Yale Bulletin and Calendar

October 24, 2003|Volume 32, Number 8

David Dolla of The World Bank and Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and a human rights activist, speak at the conference on the future of globalization.

Conference participants consider
future of globalization

Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, and Nobel Prize-winning author Joseph Stiglitz were among the featured speakers at an international conference on "The Future of Globalization: Explorations in the Light of Recent Turbulence," held on campus Oct. 10-11.

The event was sponsored by the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization and The World Bank.

Ernesto Zedillo, director of the Yale center, welcomed the more than 200 people who gathered in the Law School's Levinson Auditorium on Oct. 10 for the first talk in the conference, which was presented by Robinson, former United Nations commissioner for human rights. Robinson was introduced by David Dolla, director of development policy at The World Bank, who noted that this was the first conference sponsored by the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization and his organization.

Robinson's talk focused on globalization and human rights. She began by describing how both Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian human rights activist and recent winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, and the Ethical Globalization Initiative, which Robinson now heads, share a "rights-based approach" to solving problems associated with democracy and globalization. Robinson emphasized the need to address AIDS, malaria and other health crises so that developing countries can share more fully in the benefits of globalization.

Referring to the recent World Trade Organization negotiations in Cancun, Robinson cited a report that showed 144 million poor farmers could be lifted out of poverty by the elimination of agricultural subsidies in wealthy countries. She added that increased financial security among poor farmers would result in an increase in "global security" in the West.

Stiglitz, former chief economist at The World Bank and author of the widely read book "Globalization and Its Discontents," which examines popular resistance to globalization, gave the keynote address on Friday afternoon. His talk was titled "The Future of Globalization: Lessons from Cancun & Recent Financial Crises."

The conference featured about 30 presenters from around the world, including Yale professors Jadish Bagwati and Robert Mendelsohn, as well as economist Hernando de Soto, president of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy, who was named by Time magazine in 1999 one of the five leading Latin American innovators of the century.

The Yale Center for the Study of Globalization will publish a book about the conference at a future date.

-- By Aaron Goode

T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S

Historian Frank M. Turner named Beinecke director

Center for Study of Globalization to host talk by President Clinton

Alumna to discuss role of affirmative action in academia

'Crouching Tiger' director to speak on Taiwanese cinema

"Discover the Arts at Yale"

Yale University Standards of Business Conduct

Famed conservationist Richard Leakey to visit as Chubb Fellow

Panel to look at 'Iraq Beyond the Headlines'

Yale scholars to explore challenges facing China's economy

Peabody exhibit showcases 'Rainbows in Stone'

New center will enhance teaching of French in Connecticut schools

Astronomer's talk brings mysterious cosmos to an earthly level

Yale singers to take audiences on 'tour' of famed operas

Yale Cancer Center names associate director for policy

Mathematicians to fete Feit at conference Oct. 30-Nov. 2

Conference participants consider future of globalization

Coats needed for 'Surviving a New England Winter' program

Local musicians to take the stage at The Little Theatre . . .

Campus Notes