EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHANGEMAKERS
Our rapidly changing world needs leaders with a global perspective who can drive meaningful action. At the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs we’re producing these leaders.
One of the nation’s top schools of its type, the Green School is finding answers to the most pressing issues of our time and helping students reach their full potential. Our innovative teaching and cutting-edge research equip students with the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding while conceiving realworld, policy-relevant actions.
With the support of our alumni, committed friends and visionary partners, we can elevate our impact and create solutions for the world we envision.
For more information, please contact: Stephany Alvarez-Ventura, Senior Director for Advancement, scaalvar@fiu.edu.
Join us in creating a more just, peaceful and prosperous world.
Dear Green School Family,
It’s been a special year for me and for the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs.
In June 2023, I was honored to be named dean of this extraordinary school – the greatest honor of my career. Over the 20 years I have been with FIU, I have developed a deep love for our university and the Green School.
I believe in the Green School. I am deeply invested in its success. Since its 2008 founding, the school has rapidly advanced its excellence and attracted widespread recognition. In particular, the past few years have been stellar.
We secured admission as a full member to the prestigious Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. Our world-class faculty and talented students are increasingly making headlines and driving meaningful change. We have more linkages and engagement with federal agencies, global partners, think tanks and professional organizations, and host events with international dignitaries and thought leaders. And we recently dedicated our beautiful new building, the Green School’s “West Wing,” thereby bringing most of our departments and international centers, institutes and programs under under one roof.
In a world fraught with geopolitical disruption and uncertainty, the Green School’s unique academic and policy-relevant approach, combined with our diversity of disciplines and people, positions us as a unique school in a global metropolis. Building on our emergence as a top school of international and public affairs, we’re moving forward with visionary plans to further elevate our impact and distinction.
Our vision is to establish ourselves as the foremost hub for public-facing and applied scholarship in global and public affairs, social sciences and humanities. We are also committed to two overriding goals: (1) enhance student access, success and excellence, empowering our students with the knowledge, skills and mentorship to realize their aspirations; and (2) increase the Green School’s visibility and impact, both nationally and globally.
We are grateful for your support and interest in the Green School!
Instabilities Drive Activities at Monnet Center and European and Eurasian Studies Program
FIU’s Model UN Team: A Green School Powerhouse
Miami Conference on Global Democracy
FIU Team Researches 2021 Surfside Condo Collapse 21 Gordon Institute Summit Explores State AI Policies 22 Black Mothers Care Plan Assesses CommunityBased Healthcare 23 Professor Aims to “Decompartmentalize” Historical Inquiry
Green School Faculty and Alumni Serve on UN Task Force
Shlomi Dinar Dean
“I have a great sense of connection with our university and the Green School and its many achievements.”
SHLOMI DINAR MARKS 18 MONTHS AS DEAN OF GREEN SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL & PUBLIC AFFAIRS
In June 2023, Shlomi Dinar was appointed dean of Florida International University’s Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs. He had served as interim dean since August 2022 and is a full professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations.
Dinar joined FIU in 2004 as an assistant professor of politics and international relations and also served as the school’s associate dean for academics and for graduate studies and innovation. He played a key role formulating the school’s strategy, mission and vision as it prepared to become a freestanding and named academic unit in 2015, after receiving a transformative gift of $20 million from Ambassador Steven J. Green, his wife Dorothea Green and their daughter Kimberly Green. Thereafter, he helped develop its capacity in graduate and professional education, fundraising, research, strategic communications and career services.
Dinar succeeded Green School founding Dean John F. Stack, Jr., who passed away in 2022.
“Dean Dinar has a clear and ambitious vision that aims to leverage and increase research and scholarship, enhance the reputation and visibility of the Green School, and augment its influence locally, nationally and globally,” said Elizabeth Bejar, provost and executive vice president of FIU, in a letter announcing the decision. “The goal is for the Green School to be known as a top school for the study of international and public affairs and a go-to academic institution for impactful policyrelevant research and programming.”
Dinar played a key role in the Green School’s successful effort to become a full member of the prestigious Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) –the only APSIA member school in Florida, among only 25 in the U.S. and 40 in the world. The completion of SIPA II, the new 80,000-square-foot west wing of the Green School, has united most of the school’s departments and centers under one roof, providing students and faculty increased opportunities to connect and collaborate.
Dinar received his PhD in international relations from Johns Hopkins University, his MA from Columbia University and his BA from the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on the world’s freshwater resources, examining areas of conflict, negotiation and cooperation over transboundary rivers, lakes and underground aquifers. He has published five books, has two scheduled to be published and has had many articles published in highly ranked journals spanning several disciplines. He has made presentations at many conferences and been invited to present lectures at events around the world.
“It is an exceptional honor to be named dean of the Green School of Public & International Affairs,” Dinar said. “I have a great sense of connection with our university and the Green School and its many achievements. I am deeply invested in our school’s success and look forward to working with our devoted faculty, staff and friends to lift it to even great heights and impact our world.”
A VISION REALIZED:
NEW GREEN SCHOOL ‘WEST WING’ BUILDING DEDICATED
The fulfillment of a long-held vision for the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs was celebrated at the November 18, 2024, ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for its new building, which adds a “West Wing” to its original facility, thereby uniting most of the school’s departments, centers, institutes and programs under one roof.
The new five-story (SIPA II) is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, event spaces, classrooms and offices. The structure and the school’s original building, which opened in 2010, now constitute the Green School Complex.
“This magnificent new building is helping us fulfill the vision and promise of the Green School,” Dean Shlomi Dinar said at the ceremony, attended by many members of the Green School family as well as FIU leadership, donors, friends and public dignitaries. “It provides students and faculty more opportunities to connect and collaborate, thereby lifting learning, scholarship and research.”
Congressman Carlos Gimenez and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz presented a copy of the U.S. Congressional Record entry marking the opening of the new building, the excellence of the school, and the philanthropy of Ambassador Steven J. Green, Dorothea Green, Kimberly Green and the Green Family Foundation.
impact on the university.
“The Green family’s dedication to our university spans more than four decades,” he said. “You have helped shape our campus and the lives of countless students, faculty, staff and community members.”
Ambassador Green was honored with a new tradition to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the fields that the school encompasses: the Green School Medallion.
“I can’t think of a better legacy than the Green School,” said Ambassador Green. “We think this school has a great future, and we have confidence in young people. … I come here and see these faces of young people with hope and dedication.”
Keynote speaker Cathy Hackl, an alumna who received her MA in International Studies in 2004 and has achieved great success in the technology and innovation spaces, discussed the future of technology’s role in and impact on public policy and governance, which are areas of focus at the Green School.
SIPA II was funded by a partnership of philanthropy and state support, with $15 million contributed by Ambassador Steven J. Green, Dorothea Green, Kimberly Green and the Green Family Foundation, and an additional $12.7 million from the Florida Legislature.
FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell commented on the Greens’ expansive and enduring
Ribbon cutting for the new building
Ambassador Steven J. Green
ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS
CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice continues to receive widespread recognition for its programs, including two top-50 rankings among U.S. public universities from U.S. News & World Report: #11, Online Master’s in Criminal Justice and #30, Criminology Graduate Program.
In addition to these rankings, its students continue to excel, garnering honors for their work. Doctoral candidate Rachel Silverthorn was awarded the Dissertation Evidence Acquisition Fellowship for 2024-25. Doctoral students Nerissa James and Patrick Moricette received dissertation year fellowships for 2024-25, and Nerissa James and Md. Harun Or Rashid received scholarships to attend the National Institute of Justice’s National Research Conference.
At the 2024 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences conference, the department’s Alpha Phi Sigma honor society students earned multiple honors, including the Outstanding Chapter Goal Award for Service and the 2024 Chapter Social Media Proficiency Award, with student Penelope Ruiz receiving the Student Member Achievement Award. Ellen Cohn is faculty mentor to the chapter.
Faculty are being recognized for their stellar work. Melba Pearson and Besiki Kutateladze, national leaders of the Prosecutorial Performance Indicators (PPI) project, help prosecutors improve data/analytical capacity, develop new performance indicators and reduce racial and ethnic disparities. They co-authored a Prosecutor’s Blueprint for Inclusive Community Engagement, organized the PPI conference in Miami, and secured $2.75 million from the MacArthur Foundation in furtherance of the project. Rob T. Guerette will travel to India’s Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur, in fulfillment of his Fulbright Specialist Award aimed at exchanging knowledge and relationship building among U.S. and international participants, institutions and communities.
ECONOMICS
Faculty at the Department of Economics have received prestigious accolades for their work, in addition to being published in top journals. Berrak Bahadir was appointed co-editor of the journal Economic Analysis and Policy. Tobias Pfutze returned to FIU after working for three years for the World Bank as a senior economist in the East Asia and Pacific Chief Economist Research Center based in the Malaysia office. One of Abu Shonchoy’s papers received the ADB-IEA (Asian Development Bank-International Economic Association) Innovative Policy Research Award. Nicholas Wright was invited to join the Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Global Working Group. The department also hosted the 5th Annual Workshop in Applied and Theoretical Economics-Florida, bringing together faculty and students from Florida universities to present and discuss their research.
