Wednesday, March 28, 2018



The History and Political Science Department invites all current students, faculty and alumni of the department to join us for our annual banquet for an end of the year celebration and to honor our graduating class of 2018. Our guest speaker for the evening is Jessica Zimpfer (Class of '06, History and Government). The banquet is an opportunity for current students to meet with department alumni who have achieved success in diverse careers, building upon the foundation of their liberal arts education at Daemen College. We will also honor winners of Departmental Awards including including department valedictorian, the Samuel E. Morrison award (best thesis),  Ruth Stratton scholarship, and service to the student clubs (History and Government, Pre Law Student Association, AAUW).

The banquet is free for all current students as well as department alumni. Please RSVP to Deparment Chair, Dr. Penny Messinger by April 27 at pmessing@daemen.edu. Dear Alumni - Cant make it to the banquet? We want to hear from you! Please write to us with how your degree in History and Political Science is helping you succeed in your chosen field!

Monday, March 26, 2018

Dr. Lisa Parshall's talk at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, 3-27-18


Dr. Lisa Parshall, Professor of Political Science, will speak at the TR Inaugural Site on Tuesday night, sharing her research on the Presidential nominating system.

As Dr. Parshall explained, issues from the 1912 election has echoes still have resonance today:
The 1912 election saw TR declare, ‘I went before the people, and I won. Now the National Committee and a portion of the convention...are trying to cheat me out of the nomination. They can't do it.’  The same sentiment was echoed by Donald Trump in 2016. One man was denied the party's nomination, the other secured it -- and both nomination battles reshaped the Republican Party. Why did Roosevelt champion democratic nomination? Are presidential nominations truly democratic? And, should they be?
Dr. Parshall’s forthcoming book, Reforming the Presidential Nominating Process: Front-Loading's Consequences and the National Primary Solution (Routledge Press), will examine these questions in detail, while her talk on March 27th will look specifically at the role of Theodore Roosevelt and the election of 1912 in the fight to democratize the presidential nominating process.

Purchase your ticket at www.trsite.org/events


Saturday, March 17, 2018

1918-2018: Center for Polish Studies at Daemen College hosts Conference on Polish Independence



"For Your Freedom and Ours:" Polonia and the Struggle for Polish Independence

The Center for Polish Studies -- with financial aid and support from the History & Political Science Department (Daemen College), the Permanent Chair of Polish Culture at Canisius College, and the Society of Friends of Learning in Przemysl, Poland -- will host an academic conference on 21-22 September 2018. The conference will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Polish independence, with a special focus on the Polish diaspora and its role in the creation of a new Polish state in 1918.

The keynote speaker will be award-winning historian Prof. James Pula. Related events will include a tour of the special exhibition on "Camp Kosciuszko: The Polish Army at Niagara Camp, 1917-1919" at the Niagara Historical Society & Museum (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario), a guided tour of other sites associated with Camp Kosciuszko, and a performance of music by Ignacy Paderewski by the Chopin Singing Society of Buffalo. A volume of select papers will be published by the Society of Friends of Learning in Przemysl.

For full details, see the Call For Papers at H-Net.

Organizers for the conference are Prof. Andrew Wise (Daemen College) and Prof. dr. hab. Tomasz Pudlocki (Jagiellonian University). For more information, please contact Andrew Wise at awise@daemen.edu.

Thursday, March 15, 2018


The History and Political Science Department will once again sponsor the Model UN Simulation to be held during Daemen's Annual Academic Festival. This year we are exploring the territorial disputes and conflict in the South China Sea. Students representing various countries will debate solutions to the territorial disputes in the South China Sea in a simulated session of the United Nations Security Council. Students in PSC 121 - International Relations will be participating in the simulation along with members of Daemen's new Model UN Student Club.  If you are interested in participating, please contact Dr. Aakriti Tandon at atandon@daemen.edu.

Prof. Andrew Wise Delivers Public Lecture at the American Studies Center (University of Warsaw)

Prof. Andrew Wise at American Studies Center, University of Warsaw


On 8 February, Prof. Andrew Kier Wise (Professor of History/Chair, Center for Polish Studies at Daemen College) presented a lecture to students and faculty as part of the American Studies Colloquium Series. This lecture series is hosted by the American Studies Center (ASC) at the University of Warsaw. For more details, click here: http://www.asc.uw.edu.pl/colloquium_series.html

Prof. Wise's lecture -- "American Marxists: Boris and Anna Reinstein and the Socialist Movement in Buffalo, NY (1891-1917)" -- presented findings from  research for a monograph that he is writing in collaboration with Dr. Penny Messinger (Chair, History & Political Science Department). Their first publication from this research will appear this summer as a chapter in a volume (Intellectuals and the First World War) published by Jagiellonian University Press.

