MIRA celebrates federal court orders blocking travel ban

MIRA celebrates federal court orders blocking travel ban

BOSTON, March 16, 2017 – Federal courts have blocked the Trump administration’s travel ban, finding that even though the new Executive Order (EO) is slightly different, it is motivated by religious bias, just like the EO that was struck down in January.

The U.S. District Court for Hawaii issued a temporary restraining order yesterday after finding that the new EO, signed on March 6,  clearly violates of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The court issued a national order blocking the administration from halting the issuance of visas to refugees and citizens of six Muslim countries.

This morning, the U.S. District Court for Maryland issued a similar decision, blocking portions of the EO. Both courts relied largely on the administration’s own statements as evidence of that the travel ban was motivated by a clear anti-Muslim bias.

“We are heartened to see the federal courts continue to stand up for the Constitution and block this administration’s bigoted and unlawful actions,” said Eva Millona, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. “The travel ban goes against everything we stand for as Americans: religious freedom, equality and common decency. No matter how much the  administration tries to cover its tracks with neutral language, it cannot escape its many public anti-Muslim statements. These court orders are a victory for the Constitution and for American values.”

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has joined Washington and Minnesota in a similar lawsuit against this EO pending before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. While that suit led to the Temporary Restraining Order stopping the January 27 EO, it is possible that the Washington court might suspend that hearing until there is a final decision in the Hawaii case. “We are grateful for Attorney General Healey’s strong leadership on this issue,” Millona said.

AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN RELATED BEAL AND CITGO

AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN RELATED BEAL AND CITGO

BOSTON - Wednesday, March 15, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced an agreement has been reached between Related Beal and CITGO that will ensure the CITGO sign remains in Kenmore Square. "I applaud Related Beal and CITGO for their willingness to come together in a collaborative way that will benefit the entire city," said Mayor Walsh. "The CITGO sign has become an important part of the community and I am delighted that both sides were able to agree on terms that will allow the sign to stay where it is." Mayor Walsh met with both parties yesterday and offered space in City Hall as a neutral negotiation location until they reached a resolution. The agreement was reached this afternoon at City Hall. Kimberly Sherman Stamler, President of Related Beal, said, "We are pleased to have reached a resolution where the sign will remain in place for decades to come and are grateful for the Mayor's leadership. We look forward to again collaborating with the City of Boston on plans for the redevelopment of Kenmore Square and to bringing increased economic activity, hundreds of jobs and a marquee office location to the area."  "Like many of the communities in which we operate, CITGO has a deep connection with Boston, and the CITGO Sign is an important part of that history," said Rick Esser, Vice President of Supply and Marketing for CITGO. "We are proud that the CITGO sign has become a beacon in the Boston skyline and we are grateful to Mayor Walsh for his leadership in bringing the parties together. This agreement ensures that the sign will continue to shine brightly for years to come. "

3/26「遠方有歌聲」女高音曾莉涵與劍橋合唱團演繹中文民歌

3/26「遠方有歌聲」女高音曾莉涵與劍橋合唱團演繹中文民歌

女高音曾莉涵將於3月26日（周日）下午4:30在波士頓第一教會（First Church in Boston, 66 Marlborough
St, Boston, MA）舉行「遠方有歌聲」音樂會，與鋼琴家吉丹、中提琴家林蓁、和MIT劍橋合唱團合作中文民歌與藝術歌曲。曲目包括燕子、在那遙遠的地方、康定情歌、杜鵑花、踏雪尋梅、青春舞曲等。音樂會採自由捐獻入場，座位有限，請準時到場。

曾莉涵是阿拉巴馬大學聲樂博士，致力於室內樂、獨唱、合唱、歌劇的演出。現為波士頓第一教堂的常任歌唱家，並任教於波士頓的New School
of Music 與EKS Studio。連絡請洽lihanlilytseng@gmail.com

IAICS call for paper

 The 23rd International Conference of the International

Association for Intercultural Communication Studies

(IAICS)

Call for Papers

Conference Time: June 6-8, 2017

Conference Venue & Host: Macao Polytechnic Institute, Macao

Conference Theme: “Languages and Cultures in a Globalizing World:

Diversity, Interculturality, Hybridity”

In today's world, globalization erases boundaries and leads to increased contact among various languages and cultures. While human contact and migration have always been present throughout history, e.g., on the Silk Road, today's media and transport capacities facilitate contact and communication to an exponentially greater extent than ever before. As a consequence, the phenomena of diversity, interculturality and hybridity are intensified. Juxtaposed to increased contact ensuing from globalization are both the positive and negative aspects of the protectionist efforts of localism. The theme of this conference seeks to examine the context of these problems within the spheres of education, language, culture, and society.