Alumnus Luis Carlos Reyes BA ‘05 was appointed Colombia’s minister of commerce, industry, and tourism. Two PhD alumni received tenure track positions this year: Mehrnoosh Asadi ’21 at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in Minnesota, and Javad Nosratabadi ’91 at SUNY Oswego. Among other alumni: Andra Hiriscau PhD ’21 started an assistant teaching professor position at William & Mary, and Diego Silva BA ’20 received the Division Director’s Award for Excellence for his work at the Federal Reserve Board.
Undergraduate Yessica Castaneda was among a 45-student cohort accepted to this year’s Expanding Diversity in Economics Summer Institute, a three-week economics immersion program hosted by the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics and The Brookings Institution.
Berrak Bahadir
Besiki Kutateladze
GLOBAL AND SOCIOCULTURAL STUDIES
Faculty from the Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies continue to receive recognition for a wide variety of outstanding endeavors. Sheilla Rodríguez Madera and Nelson Varas-Diaz completed a documentary “The Bee: A Reflection on Women, Land, and Occupation.” The film follows a feminist group of women beekeepers living on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. The film has received 14 laurels from international film festivals and won the Best Short Documentary category at the New York International Women Festival.
Matthew Marr and master’s student Melissa Hurtado are conducting research on how people experiencing unsheltered homelessness view new forms of street outreach and local systems addressing homelessness. Insights from early data collection were presented at a national conference and in an amicus brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court for a case on criminalization of unsheltered homelessness.
For the last few years, Richard Tardanico has led a team of faculty and students to carry out community-engaged photography in Miami’s Little Haiti. Supported by an FIU-Humanities Edge grant, the project sought to address the question of how the community is coping with the neighborhood’s rapid gentrification. The team published a photo essay book, “Little Haiti confronts gentrification, dislocation, and evictions,” which is online at humanitiesedge.fiu.edu.
Under the direction of Rae Choi, the department hosted eight colloquium speakers during the past year. A major highlight was a collaborative effort between GSS and the Department of Public Policy and Administration, which featured the prominent public health scholar Jay Pearson from Duke University, whose lecture focused on racialization processes in public health.
HISTORY
Department of History faculty continue their record of prestigious publications, accolades and impactful, community-engaged scholarship. Outstanding faculty who have joined the department the past few years include: Keyao (Kyle) Pan (digital history; Japan) and Saheed Aderinto (Nigeria), who received the Dan David Prize, the largest award for historians in the world. Okezi Otovo’s project on health disparities for Black mothers was funded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration and a Ford Foundation Senior Fellowship. Catherine Mas published “Culture in the Clinic” on Miami’s health care system and now, supported by the NEH, the American Council of Learned Societies and the Institute for Advanced Studies, is writing a book on the hemispheric history of primatology.
The department continued longstanding efforts to promote student success. Tovah Bender designed a new course, Careers in History, that makes visible the varied skill set history majors bring to today’s workforce. This is paying off with placements in national museums, tech and education. Among the department’s successes is Franco Batista García BA ’23, who received a DAAD-German Academic Exchange scholarship to attend an MA program abroad.
Graduate students continue to shine. Of note is PhD student Alfredo Escudero Villanueva, who, with Mellon/ACLS funding, integrated digital mapping into his dissertation on science and statecraft in the colonial Andes. Gremaud Angee was selected for the highly competitive Fulbright Hays Doctoral Dissertation Abroad Fellow to conduct research in Brazil, and Maria Zyla and Noel Hernandez were awarded Mellon Crossing Latinidades fellowships.
Catherine Mas
MODERN LANGUAGES
Faculty throughout the Department of Modern Languages continued their outstanding work that encompasses many nations and cultures. Andrea Fanta completed a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program in Bogota, Colombia, where she taught a course, “Digital Memories of the Latin American Diaspora: Archiving, Storytelling, and Preservation,” for the MA in Cultural Studies at Universidad Javeriana. Santiago Juan-Navarro and doctoral candidate Eliecer Jimenez Almeida are at the forefront of the Cuban Diaspora Film Archive initiative. Their mission is to enhance the understanding of Cuban cinema by capturing and conserving its diasporic legacy, thereby promoting intercultural dialogue among global Cuban communities. Jimenez Almeida’s documentary, “Veritas,” recently had its national television premiere on PBS in April and is accessible on leading streaming platforms.
Melissa Baralt and her team received a $180,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the project, “An HSI and HBCU collaboration to create open access Spanish language curricula celebrating Blackness in Latin America.” It will allow the researchers to develop and publish specialized materials that will enhance the teaching of Spanish and Latin American studies. Baralt also received a grant for $450,000 from the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative, a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute. This grant will fund a virtual exchange program in virtual reality (VR) for U.S. college students studying Arabic and for MENA (Middle East and North Africa) students studying English.
POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
The Department of Politics and International Relations had an exciting year filled with highlights that reflect its dynamism and excellence. Among the many publications produced by faculty were books by John Clark (“Political Identity and African Foreign Policies”), Alex Barder (“International Relations: The Key Concepts”) and Markus Thiel (“The Politics of Social In/Exclusion in the EU,” co-authored with two recent PhD graduates), as well as research articles by Susanne Zwingel (on the politics of gender) and by Sara Furnal (on Rousseau’s “Social Contract”). Faculty members receiving awards this year included Todd Makse (from the Center for Effective Lawmaking, for best article) and Richard Olson (from the North American Alliance of Hazards and Disaster Research Institutes) in the category of engagement.
The department held an international research conference on “Personalism and Good Governance,” organized by Tatiana Kostadinova, and hosted more than a dozen other workshops, research colloquia and guest speakers, organized by Alicia Steinmetz.
PIR faculty members (including John Clark, Dario Moreno and Eric Lob, among others) also appeared regularly in the media discussing world politics and global conflicts, from Latin American to Iran and beyond. In addition, Eduardo Gamarra conducted the highly publicized Hispanic Survey and presented the results across various media platforms.
Finally, there were professional placements of numerous doctoral graduates, who secured positions at institutions such as the University of South Florida, Howard University, York University and Manhattan College, to name just a few.
Tatiana Kostadinova speaks at research conference.
Melissa Baralt
PUBLIC POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION
The Department of Public Policy and Administration achieved milestones that reflect its continued elevated impact and recognition. The Bachelor of Public Policy and Service (BPPS) program was ranked #5 for the best online program by UniversityHQ and secured the #8 spot from BestAccreditedColleges and BestColleges for best bachelor’s degrees. BPPS was welcomed as a member of the Next Generation Service Corps by The Volcker Alliance, highlighting its commitment to fostering the next generation of public service leaders. Similarly, the Master of Public Administration program was lauded in the U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025 rankings, recognized among the top 50 in the nation among public universities. Overall, the program ranks #38, along with these specialties: #2, International Global Policy and Administration; #8, Homeland Security and Emergency Management; #15, Local Government Management; #16, Urban Policy; #18, Public Finance and Budgeting.
Faculty members received notable accolades. Meredith Newman was promoted and recognized as University Distinguished Professor, the highest rank at FIU. Alex Kroll received the Faculty Senate Award for Excellence in Research, while Agatha Caraballo was named co-chair of the 2024 NASPAA annual conference. Nicki Fraser won both the FIU Top Scholar Award in Globally-Engaged and/or Inclusive Teaching and the NASPAA Pi Alpha Alpha Chapter Advisor Award of Excellence. Alumna Ana-Maria Dimand PhD ’20 and Milena Neshkova received the Best Published Paper Award from the ASPA Section on Procurement and Contract Management. Howard Frank and Shaoming Cheng are respectively serving as co-editor-in-chief and managing editor of Public Administration Quarterly.
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
The Department of Religious Studies continues to grow, both in the breadth of its offerings and the achievements of its faculty. Saiyad Nizamuddin Ahmad, Prophet Muhammad University Professor of Shi‘a Islam Studies, published his translation of al-‘Allāma al-Hillī’s “Minhāj al-karāma fī ma‘rifat al-imāma,” with AMI Press. The work is a seminal text in Shia theology. Iqbal Akhtar organized two academic conferences at FIU: one on “Religious Freedom Across the Globe” and another dedicated to Khoja Studies: “Sindh and the Making of Communities in South Asia and the Indian Ocean: Between Myth and Reality.” Ana Maria Bidegain was co-editor of a major reference work titled “Christianity in Latin America and the Caribbean,” published by the University of Edinburgh Press. This volume is the sixth in a series that takes the analysis of worldwide Christianity to a deeper level of detail.
Several faculty oversaw the creation of a new Christian Studies certificate program, which provides opportunities to learn about Christianity in all its forms, whether Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant. Joseph Holbrook has been appointed as its first director, which has already seen strong student interest. Department Chair Erik Larson worked with Kalai Mathee of FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine on an initiative to start a program of Tamil and Tamilar Diaspora Studies. Tamil, considered one of the world’s classical languages, is the language of South India and has a long and distinguished history. Eight events were held that explored Tamil language, literature, poetry, music and philosophy.
