I'm forwarding this announcement of a UK conference on globalisation through the econ-value list, for your interest.
GLOBAL CAPITAL AND GLOBAL STRUGGLES: STRATEGIES, ALLIANCES, ALTERNATIVES
Conference of Socialist Economists (CSE)
Saturday-Sunday, 1st-2nd July 2000 University of London Union, Malet Street, London WC1
Globalization and free trade abe being widely promoted as inevitable historical forces, even as natural ones. In response, opposition movements have identified these forces as weapons of the neoliberal project. New resistance networks are beginning to pose a serious threat to neoliberal globalization. Their slogans include "no issue is single" and "let our resistance be as transnational as capital".
These networks target international bodies--the IMF, World Bank, WTO--which seek to dismantle the collective gains of past struggles. Debate continues over whether such bodies should be reformed or destroyed, where their power comes from, how international trade could be organized without them, and how alternatives should be built.
Resistance networks present a new opportunity and challenge for developing Marxist theory in strategic terms. However, Left intellectuals have hardly considered the practical, political and theoretical questions involved. This conference aims to catalyse debate among intellectuals and activists, in order to clarify counter-strategies and alternatives to neoliberal globalization.
Prospective speakers should explain how their analyses relate to strategic isues facing global social movements today, especially those in Britain.
Some key questions are:
how do nation-states promote or impede neoliberal globalization? where is this project most vulnerable to attack? how are labour movements internationalising their struggle? how do social movements build alliances at the local and global level? what strategies could build on their strengths and overcome their limitations? what alternative models of international economy are being promoted?
Relevant themes include:
the strategies of transnational institutions, nation states and global governance; strategic rhetorics of free trade, unfree trade, fair trade and protectionism; solidarity within the international division of labour, new forms of class struggle; contradictions within resistance movements and their alliances; refugees as a political force in Fortress Europe; emancipatory political cultures.
We welcome proposals of additional themes.
An abstract of 300 words (maximum) should be sent by 29 February 1999 to: Massimo De Angelis, Department of Economics, University of East London, Longbridge Road, Dagenham, Essex RM8 @AS, U.K.; or e-mail: M.DeAngelis at uel.ac.uk; or fax +44-223-2849.
Deadline for accepted papers in electronic format is 31 May 1999.
Registration fee: 30 pounds institutionally-funded, 15 pounds high-waged, 10 pounds low-waged, 5 pounds unwaged (with proof). For other conference details, as well as papers, please consult the webpage, www.gn.apc.org.cse (operational from December).
For a list of web links on various social movements and NGOs, see http://www.uel.ac.uk/pers/M.DeAngelis/Sites.htm#socialmovements.