News and Events
Food for the Future: A conversation with environmental historian Bryan McDonald
View CUSA Senior Fellow, Bryan McDonald's interview on food security at Penn State.
Click here for more on Bryan's food security work at CUSA.
Preparing for the Security Challenges of the 21st Century
CUSA hosted the second event in the Post 9/11: Science, Policy, & Law Series on “Preparing for the Security Challenges of the 21st Century.” CUSA brought together senior experts with extensive experience in military operations, disaster medicine, information technology and the business community.
Event Flyer: Preparing for the Security Challenges of the 21st Century
Glacier Melt, Early Snowmelt and Sea Level Rise
Dr. Jay Famiglietti, Director of the UC Center for Hydrologic Modeling, and Dr. Richard Matthew have been collaborating on research around issues of sustainability and water security. They gave a presentation on October 21, 2011 for the UCI Conference, "Glacier Melt, Early Snowmelt and Sea Level Rise". For more information visit: http://www.newkirkcenter.uci.edu/
ISSS/ISAC Annual Conference "Security for the Future"
CUSA Co- Hosted ISSS/ISAC Annual Conference, "Security for the Future" October 13-15, 2011. The theme for this year's conference is future-oriented analyses of global security conditions and responses. We are particularly interested in novel approaches to understanding present and emerging global challenges, unique analytical perspectives, new information syntheses, original insights on the use of history in anticipating future developments, and linkages between knowledge production and policy problem-solving. Click here for more information
CUSA 's Women, War and Peace Performance and Presentations
On October 8, 2011 CUSA participated in A Day of Service, "Women, War and Peace," presented by the Center for Living Peace. Click here for a breif vidoe recap of the event.
CUSA Advisory Board Member, Dave Maggard's editorial on the 10th anniversary of 911
CUSA Advisory Board Member, Dave Maggard talks about some of the changes made by police departments, fire departments and other public safety agencies throughout America during the past decade since the attacks on 9/11.
Groundwater Depletion Is Detected From Space
CUSA faculty affiliate, Jay S. Famiglietti, director of the University of California's Center for Hydrologic Modeling is featured for his work on satellite observations of hydrology in this NY Times article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/science/31water.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1&ref=science
2011 Heather Mills Graduate Fellowship in Human Security
Amy Grubb is the recipient of this year's CUSA Graduate Fellowship in Human Security for her
proposal to conduct field work in the Philippians to further her project entitled, "The Microdynamics of Violence and Order: Comparing Community Social Processes."
CUSA Director at TEDxOrangeCoast
Richard Matthew, PhD, founding director of the Center for Unconventional Security Affairs, gave an Innovation in Sustainability and Peace-building presentation at TEDxOrangeCoast on May 19, 2011.Click here to watch the video.
2011 Human Security Award
The founder of Blue Legacy, Alexandra Cousteau received the Human Security Award and gave a keynote address at UC Irvine on May 4th, 2011.
Click here to read the article write in the New University...
CUSA's Emergency Preparedness and Response Inaugural Essay Competition
Submissions are due by March 27, 2011
First place $2500
Honorable Mention $500
Download Essay Competition Guidelines (Acrobat reader required)
Cyber Security: Current Challenges, Future Trends
The Center for Unconventional Security Affairs in partnership with the Consulate General of Canada, Los Angeles and The Newkirk Center for Science and Society is pleased to announce "Cyber Security: Current Challenges, Future Trends," a lunch briefing by: Mr. Rafal Rohozinski. In his briefing Mr. Rafal Rohozinski will give a broad overview of cyberspace challenges, including: national security, the industrialization of cyber crime, and problems of governance.