Agatha Caraballo
Ana Maria Bidegain
PEARSON MELBA
Former prosecutor committed to advancing effectiveness and fairness in criminal justice system
Whether she’s teaching students or raising awareness of a criminal justice issue, Melba Pearson, a former prosecutor and deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, taps her deep knowledge of our legal system and frequently shares it in the classroom, media and at community events.
Pearson is the director of Prosecution Projects at the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs and teaches in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. She also co-manages the Prosecutorial Performance Indicators (PPI) project, a MacArthur Foundation-funded project at FIU to promote more transparency, effectiveness and fairness in the criminal justice system.
“The PPI project offers a holistic way to define success, data collection to measure progress, encourages collaboration with community members and provides tools to tackle racial inequities. Our goal is to help create a more equitable and effective criminal justice system,” said Pearson.
After earning her JD at Hofstra University, she moved to Miami to work in the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, where she increased the use of innovative, data-driven programs to prevent and reduce crime.
Pearson transitioned into higher education to leverage her experience as a prosecutor and nationally recognized expertise on criminal justice reform. “My prosecutorial experience has given me the ability to view laws and their application from an ethical standpoint and also from the policy level,” she said.
She also wanted to leverage her background to address the issue with analytical data and research. “I was familiar with the work of Don Stemen at Loyola University, Chicago and FIU’s Besiki Kutateladze, criminology professor at FIU and the project’s lead researcher. Kutateladze’s vision was to create the Prosecutorial Performance Indicators project,” said Pearson.
Her research for FIU’s PPI project examines prosecutor policies and how they affect outcomes. In addition to her other activities, Pearson is often the go-to legal expert for major media such as CourtTV and the Associated Press. She also blogs and posts from @ResLegalDiva.
“FRANK” GAMEZ FRANCISCO ’24
On the path to enter the Foreign Service: student awarded prestigious Pickering Fellowship Francisco “Frank” Gamez ’24, a political science alumnus, was born in Venezuela and grew up in the cultural melting pot of Miami. But it was a job in Switzerland that fixed his resolve to become a diplomat – which led him to Washington, D.C., internships in the federal government and a prestigious fellowship for those planning to enter the Foreign Service.
Gamez was selected for the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program. As a Pickering Fellow, he will receive an award of $42,000 annually for a two-year master’s degree program, serve two summer internships with the U.S. Department of State – one domestic and one abroad at a U.S. embassy or consulate – and entry into the U.S. Foreign Service.
Gamez initially entered FIU in 2012, but left after two semesters to enter the workforce. In 2017-18, his career took him to the Kandersteg International Scout Centre in the Swiss Alps – the home of the World Scouting movement. He is an Eagle Scout who has been involved in Scouting from an early age and was interested in other cultures and countries.
“When I first entered FIU, I was always interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy,” Gamez said. “I always knew I wanted to do public service… what sealed the deal was living abroad, it took my global perspectives to the next level.”
Gamez excelled when he returned to FIU in 2022 – as an Honors College student and earning dean’s list recognition every semester. He was named a Hamilton Scholar, an opportunity to receive a scholarship and paid internship in Washington, D.C. – and he remained in the nation’s capital.
The move was transformational, leading to positions that helped him advance toward his goal. He served as a governmental relations fellow for FIU and worked in several federal agencies. Gamez, who graduated in spring 2024, is studying for his master’s in international relations at the John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and he’s eager to take on his next challenges both in academia and in a new role as a foreign service officer.
“I look forward to being posted in a country I’m not familiar with and learning a language I’m not familiar with,” Gamez said. “I love learning new skills and facing challenges to overcome.”
GELIN ASHELEY
Green School student aspires to enter a diplomatic career
Asheley Gelin, a junior majoring in economics at the Green School of International & Public Affairs, is primed to pursue her aspiration: to become a foreign diplomat. A charismatic individual with passionate and deep-seated interests, ranging from economic development and sustainability to international relations and spirituality, the path she has traveled has prepared her to attain her goal.
She has plenty of life experience to build on: Born in Haiti (and fluent in Kreyól), she has traveled to several foreign countries, and as a rising sophomore she was a marketing and strategy intern with the U.S. Department of Defense, thanks to a Boren Award she received from the National Security Education Program.
As an FIU Global Learning Research Fellow, in Miami’s Little Haiti Gelin has investigated gentrification and resident displacement and its socioeconomic implications. She also developed an FIU interreligious lecture series to open dialogue and conversations on campus. Her experience traveling abroad with an FIU program, where she met with interfaith leaders, helped prompt the endeavor.
When she graduates in spring 2025, she intends to continue her education. She is considering studying for a master’s degree at FIU and intends to continue her Miami-based research. She then plans to earn a PhD in public policy or public administration.
“I’m pursuing my career path to eventually join the U.S. State Department by combining my love for research, economics and economic development,” Gelin said. “And I’m working on two certificates, one in Haitian Studies and the other in spirituality. I believe as a diplomat, my sensitivity to dealing with other cultures and people will come from a nuanced understanding of spirituality. It will be an important asset whether I’m dealing with a country’s spiritual beliefs or the nongovernmental organizations or the other diplomats.”
FLUID STATE OF REGION DRIVES BUSY SEASON FOR EU-JEAN MONNET CENTER AND EUROPEAN & EURASIAN STUDIES
Given current geopolitical instabilities across the globe, the busy slate of activities at the EU-Jean Monnet Center of Excellence and the European & Eurasian Studies Program this past academic year sought to highlight the European contributions to global stability and emphasize the value of a balanced transatlantic relationship in Florida and beyond.
For the EU Center, a key event in fall 2023 presented French ambassador in Haiti Fabrice Mauries discussing how the international community can constructively aid the Caribbean nation. As part of its outreach activities, a MeetEU roadshow was launched to partner universities, Florida Atlantic University and the University of Central Florida, where “Five Things You Should Know About the European Union” was presented to more than 150 students. Moreover, a career panel was organized for graduating students on “How to Advance Your Career by Studying in Europe,” with advice from diplomatic and education advisors
from different European embassies. A workshop on Teaching the EU was held for Miami-Dade and Broward County middle school teachers.
In the spring, a two-day conference on “Reimagining and Reforming EU Foreign Policies” featured EU Deputy Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to the United States Michael Curtis, as well as the French and German consul generals. The event also featured European scholars who debated the role of the EU as a global actor and partner in transatlantic relations.
Students profited from the Model EU and Schuman Challenge participation, the latter hosted by the EU Delegation to the United States in Washington, D.C.
The Euro Challenge Competition included 14 high schools from MiamiDade, Broward, Palm Beach and Alachua Counties competing, with ninth and tenth grade students from four high schools selected to qualify for the national competition in New York.
The European and Eurasian Studies Program continued to foster interest in the continent among FIU students. Ten students successfully completed the requirements for achieving the Certificate in European and Eurasian Studies. The program continued to offer forums to discuss Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, the deadliest war in Europe in more than 70 years. An online discussion in the fall of 2023 provided the student audience with an update on the occupied territories and Ukraine’s efforts to resist and fight back. In the spring, a panel discussion focused on the expected and unexpected effects of the war on neighboring countries.
The panelists, experts on national policymaking and diplomacy from Georgia, Moldova and Kosovo, spoke about serious challenges facing their states, as well as opportunities to achieve energy independence from Russia and make progress in integrating closer with the EU and NATO.
FIU at the Schuman Challenge Competition in Washington, D.C.
Fabrice Mauries, Ambassador of France in Haiti
Michael Curtis, EU Deputy Ambassador to the U.S.
FIU’S MODEL UN TEAM: A GREEN SCHOOL POWERHOUSE
TOP-10 TEAM IS THE LEADING INTERCOLLEGIATE SQUAD AT THE UNIVERSITY
It was early October 2023, about three weeks before one of the most prestigious and competitive events on the Model United Nations calendar. Marek Kong, program coordinator of FIU’s Model UN team – which is based in the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs – received the list of positions that needed to be filled for the National Collegiate Security Conference at Georgetown University.
Model United Nations – or MUN, as participants call it – is an academic simulation of the United Nations. Taking on the roles of UN delegates, students attempt to solve real-world issues based on the policies and perspectives of the countries or individuals they’re assigned. They spend hours learning skills like public speaking and preparing for competitions and conferences. Their reward, in addition to the thrill of competing and the satisfaction of doing well, is a wealth of skills and opportunities that could shape their futures.
“From the pool of students, we figure out who fits best for each position,” Kong said. “Some people are interested in security or history or a certain region. It’s like in the Olympics, where everyone’s on one
team, but one’s doing the hurdle jump, one’s diving, one’s playing lacrosse,” Kong said. Delegates are also picked based on skills they have demonstrated over their weeks, months or years on the team. There are General Assembly delegates who represent a country, delegates who represent a specific person in a historical scenario and ad-hoc delegates, “where you walk into a room and they give you the topic on the spot,” explained Mikele Mancuso, who was the team’s head delegate last year.
