Marian Miner Cook
Athenaeum

Join the Kravis Lab for another installment of Civitas Sessions, an Athenaeum lunch series designed to build real-world civic skills and the knowledge needed to live thoughtful, productive lives as responsible community members and leaders. Each session will deliver practical knowledge and discuss the application of the subject matter to important current issues. With a welcoming ‘come-as-you-are’ atmosphere, the Civitas Sessions focus on the stuff you need to know before it becomes the stuff I wish I had known… 

In this session Vernon C Grigg III, J.D., Executive Director of the Kravis Lab, and John J. Pitney Jr., the Roy P. Crocker Professor of Politics at CMC, will discuss "Super Tuesday" and the complexities of the American electoral system.

(Parents Dining Room - lunch served at 12:00 noon, program begins at 12:15 PM, but feel free to come a little late if you're getting out of class)

Hicham Bou Nassif, currently the Weinberg Associate Professor of International Relations and the Middle East at Claremont McKenna College, is a distinguished scholar with a Ph.D. in Political Science from Indiana University, a Research Doctorate from Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, an MA in political science and government from Saint Joseph University of Beirut, and a master’s degree in public law, all after obtaining his bachelor’s degree in law from Lebanese University.

His expertise spans various fields, including authoritarianism, civil-military relations, and Middle East politics. With a rich academic background, he has contributed significantly to the field, publishing the book Endgames: Military Response to Protest in Arab Autocracies (Cambridge University Press) and numerous peer-reviewed articles. He is currently writing a second book on America's policy in the Middle East under Reagan. Nassif's teaching experience encompasses a range of courses, from international relations to comparative politics. Proficient in Arabic, English, and French, he brings a multicultural perspective to his work. Beyond academia, he has undertaken extensive fieldwork in various countries in the Middle East, showcasing a hands-on approach to research, specifically focused on military politics in authoritarian contexts. Even before coming to the US to pursue his graduate studies, Hicham worked as a journalist in his home country of Lebanon. His career is marked by grants and fellowships obtained from Carleton College and Claremont McKenna College.

Professor Bou Nassif's Athenaeum presentation celebrates his installation ceremony as the Weinberg Associate Professor of International Relations and the Middle East and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College.

TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT, PLEASE GO TO https://events.cmc.edu/e/faculty-installation-of-hicham-bou-nassif/ - REGISTRATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTED ON THE ATHENAEUM WEBSITE. 

No other country in history has so rapidly transformed its economy from being among the world’s poorest and most isolated to one of the world’s largest economies, at the heart of the global supply chain, and a leading source of international investment capital. For the last two decades, China’s sovereign funds have played a significant role in China’s economy, mitigating financial crises and tempering exogenous shocks. In this talk, Dr. Zongyuan Zoe Liu, the Maurice R. Greenberg Fellow for China Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, will discuss how sovereign funds have supported China’s industrial policies by financing the state’s procurement of strategic overseas assets, bankrolling Chinese enterprises’ mergers and acquisitions abroad, and sponsoring the development of indigenous Chinese technology startups. As Liu makes clear, sovereign funds are not just for oil exporters. The Communist Party of China is a leader in both foreign exchange reserves investment and economic statecraft, using state capital to encourage domestic economic activity and create spheres of influence worldwide.