Prospects and Challenges for Contemporary Germany – Glendon College’s 17th International Studies Sympoisum

On Saturday, March 31st, 2012, the Junior Research Fellows of the European Union Centre of Excellence hosted the 17th Annual Glendon International Studies Symposium at York University's Glendon College. This year’s conference was titled Prospects and Challenges for Contemporary Germany.

Dr. Birgit Mahnkopf, keynote speaker

 

The symposium opened with a Keynote address by Dr. Birgit Mahnkopf from the Berlin School of Economics and Law, who presented a critical assessment of Germany’s role in the European debt crisis. A number of speakers from Germany, Canada, and the United States attended the conference which covered some of the more contemporary issues faced by today’s Germany, including recent developments in German environmental policies; Germany’s changing role in European and transatlantic security relations; its approach to security measures and human dignity vis-a-vis Canada and the US; and the social impact of immigrant integration policies via the German education system, in comparison with Canadian and US practices. Participants and guests were served an authentic European lunch catered by The Prague: Fine Food Emporium and a live musical performance was given by a talented, German-born musical artist, Nilima.

This year’s symposium coordinators - all undergraduate students of the International Studies program at York University’s Glendon College - were recognized as Junior Research Fellows of the European Union Centre of Excellence at York University and will soon be leaving for Germany to conduct field research which will focus on Germany’s role in the European Union.

Germany Symposium was made possible through the generous support of a number of institutions inside and outside York University including the Office of the Vice-President Academic & Provost, the Glendon College Student Union (GCSU), the European Union Centre of Excellence, York International, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

For more information on the International Studies Symposium project at Glendon College, York University please visit the International Studies website.