Mancuso, a junior, specializes in being an ad hoc delegate. “It’s good for people who like to think on their feet, creative people,” said his teammate, Angie Zuleta. “It’s difficult and competitive, and there’s no time to research,” added Mancuso, who represented a protester during the 1970s ecofeminist movement in India.
Max Keck, a senior, is “more of a General Assembly delegate, more focused on big picture, policy, how do we fix issues. We debate, compromise and come up with solutions.” At a conference at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he represented Ethiopia in a discussion about the role of local organizations in peacekeeping. “I wasn’t initially so
interested, but the more I research a topic, the more I fall in love with it,” Keck said.
Zuleta, a sophomore and a head delegate last year, also prefers to be a General Assembly delegate. “We have the opportunity to do research into our country, its allies and its diplomacy, and dive into the situation so we can create solutions.”
She represented Ethiopia alongside Keck at Chapel Hill. “You have to be true to the country you’re assigned. You don’t want to make the country look bad; you have to step into the role of a delegate representing that country in the UN, with a sense of respect.” At another conference, she represented China in a discussion of the Ukraine conflict. “It’s difficult to represent controversial nations,” she said, “but you have to get into the mentality –they think their positions are justified.”
What makes a great delegate? “A lot of factors,” Mancuso said. “There are skills you need, and there’s a mindset. You need great public speaking, leadership and writing skills. Above that, a great delegate is confident, open-minded and takes feedback to improve. They connect with the people around them and the people they’re debating – that’s called the social game, to make friends with other students while competing.”
THE GREEN SCHOOL MODEL UN – THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INTERCOLLEGIATE TEAM AT FIU – HAS BEEN A TOP-10 PROGRAM IN NORTH AMERICA FOR 13 YEARS, PLACING IT IN SUCH PRESTIGIOUS COMPANY AS THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY AND HARVARD UNIVERSITY – AND THE NO. 1 PROGRAM IN FLORIDA.
MAREK KONG ’23, program coordinator for the Model UN program, served as head delegate on the team and participated in more than 20 conferences over the course of six years (both in high school and college).
A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE
FIU’s MUN team – the most successful intercollegiate program at the university – has been ranked as a top-10 team in North America for the past 13 years, along with schools like Harvard, Georgetown and American University. The FIU team is so well known among high school MUN participants that they apply to FIU in order to compete – although being accepted by the university is no guarantee that they’ll earn a place on the team.
One factor that makes FIU’s MUN team unique is the emphasis the Green School places on the program. It was founded and nurtured by Dean John Stack, the Green School’s founding dean, and it continues to be a priority of the current dean.
“The Model UN program is one of FIU’s and the Green School’s signature programs,” said Dean Shlomi Dinar. “Our finest students are part of the Model UN program. It is an all-encompassing experience that promotes participants’ growth as students and as global citizens.”
they need to compete at a high level,” said Mohamed Ghumrawi, faculty director of the program and adjunct professor of Politics and International Relations, who now teaches the MUN class. “In partnership with the FIU Student Government Association, which provides MUN with funding to support the program, along with supplemental funding from the Green School, we’re able to accomplish this.”
Kong runs the program on a day-to-day basis, helps students prepare to compete and travels with them to competitions. A Green School alumnus who was a lead delegate on the MUN team, he became program coordinator after graduation. “The role he plays is massive – he deserves credit for the team’s success,” said Mancuso.
A second factor that distinguishes FIU’s team is its diversity. “We’re a team of immigrants and children of immigrants,” Kong said. “Each person’s personal journey informs the team’s thinking and has made us a force on the American circuit.”
“It is an allencompassing experience that promotes participants’ growth as students and as global citizens.”
Dean Stack ran MUN until his passing in 2022, including teaching the upper-division international relations class that all team members are required to take. “As a public university competing against Ivies, Dean Stack always saw excellence in us,” said Sarai Leon, a former team member who graduated in 2022. “He instilled a sense that we were good enough. When we walked into the room at competitions, we knew we belonged there.”
“We put a lot of time and effort into ensuring that students have the resources
His teammate Mancuso added that it’s not just the team’s backgrounds that are diverse. “We’re diverse educationally and in our thought processes. We’re diverse in all senses of the word, which absolutely contributes to success of the team.”
HEADING INTO COMPETITION
The students who were heading to D.C. for the Georgetown conference got their assignments and began preparing intensively: researching the countries and
CUELLAR is a senior majoring in Political Science and International Relations.
At the UNCMUNC competition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where the MUN team won the Outstanding Large Delegation award.
The MUN team celebrates their Outstanding Large Delegation award at the New York University (NYU) competition.
It’s paws up for FIU MUN team at the 305MUN event at University of Miami, where they won the Best Large Delegation award.
PADRON is a sophomore majoring in Philosophy and Political Science.
KATHY
MATEO
“We’re a team of immigrants and children of immigrants. Each person’s personal journey informs the team’s thinking and has made us a force on the American circuit.”
individuals they were assigned, practicing speeches, writing clauses. They were in constant communication, gathering as much information as they could.
On Thursday, November 2, the delegates met at the airport wearing their team sweaters—“a little team tradition,” Kong said. In Washington, they did some sightseeing and visited the FIU in D.C. facility before the conference opened. At 3 p.m., dressed formally in suits and dresses, they joined about 400 college students from across the nation at the Washington Hilton for the conference’s opening ceremony.
Then the delegates spread out, finding the committees to which they’d been assigned to begin the intense cycle of sessions they would engage in for the next two days.
Two FIU students representing Cameroon headed to a large conference room where a committee on food and agriculture was meeting to discuss sustainable aquatic farming. At the front of the room, the Georgetown student serving as the committee’s facilitator gaveled to open the session. As delegates representing different countries made opening speeches expressing their views on the issue, the FIU students were beginning to identify potential allies. Around the room, delegates were communicating with each other by exchanging sticky notes, building coalitions based on what they were hearing, on their research and on relationships forged at other conferences. During the next phase of the meeting, they’d have a chance to chat in small groups to exchange ideas.
Over the next two days, delegates debated ideas and formulated solutions, made speeches, formed blocs, achieved consensus, and wrote and rewrote papers. Secret meetings were held, and leaders emerged. Finally, the delegates presented their papers to their peers.
At the end of each day, the FIU delegates debriefed in Kong’s room. “At the debrief sessions, everyone is talking about radically different issues,” he said. “One committee is talking about friction between Japan and South Korea, another about open fishing, and another is representing someone in the cabinet of the president of a small island responding to a bombing by an activist.”
On Saturday night, the team had dinner together to relax before the closing ceremonies on Sunday. “We implement the DMZ – the de-MUN zone,” Kong said. “No talking about awards or committees.”
For the FIU team, the Georgetown conference ended with two best delegate awards and a couple of honorable mentions. “We were hoping for the big award, Outstanding Delegation, and we got it at the very next conference, at UNC Chapel Hill,” Kong said. “It was a great moment.”
A DEDICATED COTERIE AND PRESTIGIOUS NETWORK
Every week, whether or not there’s a conference looming, MUN team members dedicate hours to training themselves and supporting each other, in addition to their coursework. They do it because
Sophomore ANGIE ZULETA, who specializes in serving as an ad hoc delegate, is majoring in International Relations, Political Science and Philosophy.
they love MUN, but they also benefit from other opportunities. They are recruited for prestigious FIU opportunities like the Hamilton Scholars and programs in the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy. They attend meetings with former diplomats, politicians and ambassadors who are guest speakers at FIU. “Events like this give team members a chance to learn about fields they’re interested in entering after they graduate, and to build their networks and expand their opportunities,” Ghumrawi said.
At one event, Mancuso said, “I met the person who became my boss in my internship at the World Affairs Council of Miami. It’s a civil society organization. I helped them organize events and speaker series to expand public knowledge of international affairs, and I helped with outreach to students.”
Team members also benefit from a strong network of alumni, who work as assistants to the attorney general, at the United Nations, for the Department of Homeland Security, in the military, in international relations, in the foreign service and for prominent NGOs. “Those connections
MIKELE MANCUSO, head delegate of the Model UN Team last year, is majoring in International Relations and Asian Studies. He recently traveled to Taiwan on FIU’s first Mandarin Chinese study abroad program in Taipei.
were real; they materialized for me,” Leon said. “Alumni come back and help us with our resumes. They help students get into graduate school, into foreign service.”
Leon’s first job after graduating was for Best Delegate, a company that is part of the Model UN system. She currently serves as deputy campaign manager for the congressional campaign of Whitney Fox, who is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Florida’s 13th congressional district.
Every day, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the MUN conference room on the fifth floor of the Green School is packed with students. Some are preparing for the next conference or the next Model UN class; others are there to do homework, or just getting to know their teammates. If you drop by, you’ll meet students who are motivated and passionate about this extracurricular activity.
They are eager to recruit new members, whether they have previous Model UN experience or have never been on a team before. In fact, Keck said, students without prior experience can even become better
delegates, “because they don’t have preconceptions or bad habits. They bring new ideas. Most important is your work ethic – that contributes to success even more than having experience.”