Food Price Shocks and Instability Highlight Weaknesses in Governance and Markets
By Bryan McDonald
Bryan McDonald was the Assistant Director for the Center and is now a CUSA Advisory Board Member and Assistant Professor in the Science, Technology and Society Program at Penn State University. He is the author of Food Security: Addressing Challenges from Malnutrition, Food Safety and Environmental Change. To see Bryan's contribution to the Woodrow Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP)'s daily blog, The New Security Beat, visit: http://newsecuritybeat.blogspot.com/2011/02/guest-contributor-bryan-mcdonald-food.html
Climate Change, Conflict and Peacebuilding Presentation
On February 9, 2011 Dr. Richard A. Matthew presented on Climate Change, Conflict and Peacebuilding for the Earth Systems Science Department. For more information on this event visit: http://www.ess.uci.edu/events/2011-02-09
Designing Citizen Diplomacy Workshop
CUSA participated in the Designing Citzen Diplomacy Workshop on January 27th and 28th, 2011. The goal of this two-day workshop was to build a research agenda and research community on the topic of citizen diplomacy. Citizen diplomacy combines the objectives of soft diplomacy with the use of social media to connect citizens in the developing world with the developed world. This workshop builds on the notion of Human-Centered Computing to describe our interest in Humanity-Centered Computing. As we all know, the vision of future wars is based on advances in computing. But, for a change let us instead visualize advances in computing that can be used for improving humanity – for fostering understanding, building bridges among different cultures, improving education in the poorest and remotest parts of the world and reducing violence. We have been dreaming about a community of scientists who will channel their computing expertise toward bringing peace and welfare in the otherwise rapidly deteriorating situation in the world. The long-term objective of citizen diplomacy is to increase the level of global peace and we believe that social media is a tool through which this can be achieved. Ramesh Jain in the Department of Computer Science and Gloria Mark in the Department of Informatics were the organizing committee for this workshop.
Environmental Stresses & Negative Impacts
Dr. Richard Matthew delivered a lecture in Earth System Science 280: Sustainability Science on Wednesday, November 17, 2010. Follow the link to view his lecture: http://ocw.uci.edu/lectures/lecture.aspx?id=410.
The other lectures in this CUSA co-organized Sustainability Science Series can be viewed by viewing the following link: http://ocw.uci.edu and then clicking on Lectures->Physical Sciences -> Earth System Science.
CUSA Faculty Affiliate, Jay Famiglietti's Research on Water
CUSA Faculty Science Committee Member, Jay Famiglietti, published "Satellite-based global-ocean mass balance estimates of interannual variability and emerging trends in continental freshwater discharge" in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Follow the link to read the LA Times article about this work: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/10/global-warming-river-flows-oceans-climate-disruption.html
Cities and Eco-Disasters
CUSA Director, Richard Matthew, gave a talk on "Cities and Eco-Disasters" at Columbia University on October 1, 2010. The event was organized by Professor Saskia Sassen, co-chair of Columbia's Committee on Global Thought. More information.
Climate Change and Environmental Impact
CUSA contributed a report on "Climate Change and Environmental Impact" to Strategic Asia 2010-11: Asia's Rising Power and America's Continued Purpose, edited by Ashley J Tellis, Andrew Marble and Travis Tanner (National Bureau of Asian Research: 2010). This was the basis for a State Department Briefing conducted on September 28th in Washington, DC . We also participated in the Book Launch at Johns Hopkins University on September 29th. More information.
2010 Real Food Series at UC, Irvine
CUSA is a proud co-sponsor of UC Irvine's 2010 Real Food Series. This series is an open dialogue and education about the connections between people, food, the environment, and sustainability. Campus and community members are embarking on an educational series about ecologically-sound production, community-based food, humane treatment of animals, and fair labor through the dynamic facilitation of meals, panels, movie screenings, and tours. More information about the series as well as a listing of events and RSVP information is available at the Real Food Series website.
Political Rhetoric or Policy Reality? Tracking Trends in Environment, Peace, and Security
Geoffrey D. Dabelko, PhD, Director of the Environmental Change and Security Project at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars (Washington DC) speoke on "Political Rhetoric or Policy Reality? Tracking Trends in Environment, Peace, and Security" on April 27 at 7:00 pm in the Calit2 Auditorium. Learn more.
April 21: Environmental Dimensions of Conflict & Peace Building
Richard Matthew, Ph.D., Director, Center for Unconventional Security Affairs, Assoc. Prof., School of Social Ecology, spoke on "Environmental Dimensions of Conflict & Peace Building" as part of the UCI University Club Forum. With photos and words, Professor Matthew shared experiences from his work with the UN Expert Advisory Group on Environment, Conflict and Peace. Moderated by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, UC Irvine. More information.
Peacebuilding and Climate Change Adaptation
An article on "Peacebuilding and Climate Change Adaptation" by Anne Hammill and Richard Matthew has been published as part of a special issue of St Antony's International Review (STAIR) on "New Directions in Climate Change Politics." Torney, Diarmuid and Annika Greup, eds. 2010. "New Directions in Climate Change Politics," special issue of St Antony's International Review (STAIR) (vol. 5, no. 2, February 2010). Features contributions from Robert O. Keohane, Jonathan Gaventa, Michael MacLeod, Frances C. Moore, Anne Hammill & Richard Matthew, David Benson & Andrew Jordan, and Christopher W. Boerl. More information.