Prof. Wise at ASC



Students and Faculty at American Studies Colloquium 

The Center for Polish Studies at Daemen College is coordinating a faculty exchange with the American Studies Center (University of Warsaw). This emerged out of conversations between Prof. Wise and Dr. Slawomir Jozefowicz (ASC) during his time as guest lecturer at Daemen College in September 2016.

In spring 2017, Prof. Lisa Parshall (History & Political Science Department) was the first Daemen faculty member to teach at the American Studies Center on this exchange program. She also delivered a lecture as part of the American Studies Colloquium Series. For more information about Prof. Parshall's experience teaching about American democracy at ASC, please click here: http://daemencollegehistoryandpolisci.blogspot.com/2017/06/

As part of the faculty exchange program, in fall 2017 Dr. Karolina Krasuska (ASC) co-taught a course with Prof. Wise at Daemen College. She also delivered several public lectures during her stay in Buffalo.

 Dr. Karolina Krasuska at ASC


For more details about Dr. Krasuska's many activities while at Daemen College in fall 2017, please click here: http://daemencollegehistoryandpolisci.blogspot.com/2017/09/welcome-dr-karolina-krasuska.html.

This semester, Prof. Robert Morace (English Department) will teach a course on American literature at ASC, and he will also deliver a lecture as part of the American Studies Colloquium Series. In return, Daemen College will host a visiting scholar from ASC in fall 2018. Full details about the visiting scholar's itinerary while at Daemen College will be provided in a future blog.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Updates from Jagiellonian University

Jagiellonian University CEES Winter School Students at Krasiczyn


Studies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEES): Histories, Cultures, and Societies

Prof. Andrew Kier Wise (Professor of History/Chair, Center for Polish Studies at Daemen College) is teaching several courses this semester in an innovative new program at Jagiellonian University's Institute of History. Directed by Prof. dr. hab. Tomasz Pudlocki, the CEES program brings students from around the world to Krakow to study the history of Poland and the broader region. For more information, please click here:http://www.ceestudies.historyczny.uj.edu.pl/start

From 12-16 February, Prof. Wise accompanied Prof. Pudlocki, Ph.D. student Kamil Ruszala, and a dozen CEES students on a Winter School trip filled with site visits, lectures by faculty, and presentations by the students. Sites and cities on the itinerary included: Kolbuszowa, Sandomierz, Baranow Sandomierski, Kazimierz Dolny, Pulawy, Lublin, Zamosc, Belzec, Lancut, Krasiczyn, Przemysl, Sanok, and Tarnow.

Image of Ship Bringing Immigrants to Buffalo inside
Wooden Church at Museum of Folk Culture in Kolbuszowa

CEES Students in Zamosc

Krasiczyn Castle on a Snowy Day

While in Przemysl, Prof. Pudlocki provided a lecture to a joint class of CEES students and students at his alma mater, I Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace im. J. Slowackiego.

CEES Winter School Students with Przemysl High School Students

Prof. Pudlocki's Winter School Lecture at Przemysl High School

Prof. Wise also presented a lecture to these groups of students at the Society of Friends of Learning  in Przemysl (Towarzystwo Przyjaciol Nauk w Przemyslu, or TPN).


Prof. Wise's Winter School Lecture at TPN

Jagiellonian Polonia Institute at Daemen College -- Planned for 2019

In 2019, the Center for Polish Studies will host the "Jagiellonian Polonia Institute at Daemen College." Prof. Tomasz Pudlocki will lead a group of eight students from Jagiellonian University (including students from the CEES program) for a two-week course of study at Daemen College.

For more details about the Jagiellonian Polonia Institute at Daemen College, please contact Prof. Wise at awise@daemen.edu.

Monday, March 12, 2018

Gabrielle Sinnott receives Gilman scholarship to study abroad in summer 2018


Gabrielle Sinnott, H&P major (class of 2019)

History & Political Science major Gabrielle Sinnott has been awarded a prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to underwrite the cost of her internship in Thailand this summer. Gabby is one of 300 students in the United States selected to receive a Gilman scholarship, which underwrites study-abroad opportunities for American college and university students.  Read more about Gabby's award here.

