December 8, 2009

A Renewed Focus on the Local Globalization makes it difficult for governments to protect

local communities and regions from its negative effects (especially under the influence of neo-liberal ideas)

In industrialized countries, environmental concerns are producing a greater focus on local issues

In developing countries, social safety nets were too thin to begin with; increasing the burden on local communities

Governments everywhere have been scaling back their efforts to help the vulnerable

What are the Issues that Both Sides Have to Address? Continued poverty and misery of the Fourth World Inability of either globalization or localism to overcome

forces that lead to domestic violence and war Redefining the role of local and national governments,

along with international governance institutions, so that the global economy can produce better results

What comes next in the study of International Political Economy? How to reconcile the

global interests in economic growth and environmental protection How to deal with the growing power of MNCs and other

transnational actors How to preserve and expand democratic governance in the

face of growing vulnerability of the system to major disruptions (military, economic, and terrorist)

Recent Concerns Global financial crisis may lead to a return to greater

regulation of financial markets Other types of regulation may become more acceptable

also: Anti-trust and competition policies Environmental regulations to deal with

global climate change and toxic waste Relaxation of intellectual property enforcement to deal with AIDS and other global pandemics

Renewed focus on education and infrastructure

Who is thinking about these things? Tom Friedman Saskia Sassen Suzanne Berger William Easterly Hernando de Soto Joseph Stiglitz Al Gore Bill and Melinda Gates

Tom Friedman’s new book Hot, Flat and Crowded Video of Friedman explaining the book on the Charlie

Rose Show

Saskia Sassen Professor, Sociology, University of

Chicago Books:

Cities in a world economy Deciphering the Global: Its Spaces,

Scales and Subjects The Global City: New York, London,

Tokyo Focuses on emerging social practices

video

Suzanne Berger Professor, Political Science, MIT Books:

National Diversity and Global Capitalism

How We Compete Focuses on the political economy of

globalization and particularly on convergence

William Easterly Argues against panaceas Argues for proper structuring of group incentives Formerly employed by World Bank Now professor at NYU Video Bill Gates hates his new book

Hernando de Soto Peruvian economist Head of Institute for Liberty and

Democracy in Lima Book:

The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else

video

Joseph Stiglitz Former chief economist of the World Bank turned critic of

the IMF after the Asia Crisis Argues the IMF mismanaged globalization Too focused on inflation and fiscal rectitude Neglected economic growth and employment

video

Al Gore Ex VP CEO of Current.TV Writer, producer and

director of An Inconvenient Truth

video

What comes next in the study of International Political Economy? How to reconcile the global interests in economic growth

and environmental protection How to deal with the growing power of MNCs and other

transnational actors How to preserve and expand democratic governance in the

face of growing vulnerability of the system to major disruptions (military, economic, and terrorist)