Institute for Policy and Governance Institute Update: February 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome

New Publications

Accomplishments

Kimberly Horn
Lyusyena Kirakosyan
Max Stephenson Jr., Lyusyena Kirakosyan, Cathy Grimes and Yannis Stivachtis

Project Updates

People of IPG featuring Dr. Ariel Otruba
IPG's Facebook Page

Five Pieces Worth Reading

Community Change Collaborative (CCC)

IPG Podcast Series Archive

Conferences and Events

School of Communication Guest Lecture
2024 SAMSHA CCBHC-E Program Regional Grantee Meeting

Pondering Past Podcast Programs

Theresa Williamson: Catalyzing Community Change While Eliminating Stigma
Roger Thurow: Journalism As a Window to the Rest of the World

Legacy Tidings and Soundings

Governance in Conflicted Landscapes of Memory and Action
Trump's Siren Song of Hate

Welcome

Dear friends of VTIPG and CCC,

We are pleased to share this monthly update to share recent publications, announcements, and information concerning Institute projects and activities.

2024 Spring Open House

VTIPG is pleased to announce our Spring Open House! Please place Thursday, March 21, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on your calendar and plan to stop by for conversation and lunch at 201 West Roanoke Street, Blacksburg, VA. We will send event updates via the IPG email listserv. Meanwhile, please contact Billy Parvatam should you desire more information.

Legacy Commentaries

To showcase content from the past, we are featuring podcasts, Tidings, and Soundings from our archive. Those appear below.

A Note from the Editor

If you have information that you think we should include in these updates, please contact Billy Parvatam, VTIPG Communications Coordinator, at pbilly97@vt.edu.

New Publications

Congratulations to members of the Maré (Rio de Janeiro) Research Group who collaborated on an article recently featured by the National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine: Desiree Poets, Assistant Professor in the Virginia Tech Department of Political Science, Cathy Grimes, Director of Communications for the Virginia Tech Graduate School, Max Stephenson, Jr., IPG Director and SPIA Professor, Neda Moayerian, IPG Non-Resident Research Associate and Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, University of Tehran, and Molly Todd, Assistant Professor of Politics, University of Colorado-Boulder: (2023) “Care-based community communication, capacity, and agency during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from the Complexo da Maré Favela, Brazil.” World Development Perspectives, 30, 100508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wdp.2023.100508

Congratulations to Planning, Governing, and Globalization PhD students Brad Stephens (also a graduate research assistant with IPG) and Yugasha Bakshi who had an abstract accepted by the Urban Affairs Association for presentation of a paper at its upcoming International Conference on Urban Affairs, April 24-27, 2024, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, NY. Their paper is entitled, "Trust: Exploring Why Urban Researchers and Institutions Should Care." The two also serve as co-hosts of the Institute's "Social Science for Public Good" podcast series.

We would like to congratulate our Non-Resident Research Associate and University of Virginia Assistant Professor, Dr. Vanessa Guerra, on her abstract also being accepted for the 2024 International Conference on Urban Affairs. Her paper is entitled, "From Crisis to Empowerment: The Role of Community-led Solutions Journalism in Maré and Rocinha Favelas Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic." Cathy Grimes, Director of Communications for the Virginia Tech Graduate School and Max Stephenson, Jr. will co-author the effort.

Accomplishments

Kimberly Horn

VTIPG Research Scientist Dr. Kimberly Horn was honored in the Women We Admire "Top 50 Women Leaders of Virginia for 2024." Dr. Horn was specifically highlighted for her work to address the opioid crisis in Southwest Virginia. You may read more about the honor here.

Congratulations, Kim!

Lyusyena Kirakosyan

VTIPG Senior Non-Resident Research Associate Dr. Lyusyena Kirakosyan will be participating in a virtual panel "Human Rights in Conflict" presented by the American Political Science Association's Human Rights Section on March 8 at 12 pm eastern. Dr. Kirakosyan's presentation is entitled, "The Intersection of Disability, Age, Gender and Displacement: Challenges Faced by the Refugees in Jordan." You may find registration details here.

Congratulations, Lysuyena!

Max Stephenson Jr., Lyusyena Kirakosyan, Cathy Grimes, Yannis Stivachtis

VTIPG Director Dr. Max Stephenson Jr., Senior Non-Resident Research Associate Dr. Lyusyena Kirakosyan, Director of Communications for the Graduate School, Cathy Grimes, and Dr. Yannis Stivachtis, Professor of Political Science, were honored at the "Virginia Tech Authors Recognition Event" on February 26 at Newman Library on Virginia Tech's campus. The program highlights those who have written or edited a book during the last year. Dr. Stephenson was pleased to have three books published in the past year: Policy and Politics of the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Eastern Mediterranean States: National and Institutional Perspectives, Conversations in Community Change: Voices from the Field Volume II, and RE: Reflections and Explorations, Volume III. Dr. Kirakosyan co-edited the Reflections volume, Cathy Grimes co-edited the Conversations book and Dr. Stivachtis co-edited the Syrian Refugee text.

