Tana Johnson is assistant professor of public policy and political science at Duke University. Her book Organizational Progeny: Why Governments are Losing Control over the Proliferating Structures of Global Governance (Oxford University Press, 2014) shows that in a variety of policy areas, global governance structures are getting harder for national governments to control -- not only because the quantity and staffing of international organizations has mushroomed, but also because the people working in these organizations try to insulate any new organizations against governments' interference. In this presentation, Johnson will discuss which types of NGOs have the most input at the United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations. Read more and register at go.osu.edu/johnsont

The International Conference on Conflict Resolution Education (CRE) is an opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and research. Presentations will focus on innovations in conflict resolution that are making broad impacts on social entrepreneurship and peacebuilding in the local to global community. The conference is intended for educators, staff and administration in primary, secondary and higher education, as well as members of the business community, policymakers, researchers, non-profit leaders, media groups, philanthropists, and anyone wishing to make positive change in their communities. Participants will exchange best practices, evaluation methodology, creation of policy implementation structures, consideration of obstacles to success, and new and innovative use of training, resources and technology. Read more and register at u.osu.edu/cre2017

Tarak Barkawi is a reader in the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He writes on the pivotal place of armed force in globalization, imperialism, and modernization, and on the neglected significance of war in social and political theory. His book on the Indian and British armies in World War II, Soldiers of Empire, is forthcoming from Cambridge University Press. Barkawi was a postdoctoral fellow at the Mershon Center in 2006-07. In this talk, he will examine historiographical debates regarding the Battle of Sangshak, showing how history about war is shaped by those who experienced it. Read more and register at go.osu.edu/barkawit

We may think of magic and witchcraft beliefs as relics of some bygone dark age. In this discussion we will learn that magical ideas flourished with particular success precisely at the dawn of modern times. We will also see that the European and American witch hunts did not occur in the middle ages but precisely during the scientific revolution. Why might that have been the case? And why should we still be paying close attention to occult mentalities in our own time? Matt Goldish is the Samuel M. and Esther Melton Chair in Jewish History. He is author of  Jewish Questions: Responsa on Sephardic Life in the Early Modern Period  (Princeton, 2008);  The Sabbatean Prophets  (Harvard, 2004); and  Judaism in the Theology of Sir Isaac Newton  (Kluwer, 1998).  Read more

What is Islamophobia and what does its existence mean for our communities? How can we reconcile the current debate over immigration policy against the backdrop of our country's history as a nation of immigrants? How do we balance the need to protect a country's citizens from the threat of terrorism with the need to sustain an immigration program that keeps our economy healthy and that promotes values of diversity and openness? What explains the surge of xenophobia in the United States at particular times in our history? To help us put these critical topics into context, we welcome Angie Plummer (left), executive director of Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS), a non-profit organization serving refugees and immigrants in Central Ohio, and Imran Malik executive president of the NOOR Islamic Center, which since 2006 has served the Muslim community of central Ohio and the community at large. Read more and register

The 1770 Boston Massacre is one of the most famous events in American history, but in her forthcoming book Serena Zabin reveals that the massacre was the climax of months of conflict between occupying British troops, their families and local allies, and the larger Boston population. Occupied Boston was a small city where interwoven strands of politics, love, fear, and desire reshaped everything, including allegiance to Britain. Zabin is a professor of history at Carleton College. Her talk is part of the William Hammond Lecture Series. Zabin will also be part of an informal discussion about writing for a public audience on Friday, March 31, at 11:30 a.m. in 240 Page Hall. A light lunch will be available. Read more