March 14, 2022
Symposium on Ukraine, peace rally set for Wednesday
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A free, public symposium on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine featuring Southern Illinois University Carbondale faculty and a peace rally will take place on campus on Wednesday, March 16.
The symposium is from 4-5:30 p.m. in Morris Library’s John C. Guyon Auditorium. The discussion, moderated by John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, will touch on Ukraine’s history, Russia’s interest in the country, the international community’s response to the Russian invasion and the consequences that are likely to follow. The discussion will be also be livestreamed on the university’s YouTube channel. A reception with light refreshments will follow at 5:30 p.m.
The panelists, Stephen Bloom, Stephen Shulman and Theodore R. Weeks, have researched and written about Ukraine, Russia and East Central Europe and published several articles on Ukrainian politics. All are from SIU Carbondale’s Department of Political Science and the Department of History within the College of Liberal Arts.
Bloom, an associate professor in political science, specializes in the politics of ethnicity and nationalism in the former Soviet Union. He has taught and conducted research in Ukraine under the Fulbright Scholar Program.
Shulman, an associate professor in political science, teaches courses in international relations, international security, international political economy, American foreign policy and ethnic politics. He has an area specialization in Ukraine, where he has taught and conducted field research.
Weeks, a professor in history, teaches courses in world, European, Eastern European, Polish and Russian history. His research interests focus on nationality and ethnicity, in particular in the context of East Central Europe.
After the symposium, a peaceful rally organized by SIU student leaders, with support from the vice chancellors for Student Affairs and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, will start at 6:30 p.m. in Saluki Alumni Plaza, located between Pulliam and Woody halls. Students with ties to Ukraine and SIU faculty are among the speakers invited to the rally.