Events

‘Pre-Conference’ Seminar Takes on Immigration and Citizenship

By Buzz McClain

Two men in chairs discussion immigration on a stage. — *Washington Post* columnist Jonathan Capehart, left, and the Schar School’s Justin Gest discuss the divisiveness of immigration policies and practices. Photos by Buzz McClain/Schar School of Policy and Government

About 100 academics, practitioners, students, and pollsters attending this week’s 115^th American Political Science Association’s meeting in Washington, D.C., were treated to a day-long “pre-conference” seminar on migration and citizenship, sponsored by the Schar School of Policy and Government and its Center for the Study of Social Change, Institutions and Policy. The program was chaired by Associate Professor Justin Gest.

A woman with a cellphone takes a photo of a woman in front of artwork. — A spectator snaps a photo of gallerist Gabriela Rosso as she describes a work of art representing human mobility and created by an immigrant artist. The gallery exhibition was commissioned by Mason Curator Donald Russell, director of the Provisions Research Center for Arts and Social Change at Mason.

The program of three panels focused on “Career Advances,” “Methods and Challenges,” and “Migration and Citizenship 2030,” including a keynote conversation with Washington Post columnist and MSNBC contributor Jonathan Capehart, who was interviewed on stage by Gest. Among other topics, Capehart addressed how the scholars and practitioners in the room could best present their findings for maximum public impact. His answer: “Make it understandable” to the non-academic reader. Too often, the importance of the message is buried under academic and professional jargon.Wednesday’s event also included a “mentorship lunch,” a tour of an art exhibit of works created by immigrants, and topped off with an afternoon networking session that included a most welcome ice cream sundae buffet.

Program participants included:

“Career Advances”
Angela Chnapko, Politics Editor, Oxford University Press USA
Michael Jones Correa, President’s Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania

Terri Givens, Provost Emerita, Menlo College; Director, Center for Higher Education Learning
Jennifer Hochschild, Professor of Government, Harvard University
Gary Segura, Dean, Luskin School of Public Affairs, UCLA
Chair: Sara Wallace Goodman, Associate Professor, UC Irvine

A man in a blue suit makes a point. — Jonathan Capehart

“Methods and Challenges”
Lauren Duquette, Assistant Professor, Wayne State University
Noora Lori, Assistant Professor, Boston University
Kelsey Norman, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia
Tom Wong, Associate Professor, UC-San Diego
Chair: Willem Maas, Professor, York University

“Migration and Citizenship 2030”
Angie Bautista-Chavez, PhD Student, Harvard University
Aixa Cintron, Senior Program Officer, Russell Sage Foundation
Jeremy Ferwerda, Assistant Professor, Dartmouth College
Shom Mazumder, PhD Student, Harvard University
Margaret Peters, Associate Professor, UCLA
Chair: Justin Gest, Associate Professor, George Mason University