"Democracy, Stunted: The U.S. Liberal Hegemonic Projection and the Making of Japanese Conservative One-Party Dominance in Cold War Asia"

The interplay of conflicting forces in the US Occupation and in Japan set the basic parameters within which postwar Japanese politics unfolded -captured by the contradiction of a puppet democracy. The United States, on the other hand, as a liberal hegemon, preferred the new Japan to embody a liberal, anti-communist variety of democracy, ideally based on a pluralist competition of the ruling elites, but as a hegemon, it could live with the emergence of a unified hegemonic party of these conservative elites, if that was what it took to block the leftist parties that stirred up the untamed Japanese masses with a call for an anti-imperialist democratic action from coming to power. By mastering the American language of democracy, the Japanese conservative elites were able to reconsolidate their hegemonic position within Japanese domestic politics against the leftist proponents of egalitarian and participatory democracy. The fact that the eftist parties have never jettisoned their pacifism and chose instead to give up the chance to win power has often been criticized as irresponsible and hypocritical by the trans-Pacific political and academic elites, but by doing so, the leftist parties saved Japanese democracy and peace from the diktats of the American hegemon.

Feeling overwhelmed by endless notifications and screen time? Hit pause and join us for a digital detox lunch! Bring your own lunch! Monday, April 27 from 11:30am to 1:00pm in the ISA HQ (located in the Garden Level of the International Center).

Join us for the International Student Graduation Celebration; a special event honoring the achievements of our graduating international students. This celebration is a chance for students to share their success and pride with the campus community. Graduates are welcome to invite their friends, family, co‑workers, supervisors, and professors to celebrate this milestone together.
 

Love to travel? Interested in living abroad after graduation? Curious about exploring other cultures?

MSU students and recent graduates are invited to this Fulbright US Student Program information session, which will be presented by MSU's Fulbright Program Advisor, Joy Campbell. The Fulbright is a competitive grant program sponsored by the US Department of State that provides funding for travel and living expenses; the competition is open to US citizens who hope to teach English, pursue graduate studies, or conduct research abroad after graduation. 

Session attendees will learn about the three types of Fulbright awards open to MSU students and recent graduates: English Teaching Assistant, Study, and Research grants. MSU's Fulbright Program Advisor will give an overview of the programs, discuss eligibility and benefits, then cover the various application requirements. 

Students typically work on applications the summer after junior year, applying in September of their senior year. It is also possible for recent alumni to apply. 

This session will be offered online:

• Join via Zoom:
  • https://msu.zoom.us/j/97010109101
  • Meeting ID:  970 1010 9101
  • Authentication: MSU email address required. If you have graduated and no longer have one, please contact Joy Campbell prior to the event to be added to the invitation list under your personal email. 

For more information, explore the MSU Fulbright website, and contact Joy Campbell with any questions. 

Go Green! Go White! Go Global!

Make your application stand out from the rest! Attend this workshop to learn how to browse Volunteer openings, find the right program, and strengthen your Peace Corps application. You will have an opportunity to ask questions about service, learn steps you can take to improve your chances, gain valuable tips to guide you through the application process, and receive personalized help and feedback on your application components. 

This session will be particularly helpful for Spartans hoping to apply for the next Peace Corps deadline. 

Please bring the following and/or be prepared to work on them during the workshop!

• Outline or draft of your motivation statement (if you have one—we will also have some brainstorming activities to get you started)
• A copy of your resume (or a Peace Corps-specific one if you have it drafted already!)
• Laptop, tablet, or good old-fashioned paper for brainstorming and drafting

Join us on Zoom:

• Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/97177256907
• Passcode: PCRO

For questions about this event, contact MSU's Peace Corps Recruiters at msupeace(at)msu.edu.

For more information about MSU's Peace Corps Recruitment Office, visit our website.

In-person OPT Presentation.