The ATLIS Conference, hosted by the Atlantic International Studies Organization, will present its peer-reviewed journal of students\u2019 papers exploring the theme of \u201cSifting Through the Wreckage,\u201d on March 31st (7PM).<\/p>\n
The theme is meant to reflect the turbulent year of 2020, and asks student authors to contemplate the future based on lessons learned over the course of the past 12 months.<\/p>\n
The Zoom event will feature presentations from the journal\u2019s 2021 authors, Dr. Thomas from the Mt A political science department and the guest speaker, Dr. Davies from Griffith University, Australia.<\/p>\n
Co-president and editor-in-chief Amy Ward says that the papers are meant to respond to the feeling of the world falling apart.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were trying to find a theme that left space to address all of the different thoughts people were having about all of the events [of 2020],\u201d says Ward.<\/p>\n
Juan Facundo, a member of the ATLIS editing team, says the journal will address structural failures that occurred over the course of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it was feeling a little bit lost, like everything around you [was] falling apart, and then trying to regain stability by seeing what to keep and what not to keep,\u201d says Facundo. \u201cAlso, noticing the biases and the kinds of structural failures that that are around us, and making those decisions as scholars, students, and as critical thinkers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Facundo is excited for the ATLIS conference, where the public can ask questions about the students\u2019 papers and discuss international structures.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s particularly excited about keynote speaker Dr. Sarah Davies from Griffith University in Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s going to talk about the international relations frameworks in the World Health Organization and vaccine nationalism,\u201d explains Facundo. \u201cWe should embrace playing a part in the political landscape, rather than trying to ignore it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Facundo notes that a silver lining of the conference happening over Zoom is that Dr. Davies is able to attend without expensive travel fees.<\/p>\n
He really wants to see members of the community as well as the university attend the conference.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is the sense of a snobby, classist, understanding of world structures and how that then defines you either as a as a knower or not, are not a knower,\u201d says Facundo. \u201cI think that\u2019s really detrimental to our democracy. If people don\u2019t feel like they can participate in dialogues like these, then then I think that something has really failed. The journal is really good at bridging that [gap] because we are students. So with that voice, I think there\u2019s a lot of humbleness that comes with it, because we are still still learning. Right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everybody needs to realize that not everybody knows what they\u2019re talking about. It\u2019s all a work in progress, and we\u2019re all trying to figure it out together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ward adds that she is unfamiliar with political jargon herself, and understands why someone unfamiliar with the subject may be intimated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve only taken two politics classes, so a lot of it actually does go over my head,\u201d says Ward. \u201cI have to ask for clarification for different terms, because you just don\u2019t hear some of the political science jargon when you\u2019re not in the field. But, the more that I\u2019ve read papers from ATLIS, the more that I\u2019ve come to appreciate the work that they do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both she and Facundo agree that this year, the ATLIS journal was edited with accessible language in mind..<\/p>\n
The\u00a0conference<\/a>\u00a0is at 7PM on March 31st. The current issue and all past issues of the ATLIS journal are available\u00a0online<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hear this story as reported:<\/p>\n\n