“FIU is a force to be reckoned with,” he added. “With that there comes some pride, to know you’re representing the school and everyone on the team. And that comes with some responsibility as well.”
“FIU is a force to be reckoned with. With that there comes some pride, to know you’re representing the school and everyone on the team.”
SECOND GREEN SCHOOL MIAMI CONFERENCE ON GLOBAL DEMOCRACY EXAMINES INTERNATIONAL
AND DOMESTIC FORCES UNDERMINING FREEDOM
In the decades following the Cold War, the United States and other liberal democracies have failed to adequately address geopolitical developments –be they overt or stealthy, domestic or international – that have steadily eroded democracy in their own countries, as well as in other nations around the world.
That was one of the overriding takeaways at the second annual Miami Conference on Global Democracy, presented by the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs on April 18 2024. In two engaging, interactive panel discussions and a keynote address, the conference explored several themes associated with the backsliding – as well as hopeful signs of progress – of democracy.
“Today, we’re going to shine a light on how waning public support for democracy, economic inequality and social tensions, populist politics, external pressures from great power competition, and the
weakening of political institutions and processes have contributed to a steady decline in democracy worldwide,” said Green School Dean Shlomi Dinar during his opening remarks at the event, adding that there are some places and developments that are cause for optimism.
The conference was presented in collaboration with the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation and Freedom House, and was sponsored by the Dorothea Green Lecture Series and the Václav Havel Program for Human Rights and Democracy.
In the post-Cold War era, authoritarian states – particularly China and Russia – have been exerting what’s known as “sharp power” to extend their influence internationally to limit free expression, spread confusion and disrupt politics within democracies.
“There have been some flawed assumptions coming out of the Cold War,”
Alina Polyakova, president and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, said nations need to go on the offensive to combat authoritarian sharp power.
noted Christopher Walker, vice president for studies and analysis at the National Endowment for Democracy who helped popularize the term “sharp power.” “The biggest thing we missed over time was not recognizing that these nations would exert their influence beyond their border in this way. … China has scaled it globally.”
While the world’s focus on Iran is currently centered on its conflict with Israel, FIU Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations Eric Lob noted that cyber activities are one of the state’s primary security tools – and it will likely deploy them in this U.S. presidential election year to sow influence and manipulation.
“We’ve seen a ramping up and doubling down by Russia using the tools of sharp power the past few years,” said Alina Polyakova, president and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis. “We need to learn how to respond against
Panelists discuss “The Playbook for Undermining Democracy.” From left, Inga K. Trauthig, University of Texas, Austin; Adrian Shahbaz, Freedom House; Tatiana Kostadinova, FIU Department of Politics and International Relations; Besiki Kutateladze, FIU Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Milena Neshkova, FIU Department of Public Policy and Administration.
what authoritarian regimes are doing. … We’re losing the battle as we speak; we need to step it up.”
Of course, there are many cases where democracy is subverted by forces within a nation. While often dramatically depicted in films or novels as violent coups, quite often they are more gradual progressions that erode institutions and norms.
In a panel that focused on the “playbook” for undermining democracy, the insidious impact of social media was discussed. Inga Trauthig, head of research of the Propaganda Research Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, noted that the use of encrypted messaging, trolling and harassment have become commonplace on social media to undermine democratic pillars.
She said that social media companies should support public regulation of platforms “to make them accountable for
ways they are exploited.” Underscoring how widespread the problem has become and the need for a societal resilience, she said we need to “spread the word that propaganda is everywhere and you can be manipulated online.”
Adrian Shahbaz, vice president of research and analysis at Freedom House, discussed three main tactics authoritarian leaders employ to subvert democracies: divide the public by scapegoating and blaming particular groups or populations for problems; capture and control institutions, usually the media, and transform them into the government mouthpiece; and change the nation’s rules in the ruler’s favor. Concerning the scapegoating of populations, Shahbaz cited examples in several countries, including Turkey and India.
A different side of the global state of democracy was shared by keynote speaker Michael Camilleri, who led the U.S.
Michael Camilleri of USAID discussed the agency’s Democracy Delivers Initiative that helps nations experiencing promising reforms.
Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Democracy Delivers Initiative that aims to support countries experiencing promising, relatively recent reforms that help advance citizen priorities and strengthen democratic governance – often referred to as “bright spots.” Launched in 2022, the Initiative has supported efforts in countries including Armenia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Malawi, Maldives, Moldova, Nepal, Tanzania and Zambia.
“Democracies have an instrumental value to deliver the conditions that will allow every member of society to grow and prosper,” Camilleri said. “We’re the leading provider of democracy assistance in the world.”
Camilleri, who was recently named acting assistant administrator of USAID’s Latin America and Caribbean Bureau, added: “We must update our democratic playbook for a world where democracy is not only facing threats but under attack.”
FIU INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM SUPPORTING FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO 2021 SURFSIDE CONDO COLLAPSE
A team led by the federal government continues to investigate the 2021 partial collapse of Champlain Towers South, the 12-story beachfront condominium in Surfside, Florida, that resulted in 98 deaths and multiple injuries.
Now an interdisciplinary FIU team is contributing to the search for answers into what caused the disaster, its ramifications and precautions that can be taken to avoid such disasters. With a $900,000 contract from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the university is expanding on the social science work begun in 2022 by N. Emel Ganapati, professor of public policy and administration in the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs. Ganapati is the project manager for the contract, which is being managed by the FIU Extreme Events Institute, as well as the investigation’s lead for social science collection and preservation.
“This is an excellent example of FIU’s stellar reputation as a community-engaged university,” said Richard Olson, director of the Extreme Events Institute.
“We have an interdisciplinary team of researchers investigating an issue of great public importance with far-reaching implications.”
The team is conducting interviews and focus groups with survivors, eyewitnesses, first responders and others with knowledge of the partial collapse of the building and then the search and rescue, evacuation and recovery operations. The FIU researchers are the only social scientists who are part of the investigative team; the rest are engineers and physical scientists.
A disaster resilience expert, Ganapati is joined by FIU fellow faculty Mark Macgowan, professor of social work and the associate dean of academic affairs at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, who is supporting social science evidence collection; Ronald Fisher, professor of psychology, who is providing guidance on memory-enhancing interviewing techniques; and Keith Revell, associate professor of public policy and administration, an urban historian who is conducting archival research and historical interviews. Two Green School alumni are also part of the team: Kaila Witkowski MPA ’20, PhD ’22, now an assistant professor of public administration at Florida Atlantic University, and Jack Vertovec PhD ’21, who is with the Behavioral Science Research Institute in Coral Gables.
“This is a truly interdisciplinary project,” Ganapati said. “I have participated in many interdisciplinary projects, but I have never seen such a high level of collaboration in any project I have been involved in. It's a very complex investigation – it's like a puzzle with thousands of pieces.”
The FIU team started its work in September 2023 and will continue through December 2024, with its report submitted by year’s end. Ganapati said that the team’s efforts will inform a larger NIST report that will be released for public comment and that could ultimately lead to changes in building codes and standards and evacuation and rescue practices in the U.S. and abroad.
The site of the Champlain Towers South partial collapse in Surfside, Florida. Credit: NIST
GORDON INSTITUTE SUMMIT EXPLORES STATE AI POLICIES
With all forecasts pointing to the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) in our daily lives, FIU’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy (JGI) at the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs convened the first Florida AI Policy Summit in January 2024, which included technology experts and higher education leaders who explored the state’s policies on the issue.
“You name it – AI will have a pivotal and possible tectonic influence on everything we do,” said Brian Fonseca, institute director. “We are aware with regulation in mind, the legislature will put up guardrails to AI. That’s why we invited thought leaders to discuss adoption and adaptation of AI among other subjects. … AI is advancing at an unprecedented pace.”
Peter W. Singer, a senior fellow at the New America policy think tank, suggested how AI unlocks not only the patterns of machines but also our brains so new approaches to different industries can be fully realized. He views AI as the coming of an industrial revolution.
“All national organizations will have to answer or wrestle with two types of questions: What is possible that wasn’t possible before, and what is proper from an ethical point of view. Or how to teach research. What is probable or possible? And what is our vision of our relationship with that technology?” said Singer.
In addition to four panel discussions with local and state leaders from higher education, elected officials joined other public and private sector experts to discuss AI-related topics. Attendees participated in three breakout sessions to develop policy position papers on critical infrastructure, workforce and governance that would be distributed to state officials.
Building on summit insights, JGI will expand its research to explore and respond to emerging AI trends and their impact on various sectors, while also developing new educational resources to equip policymakers, professionals and the public with the knowledge to navigate complexities in an AI environment.
JGI also plans to collaborate with other institutions, industry partners and community organizations to leverage expertise and resources in advancing AI policy and practice through sustained dialogue and convenings with other thought leaders and stakeholders.
