We are pleased to announce that starting August, 2010, the School of Social Sciences will commence the Capstone Seminar Series with a brand new lineup of invited speakers! The seminar speakers will consist of SMU professors in psychology, sociology, political science, and philosophy, as well as some scholars from organizations outside SMU. The primary aim of these seminars is to showcase the rich and diverse research interests of various social sciences faculty and, more generally, to encourage a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding real-world phenomena and issues.

The various seminar sessions are listed below so that you can mark your calendar. For each seminar, a few limited seats have been set aside and made available just for faculty of the School of Social Sciences. About one week before each session, a seminar announcement email will be sent out to announce when you can electronically register (free of charge). Seats are extremely limited for this year’s Capstone Seminar Series, so please register as early as possible.

Unless otherwise stated in subsequent announcements, all sessions will be held on Tuesdays at 3:30 and will last approximately 2 hours. The venue is the School of Social Sciences (SOSS) Building, Level 5, Seminar Room 5.2.

We look forward to seeing you at the new Capstone Seminar sessions!

Dr. Norman Li
Associate Professor of Psychology
School of Social Sciences  

SEPTEMBER

07 September 2010
Topic: Team Decision Making and Minority Influence in Organizations
Speaker: Assistant Professor Guihyun Grace PARK
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI

14 September 2010
Topic: Democratic Dreams in Southeast Asia: Obstacles and Opportunities
Speaker: Associate Professor Bridget WELSH
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI

21 September 2010
Topic: Subjective Perceptions and Structural Properties in Attitudinal Bases
Speaker: Assistant Professor SEE Ya Hui, Michelle, National University of Singapore
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI

28 September 2010
Topic: Interfaith Dialogue: A Solution to Religious Intolerance
Speaker: Assistant Professor HOON Chang Yau
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI

OCTOBER

12 October 2010
Topic: Is Money Evil?
Speaker: Associate Professor Christie SCOLLON
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI

19 October 2010
Topic: Human Sexuality and Social Power
Speaker: Associate Professor Eric THOMPSON, National University of Singapore
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI

26 October 2010
Topic: Wars and Military Service in Vietnam, From Colonialism to Present: Interdisciplinary Views
Speaker: Assistant Professor Bussarawan TEERAWICHITCHAINAN, Assistant Professor Tobias RETTIG
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI

NOVEMBER

02 November 2010
Topic: TBA
Speaker: Assistant Professor Nicholas HARRIGAN
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI

Completed Seminar

JANUARY

12 January 2010
Topic:The Social Sciences and the Question of Disciplinarity
Speaker: Associate Professor Kirpal SINGH
Commentator: Assistant Professor Ann VOGEL

19 January 2010
Topic: Back from Copenhagen: SMU Students in Dialogue with Local Environmental NGOs on Climate Change
Speaker: Eleina Hema d/o Abdullah Ailmchandani and LEE Yi Hui Eileen (SMU Students) and Mr. Wilson ANG, Founder/President, Environmental Challenge Organization (Singapore)

26 January 2010
Topic: Public Provision for Urban Water: Getting The Fundamentals Right
Speaker: Assistant Professor Eduardo ARARAL, Assistant Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
Commentator: Mr. Frank SIEGFRIED, (MBA, MSc Engineering), Director, Black Moon Pte. Ltd. Management Consulting & Training
Moderator: Assistant Professor Ann VOGEL

FEBRUARY

2 February 2010
Topic: Smart Textiles
Speakers: Mr. Frank SIEGFRIED, (MBA, MSc Engineering), Director, Black Moon Pte. Ltd., Mr. LOW Cheng Sing, (SMU, School of Information Systems), Ms Celine Tiffany Lim QUE (SMU, School of Economics) and Mr. Daniel GRUBER (Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany)

8 February 2010
Topic: Selfish Self for Better Commons: The Psychology Behind Recycling
Speaker: Jolene TAN (SMU Student)
Moderator: Assistant Professor Jennifer TONG

MARCH

2 March 2010
Topic: Mapping Christianity within Indonesia's Religious Environment
Speaker: Associate Professor Juliette KONING, Free University Amsterdam, Assistant Professor HOON Chang Yau

16 March 2010
Topic: Sociological, Political, and Historical Perspectives on the Moral Economy Concept
Speakers: Assistant Professor Tobias RETTIG, Assistant Professor Forrest ZHANG

22 March 2010
Topic: Generative Systems in Synfarm's Projects
Speakers: Assistant Professor Vladimir TODOROVIC, School of Art, Design and Media, College of Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University,
Mr. Andreas SCHLEGEL, Coordinator Media Lab, Faculty of Media Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore

23 March 2010
Topic: Activists beyond Borders? Transnational Environmental Cooperation and Domestic Politics in Northeast Asia
Speaker: Assistant Professor BAE Yooil

30 March 2010
Topic: Nuclear Risk and Democracy in Southeast Asia: The Cases of Indonesia and Thailand
Speaker: Assistant Professor Sulfikar AMIR, Nanyang Technological University

APRIL

6 April 2010
Topic: Wrapping it Up: Social Sciences and the Environment
Speaker: Capstone Students

AUGUST

24 August 2010
Topic: The Surprise Exam Paradox
Speaker: Associate Professor John WILLIAMS
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI

31 August 2010
Topic: Subjective Well-Being & Societal Trust
Speaker: Assistant Professor William TOV
Moderator: Associate Professor Norman LI