International Political Economy Program sponsors globalization seminar

The Cornell International Political Economy Program is sponsoring a two-day seminar, "The Politics of Globalization/s," Nov. 6-7, in 401 Warren Hall. The free and open seminar will focus on the current Asian financial crisis and other areas of global political and economic interest.

Philip McMichael, Cornell professor of rural sociology and director of the program, said the seminar's purpose is to bring Cornell and other academics, practitioners, activists and students together to discuss the complex and contradictory aspects of globalization. Discussions will focus on, among other topics, the financial crisis in Asia and global politics, such as the role of the World Trade Organization as a quasi-world governing agency and the related attempts to institutionalize the world free market.

"What we see on the evening news is just one angle on globalization and there's a greater emphasis on financial integration," said McMichael. "This seminar will look at the many facets of economic and political globalization."

Walden Bello, University of the Philippines sociology professor, will give the keynote address, "Asian Financial Crisis -- The Movie: Villains, Victims and Supporting Cast," on Nov. 6 at 11:30 a.m. in 401 Warren Hall. Bello is also director of the Focus on The South program at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, and he is the co-author of Dragons in Distress, a book which foretold the current Asian financial crisis.

The Friday, Nov. 6, seminar sessions will be:

· "Global/Regional Implications of the Asian Crisis," at 9:30 a.m. and will include talks by Mitchell Bernard, a professor of political science at York University; Jonathan Kirshner, Cornell professor of government; and Giovanni Arrighi, professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University.

· "The Project of Globalization," at 1:30 p.m. This session includes talks by Philip McMichael; Sue Roberts, professor of geography at the University of Kentucky; and Manfred Bienefeld, professor of public administration at Carleton University.

· "Labor in the Global Economy," at 3:30 p.m., includes Lowell Turner, Cornell professor of industrial and labor relations; Bob Ross, professor of sociology at Clark University; and Jeff Cowie, Cornell professor of ILR.

The Saturday sessions will be:

· "Globalization and Governance," at 10 a.m., with Ronen Palan, professor of political science at Sussex University; Susan Christopherson, Cornell professor of city and regional planning; and Leo Panitch, professor of political science at York University.

· "Globalizations and Reconfigured Knowledge," at 1 p.m., with Davydd Greenwood, Cornell professor of anthropology; Ranjani Mazumdar, professor at New York University; and Terry Turner, Cornell professor of anthropology.

· "Globalization Politics," at 3 p.m., with Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch; Muna Ndulo, Cornell professor of law; and Denis Benn, professor of public policy at the University of the West Indies.

For further information, visit the web page at: http://people.cornell.edu/pages/rcp9/global/.