Spring 2026
February 19, 2026
"Bend it: Queer Coding in South Asian Popular Culture and Law" by Professor Swethaa Balakrishnan
Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development and Professor of Law, UC-Irvine
12:00-1:00pm, 206 Ingraham Hall
Sponsored by the Global Legal Studies Center and the Center for South Asia
About the lecture:
In this Article, I use Bend It Like Beckham (“BILB” 2002, dir. Gurinder Chadha) as a starting point to critically theorize about law and the mainstream representation of queerness in South Asia. BILB follows the friendship of British Indian “Jess” Bhamra and Jules Paxton and their mutual passion for soccer. Although it was ripe with many queer undertones between the two lead characters, and despite many other nodes of subversion (raunchy humor by Indian aunties, girls playing sports, a tomboy Kiera Knightly in her first ever appearance!) the movie ended with a much less plausible suggestion of a hetero romance between Jess and her football coach. I use this movie to consider the subtle queer coding that was typical of cinematic representation of queer narratives – to be present in plain sight – that determined early queer South Asian representation and assumptions of legality and propriety.
International Women's Day
1:00pm-5pm, Gordon Dining and Event Center
UW-Madison
March 19, 2026
Lunch & Learn on Climate Change with Professor Jeremy Foltz, Professor of Agriculturel & Applied Economics, UW-Madison
"Climate Change and Conflict: Causal Evidene using New Mcahine Larning Methods
12:00-1:00pm, 3260 Law
About the lecture:
Armed conflict remains a major barrier to development and human security across Africa. We ask whether and how climate shocks affect conflict incidence by developing an integrated framework that combines high-resolution satellite data with machine-learning causal inference.
Sponored by the WI Initiative on Law & Climate Change, Global Legal Studies Center and Human Rights Program
__________
Fall 2025
September 16, 2025:
"In their Own Words: Liberty in North Korea"
Hannah Oh and Rose Jang
Noon-1:00pm
Lubar Commons (7200 Law), A light lunch will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sponsored by the East Asian Legal Studies Center, Center for East Asia and the Human Rights Program.
October 13, 2025:
Annual Soffa lecture, 25th anniversary celebration: "The Resistible Threat of Semiauthoritarianism" by Dr Marina Ottaway
Alumni Lounge, Pyle Center. Details available here: https://law.wisc.edu/gls/hrp/soffa_lectures.html
Meet and greet : 4:00-4:30pm
Soffa lecture, response by Professor Flavia Piovesan and Q&A: 4:30-6:00pm
Moderated by Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, retired Chief Justice of the WI Supreme Court
To faciliate planning, please register by October 9, 2025 (we welcome walk-ins too) :
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekyd6mNrHZwRgXmFnqhhEdS8epoht2iAvye9hcEczyjPzVdQ/viewform?usp=dialog
December 4, 2025
"Potential and Challenges of International Mediation" by Professor Laurie Nathan, Notre Dame University
12:00-1:00pm
Lubar Commons (7200 Law)
Hosted by Professor Heinz Klug
In this talk, Professor Laurie Nathan will explore the dynamics of peacemaking in armed conflict.
About the speaker: Laurie Nathan is Professor and Director of the Mediation Program at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame. He has publishedwidely on international mediation and has been a senior mediation advisor to the UN, the African Union, the European Union and the governments of Germany, Kosovo, Switzerland and South Africa.
December 10, 2025
Celebrating Human Rights Day: Civil Dialogue on Migration and Gender
3:30-6:00pm
Lubar Commons (7200 Law)
This two-part event will feature Professor Sara McKinnon (Communication Arts), Dr Matt Wolfgram (Education), Professor Nick Srette (Gender Studies) and Brian Juchems (GSAFE)
Sponsored by the Human Rights Program and the WI Institute for Citizenship and Civil Dialogue