If you want to study abroad, visit our Global Programs office to learn about study-abroad opportunities and scholarships to help pay your way. 

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Prof. Andrew Wise Delivers Public Lecture at Kosciuszko Foundation in Washington, D.C.

L-R: Tomasz Pudlocki, Magdalena Baczewska, Janusz Romanski, and Andrew Wise

Polish Cultural Institute and Kosciuszko Foundation,"Between Music and Diplomacy: The Founding Fathers of WWI American-Polish Rapprochement" -- Washington, DC, 2 February 2018

The year 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the rebirth of the Polish state, and the Center for Polish Studies at Daemen College and its affiliated faculty are actively engaging students and community partners in Buffalo, the US, and Poland in commemorating this event of worldwide significance.

En route to Poland to teach at Jagiellonian University for the spring semester, Prof. Andrew Kier Wise (Professor of History and Chair, Polish Studies Center) joined Prof. dr. hab. Tomasz Pudlocki (Professor of History, Jagiellonian University)  and Dr. Magdalena Baczewska (Director of Music Performance Program, Columbia University) for an evening of programming at the Kosciuszko Foundation in Washington, DC. Prof. Pudlocki is the coordinator in Poland for Daemen's study abroad program, which brings Daemen students to Poland during the summer session. He also was a Fulbright Scholar in Residence at Daemen College in fall 2015.

Entitled "Between Music and Diplomacy: The Founding Fathers of WWI American-Polish Rapprochement," the event featured lectures by Prof. Pudlocki and Prof. Wise and a piano performance by Dr. Baczewska. Prof. Pudlocki provided a cogent and in-depth analysis of the historical events surrounding American-Polish collaboration during World War I.  Prof. Wise focused on the activities in the US and Europe of Buffalo Health Commissioner Dr. Francis Fronczak, who was a close friend of Ignacy Paderewski and a member of the Polish National Committee. An accomplished concert pianist and recording artist, Dr. Baczewska performed on the piano and also provided scholarly commentary about the Paderewski pieces that she selected.

Co-sponsored by the Polish Cultural Institute (New York) and the Kosciuszko Foundation (Washington, DC Center), the event was well-attended by community members, scholars, and representatives from the Polish Embassy. Please click here for one review in the Polish-American press:  https://www.kurierplus.com/2018/02/5365/miedzy-muzyka-i-dyplomacja/. The photo below includes event organizers Magdalena Mazurek (Polish Cultural Institute New York), Barbara Bernhardt (Kosciuszko Foundation, Washington, DC Center), and Anna Domanska (Polish Cultural Institute New York).

L-R: Magdalena Mazurek, Barbara Bernhardt, Prof. Pudlocki, Magdalena Baczewska, Andrew Wise, and Anna Domanska 



Thursday, March 8, 2018

March is Women's History Month @ Daemen!

Daemen College invites you to celebrate Women's History Month--join us for events taking place throughout the month of March. 

Naomi Parker Fraley (1921-2018), inspiration for iconic Rosie the Riveter poster
 
Monday, March 5
7:00pm-9:00pm, RIC120
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Film and discussion by Dr. Serife Tekin
An African-American woman becomes an unwitting pioneer for medical breakthroughs when her cells are used to create the first immortal human cell line in the early 1950s. 2017 film, based on the book by journalist Rebecca Skloot.
* Discussion led by Dr. Serife Tekin (Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies)
Daemen Film Series
* Light refreshments provided


Thursday, March 8
7:00pm-8:00pm, RIC120
Redirecting the Gaze: Self-Portraits by Female Artists
Lecture by Dr. Yvonne K. Widenor
Yvonne K. Widenor is Visiting Assistant Professor and Program Director for the Art History program at Canisius College
* Sponsored by the Sister Jeanne File Art History Lecture Series


Tuesday, March 20
10:00am-11:20am, DS219
Poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Open Classroom: Victorian Women as Social Activists
Lecture/discussion by Dr. Nancy Marck
Victorian female poets wrote about more than love and romance. Join Dr. Marck's LIT204 open classroom to learn about Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem, “The Cry of the Children,” which explores the use of child labor in British factories.


Wednesday, March 21
7:30pm – 9:15pm, RIC (3rd floor)
Readings in the RIC: Women’s Poetry
Join Buffalo poets Jennifer Campbell and Janna Willoughby-Lorh, for readings of their poems, at the March meeting of “Readings in the RIC” poetry series.

