Public Health in Context

These special educational events give insight into today's political and social crises through a public health lens.  

Upcoming Events

Is the Scientific Study of Genocide Possible?

Thursday, March 6, 2025
11:30 a.m. - 12:50 p.m | Hybrid
Allan Rosenfield Building, 722 W. 168th Street, 8th Floor Auditorium

Join us for a multi-dimensional, process-focused approach to this key question. Seamus Thompson reviews definitions and theories of genocide; the distinctive processes of genocidal escalation and de-escalation; and the neglected relationship between these and escalation and de-escalation in other dimensions of conflict. A conceptual framework for this talk can be found at Genocide and Social Conflict.

Seamus (JLP) Thompson, PhD, is an experienced public health researcher at Columbia Mailman. While on the Columbia Sociology faculty (1980-1986), he conducted comparative research on genocidal and other social conflicts.

Seamus (John L P) Thompson, PhD
Clinical Professor of Biostatistics and Neurology at CUMC
Former Assistant Professor of Sociology, Columbia

Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH (moderator)
Dean and DeLamar Professor of Public Health 
Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine 
Mailman School of Public Health  

Previous Events

Public Health in a New Administration  

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

How will the outcome of the 2024 presidential election affect public health in America? Michael Sparer, JD, PhD, will moderate a discussion on the election’s impact on public health systems, reproductive rights, social welfare, and more. We will also discuss what we can do as a School and as individuals.

Andrea Flynn, MPA, MPH
Senior Director at the Insight Center
Co-Author of The Hidden Rules of Race
Professor of Reproductive and Sexual Health and Public Policy
at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

Michael Sparer, JD, PhD (moderator)
Chair and Professor, Health Policy and Management
Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Population and Family Health and Medicine
Former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Mental Health and Hygiene

The Israel-Hamas War: Implications and Issues

November 8, 2024 

David and Ghaith are experts in Arab-Israeli relations. They discussed how we've arrived at this point, the ongoing, complex situation in the Israel-Hamas war, and the implications of the situation in the Middle East. They spoke about the importance of finding a pragmatic, realistic approach to managing and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

David Makovsky
Ziegler distinguished fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations 
Adjunct professor in Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Columbia College grad ('82) 

Ghaith al-Omari
Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Senior Fellow 
Irwin Levy Family Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship  
Former Executive Director of the American Task Force on Palestine