Concepts of Liberty
Occasional Paper 1
Globalisation and the Poor
The anti-globalisation movement had its coming-out party in Seattle in 1999, when thousands of activists and trade union members protested against a new round of trade negotiations in the World Trade Organisation. Millions were drawn to these protests because of a preceding anti-WTO statement that was circulated on the internet, and signed by about 1 500 different groups, from churches to militant communists. Their first accusation against the WTO in the statement was
that free trade and globalisation:
„has contributed to the concentration of wealth in the hands of the rich few; increasing poverty for the majority of the world’s population; and
unsustainable patterns of production and consumption.“
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The anti-globalisation movement had its coming-out party in Seattle in 1999, when thousands of activists and trade union members protested against a new round of trade negotiations in the World Trade Organisation. Millions were drawn to these protests because of a preceding anti-WTO statement that was circulated on the internet, and signed by about 1 500 different groups, from churches to militant communists. Their first accusation against the WTO in the statement was
that free trade and globalisation:
„has contributed to the concentration of wealth in the hands of the rich few; increasing poverty for the majority of the world’s population; and
unsustainable patterns of production and consumption.“
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Occasional Paper 2
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Free trade is under attack. Advocates of free trade are accustomed to refuting the doctrine of the balance of trade and various fallacies about nations „competing“ economically with each other. They are less accustomed to responding to the „cultural“ critiques of trade. Advocates of barriers to trade insist that free trade and globalization are destructive of culture. But does globalization produce cultural homogeneity and loss of diversity?...
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Occasional Paper 3
Could the Globalisation of Education Benefit the Poor?
What is it about these relationships, between profit, globalisation and education, that are so objected to? This paper explores these issues in the context of recent research conducted in ‚developing‘ countries, including in urban slum and poor rural areas. The paper examines the question whether globalisation in education could benefit the poor in these contexts. (...)
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What is it about these relationships, between profit, globalisation and education, that are so objected to? This paper explores these issues in the context of recent research conducted in ‚developing‘ countries, including in urban slum and poor rural areas. The paper examines the question whether globalisation in education could benefit the poor in these contexts. (...)
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Occasional Paper 4
Do Intellectual Property Rights Harm Africa?
Intellectual Property Rights are often considered as serious obstacles to trade and the transfer of technologies related to the conservation of biological diversity. African countries are rich in biodiversity and indigenous knowledge which has flowed freely to the developed countries. However global market trends are such that Africa must urgently address issues pertaining property rights if they have to
fit into the global economy and also stimulate inventions and innovations. The challenge facing Africa is how to produce high quality goods and services while at the same time tackling aspects of poverty and unemployment.
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Intellectual Property Rights are often considered as serious obstacles to trade and the transfer of technologies related to the conservation of biological diversity. African countries are rich in biodiversity and indigenous knowledge which has flowed freely to the developed countries. However global market trends are such that Africa must urgently address issues pertaining property rights if they have to
fit into the global economy and also stimulate inventions and innovations. The challenge facing Africa is how to produce high quality goods and services while at the same time tackling aspects of poverty and unemployment.
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Occasional Paper 6
What are Human Rights
Given the impact of human rights as a topic in political debate, it may come as a surprise that the theory of human rights plays no bigger role in the theoretical treatises of liberal thinkers. Probably, the main reason for this is that human rights are usually presented as a logical inconsistent bundle of rights and claim-rights.
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What are Human Rights
Given the impact of human rights as a topic in political debate, it may come as a surprise that the theory of human rights plays no bigger role in the theoretical treatises of liberal thinkers. Probably, the main reason for this is that human rights are usually presented as a logical inconsistent bundle of rights and claim-rights.
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