In addition, JGI has launched the Cyber Policy Advisory Board, comprised of influential figures from leading tech companies like David Tepper from Microsoft, Jordana Siegel from AWS, and Pedro Pavon from Meta. The board will provide strategic guidance to promote cybersecurity education, research and policy development, emphasizing diversity in the cybersecurity workforce.
“You name it –AI will have a pivotal and possible tectonic influence on everything we do.”
FEDERAL GRANT SUPPORTS WORK OF THE BLACK MOTHERS CARE PLAN TO ASSESS COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTHCARE MODELS
The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a five-year, $2.45 million grant to FIU’s Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (CWGS) to further the work of its Black Mothers Care Plan.
In recent decades, the U.S. maternal mortality rate, among the highest of any developed nation, has had major disparities – Black women are more than three times as likely as white women to die from pregnancy-related causes. The Black Mothers Care Plan aims to address this issue by building the capacity of minorityserving institutions, such as FIU, to conduct research on disparities in maternal mortality, morbidity and health outcomes, in addition to finding community-based solutions.
The grant designates FIU and the Black Mothers Care Plan as one of 16 research centers in a newly organized national Maternal Health Research Collaborative
for Minority-Serving Institutions. Funding from HRSA will allow FIU researchers and community partners to investigate how mobile and household-centered doula and midwifery care impacts Black maternal health outcomes. The project is conducted in collaboration with FIU's Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP, Magnolia Birth House, Metro Mommy Agency, Southern Birth Justice Network and the Behavioral Science Research Institute.
FIU’s efforts are led by principal investigator Okezi Otovo, associate professor of history and African and African Diaspora Studies and affiliate faculty of the CWGS, along with coprincipal investigators Alexandra Cornelius, associate teaching professor and director of the CWGS; Rokeshia Ashley, assistant professor of communication, and Frank Anderson, professor of humanities, health, and society in the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, whose specialty is obstetrics and gynecology.
“There's lots of research about community care models and why they help to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies,” Otovo said. “There are fewer community care studies that look directly at the populations that
are most at risk of maternal mortality and morbidity in the U.S., which in our country are Black and indigenous mothers.”
The project adds a new dimension to existing research: to assess the impact of a mobile and householdcentered care model to improve health outcomes. That approach has been successfully deployed by FIU’s innovative NeighborhoodHELP program,
In 2021, The Children’s Trust awarded a five-year, $1.37 million grant to CWGS to launch the Black Mothers Care Plan, which aimed to combat racial bias in maternal health by bringing together medical practitioners, medical students, midwives, doulas and women who have gone through maternal crises to address gaps in communication between the patient and the health care provider.
"CWGS is proud to serve as the meeting ground where physicians, scholars, midwives, doulas and community-based health providers may come together to share their expertise in a collective effort to provide evidence-based solutions that lead to improved birthing outcomes for Black women,” said Cornelius.
Otovo added: “We're hopeful that these studies will assist those looking for evidence to understand the impact of these care models when developing policies. It is important to understand why community-based care and a mobile care delivery system can be so impactful.”
PROFESSOR AIMS TO ‘DECOMPARTMENTALIZE’ HISTORICAL INQUIRY
Professor Aderinto receives Dan David Prize, the world’s largest prize for history scholarship
For many people, their perspective of history is filtered through a lens that provides a set of facts to understand the past and shed light on the present. And many historians view history through the lens of a particular discipline, such as economics, sociology or politics.
Saheed Aderinto, professor of History and African and African Diaspora Studies in the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs, never subscribed to this approach.
“History is more than facts, it’s much more complex in terms of the stories and events of the past,” he said. “It’s not looking at a particular phenomenon from one angle – I want to look at different parts of the angle, different possible directions.”
For his unique approach to history and his unprecedented scholarship, in 2023 Aderinto was awarded the prestigious Dan David Prize, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the study of history and includes $300,000, the world’s largest cash prize in the field. The selection committee lauded Aderinto’s work “for situating African history at the cutting edge of diverse literatures in the history of sexuality, nonhumans and violence... it is exceptional to see a single person leading scholarship in all of these fields.”
The awardee himself sees the recognition as critical to his goals at the university. "While $300,000 is a lot of money, the true value of the Dan David Prize is not the cash per se, but what it would help me do for my students and mentees, FIU, global infrastructure of knowledge and communities of practice,” Aderinto said after receiving the honor.
Aderinto’s thematic style of scholarship allows him to study historical phenomena from the widest possible range. He self-identifies as a “decompartmentalizing” historian who takes history from its narrow confines and blends different genres of history to create encompassing narratives about African colonial histories. It is reflected in his books that focus on unique threads of history in his native Nigeria and challenge conventional narratives.
For instance, he published the first book on sexuality’s relationship to colonialism, a work that won the 2016 Nigerian Studies Association's Book Award Prize for the “most important scholarly book/ work on Nigeria published in (the) English language.” His book on guns in colonial Nigeria revealed that “guns were not just arms of violence in Nigeria; they were domesticated into Nigerian culture and became an important element of Nigerian identity.” And his book on animals looks at them as colonial subjects, thereby
“History is more than facts, it’s much more complex in terms of the stories and events of the past. It’s not looking at a particular phenomenon from one angle – I want to look at different parts of the angle, different possible directions.”
“expanding the frontier of colonial subjecthood beyond humans.”
More recently, Aderinto produced and directed a documentary on Fuji music, a popular Nigerian genre, and he is also writing a book on the genre.
“My desire is to conduct work no one else has ever done,” Aderinto explained. “My agenda is to look at a particular historical phenomenon from a dimension that it has not been explored…to look at this phenomenon in a completely different way. I’m always in search of originality.”
Saheed Aderinto
GREEN SCHOOL FACULTY MEMBER AND ALUMNI SERVE ON UN TASK FORCE TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION EDUCATION
This story was originally published by FIU News in August 2023. The FIU community was saddened to learn of the passing of Allan Rosenbaum in March 2024. To support the public administration scholarship fund established in his memory, visit go.fiu.edu/rosenbaum.
Most people equate the United Nations with its mission to preserve international peace and human rights, but most don’t know about another role it plays: strengthening public administration education, which is integral to helping ensure effective government.
A longtime FIU professor and two alumni are on a UN task force addressing this issue. Allan Rosenbaum, university distinguished professor of public policy and administration and a former dean, is chairing the task force. Joining him in the group of 30 authorities from around the world are two of his former public affairs PhD students, one a UN employee and the other a university professor.
Task force members include a variety of distinguished scholars in the field from throughout the world, including the deans of top schools of public affairs in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Other members include prominent practitioners, such as the longtime secretary general of the Chinese Society of Administrative Reform, the head of the civil service system of the government of Bhutan and the minister of human resources of the Palestinian Authority.
“The UN has a strong tradition of promoting the quality of public administration programs but didn’t want to be involved in the accreditation process,” Rosenbaum explained. “So they decided to produce a set of standards of excellence for public administration, education and training, and created a task force to do that.”
An initial task force from 2005 to 2008, also chaired by Rosenbaum, issued a report with its recommendations. Since then, two developments prompted the need for a review and updating: the advent of widespread online education and the 2015 adaption of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which address critical issues facing the planet. The SDGs embrace five key areas: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership.
Allan Rosenbaum
In particular, the new task force, which has begun its work and is slated to release its report by the end of 2024, is focusing much of its work on SDG 4 – providing quality education for all – and SDG 16: promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies.
Rosenbaum asserts that the latter might be the most important of the 17 SDGs, because “without inclusive, effective government it’s very hard to achieve any of the other 16 SDGs. And good public administration education is directly linked to good governance.
“Essentially, it’s a three-step process,” Rosenbaum said. “Good public administration, education and training produce a higher quality of public manager, and a higher quality of public manager is more likely to produce effective government. And effective government, in turn, is more likely to produce a good society for the people who are part of it. It’s the government that really creates the environment where the public sector works and when the government does a good job of it, then you’re going to have a more effective private sector. I think we often forget the significant role that government actually plays in society.”
Another product of outstanding public education is the people who assume professional roles where they can make their own contributions. In this case, two of Rosenbaum’s former doctoral students serve with him on the task force.
“Being a member of the task force is an amazing opportunity to contribute to the improvement of education and training of public administrators around the world,” said Cristina A. Rodriguez-
Acosta ’16, inter-regional advisor for the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. “Making sure that the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030 are reflected in what we teach future public administrators gives me hope for a more sustainable and fairer future.”
In addition to receiving her PhD at FIU, Rodriguez-Acosta is a former assistant director at two FIU programs: the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy and the Institute for Public Management & Community Service, founded by Rosenbaum. She credited her FIU experiences with instilling a “special understanding of the importance of diversity, tolerance and respect for others.”
Fellow task force member Rachel Emas ’15, associate teaching professor at George Washington University, also noted the impact of her FIU education: “My time at FIU helped instill in me a commitment to public service and increased access in higher education. Serving on the UN task force provides me with an opportunity to improve access, equity, effectiveness and inclusion in public affairs education.”
