The International Forum on Globalization, New York Open Center, The International Center for Technology Assessment, The Turning Point Project, Lapis Magazine, and the Nation Institute

Present a Teach-In on
~ Technology and Globalization ~

Saturday, February 24 & Sunday, February 25, 2001
Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue New York City
40 Speakers + 25 Workshops

Our society places all its bets on technology as the panacea for our ills. But it may be time to reconsider. Far from Paradise-on-Earth, we are rolling toward ecological collapse: rapid climate change and rising seas; ozone holes; loss of species and habitat; accelerated cancer rates; terminal forms of air, water, and soil pollution, as well as unprecedented levels of social, political, and personal alienation and despair. All are rooted in the excesses of technology.

Now a terrifying new generation of technologies — from biotechnology to eugenics to robotics to nanotechnology —are raising the stakes and bringing unprecedented new threats to the planet. Meanwhile the new telecommunications technologies that we had hoped would bring democracy and empowerment may be producing the opposite: rampant commercialization, global corporate concentration and mergers, and centralization rather than decentralization.

In the era of economic globalization, the problems are magnified a millionfold. All-powerful global bureaucracies such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and others are preventing the ability of communities or nation-states to slow the rate at which giant global corporations freely exploit the planet, dominate social systems, destroy local economies, and deploy the most powerful and dangerous technologies in history.

This dynamic interaction between new technology, economic globalization, and centralized global power is arguably the most important condition of the New Millennium, but it’s rarely publicly debated or exposed to democratic processes.

This landmark event at Hunter College, February 24 and 25, 2001, hopes to launch that debate.

Who should control the evolution of technology?
What are the intrinsic consequences of certain technologies in terms of health, the environment, social justice and democracy, religion, and how we view ourselves and the cosmos? Has science failed? Why have there been no referenda on the most dangerous technological trends: nuclear, biotechnology, transport, the globalization of industrial agriculture, corporate power, and global media concentration? Do the new telecommunications serve democracy or the opposite? How can we change paths? How can we create more viable, local democratic systems that serve different values?

These are a few of the questions to be discussed in two days of plenaries and workshops, led by some of the world’s greatest thinkers on technology, globalization, and democracy. Please join us.

Tickets Available at the Door

Ticket Prices: Saturday $30, Sunday $25, Both days $50
Half price for students, IFG & NYOC members.

Participating Speakers:

Jeremy Rifkin Foundation on Economic Trends; Author, The Biotech Century; Biosphere Politics
Vandana Shiva Research Foundation for Science, Technology & Ecology (India); Author, Monoculture of the Mind; Biopiracy: the Plunder of Nature and Knowledge; Stolen Harvest
Jerry Mander Internat’l Forum on Globalization; Author, Case Against the Global Economy; In the Absence of the Sacred; Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television
Andrew Kimbrell Internat’l Center for Technology Assessment; Author, The Human Body Shop
Paul Hawken Author, Natural Capitalism; The Ecology of Commerce
Fritjof Capra Center for Ecoliteracy, Author; The Tao of Physics; The Turning Point
Helena Norberg-Hodge Internat’l Society for Ecology and Culture; Author, Lessons from Ladakh
Kirkpatrick Sale Author, Rebels Against the Future; Human Scale; Conquest of Paradise
David Ehrenfeld Rutgers University; Author, The Arrogance of Humanism
Maude Barlow Council of Canadians
David Suzuki Host, “The Nature of Things” (Canadian Broadcast Corporation); Author, The Sacred Balance
Richard Hayes Exploratory Initiative on the New Human Genetic Technologies
Mark Crispin Miller Project on Media Ownership; Author, Boxed In: The Culture of TV
Joan Gussow Former Chair, Department of Nutrition, Columbia University
Debra Harry Indigenous People’s Council on Biocolonialism
Martin Teitel Council for Responsible Genetics; Author, Genetically Engineered Food: Changing the Nature of Nature; Rainforest in Your Kitchen
Anuradha Mittal Institute for Food and Development Policy (Food First); Author, America Needs Human Rights
Satish Kumar Editor, Resurgence Magazine
Lori Wallach Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch; Co-Author, Whose Trade Organization?
Steve Talbott The Nature Institute; Author, The Future Does Not Compute
Langdon Winner Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst.; Author, Autonymous Technology; The Whale and the Reactor
John Cavanagh Inst. for Policy Studies; Author, Global Dreams
Chet Bowers Portland State U.; Author, Let Them Eat Data
Walden Bello Focus on the Global South; Author, Dragons in Distress: Asia’s Miracle Economics in Crisis
Frances Moore Lappé Author, Diet for a Small Planet
Charlene Spretnak Author, Resurgence of the Real
Randy Hayes Rainforest Action Network
Karl Grossman State University of New York; Author, The Wrong Stuff; Weapons in Space
Jackie Cabasso Western States Legal Foundation
Jane Healey Author, Endangered Minds
Bruce Gagnon Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space
Pat Roy Mooney Rural Advancement Foundation International
William L. Rukeyser Learning in the Real World
Dr. Arpad Pusztai Former Senior Scientist, Rowett Research Institute
And many others