* Light refreshments provided


Thursday, March 22
6:00pm – 8:00pm, RIC120
Miss Representation
Film & panel discussion
Miss Representation asks, Why are women so underrepresented in positions of power and authority in America? How is women’s low status and power related to the distorted portrayals of women in the mass media? This powerful 2012 documentary connects the dots, arguing, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” 

The PANEL DISCUSSION after the movie features members of the AAUW Student Organization. Students on the panel and in the audience will discuss the issues of media representation and political participation explored in the film.
* Sponsored by the AAUW Student Organization and Daemen’s Women’s Studies Program
* Light refreshments provided


Wednesday, March 28
6:00pm-9:00pm, (RIC101)
Suffragette…and Suffragetto!
Watch the film…and play the board game!

SUFFRAGETTE
A century ago, British women were fighting (literally!) for the right to vote. The 2015 drama Suffragette features a young working-class woman
(Maud Watts, played by Carey Mulligan) who is drawn into the increasingly radical British suffrage movement, led by the dynamic Emmeline Pankhurst. Secret meetings, terrorism, and police suppression endanger Maud’s status as a worker, wife, and mother.
 


BONUS: SUFFRAGETTO!
After the film, we will pair off to play the vintage 1908 board game Suffragetto! In this two-person board game, radical suffragettes try to enter the British House of Commons while dodging arrests by the police barring their way.
* Sponsored by the AAUW Student Organization & Daemen’s Women’s Studies Program
* Light refreshments provided



COMING ATTRACTIONS (April):

Sunday, April 15
8:30am to 5:30pm
Day trip to Seneca Falls Women’s Rights National Historic Park (NPS)
Visit the birthplace of the Woman’s Rights Movement in the US on a day trip to Seneca Falls. Tour the Wesleyan Chapel and Women’s Rights Museum, with options to visit the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Home and other sites in historic Seneca Falls. 
* Tickets are only $10 per person (includes transportation and snacks; admission to the museum is free).    
* Deadline to sign up is April 7
Purchase your ticket here:  https://daemensenecafallstrip.eventbrite.com
* Sponsored by the AAUW Student Organization & Daemen’s Women’s Studies Program


Wednesday, April 18, 2018
See Academic Festival schedule for location/time
Acknowledgement of World Hijab Day
The hijab is a type of religious covering worn by many Muslim women across the world. Have you ever wondered what it really means to wear a hijab? Or how to put one on? Or what you'd look like covered? Join Daemen's American Association of University Women (AAUW) to explore the answers to these questions.
* Sponsored by the AAUW Student Organization 

** All events are open to the public**
** For more information about any of these events, contact Dr. Penny Messinger Women’s Studies Program Director, at pmessing@daemen.edu **

Sunday, March 4, 2018


In an era of renewed political activism, many of our students at Daemen College are wondering how they can make a difference with respect to the political issues that they care about. 

Here are 10 practical suggestions that include insights from several of our majors and students in PSC 227: Introduction to Public Administration.

#1 Register to Vote and Vote!
Many people dismiss the significance of voting, claiming that their vote doesn’t “really count.” 
Voting is the most powerful political and civil right we have – a right for which many people have fought and sacrificed to secure and protect.  Elections have consequences, serve as referendums on policy, and provide feedback to elected officials. Policy makers pay attention to the voters and coalitions of voters who vote regularly and reliably. And yes, it is sometimes the case that just a few votes can determine the final outcome.

Vote because you can. Vote for those who cannot. Vote like your whole world depends on it.

The History and Government and Pre Law Student Associations host
multiple voter registration drives throughout the semester. 
Some people claim that by not-voting they are sending a message -- that not-voting is their form of protest.  In almost every context, there is a choice that it is better or worse given your political beliefs and values. Silence in meaningless when it comes to elections – there is no difference between principled abstention and total apathy. When you stay home on election day, you are forfeiting your single-most meaningful opportunity to influence politics and policy.


#2 Think Carefully About Partisan Affiliation
In states like New York, party affiliation is required to take part in a political party’s primary. Affiliation with a party is a form of political support and gives you a voice in who that party nominates for office – if you want to have a say in shaping a party from within, you should declare affiliation.

Do not be mindlessly reflexive about your choice – partisan affiliation reflects a psychological or emotional attachment to one party over another. Most people’s affiliation is impacted by their parents and peer network. Affiliation is not always so much a product of positive affect toward one party as it is a negative affect (or outright hostility) to the other party.  Blind loyalty is okay when it comes to supporting a sports team perhaps, but you probably want to be more strategic when it comes to politics. 



