Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Freund Larus, who also is an adjunct fellow at Pacific Forum, an expert on China issues at the Pacific Forum, an American diplomatic think tank, told BBC Chinese that although the plan to use the PDA military transfer to Taiwan is in line with the US One China Policy, it shows that The U.S. seeks a peaceful resolution of Taiwan’s status, but that could hinder progress in U.S.-China relations. Read more.
Farnsworth Considers Impacts in Elections This Year
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, commented on divided government in an off-off year in The Connection Newspapers, and looked at how a long-standing labor law in Virginia could impact elections this year. He also talked about how other states are having an impact on Virginia Elections, and provided expertise on presidential candidates. Read more.
https://www.wvtf.org/news/2023-08-10/how-a-long-standing-labor-law-in-virginia-could-impact-elections-this-year
https://www.wvtf.org/news/2023-08-11/other-states-are-having-an-impact-on-virginia-elections
https://www.voanews.com/a/authenticity-charisma-count-for-us-presidential-candidates/7216901.html
https://www.theusnews.com/news/273926886/authenticitycharisma-count-forus-presidentialcandidates
https://www.wvtf.org/news/2023-08-09/abortion-is-likely-to-be-a-top-issue-on-the-campaign-trail-this-fall
Middleton Makes Leadership Fredericksburg Class of 2024
The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber is pleased to announce the Leadership Fredericksburg Class of 2024. Fellows will meet monthly from September 2023 through May 2024. Michael Middleton, assistant director of Student Activities & Leadership, has been named to Leadership Fredericksburg Class of 2024. Read more.
Frankel Provides Plenary Talk for FMC R&D Expo
Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tyler Frankel
Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tyler Frankel was invited to provide the opening plenary talk at the FMC Corporation R&D Expo in June 2023. Held at the Delaware Stine Research Facility, this two-day event gathered FMC scientists from around the world to learn about the latest innovations, share ideas and celebrate the company’s achievements. Frankel’s talk, titled “Developing and Applying Sensitive Methods To Assess Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals,” provided an overview of his ecotoxicology program over the last decade and highlighted the exciting research and collaborations currently being conducted alongside undergraduates at the University of Mary Washington. Dr. Frankel is also a recipient of the 2022 FMC New Investigator Award, which provides $50,000 in funds to support his research program.
Davidson Talks Alliances on WHRO Radio
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson was featured by WHRO Public Media in a With Good Reason Radio show segment titled “Entangling Alliances.” George Washington famously warned against the dangers of alliances in his Farewell Address, but Davidson said that despite Washington’s misgivings, America has relied on foreign alliances throughout its history. Hear the broadcast.
Turdean Joins James Monroe Museum Board
Associate Professor of Historic Preservation Cristina Turdean
Associate Professor of Historic Preservation Cristina Turdean has been appointed to the Board of Regents of the James Monroe Law Office Museum and Memorial Library by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Read more.
McClurken Receives Governor’s Board Appointment
Chief of Staff and Professor of History and American Studies Jeffrey W. McClurken
UMW Chief of Staff and Professor of History and American Studies Jeffrey McClurken has been appointed to the Board of Regents of the James Monroe Law Office Museum and Memorial Library by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Read more.
Farnsworth Lectures on Virginia Elections
Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently presented an online lecture, “Comparing Mark Warner’s 2001 and 2020 Elections: the Declining Influence of Rural Voters in Virginia’s Statewide Elections,” for the Sorensen Institute of the University of Virginia. The lecture was drawn from a book chapter, co-authored with Stephen P. Hanna, UMW professor of Geography, and Kate Seltzer, a 2021 graduate of UMW, that was recently published in the edited volume, Vibrant Virginia: Engaging the Commonwealth to Expand Economic Vitality (Virginia Tech Publishing, 2022).
Other recent news mentions for Farnsworth include:
Prospects of Third-Party Candidates in 2024 (ARD German Public Radio)
“It is pretty clear that many of the leaders of the No Labels movement are Republicans hoping to torpedo Joe Biden’s re-election campaign,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington.