Congratulations, all!

Photos from top to bottom: Dr. Max Stephenson Jr., Cathy Grimes, Dr. Yannis Stivachtis.

Project Updates

People of IPG featuring Dr. Ariel Otruba

IPG is pleased to share the latest installment of our Profile Series featuring Non-Resident Research Associate Dr. Ariel Otruba, who joined the Institute in January. Dr. Otruba discusses her recent appointment and more in this conversation with Communications Coordinator Billy Parvatam here.

Photo: Dr. Ariel Otruba. Photo Credit: Ariel Otruba.

IPG's New Facebook Page

VTIPG has a new Facebook page! Please follow us to receive our latest news and updates.

Five Pieces Worth Reading

VTIPG Communications Coordinator Billy Parvatam shares five articles each week that address timely and meaningful concerns that address the state of democracy and civil society in the Institute’s Five Pieces Worth Reading series. Five Pieces treated the following concerns during January and February.

February 19: These articles focused on how the tentative agreement to move the Washington Wizards and Capitals to Alexandria would benefit Southwest Virginia economically, former President Donald Trump's vile behavior in choosing to attack active-duty service member Major Michael Haley on no grounds other than his marriage to Trump rival Nikki Haley, how the U.S. economy has fared better than European economies despite inflation and higher energy costs, a moral and strategic case for continued American military aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia, and how climate change is contributing to frequent poor air quality in many areas of the U.S.

February 2: These commentaries focused on how Virginia's public universities are working with community colleges to help students pursue meaningful professional careers, a piece that suggested that fears that former President Donald Trump will become a dictator in a potential second term are overblown, a recent World Economic Forum Report arguing that deliberate efforts to spread misinformation now constitute a critical threat to democracy and public health, a conflict between a Bryan, Ohio church and that community's local government concerning religious freedom, and how planting trees in the Dominican Republic is helping to ensure a water supply for that country's population.

January 12: These articles focused on the Supreme Court agreeing to consider whether former President Trump can appear on state ballots for the presidential primaries and the general election, Americans demonstrating historically low-confidence in democracy in recent polling, the Brazilian government's program to provide school lunches free of charge across that nation, how Brazil has responded since rioters stormed government buildings a year ago to protest the results of the national election, and the Taiwanese national election.

Community Change Collaborative (CCC)

IPG Podcast Series Archive

The Institute website now highlights our podcasts! We are very pleased to showcase our 3-podcast series: Trustees Without Borders, Social Science for the Public Good, and the Community Change Journal Podcast. You can explore any or all of these on any platform that streams podcasts. For additional information please click the link below or contact Brad Stephens at bas615@vt.edu.

https://ipg.vt.edu/WhatWeDo/Podcasts.html

Photo: PhD students Amin Farzaneh (left) and Brad Stephens (right) interviewing Dr. Ariel Otruba concerning her research for a Trustees without Borders recording. Photo credit: Billy Parvatam

Conferences and Events

School of Communication Guest Lecture

Institute Post-Doctoral Research Associate Dr. Andrea Briceno-Mosquera and Graduate Research Assistant and Planning, Governance, and Globalization PhD student Amin Farzaneh, provided remarks in Professor Susan Stinson's "Communication and Issues of Diversity" class in the School of Communication on February 14. Their presentation focused on intercultural communication, the communication styles of their native countries (Colombia and Iran, respectively), and how to bridge such cultural differences.

Photo: Dr. Andrea Briceno-Mosquera (right) and Amin Farzaneh (left). Photo Credit to Andrea Briceno-Mosquera.

2024 SAMSHA CCBHC-E Program Regional Grantee Meeting

Mary Beth Dunkenberger, Liz Allen, and Laura York attended the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)'s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Expansion (CCBHC-E) Program In-Person Regional Grantee Meeting February 27-28, 2024, in Washington DC. The VTIPG team serves as CCBHC program evaluators for two local Community Service Boards, Mount Rogers Community Services and New River Valley Community Services. The regional grantee gathering provides an opportunity for grantees to get to know each other, benefit from peer-to-peer sharing of experience and expertise, and engage in mutual learning to deepen knowledge about implementation of the CCBHC model. SAMHSA and other federal staff technical experts shared program-related information and attendees were also able to leverage connections made and information gleaned for on-going networking with colleagues across the region.

Pondering Past Podcast Programs

Trustees Without Borders (TWB) is a podcast series produced by the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance (IPG) and the Community Change Collaborative (CCC). TWB features leading practitioners, thinkers, and designers working to reframe and strengthen communities, doing so without borders or limits on their ideas and aspirations, without borders on what they think is possible, without borders concerning with whom they will work and without constraints on their dreams for a more just and inclusive community.

From this rich repository, we highlight two podcast episodes that are thematically related and present a particular concept germane to community change praxis with complexity and depth. The following conversations featured Dr. Theresa Williamson and Roger Thurow.