Sustainability and Food Security
Bryan McDonald, PhD from CUSA and Planning Policy & Design, UC Irvine and Kelsey Meagher, the Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) Fellow, UC Irvine presented on "Sustainability and Food Security" on April 6 at 7:00 - 8:30 pm in the Calit2 Auditorium. This talk will provide an introduction to the major issues impacting global food security as well as linking food security to other pressing security challenges facing people and societies including sustainability and global environmental change. This talk will also discuss results from a recent survey of the UCI community about food and sustainability and provide an overview of efforts underway to promote sustainable food at UC, Irvine. Learn more.
Sustainability Seminar Series videos now available
Videos from Winter 2010 CUSA Sustainability Series now available. Videos can be viewed via CUSA's You Tube Channel. These videos are also available for viewing on our Sustainability Seminar Series pages and for download via iTunes U (requires iTunes, search for CUSA or locate us through the UC, Irvine page on iTunes U).
Human Security Award Videos now available
CUSA is pleased to announce that videos of our 2006, 2007 and 2008 Human Security Award ceremonies are now available. These videos can also be viewed on CUSA's You Tube Channel.
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2006 - LGen The Honourable Romeo A. Dallaire, (Ret), Senator, in acknowledgment of his tireless advocacy for peacebuilding in the world's most war-torn regions
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2007 - David Bornstein, in honor of his pioneering work on social entrepreneurship
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2008 - Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey and Laren Poole, the founders of Invisible Children, for empowering young people and raising awareness and support for the children of Uganda
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2009 - Mark Johnson and Whitney Burditt, the founders of Playing for Change, a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music
Business and Sustainability
Dinker Anand - Toshiba AEC, Inc.; Kirwan Rockefeller, PhD - Director, Sustainability Leadership, UC Irvine Extension; and Greg Shank - Vice President, CTG Energetics, Inc. spoke on "Business and Sustainability" as part of our 2010 Sustainability Seminar Series. This talk was held on March 2 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm in UCI Student Center, Doheny Beach A.
Meagher featured as UROP's Researcher of the Month
CUSA Student Research Associates Kelsey Meagher is UROP's "Researcher of the Month" for March 2010. Kelsey Meagher has been involved in research since her sophomore year. Her interest in agri-food systems has led her to her current project, studying student attitudes toward sustainable food. Kelsey has especially enjoyed the opportunity her research has given her to apply her work to making a difference in the real world; indeed, a number of her recommendations have been applied to UCI campus food procurement policies. Her mentor, Professor Matthew, describes Kelsey as a "smart, energetic, dedicated individual," whose commitment to her area of research is "unambiguous and profound." UROP congratulates Kelsey for her high level of achievement in undergraduate research. Read the full profile.
Sustainability and the University
Lisa Shaffer from the Sustainability Solutions Institute at University of California, San Diego spoke on "Sustainability and the University" as part of our 2010 Sustainability Seminar Series. Universities create the future through discovery, education, and example. Campuses throughout the UC system and around the world are developing sustainability programs in response to the challenges facing society, and in recognition of our obligation to contribute to a more sustainable future. This talk wwas held on February 23 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm in Humanities Gateway 1800.
CUSA at the ISA 2010
Matthew, Richard A., Bryan McDonald and George Shambaugh presented "Democratic Peace, Global Catastrophe? The Challenge of Transnational Threats" at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the International Studies Association, New Orleans, Louisian, February 17-20, 2010.
New article in Studies in Conflict and Terrorism
George E. Shambaugh, Richard A. Matthew, Roxane Cohen Silver, Bryan McDonald, Michael Poulin and Scott Blum. "Public Perceptions of Traumatic Events and Policy Preferences during the George W. Bush Administration: A Portrait of America in Turbulent Times." Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 33, no. 1 (2010): 55-91.
Ethics and Sustainable Development
Richard Matthew spoke on "Ethics and Sustainable Development" as part of our 2010 Sustanability Seminar Series. Global environmental change poses significant challenges to human welfare and security. This is not simply a technical matter to be resolved through innovation and adaptation, but one that also involves ethical reflection and practice. This talk was held on February 16 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm in the Calit2 Auditorium.
Re-booting Sustainable Development
Mark Halle presented on "Re-booting Sustainable Development: Why it Hasn't Worked and What to do About it" as part of CUSA's 2010 Sustanability Seminar Series. Halle is the Director, Trade and Investment, and European Representative, International Institute for Sustainable Development (Geneva). This talk was held on February 9 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm in the Calit2 Auditorium.
