Date: Feb 23, 2009

Economy Crisis, Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Among Topics to be Explored at Hofstra

International Scene Lecture Series aims to stimulate debate among students, community

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Hofstra’s annual International Scene Lecture series on domestic and foreign policy this year will examine the economic crisis and the nation’s foreign policy in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel and Latin America.

The International Scene Lecture Series, sponsored by Hofstra’s Departments of Economics, History and Sociology, along with the Center for Civic Engagement, will consist of six events throughout the spring semester. The series is presented in cooperation with Long Island Teachers for Human Rights and the Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives. These lectures are designed to present diverse views on a range of issues and stimulate dialogue among students and members of the Hofstra community about national and foreign policy issues in the context of Barack Obama’s presidency.

The series is also part of Define '09: New Challenges, New Solutions, a year-long series that will examine the new presidential administration, its policies and initiatives, the challenges we currently face and ways of addressing our country's most pressing issues.

Details for each event are listed below and at hofstra.edu/define09. All events take place in the Leo A. Guthart Theater, Axinn Library:

Tuesday, February 24 – The Economy in Crisis, Part II with James Galbraith, Professor of Economics at University of Texas (12:45 - 2:00 p.m.)

Wednesday, March 4 – The Economy in Crisis, Part III with Richard Wolff, Emeritus Professor of Economics at University of Massachusetts (11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
Thursday, March 19 – Danger Ahead: Afghanistan/Pakistan with Tariq Ali, Author of The Duel: Pakistan on the Flight Path of American Power (2:20-3:45 p.m.)

Wednesday, March 25 – Israel/Palestine: Ending the Two-State Solution with Sara Roy, Associate, and Senior Research Scholar for the Center of Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University (11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)

Wednesday, April 15 – Turmoil in Latin America: The Case of Columbia with Mario Murillo, Professor of Radio, Television and Film at Hofstra University (11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)

Admission is free and open to the public.  There will be a question and answer period following each lecture.  For more information on the International Scene Lecture Series, please call
(516) 463-5595 or visit hofstra.edu/define09.  Public seating is limited for these events.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from more than 145 undergraduate and 160 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, engineering, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence. The University also provides excellent facilities with state-of-the-art technology, extensive library resources and internship programs that match students’ interests and abilities with appropriate companies and organizations.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.

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