Conference Goals:

l To provide scholars, educators and practitioners from different cultural communities with opportunities to interact, network and benefit from each other’s research and expertise related to intercultural communication issues;

l To synthesize research perspectives and foster interdisciplinary scholarly dialoguesfor developing integrated approaches to complex problems of communication across cultures;

l To advance the methodology for intercultural communication research and disseminate practical findings to facilitate understanding across cultures;

l To foster global intercultural sensitivity and involve educators, business professionals, students and other stakeholders worldwide in the discourse about diversity and transcultural communication issues.

 Topic areas are broadly defined as, but not limited to, the following:

Cosmopolitanismin culture	Intercultural communication and cosmopolitanism
Cosmopolitanismin literature	Time and space in culture / literature
Language and culture	Intercultural communication and nationality
Language and identity	Comparative culture
Cultural identity Cultural hybridity Interculturality in literature	Intercultural communication and interculturality Diversity studies Language Teaching as Intercultural Communication
Media and interculture	Internet intercultural communication
Multi cultures and interculturality	Intercultural communication competence
Culture and travel writing	Intercultural education
Crosscultural encounters	Interculture and human resource management
Comparative poetics	Interculture and public policy
Comparative literature	Transnational enterprises and intercultural communication
Imagology	Cultural study theories
Literature and religion	Culture and diplomacy
Literature and film	Language planning and policy
Translation studies	Intercultural pragmatics

Guidelines for Submissions

l Abstract, 100-150words in English, including positions, affiliations, email addresses and mailing addresses for all authors.Times New Roman 12 pt font size, single spaced.

l Panel proposals reflecting the conference theme may be submitted. Panel proposals should includea 100-150 word abstract of each panelist's paper(as above) and panelists must each individually complete the registration process(as below).

l The submissions will be evaluated by peer-review.There is a cap of 300 participants in the joint conference (see "Joint Conference" and registration information below).

Deadline: Please submit abstractsand panel proposals by 28thFebruary, 2017.

Conference Working Language:English

Joint Conference: The 23rd IAICS Conference is held in conjunction with the 6th International Conference onEnglish, Discourse, and Intercultural Communication(EDIC), PartI (Macao), June 6th-8th, 2017,followed by 6th EDIC Part II (Xinjiang), June 9th-11th, 2017. For information on EDIC Part II (Xinjiang),please contact the Xinjiang conference organizers.

Submission to:For correct registration, please follow this two-step procedure:

1) register and submit abstract online at http://edic.ipm.edu.mo,  then

2) forward the computer-generated email you receive from the online registration with your registration number to ics@stu.edu.cn 

Registration Fee: Waived.However, participants should arrange their own accommodation.

Online Information:http://www.uri.edu/iaics/, http://edic.ipm.edu.mo/

Sample Abstract

The Development and Validation of the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale

Guo-Ming CHEN, Ph.D.

Department of Communication Studies

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI 02881, USA

Email:gmchen@uri.edu

The present study developed and assessed reliability and validity of a new instrument, the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS). Based on a review of the literature, 44 items thought to be important for intercultural sensitivity were generated for the purpose of analyses in this study. A sample of 414 college students rated these items and generated a 24-item final version of the instrument which contains five factors. An assessment of concurrent validity from 162 participants indicated that the ISS was significantly correlated with other related scales, including interaction attentiveness, impression rewarding, self-esteem, self-monitoring, and perspective taking. In addition, the predicted validity test from 174 participants showed that individuals with high ISS scores also scored high in intercultural effectiveness and intercultural communication attitude scales.