Greening through Information Technology
Bill Tomlinson spoke on "Greening through Information Technology" on Tuesday February 2, 2010 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm in the Calit2 Auditorium on the UCI Campus. Presented as part of CUSA's 2010 Sustainability Seminar Series, this talk explores Green IT, a field that explores the juncture between two growing trends - the spread of environmental concern across many human communities, and the rapid adoption of digital tools and techniques for manipulating information. Learn more.
An Environmental Perspective on Peacebuilding in Africa
On Tuesday, February 2, CUSA presented "From Blood Diamonds to Mountain Gorillas: An Environmental Perspective on Peacebuilding in Africa" from 7:30 - 9:00 am at the Beckman Center in Irvine. In this briefing, CUSA Director Richard Matthew will report on our ongoing research to explore linkages between natural resources, environmental degradation and security issues. This event is open to the public, but RSVP is required. Learn more.
Active Shooter Prevention & Response Strategies
A presentation on "Active Shooter Prevention & Response Strategies" was held on Monday, February 1st, 2010 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. in Humanities Instructional Building Room 100 at UC, Irvine. This training will be presented by internationally recognized leader on counterterrorism & school security, Mr. Alon Stivi, President of Direct Measures International (DMI) and ACT Cert (Attack Countermeasures Training Certification), who is also a member of CUSA's Advisory Board.
Food Security in an Age of Global Change
Bryan McDonald presented on current challenges to food security to the Paul Merage School of Business' Prosperitas group on January 28, 2010. Visit the Proseritas website to learn more about this event.
Global Environmental Change and Human Security book launch in Irvine
CUSA celebrated the release of Global Environmental Change and Human Security (MIT Press, 2009) on January 14, 2010 with a release party at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering in Irvine, California. The launch brought together CUSA members with editors and authors from the volume and included a presentation by visiting scholar and volume contributor Dr. Bishnu Upreti, Regional Coordinator of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research South Asia Coordination Office in Katmandu, Nepal. Learn more about this book.
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CUSA members gather to celebrate the release of Global Environmental Change and Human Security |
Volume contributors Victoria Basolo, Bishnu Upreti, Bryan McDonald and Richard Matthew |
Visiting Scholar from Nepal
CUSA was pleased to host a visit to UC, Irvine by Dr. Bishnu Upreti, Regional Coordinator of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research South Asia Coordination Office in Katmandu, Nepal.
Tabula Rasa? Conceptions of Microfinance in Juba, Sudan
Crystal Morgan (PhD student in Policy Planning and Design) presented on "Tabula Rasa? Conceptions of Microfinance in Juba, Sudan" at a CGPACS Graduate Student Panel on January 12, 2010. Learn more about this event.
Learn more about UCI's Global Leadership Certificate Program
The Global Leadership Certificate Program (GLCP) is designed to help students broaden their understanding of what leadership means in a global society, and gain skills necessary to make a difference and initiate change. Learn more about this program at the GLCP website or at two upcoming events:
- GLCP Info Session - January 13th, 2010 from 2:00-2:45pm in Student Services II 1010A&B
- GLCP Orientation - January 20th, 2010 from 3:00-4:30pm in Student Services II 1010A&B
Global Environmental Change and Human Security now available
In recent years, scholars in international relations and other fields have begun to conceive of security more broadly, moving away from a state-centered concept of national security toward the idea of human security, which emphasizes the individual and human well-being. Viewing global environmental change through the lens of human security connects such problems as melting ice caps and carbon emissions to poverty, vulnerability, equity, and conflict. This book examines the complex social, health, and economic consequences of environmental change across the globe. In chapters that are both academically rigorous and policy relevant, the book discusses the connections of global environmental change to urban poverty, natural disasters (with a case study of Hurricane Katrina), violent conflict (with a study of the decade-long Nepalese civil war), population, gender, and development. The book makes clear the inadequacy of traditional understandings of security and shows how global environmental change is raising new, unavoidable questions of human insecurity, conflict, cooperation, and sustainable development. Learn more...
Schools under Surveillance now available from Rutgers University Press
Schools under Surveillance, a new volume co-edited by CUSA Faculty Affiliate Rodolfo D. Torres is now available from Rutgers University Press. Schools under Surveillance gathers together some of the very best researchers studying surveillance and discipline in contemporary public schools. Surveillance is not simply about monitoring or tracking individuals and their data—it is about the structuring of power relations through human, technical, or hybrid control mechanisms. Essays cover a broad range of topics including police and military recruiters on campus, testing and accountability regimes such as No Child Left Behind, and efforts by students and teachers to circumvent the most egregious forms of surveillance in public education. Each contributor is committed to the continued critique of the disparity and inequality in the use of surveillance to target and sort students along lines of race, class, and gender.