The positions of the parties change over time, and in response to real-time events – think about what your interests/preferences are and which party best represents those interests; then base your affiliation and voting behavior on the merits of the parties’ relative performance. If you belong to a party that no longer represents your position, consider changing your affiliation/support to a different party.

In closed primary states (like New York) you can only vote it a primary if you are registered with that party. You can formally change party affiliation (just fill out a new voter registration form).  But New Yorkers beware changing from one party to another must be done well in advance –if you want to change your current partisan registration status in order to vote in a different party’s presidential primary in 2020, you have to change your affiliation in 25 days in advance of the 2019 general election. 

# 3 Use Your Political Voice
Speak up and speak out on issues that matter to you, especially where it concerns elected officials.  Politicians respond to public opinion, so write, call, or text your elected officials. Your voice will be more powerful when accompanied by your vote.  Show up at town halls and other forums – and voice your desire for your representatives to hear your voice. 

You might also think about other forms of communication – letters to the editor, posts on social media, or taking part in collective, organized action such as protests, assemblies, public lectures, and debates. Be passionate and responsible citizen by engaging in meaningful, civil discourse. Understand that what you say and write may become a matter of public record. Model the behavior you’d like to see in public discourse. 

 # 4 Join a Group, Club, or Organization
AAUW Club students attend a Women's Rights March in
Historical Seneca Falls 
You can amplify your voice and pool efforts by joining a group of like-minded individuals. Social media allows us to readily connect with and communicate with others who share our interests and ideas. Social and interest are powerful in the political world. Find one that represents your interests and join up. Just be sure though to do some research first to ensure your organization is a legitimate and responsible one before you sign on to their agenda. Which leads us to another point….

#5 Learn to be a Savvy an Informed Consumer of Information
Read the newspaper, watch the news, include reputable news organizations in social media feeds to keep yourself informed and up-to-date on politics and policy.  Using a news aggregation service, that collects news from multiple sources (left, right, and center) can give you a more balanced sense of range of news.  Don’t share information (forward or repost) if you’re not sure about the validity of the claims.  Just because it’s a meme, doesn’t mean it’s true.  Apply critical reasoning, verify information, and be willing to consider the source of material before you invest in its accuracy.  Not sure about a claim? – Try one or more of the reputable fact-checking sites (like Snopes.com, Politifact.org, or Open Secrets.org). 



#6 Give Your Money, Time, or Talent
If you don’t have money, give your time. Consider volunteering for a group or organization that advances your political beliefs and views and puts your time to good use. It doesn’t have to be a substantial amount of time – every little bit helps. Maybe you have a special talent (like graphic design, writing skill, photography, or crafting) – think creatively about how your skill set might be put to use by organizations or groups in need. In-kind benefits are also important – clothes to clothing shelters, sheets to the SPCA – repurpose and reuse for items you no longer need.


If you don’t have time, give money. Even its just a one-time, or small donation – every little bit counts.  Along those lines…
#7 Think Locally and Think Small
Some people are discouraged by the overwhelming and daunting nature of many social problems.  You don’t need to solve world hunger: but may you can help in a small, tangible way closer to home.  Look for engagement opportunities that are close by through school, a church, or community.  You will make new friends and build your social network while doing good for others…and your effort frees up resources for other agenda priorities. Again, even the smallest contributions can have a big impact.


#8 Find Role Models and Resources
If you have the motivation but just don’t know where to start, try identifying role models or resources. Talk to a faculty member, visit career services, join the student association or a student association or club.  Through these small steps we can connect with others who inspire us and help to show us the pathway to our goals.

#9 Dream Big but Have an Action Plan
Don’t discount your dream to be president, a Senator, or Supreme Court Justice…aim high. But you have to more than a dream. Figure out what steps will move you to that goal. The same is true with a political objective or policy goal – think about the outcome you’d like to see, and break the task of getting there into smaller steps. Then take concrete action on those first steps.


Want to get involved? Contact the president of the History & Politics Club, AAUW Club,
or Pre Law Student Association (PLSA)
#10 Encourage and Educate Others

When you see someone trying to make a difference, give them encouragement and praise. Is there an activist or group you really admire?  Like them, repost them, tell them directly. Consider it fuel for the change you want to see happen.