For Rosenbaum, serving at the helm of the UN task force is the latest of several prominent positions he has held in the field. He served as dean of the FIU School of Public Affairs and Services, president of the 11,000-member American Society for Public Administration, and president of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration. Add to that extensive research and consulting with national, state and local government in the U.S. and work with foreign governments through U.S. Agency for International Development projects FIU has worked on.
Over the course of the past two decades, Rosenbaum has worked on UN initiatives ranging from the drafting and supporting of the continent-wide adoption of the UN Charter for the Public Service in Africa to advising on anti-corruption strategies in newly transitioning economies of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. More recently, along with other FIU doctoral students, he has prepared reports for the UN on strategies to encourage and improve the implementation of the SDGs.
“After serving as dean and then joining the faculty full time, I wanted to make a new start,” he said. “From that point on, I focused principally on international and comparative public administration. That was a wonderful decision on my part because it has provided me with opportunities to work in many countries on many different topics. The UN task force helped give me the opportunity to be able to do these other things.”
Cristina A. Rodriguez-Acosta ’16
Rachel Emas ’15
FIU METROPOLITAN CENTER CONDUCTS LARGEST SURVEY OF HAITIAN DIASPORA
Did you know that Haitian Americans are more likely to support and vote for a U.S. elected official who has worked with the Haitian diaspora? And that most Haitian Americans want their U.S. elected officials to work with them on policies to improve the lives of their community and homeland?
Those were among the results of the largest nationwide survey of Americans of Haitian descent ever undertaken, which was conducted by the FIU Jorge M. Pérez Metropolitan Center, in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Ayiti Diaspora Collective (ADC). The ADC conducted the survey from November 2022 to May 2023, with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The results of the survey were initially unveiled at an event in June 2023 in Washington, D.C.
The survey was launched to gain better insights and understanding of the various Haitian communities across the United States. It also seeks to find ways to strengthen and amplify the voice of the Haitian diaspora.
“Over the last decade, the Haitian American community has grown substantially, by over 16%,” said Maria Ilcheva, principal investigator on the survey and associate director of planning and operations at the Metropolitan Center.
“I think the main takeaway from the survey results is that Haitian Americans want to be involved in the politics of Haiti and the United States.”
Jean Philippe Austin, president of the Haitian American Foundation for Democracy, added: “The survey by the ADC
had over 2,000 respondents, who overwhelmingly confirmed that there is a vested interest in Haiti’s future and its relations with the U.S. by the Haitian diaspora. Additionally, the diaspora here is only growing, with over 1 million self-identified Americans of Haitian descent in 2021. This community is an important component in the fabric of American society, is politically engaged and cares about U.S. policy towards Haiti.”
Austin noted that the survey demonstrates the strength of the Haitian American community and underscores the success that Haitians have had in the U.S. It strengthens the understanding of where they are located in the U.S., their academic and economic attainment, and their engagement in the political process.
KEY SURVEY RESULTS INCLUDED:
91.3% feel a personal connection to Haiti.
78.8% indicated they follow U.S. policies towards Haiti.
86.9% would encourage U.S. elected officials to work on U.S. policies that would improve the lives of Haitians in Haiti.
43% would not vote for a U.S. elected official who has not worked with the Haitian diaspora
Only 16.1% would vote for a U.S. elected official who has not worked with the diaspora community.
80.8% support the creation of a Haitian American diaspora council to address U.S.-Haiti relations.
FIU AND CITY OF BUENOS AIRES POISED TO EXPAND COLLABORATION ON AREAS OF MUTUAL INTEREST
Martin Redrado, Buenos Aires secretary for strategic affairs, and Dean Shlomi Dinar at the MOU signing ceremony.
Two institutions sign MOU to formalize ties and work on diverse projects
Reflecting its ever-growing reputation and ties with countries and cities throughout the hemisphere and beyond, Florida International University has forged an official connection with a city some 4,000 miles to its south.
FIU – through the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC) at the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs – and the City of Buenos Aires signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen ties and expand collaboration efforts.
Both Buenos Aires and Miami are global cities that face common challenges and opportunities, and the MOU opens the door for collaborative activities between the two institutions and, more generally, between FIU and Argentine higher education and
research institutions. Areas of common interest include public security and governance, public health, climate change, energy and transportation, disaster risk management and cybersecurity.
“This agreement is a mutual recognition between the City of Buenos Aires and FIU of the capacities that we have to develop specific solutions to raise the standard of living of our populations,” said Martin Redrado, former Buenos Aires secretary for strategic affairs, who signed the agreement on behalf of the City of Buenos Aires and is currently a visiting professor at FIU.
Areas of future collaboration include jointly taught executive education courses in Miami and Buenos Aires; visits to Buenos Aires by students and staff at FIU and Buenos Aires civil servants to FIU; joint
research projects that link Buenos Airesbased faculty and FIU faculty; and events on pressing topics of mutual interest.
“I welcome the opportunity to turn the agreement into action, by encouraging LACC-affiliated faculty to work with Buenos Aires on some of the toughest challenges of 21st-century urbanism, including the energy transition, public security, mental health, education and natural hazards,” said Anthony Pereira, director of LACC. “This could be the beginning of a productive and mutually beneficial relationship.”
Shlomi Dinar, dean of the Green School, added, “I look forward to FIU faculty and personnel in the government of Buenos Aires taking advantage of the opportunities created by this agreement.”
EVENT CORNER
‘UNCAPTIVE MIND’ SHOWCASES POLISH SCHOOL OF POSTERS
The exhibition in the Green School Gallery, a collection of works that stand as a testament to human ingenuity, opened with a reception in November.
Left: Beata Paszyc, honorary vice consul of the Republic of Poland and executive director, American Institute of Polish Culture, and daughter Nel Velez-Paszyc. Above: Green School Dean Shlomi Dinar.
STATE OF EUROPEAN FOREIGN RELATIONS
EU Deputy Ambassador Michael Curtis presented the keynote address at a twoday conference in March on “Reimagining and Reforming European Foreign Policies,” presented by the Miami-Florida Jean Monnet Center of Excellence.
AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES
CHINA’S FOREIGN POLICY SHIFTS
Kevin Rudd, Australia’s Ambassador to the U.S. and former prime minister, presented a lively lecture in February on China’s history, including advice about U.S. relations with China.
UKRAINE FOCUS AT CONSULAR CORPS EVENT
“Ukraine: A National Security Focus for the West?” was the keynote discussion at the annual Consular Corps luncheon, with, from left, Mario Loyola, research assistant professor and director of Environmental Finance and Risk Management, Institute of Environment; Tatiana Kostadinova, director, European and Eurasian Studies Program, and professor, Department of Politics and International Relations; and David Kramer, executive director, George W. Bush Institute.
INAUGURAL EXPO
In November, hundreds of students attended the first annual Green School Expo, where they had an opportunity to meet faculty from throughout the school and learn about programming and other opportunities available to them.
COMMUNITY GATHERS AT INTERFAITH IFTAR DINNER
Dr. Mohsin Jaffer addresses attendees at the seventh annual Iftar dinner in March in observance of Ramadan. The event, which attracted 200 participants, was sponsored by the Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Center for Muslim World Studies.
POLAND’S NEW ROLE IN A NEW EUROPE
Marek Magierowski, Poland’s ambassador to the U.S., discussed his nation’s changing geopolitical position as well as its strategic priorities, in a lecture in November presented by the Blanka Rosenstiel Lecture Series on Poland and the European and Eurasian Studies Program.
FERNANDEZ FAMILY FOUNDATION MAKES $1M GIFT FOR SCHOLARSHIPS TO FERRÉ INSTITUTE FOR CIVIC LEADERSHIP
The Miguel B. Fernandez Family Foundation has made a $1 million gift to FIU’s Maurice A. Ferré Institute for Civic Leadership in the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs to support student scholarships.
The gift will establish the Miguel B. Fernandez Family Foundation Civic Leadership Endowment Fund, which will award scholarships to first-generation students who are affiliated with the Ferré Institute. Some of these students participate in the institute’s Fellowship Program –which includes public engagement and work with faculty and professionals in the community – while others participate in undergraduate or graduate certificate programs. By working with mentors and engaging in the institute’s comprehensive programs, students will be equipped to embrace their roles as active contributors to local and global communities.
The gift also has supported construction of the Ferré Institute’s large suite of offices
in the Green School’s new building – an environment designed to help innovative ideas and collaborative efforts flourish.
“We have to understand leadership is about serving; it’s not about ruling,” said Miguel “Mike” Fernandez. “Many people in politics and civic life do not even recognize that the importance of their job is to serve the people. I know FIU will do an incredible job in providing us with the next generation of leaders for this community—and our nation.”
Fernandez is chairman of MBF Healthcare Partners, L.P., a private investment firm located in Coral Gables, Florida, focusing on investing in healthcare service companies nationwide, and founder and/or majority shareholder of over 20 healthcare-related companies.
“We are grateful for the Miguel B. Fernandez Family Foundation's investment in the institute and the Green School,” said Green School Dean Shlomi Dinar. “This will enable us to further
advance civic engagement, social justice and resilient leadership.”