Koenig and Schultz's Disaster Medicine now available
Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices, edited by Kristi L. Koenig, MD and Carl H. Schultz, MD is now available from Cambridge University Press 2009. As societies become more complex and interconnected, the global risk for catastrophic disasters is increasing. Demand for expertise to mitigate the human suffering and damage these events cause is also high. A new field of disaster medicine is emerging, offering innovative approaches to optimize disaster management. Much of the information needed to create the foundation for this growing specialty is not objectively described or is scattered among multiple different sources. Now, for the first time, a coherent and comprehensive collection of scientific observations and evidence-based recommendations with expert contributors from around the globe is available in Koenig and Schultz's Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices. This definitive work on disaster medicine identifies essential subject matter, clarifies nomenclature, and outlines necessary areas of proficiency for healthcare professionals handling mass casualty crises. It also describes in-depth strategies for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of victims suffering from blast injuries or exposure to chemical, biological, and radiological agents. Learn more...
Video Interview with Founders of Playing for Change
We have updated CUSA's YouTube Channel with four clips from an interview Richard Matthew conducted with Mark Johnson and Whitney Burditt when they were at UCI to receive the 2009 Human Security Award. In the videos, Mark and Whitney give their thoughts on how to live a life of meaning and purpose, their preparation for the increased attention and success of Playing for Change and the importance of traveling. Visit our YouTube channel to view all of the videos.
Sustainable Development and Climate Change
An article by Richard Matthew and Anne Hammill on "Sustainable development and climate change" has been published in International Affairs Vol. 85 No. 6 (2009): 1117-1128. International Affairs is Britain's leading journal of international relations.
Research on Microfinance and Technology
Crystal Murphy Morgan presented results of her research on microfinance and technology at the Institute for Money, Technology & Financial Inclusion (IMTFI)'s First Annual Conference for Funded Researchers on November 5, 2009.
Founders of Playing for Change receive 2009 Human Security Award
Mark Johnson and Whitney Burditt, the Founders of Playing for Change, received the 2009 Human Security Award on October 22, 2009 for their efforts to create a multimedia movement to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. In addition to their inspiring music and films, Playing for Change are building music schools across the globe to foster music, education and collaboration. Playing for Change have been featured on PBS, CBS, The Tonight Show, ABC World News, NPR, Larry King Live and the Playing for Change band launched their first world tour in the Fall of 2009. Learn more about the 2009 Human Security Award recipients.
CUSA student affiliate wins Brower Youth Award
Hai Vo, a 2009 graduate of Social Ecology at UCI and a CUSA Student Research Associate, has been chosen as a winner of a 2009 Brower Youth Award. Hai co-founded the Real Food Challenge (RFC) at the University of California at Irvine (UCI) and worked with CUSA on a series of research, education and advocacy projects related to improving the sustainability of campus food systems. In their citation of Hai, Earth Island Institute noted, "In order to educate and connect students, Hai co-organized events that brought students together to "simply eat," and to discuss their understanding of food. The RFC at UCI has engaged over 500 campus and community members in leadership development, networking convergences, dinners, roundtable events, educational series, and online networks, all centered around sustainable food systems." Earth Island Institute established the Brower Youth Awards in 2000 to honor founder and legendary environmental activist, David R. Brower and to call forth a new generation of leaders. Vo was formally recognized for his efforts at the 10th Annual Brower Youth Awards on October 20, 2009 in San Francisco, California. Learn more about Hai's work.
Morgan profiled for work on microfinance in Africa
UCI has posted a profile of Crystal Murphy Morgan, a CUSA Student Research Affiliate and Planning, Policy & Design doctoral student. A doctoral candidate in planning, policy & design at UC Irvine, Murphy Morgan is writing her dissertation on microfinance - the provision of small, low-interest loans - in post-conflict regions. Such loans can help the poor start and grow modest businesses. Supporters say microfinance alleviates poverty and encourages self-sufficiency. Murphy Morgan spent July and August in Juba, Sudan, interviewing managers of microfinance institutions and loan recipients. Displaced Sudanese and refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic are struggling to rebuild their lives after decades of civil war and ethnic conflict, and some seek microfinance loans to do so."Read the full profile of Crystal on the UCI website.
