Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Idealist.org -- international jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities

This is the first in an occasional series about useful web resources.
Idealist.org is a project of Action Without Borders. In this site you will find:
  • Over nonprofit and community organizations in 165 countries, which you can search or browse by name, location, or mission.
  • Opportunities in your community and around the world, and a list of organizations that can help you volunteer abroad.
  • The best Nonprofit Career Center on the web, with hundreds of job and internship listings.

In addition to searching and browsing, individuals can use Idealist to:

  • Define what information you'd like to receive by email from among the job openings, volunteer opportunities, internships, events, and resources posted here by organizations all over the world.
  • For example, you can choose to receive updates about job openings and environmental events in New Zealand, volunteer opportunities next summer in Chile, and human rights resources in Spanish, and receive all of this in no more than one personalized email per day.
  • Design the perfect volunteer opportunity for yourself by setting up one or more Volunteer Profiles with your interests, skills, and schedule. These Profiles can then be searched by organizations in Idealist.
  • Find people around the world who share your interests, goals, and ideas.
This information is copied for the idealist.org website.

Summer Research Grant Deadlines Approach

It is time to start working on your application for 2007 summer research grant. The IPE Program gives one $4000 summer grant each year to fund independent study research. You can read about the requirements and see a list of the previous winners by clicking here.

The university also provides funding for summer research grants. Click here to read about these summer grant programs.

The deadline for the IPE grant proposals in March 2, 2007. The deadline for the university's grants in March 22, 2007. The IPE deadline is earlier so that we can provide constructive feedback to students who are not awarded the IPE grant, which we hope will help them write even better proposals for the university competition.

The IPE summer research grant is funded from the royalties generated by the IPE textbook project.

Upcoming Events

Be sure to check the IPE events calendar at www.ups.edu/ipe/events.htm for updated information about these and other IPE events.

Slow Food Puget Sound

Puget Sound's Slow Food student convivium meets to plot coming events, including the first pot-luck dinner of the spring semester. Everyone welcome. Tonight's slow refreshment: homemade lavender biscuits. Yum.

Tuesday, January 30 at 6:30 pm in WSC 201.


International Human Rights Activism

Jillian Tuck will discuss international human rights activism opportunities. She has recently returned from six months as a human rights accompanier in Guatemala. She will discuss the philosophy and history of this kind of human rights activism and describe different forms of accompaniment work. Bring your lunch; drinks and dessert provided. Sponsored by IPE, Comparative Sociology and Latin American Studies.

Thursday, February 1 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. in the Trimble Forum.


Ministry of Hegemony

IPE's student steering committee meets to discussion programs and events. Any interested IPE student is welcome to attend.

Thursday,February 1 at 5p.m. in the Mc213.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Progressive Campaign Job Opportunities

This information is provided by Patrick Sterns, a 2005 IPE graduate.

Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. (GCI), a national firm specializing in building grassroots support for progressive causes, political candidates, public interest campaigns, and non-profit fundraising operations is coming to UPS to interview potential staff for their upcoming campaigns. Interested students should send a resume to psterns@grassrootscampaigns or apply directly with the career center.

We will be at the Career Fair in the SUB on February 22nd, and holding an information session on March 21st in the Howarth Building. This is an excellent way for applicants to learn more about the opportunities before their interview.

We are currently hiring graduating seniors to staff for our ongoing effort to work for progressive public policy and to help build the Democratic base for the 2008 Presidential election. With the new Democratic majority, there is tremendous opportunity for true progressive change in America. The positions we are hiring for will afford new staff the opportunity to impact the world around them while learning invaluable skills. Our campaign staff is trained on all aspects of running a grassroots campaign - from recruiting, training, and managing staff/volunteers to overseeing the finances associated with running a local campaign office. Grassroots Campaigns' current and past clients include MoveOn.org, the Democratic National Committee, the ACLU, and the League of Conservation Voters. We are hiring for the following positions:

Position: Citizen Outreach Director

Citizen Outreach Directors and Assistant Directors manage our grassroots fundraising offices, and have bottom-line responsibility for local campaign operations. Job responsibilities center on recruiting, training, managing and motivating a staff of 6 - 25 paid canvassers. Directors canvass two to three days per week, working with staff in the field and meeting personal fundraising requirements. Directors are also responsible
for administrative duties related to fundraising, including budget management, income tracking, and paying expenses.


Position: Field Organizer

Field Organizers work in key Congressional districts around the country. They work on a combination of issue campaigns and electoral campaigns, organizing and mobilizing constituents in a district with the objective of turning the district blue in '08. Field Organizers learn to recruit and manage volunteers, work with the media, do coalition outreach, generate grassroots support, fundraise, and do direct advocacy with elected officials on the local, state, and national levels.

For all positions:

Qualifications: Sound communication and motivational skills, work ethic, and a strong desire for political change are essential. We are looking for people who have a strong leadership background, and who are ready to take on a lot of responsibility. Previous field organizing or canvass experience is a plus, but not an absolute pre-requisite.

Expectations: Minimum commitment of one year for canvass directors, two years for field organizers. Campaign hours.
Salary/Benefits: Annual salary begins at $24,000 and increases commensurate with experience. Staff may opt into our health care plan.
Locations: Nationwide, ask recruiter for more details.
To apply for these positions you should email your Cover Letter and Resume to Patrick Sterns at psterns@grassrootscampaigns.com, or you can apply directly via the UPS career center. For more information contact Patrick Sterns at 206-329-4416

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

British versus American IPE

Students of International Political Economy may be interested in an essay by UCSB IPE Professor Benjamin J. Cohen, which was given as the keynote speech at the first International Political Economy Society meetings at Princeton in November 2006 (click here to download Cohen's essay). Professor Cohen discusses the differences in how IPE evolved in the United States and in Great Britain and the lack of communication between the two schools. Interestingly, I think most scholars would say that IPE at UPS fits the British school model better than the American one, perhaps reflecting the early influence of British professor Susan Strange and European Studies professor David Calleo.
Professor Cohen is writing a book (to be published by Princeton University Press) about the intellectual evolution of IPE.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

EU Summer Program: Turkey and the Balkans


Check out the new IES Summer program, "On Europe's Doorstep: Turkey and the Balkans." This intensive 7-week foreign study program is based at the IES EU program in Freiberg, Germany and includes a 10-day field study tour to Turkey. Click here for more details. Contact the International Programs office for additional information about this unique program.

London Summer Study/Internship Opportunity


The Deadline is fast approaching for the Hansard Scholars Programme, a summer study program in London that includes classes at the London School of Economics and an internship in the Houses of Parliament or with another government or NGO group. Click here for more information. Contact the International Programs office for additional information.