ACE

Category: ACE Blogs

  • US-China Sanctions and the Uyghur Crisis from Realist Review

    The US Treasury imposed sanctions in July of 2020 on the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, or “XPCC,” which is a paramilitary, administrative, and economic organization controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. The XPCC has been blamed for using forced Uyghur labor in the Xinjiang territory, which falls in with the Chinese state’s numerous human rights abuses against Uyghurs, such as mass detention and forced sterilization. US economic sanctions on the XPCC have ramped up over the past year, including bans on cotton imports and key solar panel materials, as well as coordinated sanctions with international allies.

    Alison O’Neil’s October 2020 article titled “What Could the XPCC Sanctions Mean for Xinjiang and the US?” explores the reasons behind these sanctions from the American and Chinese sides, and their potential consequences for the Sino-American relationship. Alison O’Neil is a recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame who majored in history and political science, minored in energy studies, and was a member of Women in International Security. She writes:

    what are the ultimate implications of the XPCC sanctions if not the weakening of BRI infrastructure or even substantial divestment from Xinjiang cotton? At the end of the day, the sanctions still create one more sticking point in a fraught US-China relationship – a relationship that in one summer has already endured a pandemic, a consulate crisis, and pressure from ongoing, low-simmering geopolitical disagreements. Even if the July 31 sanctions “fail” to prevent cotton transfer between Xinjiang’s fields and America’s retailers, they still symbolize a bold stance against the XPCC and in favor of the Uighur cause. Meanwhile, the sanctions could strengthen existing ties between the US and its allies regarding China, representing a further point of common ground.

    O’Neil’s article was written for Realist Review, which publishes analytical and open discourses on foreign policy by students and young professionals.  

  • Save the Date: ACE End of Summer Event

    Save the Date: ACE End of Summer Event

    ACE has accomplished so much this summer, producing research in 10 key policy areas that has been viewed tens of thousands of times. To recognize this amazing work, we are excited to announce the ACE End of Summer Celebration, a Zoom event scheduled for September 10, 2021 from 6pm to 7pm. This event will reflect on our work from this summer with a special focus on the Local Governance Project, which engages students in identifying important policy issues in their communities and potential government response. We look forward to hearing from our fantastic team of Student Fellows, sharing our most important work, and discussing our ambitious plans for the upcoming fall semester, and we hope to see you there!

    You can register for the event at this link and receive the Zoom link and Google Calendar event.

  • Warren Washington – Environmental Policy

    Image source: https://www.popsci.com/warren-washington-nobel-prize-of-climate-change/

    Warren Washington is a brilliant and celebrated atmospheric scientist whose efforts have garnered him a multitude of prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Science and the Nobel Peace Prize. Washington was born in Portland, Oregon in 1936, a time in which African Americans comprised only 1% of the state’s entire population. Although he was the target of racial discrimination throughout his life, Washington never let those difficult barriers hold him back. After becoming the second African American to earn a Ph.D. in atmospheric science, Washington went on to work for the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Over the years, he has worked to develop highly advanced atmospheric models aimed at better understanding the effects of climate change. His never-ending research dramatically expands our knowledge of the world around us, and Washington continues to be an inspiration to all. 

    Learn more:

    1. https://www.cgd.ucar.edu/staff/wmw/
    2. https://www.popsci.com/warren-washington-nobel-prize-of-climate-change/
    3. https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/warren-morton-washington-41
    4. https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/medalofscience50/washington.jsp

    This blog post was written by Clarisse Goetzen, an ACE Student Fellow at the University of California – Davis. Clarisse’s work at ACE focuses on environmental policy.

  • Margie Richard – Environmental Policy

    In 2004, Margie Richard, a powerful and persistent environmental activist, became the first African American recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize. Born and raised along a region of the Mississippi River often referred to as “Cancer Alley,” Richard watched as many in her community developed health issues ranging from bronchitis to bacterial infections to cancer. After recognizing that many of those ailments and deaths were linked to pollution from the nearby Shell power plant and oil refinery, Richard knew she had to take action. Over the next few years, Richard led a community campaign against Shell. Despite it being a long and difficult battle, Shell finally agreed to reduce its emissions, provide a $5 million community development fund, fully relocate all residents within Richard’s neighborhood, and more. This Black History Month, we honor Richard’s hard work and extraordinary accomplishments for both people and the environment.