Shaping Future Leaders for the New Global Community
CUSA is featured as a key initiative in "The Global Village Campus" of UC Irvine's Shaping the Future campaign. "All of us at UC Irvine are leveraging our greatest strengths to shape the future in areas of national and global importance to benefit our community, our nation and the world. UC Irvine's Center for Unconventional Security Affairs is fundamentally changing the world for the better. The Center brings to bear the power of a major research university and a worldwide network of experts to solve global challenges such as terrorism, pandemic diseases and disasters. While many of the world's challenges can seem hopeless, the Center's research and outreach is already making a difference in saving lives and reducing human suffering. In a world full of people in great need... those who want to help must take great risks to achieve the greatest good. The Center for Unconventional Security Affairs focuses the power of our major research university to solve worldwide challenges. Solutions are found by faculty who can study problems from all aspects - political, economic, cultural, environmental, biological and medical." Learn more at the website for the Shaping the Future campaign.
Food Security in the U.S. and Canada
Bryan McDonald presented a paper on "Food Security and Global Environmental Change: Improving U.S. and Canadian Cooperation in the Face of Shared Threats and Vulnerabilities" to and interdisciplinary symposium on "Canadian Studies: On the Edge" held at the University of Southern California on October 9, 2009.
Fall 2009 Environmental Studies Newsletter
The Fall 2009 edition of the Environmental Studies Section of the International Studies Association is now online. This newsletter lists recent publications and upcoming events related to environmental studies. Visit environmental-studies.org to read the latest edition of the newsletter.
CUSA Director Richard Matthew and Advisory Board Member Anne Hammill among co-authors of Conflict-Sensitive Conservation: Practitioners' Manual
Anne Hammill, Alec Crawford, Robert Craig, Robert Malpas, Richard Matthew have co-authored Conflict-Sensitive Conservation: Practitioners' Manual(IISD, 2009).The Albertine Rift is one of the most biodiverse and ecologically unique regions of Africa. Sadly it has also been the site of some of the world's most violent conflicts in recent history. This turbulent context can pose a range of risks and opportunities to conservationists who are managing resources that can be both a seed of conflict and foundation for peace-building. With the financial support of the MacArthur Foundation and the technical support of the Conservation Development Centre, IISD has been working with the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Wildlife Conservation Society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere) International in Uganda to better understand the context in which they operate and apply a conflict lens to their work. This work led to the development of the "Conflict-Sensitive Conservation Practitioners' Manual," which provides an analytical and decision-making framework to help conservationists understand and address natural resource-based conflict, and integrate this understanding into conservation programming and implementation. In so doing, conservationists can avoid exacerbating conflict and maximize opportunities for peace-building. Learn more and download the manual at IISD's website.
Chapter on "Environmental Security" in new edition of Vig and Kraft's Environmental Policy
A chapter by Richard Matthew on "Environmental Security" is included in the new edition of Norman J. Vig and Michael E. Kraft (eds.), Environmental Policy: New Directions for the Twenty-First Century, 7th Edition (Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2009). The seventh edition of Environmental Policy once again brings together top scholars to evaluate the impact of past environmental policy while anticipating its future implications, helping students decipher the underlying trends, institutional constraints, and policy dilemmas that shape environmental politics. Learn more.
CUSA at the APSA
Research on transnational threats and food security was presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association in Toronto, Canada. CUSA presented research related to our NSF funded project on American responses to terrorism and our work on food security.
CUSA at 2009 Emergency Management and Homeland Security Summit
Bryan McDonald presented to the California State University's 2009 Emergency Management and Homeland Security Summit held at the California State University Chancellor's Office in Long Beach, California on June 29, 2009. This event brought together academics, agency representatives, and homeland security professionals to showcase academic excellence and research within California on homeland security and emergency management.
Food Security, Food Safety and Food Defense
Bryan McDonald presented on "Ensuring Safety and Security in the Food System"to a conference on "Factors Influencing Emerging Infections in the Southeast"sponsored by the Southeastern Center for Emerging Biologic Threats (SECEBT) and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, June 23-24, 2009.
Climate Change Adaptation and Peacebuilding
Richard Matthew and Anne Hammill were invited to present research on "Climate Change Adaptation and Peacebuilding" to the Global Environmental Change and Human Security Convention in Oslo, Norway on June 22, 2009.
