Professor: Foreign oil dependence to fuel global conflict in the future
   Setbacks in the war in Iraq have led to record gas prices in the United States and elsewhere. The war on terror and other global conflicts have exposed the extent to which major industrialized countries of Europe and North America are dependent on foreign oil for their security and economic well-being, says John Duffield, an associate professor of political science at Georgia State University. "The United States has relied more heavily on international means, ranging from diplomacy to the use of force, to ensure that adequate supplies of foreign oil have been available at reasonable prices," says Duffield. "The major oil-importing powers of the 20th century, including the United States and Europe, are likely to become ever more dependent on foreign oil because of a combination of rising energy demand and the exhaustion of indigenous oil resources." The trend is significant, considering the means -- including armed conflict -- nations will employ to secure and protect foreign oil supplies, he notes. Duffield was recently awarded a grant from the German Marshall Fund to research foreign oil dependence among European and North American countries. Contact him at 404/651-3152 or duffield@gsu.edu.

Fifty years later, landmark desegregation case still spawns debate
   Fifty years ago this month, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka challenged the direction of public education and redefined our notion of a fair and equitable society. The monumental 1954 Supreme Court case overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine and desegregated public schools, providing the legal precedent for civil-rights cases on public-school attendance as well as public-school funding, college admissions and discriminatory employment practices. Debate continues, however, on the extent to which government and the courts should continue to exercise control over race-based policies. "Despite all we have achieved because of Brown, we still live in a highly segregated society, a society where whites and blacks (and other ethnic groups) usually live and study separately," says Benjamin Baez, an associate professor of educational policy studies at Georgia State University's College of Education. "The conservative attack on affirmative action in higher education not only maintains this segregation, but exacerbates it because it challenges the very policies that seek to counteract segregation and its effects." Contact Baez at 404/651-1191 or bbaez@gsu.edu.

Professor: Justice system's treatment of rape victims needs improvement
   Many victims fail to report rapes because of the perception that the justice system won't treat them well, says Georgia State University law professor Andi Curcio. Victims often are billed for rape kits or are left with no clothes to change into after their forensic examinations, says Curcio, who wrote a report on the Georgia justice system's treatment of sexual-violence victims for the Georgia Supreme Court Commission on Equality. Many of the problems identified by the commission exist not only in Georgia, but also in many other states, Curcio says. Police officers, who often are not adequately educated about what constitutes a rape, frequently decide who gets a rape kit based on whom they believe, and they may stop investigations short upon finding that victims have used alcohol or drugs, she notes. Health-care professionals trained to collect forensic evidence and deal with victims of sexual assault often are in short supply as well. Curcio can discuss problems with the court system's handling of rape trials and the commission's suggested solutions. For example, to overcome jurors' preconceived notions about rape -- such as the belief that only strangers are rapists -- the commission suggests Georgians should be educated about what constitutes sexual violence beginning in high school. Contact Curcio at 404/651-4157 or acurcio@gsu.edu.

Workplace conflict costs companies a fortune
   When supervisors don't address workers' concerns quickly, employees often bypass the chain of command, heading to a higher official, the human-resources department or a lawyer. Employers often incur huge legal expenses as a result, says Stanley Sloan, director of sponsored research at Georgia State University's Usery Center for the Workplace. "It's best to nip a problem in the bud," Sloan says. "Sometimes all the employee wants is a timely response." Though work-related conflicts cost businesses $32 billion in legal services annually, only about half of American companies have conflict-resolution plans, Sloan says. He is developing a technology-based system called iSolutions to help businesses avoid litigation by resolving workplace conflicts at the lowest management level possible. The system, which is being tested at the U.S. Navy's Trident Refit Facility in Kings Bay, Ga., enables employees to create a record of their particular concerns online; the complaint is then channeled to the appropriate people in the organization. The system's database is maintained by a neutral third party for security reasons, Sloan says. Contact Sloan at 404/463-9272 or ssloan@gsu.edu.

Celebrate Biographer's Day May 16
   Need an excuse to broaden your reading habits? Biographer's Day on May 16 celebrates the anniversary of the 1763 meeting of James Boswell and Samuel Johnson in London. Boswell's biographies of Johnson, "Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides" (1785) and "Life of Samuel Johnson" (1791) are widely regarded as models of the genre. "Boswell was one of the first writers to follow his subject around on a day-to-day basis, recording even the most intimate details of his life," says Rebecca Drummond, a reference librarian at Georgia State University. "His warts-and-all biography paints an accurate, unbiased picture of Johnson and his life." Need suggestions for interesting bios? Ask a librarian. "From film stars, to royalty, to less well-known historical figures like 19th-century African-American writer Harriet Jacobs, your local library can help you find someone with a story for you." For more, contact Drummond at 404/651-1431 or librad@langate.gsu.edu.

Happening at Georgia State University:

Spring commencement exercises May 15
   Georgia State University will hold spring commencement exercises at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. May 15 in the Georgia State Sports Arena. About 2,800 students will graduate this semester, with about 2,300 marching in the three ceremonies. Degree candidates from the College of Arts and Sciences will be honored at the morning (10 a.m.) commencement; Mike Easterly, chair of the Board of Trustees for the Georgia State University Foundation Inc., and chairman and CEO of Legacy Securities Corp. and Legacy Investment Group, Inc., is the commencement speaker. Graduates from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business will be honored at the 2 p.m. ceremony, with Sidney Harris, dean of the Robinson College, slated to give the commencement address. The 6 p.m. ceremony is for graduates of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, College of Education, College of Health and Human Sciences, and College of Law. Michael Eriksen, professor and director of Georgia State's Institute of Public Health, will address graduates. For more information, contact the Graduation Office at 404/651-3387.

Paul Taylor Dance Company performs at the Rialto
   Whether investing everyday movement with breathtaking beauty or reminding us that we are not as far removed from our prehistoric ancestors as we like to think, choreographer Paul Taylor has riveted audiences with inventiveness and poignancy for 48 years. At 71 he's as prolific as ever, having recently completed his 118th work. The Paul Taylor Dance Company performs at 8 p.m. May 8 at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts (corner of Forsyth and Luckie streets). Tickets range from $30 to $55 and may be purchased at www.rialtocenter.org or by calling 404/651-4727. For more information, contact Amy Moudy Comeau at 404/651-2981 or acomeau@gsu.edu.

Bent Frequency to perform May 10
   Bent Frequency, Atlanta's new-music ensemble, presents "Lost Hysterical Man" at 8:30 p.m. May 10 at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts at Georgia State University. "Lost Hysterical Man" explores the beauty and reason in the lives of those deemed degenerate and unfit. For more information, visit the Bent Frequency website at www.bentfrequency.com or e-mail info@bentfrequency.com. For information and directions to the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts, visit www.rialtocenter.org. Admission is free.

Georgia State Leads is a biweekly e-mail publication from the Department of University Relations. For more information about the publication or to sign up to receive Georgia State Leads, contact Beth Flannigan at 404/651-3576 or bflannigan@gsu.edu.

Don't see what you're looking for? Call University Relations at 404/651-3025 for fast access to faculty experts and university news. After hours and on weekends, contact Betsy Robertson, assistant director, via pager at 404/655-3456.

©2003 Georgia State University