    Learn more:

    https://web.archive.org/web/20101022054404/http://www.goldmanprize.org/node/100

    https://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/margie-richard/

    https://multiplier.org/2017/02/black-history-month-honoring-marjorie-richard/

    This blog post was written by Clarisse Goetzen, an ACE Student Fellow at the University of California – Davis. Clarisse’s work at ACE focuses on environmental policy.

  • Dr. Robert D. Bullard – Environmental Policy

    Image from: https://www.jodisolomonspeakers.com/speaker/robert-bullard

    Dr. Robert D. Bullard is widely recognized as the father of environmental justice, and one of the most prominent environmental activists of the last century. Bullard began examining systemic environmental injustices in the late 1970’s after noticing that every landfill in Houston was located in predominantly black neighborhoods, despite African Americans only accounting for 25% of the city’s population. Since then, Bullard has gone on to publish a wide variety of books addressing environmental issues, serve as a Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University, and even contribute towards Bill Clinton’s 1991 Executive Order ensuring that all federal agencies include environmental justice as part of their overall missions. This Black History Month, we congratulate and sincerely thank Bullard for his significant contributions towards a more environmentally equitable future.

    Learn more:

    1. https://drrobertbullard.com/biography/
    2. https://www.unenvironment.org/championsofearth/laureates/2020/robert-bullard
    3. https://grist.org/article/dicum/

    This blog post was written by Clarisse Goetzen, an ACE Student Fellow at the University of California – Davis. Clarisse’s work at ACE focuses on environmental policy.

  • Celebrating Black History Month

    ACE is celebrating Black History Month by recognizing Black achievements in our fields of research. From environmental policy to public health to foreign policy, achievements by Black Americans often do not receive the attention they deserve.

  • Micro and Macro Evaluations of Global Labor Migration

    The past ten months have revealed to government officials and citizens the vulnerabilities of particular groups and individuals’ access to healthcare, education, food security, relief measures, and protections necessary for survival. The COVID-19 pandemic has largely not created but instead revealed the severity of inequalities groups face every-day, exacerbating the effects for not only themselves but their communities at large. My experience interning for the International Catholic Migration Commission working for the Future of Work, Labour After Laudato Sí expanded my understanding and knowledge of the diverse driving factors, consequences, and individual experiences of global migration in both a world preceding and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    The work ICMC is centered around incorporates principles informed by Catholic Social Teaching of human dignity as well as applying these principles of decency to all individuals, regardless of faith, ethnicity, or citizenship. I found my work very rewarding as I was able to navigate between both the micro and macro levels of examining fluctuating patterns of labor migration as well as centering the research around individuals, seen in ICMC’s photojournalism project Driven by the Depth of Love. The research conducted by ICMC and its partners have proven of increasing importance as my experience has revealed that the collaboration of NGO, IGOs, and agencies such as the UN rely on the expertise and research in order to inform governmental decision-making on behalf of groups such as labor migrants. 

    A crucial part of my research was understanding both the common and diverse experiences migrant workers face, in which many countries rely on migrants’ labor within their informal economy, yet lack the privileges of legal, financial, and health security. The driving factors of internal and external migration differ, but the dependency of many nations’ economy relies on labor migration. One of the most rewarding aspects of my internship was writing advocacy notes to government officials outlining the necessary steps of providing legal frameworks, social protections, and direct responses that ensure migrant workers’ livelihoods are secure. It was an incredible experience to be able to contribute to the important work ICMC and other organizations are producing in order to effectively serve as a change agent for migrant workers at both the global and local level of influence. 

    Madeline Kardek is a Senior at Colgate University double majoring in Political Science and English. While studying in Geneva, Switzerland, she interned for the International Catholic Migration Commission and has continued her work virtually throughout the Covid pandemic.

  • Thanksgiving 2020

    On Thanksgiving we are thankful for our team and our readers, who continue to amaze us with their dedication to understanding complex, polarizing issues and making civic engagement part of their busy lives.

  • Colgate Day

    Did you know that every Friday the 13th is International Colgate Day? ACE is lucky to have an amazing team of current students and alumnae from Colgate.

  • Election Week 2020