| A Message from our Office
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| Message from David Dumke, GPII Executive Director
Global Implications of the Inflation Reduction Act
What is beyond dispute is that China’s global influence has expanded rapidly under the banner of the Belt and Road Initiative, with economic tentacles moving across South Asia, into Africa, and beyond. While many analysts have rebuked Beijing for implementing an exploitive strategy which mostly ignores governance, human rights, and rule of law issues, others – including this author – have noted that you can’t beat something with nothing. And in recent years it seems Washington has lacked a cohesive strategy for dealing with new geopolitical realities.
However, last August President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. The massive bill, which includes a $369 billion investment in energy security and climate change provisions, was hailed as a major domestic legislative accomplishment, indeed a priority for the Administration. The IRA represents the largest investment ever in climate change, conservation, green energy, and retooling America’s manufacturing base. With all the goodies tucked into IRA, the United States is on track to cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50% from 2005 by 2030. At the same time, the bill aims to create millions of new jobs in the clean energy and tech sectors; it has already reportedly created 100,000.
“The business of America is business.” President Calvin Coolidge’s famous quote has proved quite durable. Business and the economic strength have long been the foundation of U.S. global influence: agriculture and food stuffs, automobiles, appliances, energy, pharmaceuticals, computers and technology, even commercialized pop culture and fast food restaurants. Years ago, stepping off a Ford bus near China’s Great Wall, I was greeted not by an eager historian but by a large billboard featuring Colonel Sanders, arguably America’s most well-traveled diplomat. KFC aside, the point remains that business has been the harbinger of American influence abroad.
“If you build it, they will come.” Although not advertised as a foreign policy bill, the IRA is already having enormous international implications. Indeed, if the IRA achieves even half of its expected deliverables, the newer, greener, more sustainable business model constructed by Washington will have more global impact than any policy decision implemented in decades. This was part of the message delivered to UCF students and faculty recently by Dr. Frances Colón, who is a member of the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology. Colón is also the Senior Director of Climate Policy at Washington’s Center for American Progress.
Colón and other proponents note that while the IRA makes massive government investments, what it really does is provide the necessary incentives for private-sector industry to transform America’s industrial base, and in so doing forcing global competitor to react similarly lest they risk being left in history’s dustbin. This will have enormous impact on industrial processes and products, the labor market, and global trade. It could very well have more long-term impact on climate change and the environment than any climate agreement.
The point being that while American citizens will certainly benefit from jobs and tax credits, reduced greenhouse gases, a cleaner more sustainable energy mix, and a healthier environment, the IRA is transforming global industry and economics. Europe and Asia are debating how to respond to the IRA, and others, trade partners and competitors alike, will be forced to move swiftly and boldly to keep pace with the United States.
From Russia, without love. The IRA’s timing also comes as Russia finds itself locked in an increasingly deadly and draining war in Ukraine. What was supposed to be an easy Russian victory has turned into a costly quagmire. Moscow’s invasion brought a renewed sense of unity and purpose to NATO. Vladimir Putin’s attempt to use the EU’s reliance on Russian natural gas as a weapon to undermine the West caused short-term harm. But counterintuitively, it created a path for Europe to wean itself off Moscow’s fossil fuels. It has strengthened and sped up the EU’s shift to renewable energy. To be certain, Russia will remain a major international player, economic and otherwise, after the Ukrainian conflict is resolved. But it will be forced to adjust to new economic realities due to its own short-term decision-making. This includes the drive to cleaner energy and new supply chains, as well as implications of the IRA and the inevitable policy changes other nations will implement in response to it.
Global Perspectives & International Initiatives has facilitated dialog, research, partnerships, lectures, and other activities looking at the water-energy-food nexus, and its implications on geopolitics. Geopolitics are never static. With the IRA, Washington has implemented a new global strategy, not just an important domestic policy.
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– David Dumke, Executive Director, UCF Global Perspectives & International Initiatives
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GPII Hosts Jeff Nussbaum, Former Special Assistant and Senior Speechwriter to President Joe Biden
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On Tuesday, March 28, UCF’s Office of Global Perspectives and International Initiatives (GPII) had the privilege of hosting Jeff Nussbaum, former Special Assistant and Senior Speechwriter to President Joe Biden and author of Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History.
