The W&M Connection

See how W&M students and faculty have contributed to AidData's groundbreaking new project.

AidData's Brad Parks discusses the database that tracks China's financial commitment to development in Africa.

The Project on International Peace & Security (PIPS) holds the 2013 Policy Symposium in Washington, D.C.

The fifth annual PIPS Policy Symposium was held on Wednesday, May 1, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. This year's briefs covered topics ranging from urban agriculture in Africa, to hydraulic power in Asia, to U.S. immigration reform. Many congratulations to the fellows and to PIPS Directors Amy Oakes and Dennis Smith for another outstanding year. The 2013 PIPS policy briefs.

Reform Incentives Project referenced
in congressional testimony

In April 2013, Daniel W. Yohannes, CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation went before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs and testified about the President's request of $898,200,000 to fund the MCC in 2014. In his speech, Yohannes referred to the February 2013 Reform Incentives Project report.

TRIP secures grant allowing further analysis of scholarship relevance; provides expertise at American U IA conference

Post Baccalaureate Fellow Lindsay Hundley and Principal Investigator Sue Peterson

In March, the TRIP Project was awarded a two-year grant of $307,500 from the Carnegie Corporation. TRIP researchers will use the funding to expand the project, already well known for its surveys of scholars and policymakers, to include a series of "snap polls" that will facilitate the rapid dissemination of academic expert opinion on emerging international issues and current events to policymakers. Read more

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TRIP Project Manager and former research assistant, Lindsay Hundley '12, served on an expert panel that opened the Undergraduate International Affairs Research Conference at American University in April 2013. Alongside deans and professors, Hundley delivered a presentation on "TRIP and the Study of the IR Discipline," providing an in-depth look at the state of research in International Relations. Read more.

PIPS explores ethical, technical implications of non-lethal weapon in newly-released Air Force-commissioned report

The Project on International Peace and Security (PIPS) has released a report, commissioned by the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research, on the deployment of the non-lethal weapons technology called the Active Denial System (ADS). The report entitled, "The Active Denial System: Obstacles and Promise", explores ethical issues and proposes technical changes to ADS, in addition to recommending criteria for its use and public outreach initiatives. Read the report here.

Institute conducts book workshop to review faculty member's manuscript on civil war in Africa

The Institute conducted a Faculty Book Workshop for Assistant Professor of Government, Philip Roessler in May. Book workshops support W&M faculty in the pre-submission stage of book development by sponsoring a panel of distinguished scholars to convene at W&M for a daylong review and discussion of the manuscript. Drawing on extensive field research in Darfur, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Roessler's manuscript builds and tests the coup-proofing theory of civil war -- that large-scale political violence is a function of the political strategies rulers choose to prevent coups from powersharing partners. Scholars on civil war and African politics, David Cunningham of University of Maryland, Alex de Waal of Tufts University and Will Reno of Northwestern University reviewed the manuscript, along with professors from W&M.

About the Institute

The Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations at William & Mary provides a home for seven interdisciplinary, collaborative, internationally focused research projects that employ social science methods to make meaningful contributions to contemporary international debate, policy and practice.

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