On December 3, 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol shocked the world by declaring martial law. How could a thriving democracy backslide so quickly? This crisis reveals a deeper issue: the impact of nationalist polarization—when political parties are divided by conflicting nationalist visions. This type of polarization is especially harmful because it undermines the foundations of democracy. In countries with histories of nationalist conflict, like South Korea and the United States, nationalist polarization becomes a persistent barrier, limiting how strong and stable democracy can be.Aram Hur is Assistant Professor of Political Science and the Kim Koo Chair in Korean Studies at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University. She is a scholar of nationalism and democracy. Her book, Narratives of Civic Duty: How National Stories Shape Democracy in Asia (Cornell University Press, 2022), is the winner of the 2023 Robert A. Dahl Award for “scholarship of the highest quality on the subject of democracy” from the American Political Science Association.This is part of CIS's Global Research & Policy Seminar series.Lunch will be available at 11:45am. Please RSVP here.Contact Kate Danahy at kdanahy@mit.edu with any questions.Join our mailing list here to learn about upcoming CIS Global Research & Policy Seminars.

In this Leading Edge Webinar, we explore sustainable versions of two of the most prevalent, yet sometimes overlooked materials in our modern daily life: polymers and concrete. Polymers are as ubiquitous as plastics and have wide applications in packaging, car parts, medical products, electronics, glues/paints/coatings/lubricants, and countless other industries. Yet, they can be tough on the environment because they are not always quickly or safely biodegradable. Likewise, concrete has been used for millennia in construction, but producing it can produce huge amounts of globally warming carbon dioxide (CO2).What if we could make these two everyday materials more sustainable? What might sustainable polymers look like, and how can we efficiently search for sustainable polymers among a myriad of potential candidates? Likewise - can we make concrete do more than just serve as a structural material – is it possible to store carbon dioxide, sequester it in concrete itself to offset its carbon footprint – or even store energy – in ordinary buildings and pavements?Join Prof. Bradley Olsen of MIT’s Chemical Engineering Department, and Prof. Admir Masic of MIT’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, as they investigate these possibilities.

Want to get exercise mid-day but don’t want to go outside? Join the tunnel walk for a 30-minute walk led by a volunteer through MIT’s famous tunnel system. This walk may include stairs/inclines. Wear comfortable shoes. Free.Location details: Meet in the lobby with the big mirror, right inside the Collier Memorial entrance to Stata. Location photo below.Tunnel Walk Leaders will have a white flag they will raise at the meeting spot for you to find them.Prize Drawing: Attend a walk and scan a QR code from the walk leaders to be entered into a drawing for a getfit tote bag at the end of the getfit challenge. The more walks you attend, the more entries you get. Winner will be drawn and notified at the end of April. Winner does not need to be a getfit participant.Disclaimer: Tunnel walks are led by volunteers. In the rare occasion when a volunteer isn’t able to make it, we will do our best to notify participants. In the event we are unable to notify participants and a walk leader does not show up, we encourage you to walk as much as you feel comfortable doing so. We recommend checking this calendar just before you head out! [As of Feb 28, this calendar is defaulting to the year 1899. Click "today" to be brought to the current month.]Getfit is a 12-week fitness challenge for the entire MIT community. These tunnel walks are open to the entire MIT community and you do not need to be a current getfit participant to join.

Please join us for an Emerson/Harris Masterclass with drummer and composer Dan Weiss!March 13, 2025 1:00pm | Killian HallThree time Shifting Foundation grantee Dan Weiss has been hailed as one of the top five jazz drummers by The New York Times, and his large ensemble recording “Fourteen” made the top ten list of their best recordings of 2014. Weiss’s innovative drumming and forward-thinking compositions have been pushing musical limits for decades. Weiss’s intense study of jazz, classical Indian, contemporary classical, west African, and metal sets a musical platform that creates a sound that transcends conventional style or genre. His compositional trademarks are angular yet emotive melodies, complex through-composed drum parts, rhythmic cycles native to many non-western music, and melodic shapes drawing directly from the raga system found in Indian classical music.He has released four recordings with his trio: “Now Yes When” (2006), “Timshel” (2011), “Utica Box” (2019), and “Dedication” (2022), which have been critically-acclaimed for their unique approach to song structure and endlessly creative improvisation. Weiss also leads his sixteen-piece large ensemble that features some of New York City’s most gifted musicians. The two albums “Fourteen” (2014) and “Sixteen: Drummers Suite” (2016), released on the Pi Recordings label, have made numerous critic polls. His project, Starebaby, which features Craig Taborn, Matt Mitchell, Ben Monder, and Trevor Dunn, is an amalgam of jazz, metal, and new music. They have two releases: “Starebaby” (2018) and “Natural Selection” (2020), both also on Pi.Weiss has been studying tabla under Pandit Samir Chatterjee for twenty-five years. He has performed with the legendary Ashish Khan and Ramesh Misra and recorded a solo tabla CD “3dcd” (2007). Weiss recorded two groundbreaking CDs “Teental Drumset Solo” (2005) and “Jhaptal Drumset Solo” ( 2011) where he performs classical Indian repertoire on drum set. Recently Weiss and longtime collaborator Miles Okazaki released a double LP titled “Music for Drums and Guitar” (2021). In 2023 Weiss will put out a new trio record featuring Miguel Zenon and Matt Mitchell.The Emerson/Harris Masterclass Series is supported in part by the Robert L. Malster (1956) Fund.This project is presented as part of Artfinity, an Institute-sponsored event celebrating creativity and community at MIT. Artfinity is organized by the Office of the Arts.

MIT Free English Class is for international students, sholars, spouses. Twenty seven years ago we created a community to welcome the nations to MIT and assist with language and friendship. Join our Tuesday/Thursday conversation classes around tables inside W11-190.

Want to get exercise mid-day but don’t want to go outside? Join the tunnel walk for a 30-minute walk led by a volunteer through MIT’s famous tunnel system. This walk may include stairs/inclines. Wear comfortable shoes. Free.Location details: Meet in the lobby under the “Belonging + Community” banner. Location photo below.Tunnel Walk Leaders will have a white flag they will raise at the meeting spot for you to find them.Prize Drawing: Attend a walk and scan a QR code from the walk leaders to be entered into a drawing for a getfit tote bag at the end of the getfit challenge. The more walks you attend, the more entries you get. Winner will be drawn and notified at the end of April. Winner does not need to be a getfit participant.Disclaimer: Tunnel walks are led by volunteers. In the rare occasion when a volunteer isn’t able to make it, we will do our best to notify participants. In the event we are unable to notify participants and a walk leader does not show up, we encourage you to walk as much as you feel comfortable doing so. We recommend you check this calendar just before you head out! [As of Feb 28, this calendar is defaulting to the year 1899. Click "today" to be brought to the current month.]Getfit is a 12-week fitness challenge for the entire MIT community. These tunnel walks are open to the entire MIT community and you do not need to be a current getfit participant to join.