In Prince William County, Data Centers Tangle Democratic Party Politics Ahead Of Fall Elections (DCist News)
But there’s a chance that frustration over the data center issue could chip away at Democrats’ advantage, according to Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “Every now and then, something like this comes along that really has the opportunity to scramble the more conventional politics,” he said, noting that land-use controversies often play that role in Northern Virginia.
https://dcist.com/story/23/07/27/as-an-example-of-the-prosperity-data-center-revenue-can-create/
This year’s legislative elections might be historically expensive (WVTF)
Stephen Farnsworth at the University of Mary Washington says that money will start flowing after Labor Day. “At that point, the parties will also know which candidates have raised a lot of money on their own, which candidates are showing real promise, which candidates may not be as good an investment,” Farnsworth says. “And so, when you start thinking about where to put your money, it really is a matter of triage. Where can that money do the most good?”
https://www.wvtf.org/news/2023-07-26/this-years-legislative-elections-might-be-historically-expensive
Why Virginia Is the State to Watch in the 2023 Elections (U.S. News)
“Youngkin is no longer the relatively unknown candidate of two years ago – he now has a conservative record that Democrats can run against,” says University of Mary Washington political scientist Stephen Farnsworth. In addition, Trump’s legal cases could keep him in the public eye in a way he wasn’t in the fall of 2021, potentially scaring Democratic voters to head to the polls.
With General Assembly up for grabs, disclosures show record amounts of campaign cash (WVTF)
The latest round of campaign finance disclosures saw a record amount of campaign cash for an off-year election, and Stephen Farnsworth at the University of Mary Washington says we’re just getting started. “Republicans have traditionally had the advantage in fundraising, but that has fallen away in recent years with Democratic gains in the legislature and in statewide offices,” Farnsworth says. “Youngkin gives Republicans a chance to fight in a very competitive way with respect to the amount of money that can be put into these campaigns.”
https://www.wvtf.org/news/2023-07-20/with-general-assembly-up-for-grabs-disclosures-show-record-amounts-of-campaign-cash
Rucker Named Interim Dean of Students at UVA
Cedric Rucker, associate vice president and dean of student life emeritus
UMW Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Emeritus Cedric Rucker has been asked to serve as Interim Dean of Students at the University of Virginia, where he returned to work in 2022 after a 33-year career at Mary Washington. Read more.
Larus Comments on German Media on Taiwan Military Exercises
Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus
Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Freund Larus, who also is an adjunct fellow at Pacific Forum, commented July 27 to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle on Taiwan’s 2023 Han Kuang military exercise and Wan An drills. Professor Larus indicated that this year’s exercise included air raid drills in which residents were directed to shelters. Despite these attempts at readiness, Taiwan is still unprepared for a military attack from China. Professor Larus also indicated that Chinese fighter jets now regularly cross the unofficial median line in the Taiwan Strait in an attempt to influence the Taiwan 2024 presidential election campaign, which is currently in full swing on the island. Professor Larus’ comments begin at 3 minutes into the program.
Other recent news mentions for Larus include:
Larus Comments on Arabic News on Secretary Yellen’s Visit to Beijing (Asharq Arabic News)
Elizabeth Freund Larus, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Adjunct Fellow at the Pacific Forum, commented to Asharq Arabic news that US business is putting tremendous pressure on the Biden administration to improve relations with China. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is seen as the Cabinet member most favorably disposed to China. Despite her efforts, however, a trade war, tit-for-tat sanctions, investigation of foreign due diligence firms in China, civil-military fusion, and Biden’s reference to Xi Jinping as a dictator, mean that most US businesses will continue to face headwinds in China. Watch the segment.
Larus Discusses Taiwan with German Scholars
Elizabeth Freund Larus, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs and Adjunct Fellow at Pacific Forum, discussed scenarios for the 2024 Taiwan presidential election at an invitation only roundtable in Munich, Germany on June 15, 2023. Professor Larus and the scholars agreed that the results of the elections, regardless of outcome, will significantly affect US-China relations.