Nussbaum sat down with GPII interns Mohamedameen Osman and Chandler Kuiper for a student podcast before meeting with students, faculty and staff from the UCF Department of Writing and Rhetoric to discuss his time as a political speechwriter. The day concluded with an open to the public event at the Fairwinds Alumni Center titled: Conversation with Jeff Nussbaum, where Nussbaum spoke further about his book and career, answered questions from the audience, and ended the day with a book signing.
Juliet Brown, a journalism student at UCF’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media, attended and wrote on the event. You can read her article in MSM Today. WUCF-TV’s Global Perspective Show featuring Nussbaum airs April 23.
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GPII Welcomes Representatives Jason Altmire and Mimi Walters to UCF
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GPII is incredibly thrilled to have collaborated with Former Members of Congress, Congress to Campus Program, to host Congressman Jason Altmire and Congresswoman Mimi Walters at UCF. In the two days they spent at UCF, the Representatives visited several classes and engaged with students in a healthy bipartisan dialogue on current domestic and global issues ranging from health to diplomacy and foreign affairs.
The visit also included a trip to UCF Downtown where the Representative joined students and faculty from the School of Global Health Management & Informatics for a lunch discussion session and toured the impressive campus with Dr. Ross Wolf, Associate Provost of the UCF Downtown campus.
Finally, the Representatives had the opportunity to partake in an impactful conversation on their careers and journey with members of UCF’s International Business Alliance & the International Relations Club.
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Dr. Frances Colon, Member of the White House Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Visits UCF
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UCF’s Office of Global Perspectives and International Initiatives (GPII) organized a series of events with Dr. Frances Colón revolving around science, climate change, diplomacy and policymaking. During her two-day visit, Dr. Colón engaged with community partners at a private dinner and with students and faculty in a full house event at the Student Union.
Dr. Colón is currently a member of the White House Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and a senior director for International Climate Policy at American Progress. She formerly served as Deputy Adviser on Science and Technology to the U.S. Secretary of State. She has represented U.S. at global climate change and environmental conferences and summits and is an advocate for the global advancement of women in science.
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Puerto Rico Research Hub’s Latest News
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The Puerto Rico Research Hub (PRRH) continues to be the center for activities and research impacting the Puerto Rican population and the Central Florida community.
The Puerto Rico Baseball Day made headlines in UCF’s Pegasus Magazine hosting its second Puerto Rico Baseball Day in partnership with Major League Baseball, the UCF Athletic Department, UCF Baseball, and UCF Global. The day recognized and celebrated Puerto Rico’s rich baseball heritage, Florida’s unique connection to baseball, and the Central Florida Puerto Rican community.
Read more
Additionally, the Hub’s Research Team lead by Dr. Fernando I. Rivera in collaboration with the Urban Institute and other institutions concluded their research on receiving communities and climate migration. The research can be accessed below.
Read more
Dr. Rivera was also part of the committee members who put together a Consensus Study Report to identify, select, and engage with communities in support of The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report aims to strengthen community resilience, the Enhancing Community Resilience (EnCoRe) initiative. Click below for full report.
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GPII's Student Interns Travel to Washington, D.C.
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GPII interns Mohamedameen Osman, Gianfranco Machado and Chandler Kuiper visited Washington D.C. with members of the International Relations Club at UCF to meet with members of the State Department. The group visited several sites of historic and political importance in the nation’s capital, to include a tour of the Capitol Building, the emblem of democracy and the embodiment of history, sponsored by Representative Maxwell Frost.
The group also explored the headquarters of the US Department of State, meeting with employees and interns to learn more about employment in the foreign services. They had the privilege of meeting with Brian I. McCleary who, in an illustrious career, has served as a commercial counselor in the U.S. Diplomatic missions in South Africa, Nigeria, Russia, Pakistan, and Iraq. He also has served as a regional commercial counselor in Finland with responsibilities in both Norway and Estonia. He currently acts as the Liaison Officer to Joint Staff for the Global Engagement Center (GEC), a division in the State Department responsible for leading and unifying U.S. federal government initiatives to identify and combat adversary propaganda and disinformation campaigns intended to weaken the United States and its allies. After offering mentoring advice and speaking on internships and other student opportunities, McCleary presented the club members with the opportunity to tour the National Museum of American Diplomacy, helped in funding through GPII’s very own, Ambassador Elam-Thomas!
