Mr. Paul Dziatkowiec's Talk
The practice of conflict mediation faces several challenges in the period of intensified great power politics and global norms erosion, but its importance remains crucial. Mr. Paul Dziatkowiec shared insights into mediators' work, drawing on personal experience. Paul Dziatkowiec is currently Director of Mediation and Peace Support at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, and earlier led diverse mediation initiatives over a decade at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. In his mediation work, Paul has facilitated numerous confidential dialogue processes, including in the Ukraine-Russia context, the Caucasus, Middle East, Arctic, Asia and the US-China context. Paul previously served as an Australian diplomat for over a decade.
Dr. Eduardo Álvarez-Vanegas' Talk
Why did some units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) break away during the Havana peace process while others stayed? Dr. Eduardo Álvarez-Vanegas looks at subunit leadership legitimacy and argues that legitimate subunit leaders can mobilize their peers and subordinates either against or in support of the peace agreement. Dr. Eduardo Álvarez-Vanegas is a postdoctoral research fellow (FRQSC) at the Center for International Peace and Security Studies at the Université de Montréal and a research affiliate at the Center for the Comparative Study of Civil War at the University of York (UK). His work has been published in the Journal of Peace Research and is forthcoming in Civil Wars and in an edited volume with Cornell University Press.
Dr. Aaron Ettinger's Talk
Is Donald Trump's sports engagement influential on the global far right wing? Does the model of differentiation from the political mainstream and supporter mobilization work abroad? Dr. Aaron Ettinger provided a nuanced argument on whether and how effectively other far right wing politicians emulate this model. Dr. Aaron Ettinger is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Carleton University. He specializes in US and Canadian foreign policy. He is the recipient of the 2021 Canadian Political Science Association Prize for Teaching Excellence and the 2024 Carleton Faculty of Public Affairs Teaching Excellence Prize.
Dr. T.V. Paul's Talk
When and why do great powers abandon relatively peaceful grand strategies for reasons of status? Dr. T.V. Paul's new book project analyzes the role international status plays in major foreign policy shifts in the US, China, and Russia, offering crucial insight into great power politics. Dr. T.V. Paul is Distinguished James McGill Professor in the Department of Political Science at McGill University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He is the Founding Director of the Global Research Network on Peaceful Change (GRENPEC). He is the author or editor of 24 books, co-editor of 6 special journal issues, and author of nearly 90 scholarly articles/book chapters.
Dr. Ho-fung Hung's Talk
Dr. Ho-fung Hung presented a fascinating analysis of how the US dollar has been and remains the main currency of international trade and foreign exchange reserves. What does recent evidence tell us about the renminbi's potential to challenge the dollar's status? The talk drew on findings from his upcoming book, Greenback Empire (to be published in October 2026). Dr. Ho-fung Hung is the Hentry M. and Elizabeth P. Wiesenfeld Professor in Political Economy in the Department of Sociology and the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. The event was co-sponsored by the Centre for Global Chinese Studies (CGCS) at McGill.
Dr. Justin Gest's Talk
How does the emigration of pro-democratic citizens affect democratic backsliding? Dr. Justin Gest presented findings from his recently published book Democratic Drain, which analyzes data from 149 countries, at the event co-sponsored by the Institute for the Study of International Development, the McGill Refugee Research Group, and the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada. Dr. Justin Gest is a Professor and the Director of the Public Policy Program at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government. He is the award-winning author of seven books and a publishing expert in world media outlets.
