Baker Institute Special Events

The Baker Institute International Symposium

Who Pays The Price?

Resource Extraction and Environmental Inequity

With funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies hosts a symposium examining the local and global impacts and legacies of environmental resource extraction.

October 6-7, 2025

Zoom Webinar Link for October 7th International Panel:

The Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies is pleased to host its Fourth International Symposium, “Who Pays the Price? Resource Extraction and Environmental Inequity.” Supported in part by Juniata College's Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant, this two-day event will bring together international scholars, regional practitioners, and students to explore the local and global impacts of extractive industries.

The symposium will begin with a focus on Appalachian Pennsylvania’s fossil fuel legacies, then expand to examine how mining, drilling, and resource extraction shape conflicts, environmental justice, and community resilience worldwide. Through panels and dialogue, participants will engage pressing questions:

How do extractive industries deepen environmental inequities?
What roles do colonial legacies and global trade play?
How can communities resist harm and promote sustainable practices?

The symposium is free and open to the public, welcoming the Juniata community and international guests to join in this critical conversation.

Symposium Overview

The Baker Institute symposiums aim to engage scholars and practitioners of peace and conflict resolution through dialogue on pressing issues facing the world in the 21st century. Expert panelists will share their perspectives and scholarship with symposium participants. Symposium moderators will facilitate the sharing of knowledge and reflections among panelists and participants. The symposium is open to the Juniata campus community and the broader United States and international community.

Past Symposiums
2022 - The War in Ukraine: Global Perspectives - 6 speakers and 70 participants
2023 - The New Cold War?: Strategic Competition and the Future World Order - 7 speakers and 304 participants
2024 - Toward Environmental Justice: Transition to a Sustainable Future - 6 speakers and 450 participants

Symposium International Guests

Biography →

Symposium Schedule

Monday and Tuesday, October 6–7, 2025 | Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA

Monday, October 6

2:30 PM – Community Panel: Remediating the Impacts of Extraction
- - - - Neff Lecture Hall, von Liebig Center, Juniata College
7:00 PM – Keynote Lecture
- - - - Neff Lecture Hall, von Liebig Center, Juniata College

Tuesday, October 7

10:00 AM – Tree Planting Ceremony
- - - - TBD
6:00 PM – International Symposium Session Presentations
- - - - Neff Lecture Hall, von Liebig Center, Juniata College
        
        6:00 PM – Welcome
        
        Zia Haque, Director, The Baker Institute (2 min)
        
        Juniata College Senior Leadership (2 min)
        
        6:05 PM – Introduction
        
        Moderator (2 min)
        
        6:10 PM – International Panel Presentations (Total 60 min)
        
        Africa (20 min)
        
        Latin America (20 min)
        
        Asia (20 min, virtual)
        
        7:00 PM – Break (Refreshments available in the lobby)
        
        7:15 PM – Dialogue & Reflections
        
        Moderator takeaways (5 min)
        
        Audience Q&A (20 min)
        
        7:50 PM – Closing Remarks
        
        Zia Haque, Director, The Baker Institute (5 min)
        
        8:00 PM – Adjourn

Symposium Planning Committee

The planning committee includes the Baker Institute Director, staff, and a rotating scholar in residence, with student employees playing a vital role in planning and implementation. Faculty from Peace and Conflict Studies and related disciplines consult on topics and speakers. At the same time, final decisions are reviewed by the 14-member Advisory Board of students, faculty, alumni, trustees, and the Provost. Many board members also serve on the International Education Committee, ensuring alignment with Juniata's Center for International Education.

Zia Haque, Ph.D.

Director, The Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies; Assistant Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies Chair, Juniata College

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Kaitlyn Granger

Event Manager; Program Coordinator, The Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies

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Amr Abdalla, Ph.D.

Planning Committee; Fellow, The Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies

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Ursula Williams, Ph.D.

Mellon Grant Liason; Associate Professor of Chemistry Chemistry & Biochemistry Department Chair, Juniata College

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