Founded in 2021, the Ferré Institute honors the life and work of its namesake, the first Puerto Rican-born mayor of a major continental U.S. city and the first Latino mayor of Miami. Through academic, research and engagement programs, the institute’s work focuses on a wide range of issues championed by Ferré, including civic engagement and leadership, resilient community infrastructure and social justice.
“I am truly humbled and thankful for the generous contribution made by the Miguel B. Fernandez Family Foundation to the Maurice A. Ferré Institute for Civic Leadership,” said Agatha Caraballo, founding director of the institute and teaching professor of public policy and administration. “This $1 million gift is a resounding endorsement of our mission to empower the next generation of civic leaders.”
From left: Carlos Ferré (son of Maurice Ferré), Miguel “Mike” Fernandez and Meme Ferré (daughter of Maurice Ferré)
MEGHJI
FAMILY TRUST $1M GIFT ESTABLISHES PROFESSORSHIP OF SHI’A ISLAM STUDIES
The Meghji Family Trust has made a gift of $1 million to FIU’s Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Center for Muslim World Studies at the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs to establish the Prophet Muhammad Visiting Professor of Shi’a Islam Studies. The professorship is a significant step toward developing a new program at FIU in which Shi’a Islam, the second-largest branch of the religion, will be the focus.
The program in Shi’a Islam studies will promote teaching and research; establish linkages with seminaries and institutes domestically and abroad; and develop intra-faith and interfaith programming for the community.
“The professorship will be significant in shaping the future of Shi’a Islam studies in the United States by creating a modern academic base for research and engagement for, and with, the American Shi’a Muslim and greater Muslim community,” said Mohsin and Tasneem Meghji, sponsors of the Meghji Family Trust.
“Shi’a Islam is not only a religious tradition, but has made significant contributions to philosophy, spirituality, art, culture, and civilization, and has the capacity to address major contemporary global issues and problems. We embrace the objectives of the Jaffer Center and support its longterm vision to become an academic hub and a role model for community-university partnerships to advance scholarship on the Muslim world.”
Muslim studies encompasses a vast and varied range of disciplines, including theology, history, philosophy, and culture, covering nations throughout the globe.
Saiyad Nizamuddin Ahmad has filled the new professorship and serves as associate professor in the Department of Religious Studies. Ahmad received his MA and PhD in Islamic Studies from Princeton University, as well as an MA in Arabic from Indiana University and a BSc in Pure Mathematics from Purdue University. He has extensive training in traditional Islamic sciences from some of the world’s major Islamic centers of learning, including Al Azhar University in Cairo. Ahmad has held faculty positions at the University of Texas at Austin, the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization in Kuala Lumpur, the American University of Sharjah, the American University in Cairo, and The Shi’a Institute, London.
“We intend to make FIU’s Shi’a Islam studies program prominent in the field,” said Mohiaddin Mesbahi, founding director of the Jaffer Center. “There are considerable existing academic assets at FIU that cover the Islamic world and various Muslim practices, including South Asia, East Africa, and the Middle East, and the new professorship will help fill a gap and support the creation of a master’s degree program in Islamic Studies, another goal of the Jaffer Center.”
“ We intend to make FIU’s Shi’a Islam Studies program prominent in the field.”
Mohsin Meghji
Saiyad Nizamuddin Ahmad
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Common license. Written by Anthony Pereira, director of the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center at the Green School, it was originally published in February 2024.
HOW LULA’S BIG-TENT PRAGMATISM WON OVER BRAZIL AGAIN – WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM A BACKLASH TO BOLSONARO
A YEAR IS A LONG TIME IN BRAZILIAN POLITICS.
When Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva assumed office in Brazil for a third time in January 2023, many observers were pessimistic about the returning president’s chances of governing successfully. The president, now 78 years old, had recently defeated Jair Bolsonaro, the hard-right former president, by a narrow margin – 50.9% to 49.1%. But despite that victory, many Brazilian state governments, as well as the country’s Congress, remained dominated by followers of Bolsonaro.
Following his electoral loss in 2022, Bolsonaro refused at first to acknowledge defeat. He declined to take part in the traditional passing of the presidential sash during Lula’s Jan. 1, 2023, inauguration ceremony. Then a week later, on Jan. 8, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters invaded and vandalized Brazil’s presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court buildings in Brasília, the capital, in an alleged attempt to trigger a state of siege and annul Lula’s win.
The attempted insurrection failed but nonetheless left a lingering gloom about the state of politics in Brazil. A year later, the pessimism seems to have been unwarranted.
POLITICAL UNITY
In a recent Atlas Intel poll, 52% of Brazilians said they approve of Lula’s performance, while 58% responded that they see the government’s performance as “very good,” “good” or “OK.” In contrast, 39% described it as “bad” or “very bad.”
How has Lula’s administration managed, at least so far, to beat expectations?
As a scholar of Brazilian politics, I believe his popularity has a lot to do with what happened on Jan. 8, 2023. The attack in Brasilia has apparently defused the right-wing threat to Lula’s hold on power. With a police investigation in February 2024 zeroing in on Bolsonaro and his inner circle, the former president appears to be in no position to mount a challenge.
At the same time, Lula has kept his broad coalition largely intact by working with pragmatic members of Congress who don’t belong to his leftist political party to build and maintain a legislative majority. The Jan. 8 attack was followed by a show of political unity in Brazil. Most politicians, including many who supported Bolsonaro’s reelection, condemned the assault on democracy.
Similarly, a large majority of Brazilians condemned the attack and approved of measures to investigate and prosecute those behind the attempted coup. Here, too, Lula appears to have played his hand well. Rather than use the opportunity to purge
Brazilian President Lula greets journalists in Brasilia. AP Photo/Eraldo Peres President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also known as President Lula
Bolsonaro supporters from key positions in the government, he refrained from installing his own loyalists.
For example, when the governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha, was suspended over his handling of the unrest, his vice governor – a Bolsonaro supporter – was allowed to replace him.
BOLSONARO’S CONVICTIONS
Meanwhile, the investigation and prosecution of Bolsonaro and his inner circle have weakened the political right.
Bolsonaro was convicted of abusing political power and misusing public media in June 2023. That case dealt with a meeting before the 2022 elections in which he told foreign ambassadors that Brazil’s electronic voting system was subject to fraud and that the Supreme Court was prepared to favor Lula. Due to that conviction, Bolsonaro, who is now 68 years old, cannot run for office for the next eight years.
In October 2023, Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court convicted Bolsonaro again, this time for abusing political power during an independence day celebration. As of February 2024, Brazil’s Federal Police are investigating the Bolsonaro administration’s alleged use of an intelligence agency to spy on its political enemies and the alleged attempt of some Bolsonaro insiders to subvert the results of the 2022 elections.
While such investigations could be perceived as political, Lula’s government has been somewhat insulated from such criticism because Brazil’s government can influence, but not control, its judiciary. Moreover Lula has stressed the collaborative nature of his administration, presenting it as a coalition government that is not ruled exclusively by his party.
BROAD COALITION
The center-left coalition of 10 parties that backed Lula’s presidential bid has grown since he took office. Two cabinet positions even went to politicians who had supported Bolsonaro in the past. Lula’s party, the Partido dos Trabalhadores, or Workers’ Party, holds only six of the 31 cabinet positions. And
the president has had to exert his influence over his own party to keep dissenting voices within it at bay.
Lula’s willingness to work with Congress and his big tent approach to consensus-building starkly contrast with Bolsonaro’s political polarization. On Feb. 1, 2023, Rodrigo Pacheco, the Senate’s president, and Arthur Lira, who is president of Brazil’s lower house of Congress, were reelected. Lula chose to support their candidacies despite both men being allied with Bolsonaro in the 2022 election campaign.
Once the congressional term began, Lula was able to use his experience and personal relationships with lawmakers to build the majorities that now support his agenda. Lula has revived his signature Bolsa Familia program, which provides 21 million families – more than a quarter of the population –with an average of R$670 reais (US$136) per month. Brazil has increased the minimum wage in real terms and is streamlining and simplifying its tax system in ways that will help individual taxpayers and businesses.
STABILITY IS A BIG PLUS
What makes the popularity and repositioning of Lula as a unity leader all the more remarkable is that the left-wing politician was himself seen as a divisive figure not too long ago. But Bolsonaro’s presidency changed the tenor of Brazilian politics. Most Brazilians today appear to want to overcome the divisions Bolsonaro promoted and favor stability and predictable policies over seeing their own side dominate the government.
Lula’s popularity has also benefited from Brazil’s economy, which performed far better in 2023 than many economists had expected. Inflation fell to 4.6% at the end of 2023, less than half the pace it was running a year earlier. Gross domestic product grew 3% last year, about the same rate as in 2022. And unemployment fell to 7.4%, the lowest level since 2014.
The strong economy has helped boost Lula’s popularity because he has been able to assure centrists that he’s governing responsibly. In politics, as with investing, past performance does not guarantee future returns. But for now, Lula’s pragmatic coalition-building and his careful negotiations with Congress are paying off.
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