Theresa Williamson: Catalyzing Community Change While Eliminating Stigma

In this episode, Dr. Theresa Williamson discusses the mission of her NGO, Catalytic Communities, and how she seeks to challenge the social stigma concerning favela communities in Brazil and beyond and highlight their impact on the cities of which they are a part of.

Theresa Williamson, Ph.D. is a city planner, community organizer, environmentalist and founding executive director of Catalytic Communities, an award-winning NGO providing strategic support to Rio de Janeiro’s favelas since 2000. She is an outspoken advocate for the recognition of favelas’ heritage status and resident rights. She has published several book chapters as well as op-eds in the New York Times and has been featured in numerous public outlets. Dr. Williamson received the 2012 National Association of Housing Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Officials Award for contributions to the International Housing Debate.

Interviewers: Vanessa Guerra, (then a) PhD candidate in Environmental Design and Planning; Lehi Dowell, PhD candidate in Planning, Governance, and Globalization.

Presented in partnership with the Women and Minority Scholars Lecture Series, VT Language and Culture Institute.

Listen here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/v2IF98bgxHb

Roger Thurow: Journalism As a Window to the Rest of the World

In this episode, Roger Thurow describes how he understands humanitarian journalism and how covering the Ethiopian famine was a transformative event in his professional journey. He addresses how he has used narrative journalism to explore issues of hunger and global development. He also discusses how he perceives the issues facing many nations in Africa as they continue to work to develop.

Roger Thurow is an expert on agricultural development and is often invited to speak on high-visibility platforms related to nutrition, hunger, and agriculture in the United States, Europe, and Africa. He served as a foreign correspondent in Europe and Africa for 20 years. His assignments and journalism have included the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nelson Mandela's release from decades of incarceration, the end of apartheid, the former Yugoslavia's wars, the humanitarian crises of the 2000s, and 10 Olympics Games. He is a recipient of the 2009 Action Against Hunger's Humanitarian Award.

Interviewers: Garland Mason, (then a) PhD student in Agricultural Leadership and Community Education; Raj GC, (then a) PhD candidate in Planning, Governance and Globalization; Colie Touzel, (then a) Masters student in Urban and Regional Planning.

Presented in partnership with Virginia Tech College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Global Programs Office.

Listen here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/zi9DebagxHb

Legacy Tidings and Soundings

Here are a previously published Tidings (June. 30, 2008) and Soundings (Aug. 26, 2019) by Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr.

Governance in Conflicted Landscapes of Memory and Action

The Institute is surely at an important point in its organizational development as we celebrate our second anniversary. The energy is palpable, the creativity always energizing and the range of projects underway inspiring. I want to focus on a subset of our efforts here. We have, for some time now, been developing a range of long-term and effective collaborations with entities on our campus and in the communities we serve. Sponsored projects and research are underway in community-and-public health and in child and social welfare as well as in disaster risk mitigation and resilience and peace building, among other initiatives. Much of our work is integrative and transdisciplinary and aims to understand and address the challenges that arise with today’s complex forms of governance and to devise effective solutions and strategies. But as we embark on these efforts, it is striking how little is known about how one actually “does” this important work. Accordingly, we are exploring and testing alternate conceptions of transdisciplinary even as we seek to create such efforts. Our project in Sub-Saharan Africa with the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) is illustrative. This collaboration aims to join VTIPG expertise with VBI capacities to develop a long-term presence and partnership in two Sub-Saharan African nations to assist in combating infectious disease. But even as we seek ways and means by which to encourage planners, geographers, political scientists, biologists, computer scientists and mathematicians to work together, we are also self-consciously developing mechanisms to chart the whys and wherefores and relative efficacy of what we are doing. The result is always fascinating, sometimes painful and finally, we hope, a significant contribution to this critically important area of inquiry and action.

Our interest in complex forms of governance and intersectoral relationships also extends to our projects and research linked to social welfare. Few policy domains in the United States are more complex or more conflicted than this one and few are more vital. Our project teams, led by Mary Beth Dunkenberger and Renee Loeffler, not only are making these complicated service delivery structures work more effectively at the local and state levels, they also are seeking ways to deepen our understanding of how they work (or not) and what may be done in the longer pull to make them more effective and equitable instruments of policy action. In so doing, they are exploring in practice a key example of the complicated mosaic that is service delivery and governance in the United States today. ...

Trump's Siren Song of Hate

I have been trying to make sense of the hate emanating from the Trump administration, particularly as it has related to human difference, immigrants and refugees. For example, Ken Cuccinelli, the ideological activist and Acting Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, has recently recast the 1883 Emma Lazarus poem, “The New Colossus,” affixed to the Statue of Liberty, to accord with his and the administration’s desire to encourage loathing of immigrants and refugees, and prevent their entry into this country. In lieu of the ringing phrase known and lionized around the world as a central aspiration of a democratic and free people: ...

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