Saturday, February 24, 2001 (9:00 AM - 11:00 PM)
Schedule of Plenaries and Panels
Technology and Globalization
(Subject to change)

Panel #1 (9:00-11:30 a.m.): Overviews - Technology and Globalization

Overviews on the symbiotic relationship between new technology, global corporations, global bureaucracies, and their effects on social, political, and environmental concerns.

Andrew Kimbrell International Center for Technology Assessment
Jeremy Rifkin Foundation on Economic Trends
Stephanie Mills Great Lakes Bioregional Congress
Steve Talbott Nature Institute
Kirkpatrick Sale Author, Rebels Against the Future
Helena Norberg-Hodge International Society for Ecology & Culture (U.K.)
Langdon Winner Rensallaer Polytechnical University

Panel #2 (11:30-1:00 p.m.): Bretton Woods System: Symbiosis between Global Bureaucracies & Corporations

Free Trade and globalization are not inevitable, like evolution. We look at the systems that accelerates corporations dominance, while prioritizing devastating technologies.

Walden Bello Focus on the Global South (Thailand)
Lori Wallach Public Citizen
Tony Clarke Polaris Institute (Canada)
Anuradha Mittal Food First
Chee Yoke Ling Third World Network (Malaysia)

Panel #3 (1:00-3:00 p.m.): Media, Telecommunications, Culture, and the Homogenization of Global Consciousness

The cultural and political consequences of global telecommunications, especially in the age of corporate consolidation. We will discuss global TV, the internet, e-commerce, and the impacts of technology in education.

Jerry Mander International Forum on Globalization
Mark Crispin Miller New York University
Chet Bowers Portland State University
Sarah Anderson Institute for Policy Studies
Jane Healey Author, Endangered Minds
Bill Rukeyser Learning in the Real World
John Stauber PR Watch
Leslie Byster Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition

Panel #4 (3:00-4:30 p.m.): The New Role of Military & Space Technology

Alarming new technologies will enable the U.S. military to carry out is stated new goal to function as protector (from space) of global corporations and their investments.

Karl Grossman State University of New York
Jacqueline Cabasso Western States Legal Foundation
Bruce Gagnon Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
Freda Berrigan World Policy Institute

Panel #5 (4:30-7:00 p.m.): New Directions

Among the most urgent activities of the day is the design and promotion of alternatives to the present destructive centralized, corporate technological model. This panel will present an abbreviated survey of work towards: reshaping or eliminating some global institutions and articulating viable alternative thinking, models and practices.

John Cavanagh Institute for Policy Studies
Paul Hawken Author, Ecology of Commerce
Randy Hayes Rainforest Action Network
Fritjof Capra Author, The Web of Life
Charlene Spretnak Author, Resurgence of the Real
Frances Moore Lappe Author, Diet for a Small Planet
Satish Kumar Resurgence magazine (U.K.)
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz Indigenous Peoples' Network (Philippines)

Panel #6 (8:00-11:00 p.m.): Biotechnology and the "Post Biological" Sciences

"Remaking the nature of nature," science now takes us beyond the biological realm to a "post biological" era that includes promoting biotechnology, eugenics, nanotechnology, and robotics. This raises crucial questions about the irreversible alteration of all life on earth.