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Dr. Zeynap Arda Presents at UCF LIFE
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On Wednesday, March 29th, Dr. Zeynep Arda was invited to be a guest speaker at an event held by the Learning Institute for Elders (LIFE) at UCF. LIFE offers a wide range of lectures and events that introduce contemporary challenges and elaborate on current topics to improve the lives of older persons in Central Florida. Dr. Arda discussed her research Who are we in the face of technology?
Dr. Arda commented on the use of social media to extend one’s abilities outside of the natural; “it extends our voice like a microphone—we become available 24/7, however, this makes our time less valuable,” she stated. She also discussed the future of AI and how it can impact digital media specialists such as herself, asking the audience what they believed to be the future of digital media.
“The 2015 Oxford word of the year wasn’t a word at all; it was an image; to be specific, the 'Face with Tears of Joy' emoji. However, we should ask ourselves, was everyone laughing across the world?” Arda said. She challenged the audience to analyze media and to ensure they are not overly conscious of their digital image, hoping to cultivate a healthier distinction between the developer and the designer.
Dr. Arda is GPII’s Non-Resident Fellow and an Associate Professor and the former Department Chair in the Visual Communication Design Department, Izmir University of Economics, Turkey.
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| Global Perspectives TV Show
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WUCF-TV’s Global Perspectives Hosts Dr. Roberto Hugh Potter, Director of UCF’s Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery
David Dumke sits with Roberto Hugh Potter, a professor and Sociologist at the University of Central Florida who also serves as the director of UCF’s Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery. Potter’s work is oriented towards assisting governments and community-based organizations in solving social problems. Potter’s specialties include evaluation of justice, family welfare, and evaluation methods for management development in the criminal justice system, with research interest in human trafficking.
Start Watching
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WUCF-TV's Global Perspectives Interview With Senator David Van, Member of the Liberal Party of Australia
David Dumke sits with Senator David Van, member of the Liberal Party of Australia, representing the Victoria region. He was assigned a party role as "patron" for the Labor-held House seat of Dunkley. Van has worked to ensure projects of national significance are properly maintained. Dumke and Senator Van discussed the U.S. relations with Australia, the Chinese threat in Asia, the war in Ukraine, and trade among other pressing global issues.
Start Watching
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GPII Interns and Fellows scour the global news to write about what is happening in a specific issue area or region. Each post includes multiple sources and gives a brief recount of a timely event. Check out these articles:
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Chandler Kuiper, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Intern
Oman's historically good ties with the West and Iran, cultural affinity with other Gulf Arab States, neutrality in the Shia/Sunni sectarian split, and strategic geographic location have given it an exceptionally flexible geopolitical position in the wider MENA region. Oman has used this to great effect in regional hotspots like Yemen, where it has been able to serve as a mediator between the warring sides.
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C. Morgan Ellinor, Terrorism Studies Intern
After two decades out of power, the Taliban has reinstated its control over Afghanistan, creating a motif of their past tyrannical policies implemented to marginalize religious minorities as well as women and girls. The Taliban is banning women from public locations such as parks, gyms and most recently, schools. Women have also been revoked the right to work in most fields and are once again mandated to wear strict full body covering. As of now, it is uncertain specifically how the world powers are going to respond in retaliation to the Taliban’s policies, or what will become of the Afghan women.
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Alyona Loguntsova, Human Trafficking & Modern Slavery Intern
The article discusses the negative effects of unchecked exploitation in the porn industry, using the example of GirlsDoPorn and Ruben Andre Garcia. GirlsDoPorn was a porn company that recruited women by scamming them into believing they were being scouted for modeling, but then coerced them into performing in pornographic videos. Many of these videos were later sold to Pornhub and uploaded without the consent of the women involved. Although conspirators from GirlsDoPorn pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges, none of the executives of Pornhub, which financially and legally partnered with GirlsDoPorn, have faced legal consequences. This highlights that the porn industry often only takes action to stop abuses when faced with legal action or negative press.
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AND INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
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Phone: 407.823.2337 | Fax: 407.823.2526
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