Hai Vo sows seeds of sustainable food reform at UC Irvine and beyond
CUSA Student Research Affiliate Hai Vo is featured in a profile on UC Irvine's homepage. The profile discusses Hai's work and activism on sustainable food, a topic that was the subject of a UROP project that examined sustainability in the UC Irvine dining system. "'Food is personal for Vo. "There's nothing more intimate than the relationship between humans and food,"he says. The son of Vietnamese refugees, Vo says his parents' stories all center around food - whether it was the couple starving on a boat with only a few grains of rice or his mother and grandmother cooking for a week and then making a perilous three-day trek to deliver the fare to Vo's imprisoned grandfather. "Food,"he says, "became the glue for our family.'" Read the full profile.
Meagher wins Social Sciences Alumni Academic Excellence Scholarship
We are very pleased to announce that Kelsey Meagher has been selected to receive a Social Sciences Alumni Academic Excellence Scholarship. Kelsey is a CUSA Student Research Associate and worked with CUSA this year on a UROP project to examine sustainability in the UC Irvine dining system.
Facing Global Environmental Change now available
CUSA's work on environmental security is included in Hans Gunter Brauch, et al (eds.), Facing Global Environmental Change: Environmental, Human, Energy, Food, Health and Water Security Concepts (Peace Research and European Security Studies Press, 2009). This volume is the fourth in the Hexagon Series on Human and Environmental Security and Peace, and contains a chapter by Richard A. Matthew and Bryan McDonald on "Environmental Security: Academic and Policy Debates in North America." Book launches for this volume have been held in Berlin and Bonn Germany and at United Nations Headquarters in New York. More information about this volume is available at: http://www.afes-press-books.de/html/hexagon_04.htm
A "Real" UCI Dining Experience
On May 16, Kelsey Meagher and Hai Vo, CUSA Student Affiliates, presented the results of their research on food sustainability at UC, Irvine. Their presentation "A "Real" UCI Dining Experience: Toward a Just and Sustainable Food System," was part of UC, Irvine's 16th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Morgan receives Heather Mills Fellowship
CUSA is pleased to announce that Crystal Murphy Morgan, a PhD Student in Planning, Policy and Design (PPD) has been selected to receive the 2008-2009 Heather Mills Graduate Fellowship in Human Security for her project "'Trust no one?': Agency and microfinance in Juba, Sudan."Established in honor of Heather Mills' significant contributions to human security issues, the Heather Mills Fellowship allows graduate students to undertake original research on pressing security issues, and allows them opportunities to use their research to help address real world challenges.
CUSA co-sponsors Real Food Series at UC, Irvine
CUSA is a proud co-sponsor of UC Irvine's Real Food Series. This series is an open dialogue and education about the connections between people, food, the environment, and sustainability. Campus and community members are embarking on an educational series about ecologically-sound production, community-based food, humane treatment of animals, and fair labor through the dynamic facilitation of meals, panels, movie screenings, and tours. More information about the series as well as a listing of events and RSVP information is available at the Real Food Series website.
Wilson Center launch event for From Conflict to Peacebuilding
The Environmental Change and Security Program hosted a report launch of From Conflict to Peacebuilding: The Role of Natural Resources and the Environment on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004. This event featured Achim Steiner, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP); Daniel A. Reifsnyder, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science, U.S. Department of State; and Andrew Morton, Programme Manager, Disasters and Conflicts Programme, UNEP. A webcast of this event is available at: www.wilsoncenter.org
Natural Resource Management Critical to Peacebuilding
CUSA's Richard Matthew and Bryan McDonald contributed to From Conflict to Peacebuilding: The Role of Natural Resources and the Environment, a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme. "Intrastate conflicts are likely to drag on and escalate without a greater focus on environment and natural resources in the peacebuilding process, according to a new report launched today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)." Since 1990 at least eighteen violent conflicts have been fueled by the exploitation of natural resources. In fact, recent research suggests that over the last sixty years at least forty per cent of all intrastate conflicts have a link to natural resources. Civil wars such as those in Liberia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo have centered on "high-value" resources like timber, diamonds, gold, minerals and oil. Other conflicts, including those in Darfur and the Middle East, have involved control of scarce resources such as fertile land and water. This major report, co-authored by IISD and UNEP, discusses the key linkages among environment, conflict and peacebuilding, and provides recommendations on how these can be addressed more effectively by the international community. Read the full report.
Interview with Richard Matthew about CUSA's work on Environment and Conflict
The UC Irvine homepage featured an interview with Richard Matthew related to his recent field research in Sierra Leone as CUSA's project with the United Nation's Environment Programme (UNEP) on the role of natural resources and the environment in conflict and peacebuilding. "Before a diamond ends up in a ring or pendant, it may have played a part in a cycle of violence and corruption on the other side of the world. Richard Matthew, UC Irvine planning, policy & design associate professor, studies the complex social and environmental factors that have led to the proliferation of "blood diamonds"in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo." Read the full Q&A feature...
