Join OISS for a fall getaway to Dow Gardens in Midland, Michigan! Explore 110 acres of gardens, Whiting Forest, the Canopy Walk, scenic trails, and more. Reserve your spot and experience a unique Michigan destination with fellow MSU students and scholars.

MUSLIM AND MENA CANDIDATES the 2026 US MIDTERM ELECTIONS
Professor Nura Sediqe (Political Science, MSU) and Professor Nazita Lajevardi (Political 
Science, University of Michigan) discuss the 2026 US Midterm elections. Professors 
Sediqe and Lajevardi are nationally renowned scholars of US election trends.

Register for zoom and in-person attendance. 

Lunch will be provided for registered in-person attendees

https://forms.gle/RaYi2M7Jvmidefy97

Presented by Mohammed Ayoob, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International Relations, Michigan State University

This lecture argues that modern India has made a distinctive contribution to the discipline of International Relations through the development of an identifiable tradition of international thought that may legitimately be described as an Indian School of International Relations. Rather than viewing India's contribution as limited to concepts such as non-alignment or Panchsheel, the lecture contends that these ideas formed part of a broader and more coherent intellectual framework whose principal architect was Jawaharlal Nehru.

The lecture challenges the conventional portrayal of Nehru as merely the principal maker of India's foreign policy or as an idealist whose ideas were discredited by the Sino-Indian War of 1962. It argues instead that Nehru should be recognized as a major twentieth-century international thinker who sought to reconcile realism with ethical restraint, national interest with international legitimacy, and power with moral purpose. The organizing principle of his thought was strategic autonomy, understood not as neutrality or equidistance between rival power blocs but as the preservation of independent judgment in the conduct of foreign policy.

Finally, the lecture reassesses the major strategic crises of 1962 and 1971, arguing that they did not represent the collapse of Nehru's vision but rather demonstrated the flexibility of strategic autonomy under changing geopolitical circumstances. It concludes that the continuing emphasis of contemporary Indian foreign policy on strategic autonomy now termed multi-alignment reflects the enduring influence of this intellectual tradition pioneered by Jawaharlal Nehru. Recognizing the Indian School enriches both the history of International Relations and the discipline's understanding of non-Western contributions to international thought.

This lecture is based on Professor Ayoob's book: "From Regional Security to Global IR: An Intellectual Journey."

During spring break students can learn about the culture of the Central American country of Belize while also participating in a community engagement project. 

Visit Community Engagement, Society and Culture in Belize for more details

Information Meeting:

• October 29, 2026
• 6:00 pm
• Zoom: https://msu.zoom.us/j/92561219064
• Meeting ID: 925 6121 9064
• Passcode: Belize

Directed by Maya Annik Bedward, Black Zombie (2026) traces a journey through cinema and history to reveal how zombies evolved from Haitian spiritual traditions into Hollywood horror, exploring their deeper cultural significance as powerful symbols of resilience. Black Zombie is preceded by ZUMBI ZUMBI ETERNO (2023), an experimental film by artist Julien Creuzet that reclaims the word "zombie" from associations with death, returning it to its original Haitian vodou meanings of vitality, memory, and life beyond death.

Presented in conjunction with the MSU Broad Art Museum's exhibit on Caribbean Cinema Cultures. On view August 22, 2026 through January 31, 2027, this exhibit explores loss, memory, and the evolving meaning of cinema across the Caribbean. 

The MSU Film Collective is organized by professors, students, filmmakers, screenwriters, and film lovers at MSU who gather weekly in the course FLM 200 to watch and discuss good films. 

Today is the deadline for the Transfer Student Planning Grant.

If you are an MSU undergraduate student who previously attended a post-secondary institution after graduating from high school (excluding the summer term immediately following graduation), you can apply!

Experience the beauty and culture of Ghana while gaining hands on experience in child/human development. Explore contemporary social issues, problems, controversies, and potential solutions to support children and families in this African context

Program webpage: Child Development in an African Context

Program location: Ghana

Program term: Summer

Information Meeting:

• October 30, 2026
• 12:00 pm
• 115 Human Ecology

This session is for anyone interested in studying abroad but isn't sure where to start! 

Topics covered include:

• Benefits of Education Abroad
• Things to Consider
• Program Types
• Cost Factors and Program Fees
• Scholarships and Funding
• Navigating the Website
• Searching for Programs
• Health, Safety and Security

At the end there will be a Q&A session where you can ask us any questions you may have.

REGISTER HERE

Today is the deadline to apply for spring break 2027 education abroad programs.

Today is the deadline for Office for Education Abroad Scholarships for students participating in winter break 2026-27 programs.