Einaudi Center for International Studies
Trump Presidency Could Damage Economy if He Weakens Democracy
Tom Pepinsky, SEAP
“People interested in making a large investment will be less likely to do it unless they can curry favor with the president himself. There will be some who stand to benefit but the average American will lose,” says Tom Pepinsky, professor of government.
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Low Consumer Spending in China Hinders Economy There and Abroad
Lourdes Casanova, LACS/GPV
“For U.S. companies like Apple, Nike, Microsoft, KFC, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Tesla or General Motors, to name a few, China is a big market. Any increase or decrease in consumption in China can influence their bottom line,” says Lourdes Casanova, senior lecturer of management.
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Mexico Supreme Court Justice Announces Resignation, More Expected
Gustavo Flores-Macías, LACS
Gustavo Flores-Macias, professor of government, says “He's making a point in his resignation letter to highlight the importance of the judiciary remaining beyond the political tides of the moment.”
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What the Surging Price of Gold Says About a Dangerous World
Nicholas Mulder, IES
Nicholas Mulder, professor of history, discusses the price of gold.
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Migratory Birds Fly into a Miasma of Human Making
Andrew Farnsworth, Migrations
Andrew Farnsworth, visiting scientist at the Lab of Ornithology, discusses avian timetables.
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Global Internships and Laidlaw
Students Showcase International Work
Over 70 undergraduates learned career-shaping lessons in the field last summer. Find out how to apply for 2025 Global Internships and Laidlaw.
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The (Im)possiblity of Immigration Reform?
November 8, 2024
8:30 am
Law School, 184 Myron Taylor Hall
The Cornell International Law Journal is hosting a symposium to honor Professor Stephen Yale-Loehr's career in immigration law. The event will cover topics such as the current state of asylum law, immigrants and the economy, and the need for increased legal representation for immigrants. Additionally, there will be a lighthearted roast of Professor Yale-Loehr and opportunities for networking during lunch and the reception. Articles presented during the symposium will be published in an upcoming issue of the Cornell International Law Journal.
Please visit website to register to attend in person or via webinar.
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Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Migrations Program
Fish Biodiversity Benefits Household Nutrition
Kathryn Fiorella in World in Focus
Migrations Program director Kathryn Fiorella coauthored an article, “Commercially Traded Fish Portfolios Mask Household Utilization of Biodiversity in Wild Food Systems,” in the peer-reviewed journal PNAS.
“Natural resource–dependent households rely on surrounding biodiversity for their food and income. Explicating the ways households use biodiversity is critical to appreciating the true value of diverse ecosystems.”
Households living near rice field fisheries in Cambodia eat a much wider cross-section of their fish catch (43% of local species) than they take to market to sell (only 9%).
“Poorer households also consumed more species, underscoring how wild food systems may most benefit the vulnerable,” the article concludes. The results highlight the food security consequences of biodiversity loss—for families, communities, and global food systems.
The team's research integrated surveys of households and ecological sites collected over three years in the freshwater Tonlé Sap lake system in Cambodia. Cornell Chronicle coverage noted that the study—part of Cornell's 2030 Project—is one of the first to examine how diet and biodiversity interact in a wild food system.
Culinary habits are part of the reason why larger fish are more often sold, Fiorella said. “We tend to eat them as fillets, which tend to have a slightly lower nutrient content than some of the small fish where people are eating the head and the bones,” she said. To boost their household income, people sell the popular but less nutritious fish, and eat the more nutritious fish at home.
Kathryn Fiorella is director of Einaudi's Migrations Program and an associate professor of public and ecosystem health in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Featured in World in Focus Briefs
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Advancing Digital Agriculture in Nigeria: Innovations, Scalability Challenges, & Policy-Interventions
November 20, 2024
12:20 pm
Warren Hall, 175
Fall 2024 Harry ’51 and Joshua ’49 Tsujimoto Perspectives in Global Development Seminar Series
Register to attend via Zoom.
Abstract
Agriculture remains integral to Nigeria’s economy, accounting for 24% of the GDP and employing 38% of the workforce. Despite this, widespread multidimensional poverty impacts millions reliant on agriculture for their livelihoods. Driven by rapid adoption of mobile phones and increased access to internet connectivity, digital agriculture (DA) promises to unlock opportunities to boost productivity, enhance food security, and build resilience against climate crises. DA innovations such as mobile-based extension models, digital marketplaces, financial solutions, and shared mechanization services, offer smallholder farmers tools to sustainably improve yields, reduce losses, and optimize resource use. However, as an emerging sub-sector, DA in Nigeria faces key barriers, including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to finance and weak policy and regulatory environment. Based on ongoing research with several faculty members at Cornell University, this seminar explores Nigeria’s DA ecosystem, highlighting innovative use cases, scalability challenges, and critical policy interventions needed to advance digital transformation in agriculture.
About the speaker
John B. Babadara is a development expert with about a decade of experience working to transform agrifood systems in Africa. He has led and supported complex, multi-stakeholder programs that create value and spur innovation in agriculture, climate adaptation, circular economy and rural entrepreneurship in Africa. He is the co-founder and managing partner of AceAgric Agritech, a management consulting firm, and the founder of Tomatrix Postharvest Innovation for Nutrition (TOPIN), a social enterprise which addresses rural poverty and food loss through value-added agro-processing. John champions sustainable development through policy intervention, innovation management and social entrepreneurship. In recognition of his significant contributions to agrifood systems in Nigeria, he was awarded the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship at Cornell University in 2022 by the US Department of State. Babadara holds a BSc. (ED) in Biology from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Federal University of Dutsin-MA, Nigeria.
Seminar co-sponsors
Cornell Institute for Digital AgricultureInstitute for African Development in the Cornell Einaudi Center for International StudiesAbout the seminar series
The Harry ’51 & Joshua ’49 Tsujimoto Perspectives in Global Development Seminar Series showcases innovative approaches to development with experts from around the globe. Each year, the series attracts online registrants from over 45 countries and more than 350 organizations.
Seminars are held Wednesdays from 12:20-1:10 p.m. eastern time during the semester in 175 Warren Hall. Students, faculty and the general public are welcome to attend in-person or via Zoom.
The series is co-sponsored by the Department of Global Development, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, and the School of Integrative Plant Science as part of courses GDEV 4961, AEM 4961, NTRES 4961, GDEV 6960, AEM 6960, and NTRES 6960.
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Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Institute for African Development
Landscape Architecture Fall 2024 Lecture Series: Ketevan Gurchiani
November 12, 2024
5:00 pm
175 Warren Hall
Join us in 175 Warren Hall for a lecture with Ketevan Gurchiani, Professor of Anthropology at Ilia State University in Tbilisi. This lecture is titled "On Hidden Power of Trees: Urban Resistance in Tbilisi." This event is co-sponsored by the Institute for European Studies and Einaudi Center for International Studies, Part of Global Cornell.
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Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Institute for European Studies