Environmental Ethics publication now available
A new publication on "Environmental Ethics" by CUSA's Richard Matthew, Bryan McDonald and Heather Goldsworthy is now available as part of an edited volume on The Ethics of Global Governance, ed. Antonio Franceschet (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2009). In this volume, the authors analyze the ethical controversies that are central to global governance as states and other actors navigate a complex world order. Covering the gamut of fundamental issues-sovereignty, the role of civil society, UN reform, democracy promotion, humanitarian intervention, human security, the global economy, the environment-they offer the reader a deeper understanding of the significance of ethics in the politics of global governance and at the same time provide a fresh perspective on contemporary dilemmas in international relations. Learn more about this volume.
Baker invited to take part in Antarctica expedition
CUSA Research Associate Jesse Baker participated in a March 2009 expedition to Antarctica with Robert Swan and 2041 to study issues of globalization through the various effects that can be seen in Antarctica. This expedition will focus on global climate change, alternative energy use, and international political cooperation. Jesse will use his experience as the foundation for a community education program, covering the main components associated with global climate change as seen through the effects evident in Antarctica, and what individuals can do to become part of the solution.
Microfinance and Climate Change Adaptation
A new article on "Microfinance and Climate Change Adaptation," appears in the current issue of the Institute of Development Studies Bulletin. This article by Anne Hammill, Richard Matthew and Elissa McCarter explores potentials ways to link microfinance services with climate change adaptation efforts.
CUSA at the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress
CUSA's research was featured at two panels at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona from October 5-14, 2008. The WCC will bring together more than 8,000 of the world's leading decision makers in sustainable development from governments, NGOs, business, the UN and academia. One of these panels is co-sponsored by the Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Project (ECSP). Read the media release for this event: "Environment Is a Key Element of Post-Conflict Stability, Say Experts at World Conservation Congress," or follow the link below to learn more about this panel:
"Environment, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: Sharing Lessons and Building Networks" (Panel 610) on October 7 at 11:30 a.m. The Wilson Center's ECSP is also co-sponsoring another panel on:
"Population, Health and Environment - Value Added from an Integrated Development Strategy" (Panel 581) on October 8 at 6:30 p.m.
Carr Kelman's sustainability work profiled on Today@UCI
Candice Carr Kelman, a doctoral candidate and CUSA Research Associate, conducted a sustainability assessment of the UCI campus and takes everyday steps to reduce her carbon footprint. Carr Kelman, a doctoral candidate in planning, policy and design, recently released a sustainability assessment of the UC Irvine campus, covering areas including dining, transportation and purchasing. The two-year study produced some encouraging results, while showing there are areas that need improvement, says Carr Kelman. Read more about her work in a Today@UCI profile.
Podcast on Virunga National Park and Conflict in the DRC
The New Security Beat, a blog maintained by the Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP) at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars has posted, has posted a new podcast featuring CUSA's director Richard Matthew talking about CUSA and his research on the environmental dimensions of conflict. "'The resource base is a point of contact for local residents, refugees, rebel groups, park rangers, [and the] military as they struggle to survive,' says Richard Matthew of the University of California, Irvine, in this podcast interview, describing the significance of Virunga National Park to the diverse collection of actors in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo." Visit the New Security Beat to hear the podcast.
CUSA in The Chronicle of Higher Education
CUSA's work on Human Security is discussed in a recent article on "Beyond Borders and Bullets" in The Chronicle of Higher Education. "The concept of human security is important as a lens that sharpens interdisciplinary work, [Matthew] argues. 'It's about how to bring together, say, economic and ethical and environmental and governance elements to bring people dignity when things fall apart.'"
Resource Scarcity: Responding to the Security Challenge
A new IPI paper by CUSA Director Richard A. Matthew on "Resource Scarcity: Responding to the Security Challenge," is now available. This IPI paper examines in detail the correlation between environmental issues and security, drawing on both scientific evidence and empirical examples, and concludes with a series of actionable policy recommendations.
CUSA recognized for work on Environment and Security
The Center for Unconventional Security Affairs (CUSA) was recognized as one of the four hubs of global research on the interface of environment and security alongside much larger organizations in Toronto, Zurich and Oslo by the German Advisory Council on Global Change in their report World in Transition: Climate Change as a Security Risk.