Female Leadership in Chinese Societies across Sectors Call for Submissions

Female Leadership in Chinese Societies across Sectors
Call for Submissions
This special section of China Media Research invites scholars from diverse perspectives and
approaches to submit manuscripts on the theme of “Female Leadership in Chinese Societies across
Sectors.” Female political and economic status has been promoted because of the equal rights efforts
and education. Most notions of women’s empowerment presume a democratic system of
participatory deliberation. Feminist and women’s studies should continue to explore the possibilities
and roles of women in political systems, economic arenas, and academic fields. These areas are
influenced both by modernist (and even postmodern) notions of political, economic, and academic
engagement and deeply embedded in folk culture and philosophical prescriptions. This special
section aims to present such an opportunity and explore the ways in which women leaders both resist
and accommodate traditional expectations of leadership and power.
This special section is especially interested in the studies that address, but are not limited to, the
following topics:
 Female leadership and communication styles in the decision-making or/and conflict
management process;
 The impact of cultural values on female leadership;
 The unique challenges and opportunities female leaders confront;
 Female leaders’ rise to power;
 The possibilities for women’s leadership in a single-party system;
 The possibilities for women’s empowerment when a paternal central government is the
expectation;
 The impact of digital and interactive media technologies on female leadership;
 Various theoretical models developed for the studies of female leadership;
 Comparative studies of female leadership;
 Female leadership in non-profit organizations;
 Female leadership in academe
The preference is given to studies on Chinese settings, but studies in all countries are welcome
especially for cross cultural comparative studies. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are
welcome in this submission.
Submissions must not have been previously published nor be under consideration by another
publication. An extended abstract (up to 1,000 words) or a complete paper at the first stage of the
reviewing process will be accepted. All the submissions must be received by March 31, 2017. If the
extended abstract is accepted, the complete manuscript must be received by May 31, 2017.
Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with APA publication manual (6th edition) and should
not exceed 8,000 words including tables and references. All manuscripts will be peer reviewed and
the authors will be notified of the final acceptance/rejection decision. Please visit
http:www.chinamediaresearch.net for more information about the quarterly journal of China
Media Research, which publishes both print and online versions.
Please direct questions and submissions to the CMR special section guest editor, Dr. Joy Chao, at
joychao100@hotmail.com

MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR GUS BICKFORD NAMED TO DNC TRANSITION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR GUS BICKFORD NAMED TO DNC TRANSITION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

BOSTON – This afternoon, the Democratic National Committee announced that Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Gus Bickford was named to the Party’s Transition Advisory Committee. 

"I look forward to collaborating with Chairman Perez and Deputy Chair Ellison as we work to move our Party forward, give voice to the millions of Americans marginalized by the current Presidential Administration, and combat the dangerous Republican agenda,” said Chair Bickford. “Now is the time for us all to come together as a Party and advance the Democratic values and the programs working families rely on to get ahead."

The Advisory Committee is made up of a wide group of leaders, activists, and organizers who represent various parts of the Democratic Party. The team is charged with providing concrete suggestions and advice on building a Party that reaches into and represents every corner of the nation. 

“Our Democratic turnaround will be a success because everyone has a seat at the table,” said DNC Chair Tom Perez. “So I’m honored to have such a talented and diverse group of leaders guiding our transition process. Together we’ll right the ship and get the Democratic Party in a position to take the fight to Donald Trump and the Republican Party and win.”

This announcement comes on the heels of last week’s rollout of the Democratic Turnaround Tour, which will take Chair Perez and DNC Deputy Chair Representative Keith Ellison to Michigan, Texas, Virginia, and New Jersey to share their vision for turning around the Democratic Party from the ground up by prioritizing sustained local organizing through state parties. 

Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley to host the Irish Flag Raising

Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley and Consul-General Fionnuala Quinlan will host the Irish Flag Raising at Boston City Hall. The reception will be in the Curley Room followed by the raising of the Irish flag on City Hall Plaza. The event will include performances by Boston Latin School’s Treble Choir and Mary Heavey Quinn’s Irish Step Dancers.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Statement on Federal Stay on Travel Ban

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Statement on Federal Stay on Travel Ban

Washington, DC—Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) released the statement below after U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu issued a nationwide stay temporarily preventing the Trump Administration’s travel ban from going into effect:

“Hawaiʻi is a place where people with different ideas, backgrounds, religions, and ethnicities feel welcomed and respected. It's only right that our Attorney General Doug Chin represent those values in working to stop this blanket travel ban from going into effect. This travel ban is bad policy, plain and simple.”