At our March 2026 Open House, UR’s honor society chapter for Global Studies inducted 18 new members. Graduating seniors were presented their gold honor cords and membership certificates from outgoing Senior Sigma Iota Rho (SIR) Chapter President, Eric Waligora, and Dr. Yvonne Howell, Global Studies Faculty Coordinator.
New 2026-2027 academic year SIR officers are:
Matt Orsagh is co-founder of the Arketa Institute for Post-Growth Finance. A former Senior Director of Capital Markets at the CFA Institute, today Matt Orsagh is part of a rapidly evolving network of economists, environmental scientists, and people – young and old – looking for ways to realize a world of abundance by embracing our limits.
This event will raise questions, provoke discussion, and provide inspiration for a path forward. How do we redefine prosperity and abundance beyond GPD and wealth accumulation at the top? Why do we need a world economy that operates within planetary boundaries, and how do we get there? Why will climate action based on “green growth” and energy efficiency actually undermine sustainability in most areas? Globally, birth rates are in sharp decline, but we’re still chasing after infinite economic growth. How can we create a post-growth world by design, rather than by disaster?
Matt Orsagh is the author of a trending Substack and numerous podcasts. Join us for Matt’s introductory presentation and a lively discussion with the audience to follow. Event sponsored by the Global Studies program, the Robins School of Business, and the Global Environmental Speaker Series.
Michelle Kahn, associate professor of history, won the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians Book Prize for her book Foreign in Two Homelands: Racism, Return Migration, and Turkish-German History.
David Brandenberger, professor of history and global studies, published Stalin’s Usable Past, which analyzes Stalin’s role in rewriting Soviet history to emphasize a thousand-year legacy before the 1917 Revolution and reshape Soviet identity.
David Brandenberger, professor of history and global studies, published “‘Basically, it’s a History of the Russian State’: Russocentrism, Etatism, and the Ukrainian Question in Stalin’s Editing of the 1937 Short History of the USSR” in Nationalities Papers.
David Brandenberger, professor of history and global studies, presented “The Foundations of Russian Statehood: An Analysis of the New ‘Civilizationism’ Curriculum in Russia’s Higher Educational Institutions” at a conference hosted by the Polish Academy of Sciences’ Institute of History. The paper analyzes a new mandatory civics course taught today in all Russian colleges and universities.
University of Richmond undergraduates in good standing are eligible for up to $5,000 in funding for one approved summer research or internship experience. UR Summer Fellowships support students in pursuing meaningful, faculty-mentored research or internships that align with their academic and professional goals, in any field and anywhere in the world. These experiences enhance classroom learning, prepare students for top graduate programs, and help them gain valuable professional skills.
With 400+ presenters across 30 disciplines, the annual University of Richmond event transforms campus into a forum for discovery, creativity, and collaboration.
Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Mailing address:
Global Studies Program
Carole Weinstein International Center, Room 304
211 Richmond Way
University of Richmond, VA 23173
Phone: (804) 484-1472
Fax: (804) 484-1577
Program Coordinator: Dr. Yvonne Howell
Academic Administrative Coordinator: Lynn Hardwicke