Chris Desser Biotech Funders Working Group
Richard Hayes Exploratory Project on the New Human Genetics
Pat Roy Mooney Rural Advancement Fund International (Canada)
Arpad Putszai Former Chief Scientist, Rowett Research Institute (Scotland)
Debra Harry Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism
Martin Teitel Council on Responsible Genetics
Mae-Wan Ho Institute for Science in Society (U.K.)
Vandana Shiva Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Ecology (India)

Sunday February 25, 2001 (10:00 AM - 6:00 PM)
Schedule of Workshops and Presentations
Technology and Globalization
(Subject to change)

10:00-12:00 NOON workshops

THE CASE FOR LOCALIZATION
David Ehrenfeld, Rutgers University
Helena Norberg-Hodge, International Society for Ecology & Culture
Vandana Shiva, Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Ecology
Kirkpatrick Sale, Author, Rebels Against the Future

THE CASE AGAINST INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE: MAD COWS, CAGED HOGS, DEAD MONARCHS, POISONED WATER, BIOTECH CORN, BAD FOOD
Debi Barker, International Forum on Globalization
Frances Moore Lappé, Author, Diet for a Small Planet
Andy Kimbrell, International Center for Technology Assessment
Joan Gussow, Former Chair Department of Nutrition, Columbia University
Anuradha Mittal, Food First
John Stauber, PR Watch

"THE CASINO ECONOMY": UNDERSTANDING THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
John Cavanagh, Institute for Policy Studies
Walden Bello, Focus on the Global South
Chee Yoke Ling, Third World Network

VIRTUALITY, COMMUNITY, & PLACE
Steve Talbott, The Nature Institute
Stephanie Mills, Great Lakes Bioregional Congress
Charlene Spretnak, Author, Resurgence of the Real
Peter Berg, Planet Drum Foundation
John Mohawk, Seneca Nation

THE PHILOSOPHERS OF TECHNOLOGY: MUMFORD, GANDHI, ELLUL, et. al.
Langdon Winner, Rensallaer Polytechnical Institute
Satish Kumar, Resurgence magazine
Bill Vanderberg, Center for Technology & Social Development

THE LAW OF UNINTENDED TECHNOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES & THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPAL: CHANGING THE ONUS OF PROOF (GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT)
Carolyn Raffensberger, Science & Environmental Health Network
Randy Hayes, Rainforest Action Network
Martin Teitel, Council on Responsible Genetics

BIOTECH TREES
Victor Menotti, International Forum on Globalization
et. al. (others to come)

12:15-2:00 p.m. Workshops

THE INTERNET - CRITICAL VIEWS: DECENTRALIZING OR CENTRALIZING? EMPOWERING OR DISEMPOWERING?
Jerry Mander, International Forum on Globalization
Steve Talbott, The Nature Institute
Langdon Winner, Rensallaer Polytechnical Institute
David Ehrenfeld, Rutgers University
Sarah Anderson, Institute for Policy Studies
Andy Kimbrell, International Center for Technology Assessment

EFFECTS OF TECHNO-GLOBALIZATION ON BIODIVERSITY & NATURE
David Suzuki, Author, The Sacred Balance
Victor Menotti, International Forum on Globalization
Simon Retallack, The Ecologist
Randy Hayes, Rainforest Action Network

ORGANIZING AGAINST THE WTO & THE FTAA (FREE TRADE AGREEMENT OF THE AMERICAS)
Lori Wallach, Public Citizen
Tony Clarke, Polaris Institute
Walden Bello, Focus on the Global South
Antonia Juhasz, International Forum on Globalization

HUMAN TECHNO-EUGENICS, NANOTECHNOLOGY & ROBOTICS
Chris Desser, Biotech Funders' Working Group
Richard Hayes, Exploratory Initiative on the New Human Genetic Technologies
Pat Roy Mooney, Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI)
Martin Teitel, Council for Responsible Genetics

WOMEN'S GRASSROOTS ALTERNATIVES
Charlene Spretnak, Author, Resurgence of the Real
et. al. (others to come)

AGRICULTURE & FOOD: FROM GLOBAL TO LOCAL
Helena Norberg-Hodge, International Society for Ecology & Culture
Joan Gussow, Former Chair, Department of Nutrition, Columbia University
Caroline Raffensberger, Science & Environmental Health Network

THE BIOREGIONAL ALTERNATIVE
Kirkpatrick Sale, Author Rebels Against the Future
Peter Berg, Planet Drum Foundation
Stephanie Mills, Great Lakes Bioregional Congress

2:15-4:00 p.m. workshops

CAN SCIENCE SAVE US? CAN SCIENCE BE SAVED?
Vandana Shiva, Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Ecology
David Suzuki, Author, The Sacred Balance
Arpad Pustai, Former Chief Scientist, Rowett Research Institute
Susan Bardocz, Former Biochemist, Rowett Research Institute
Mae Wan Ho, Institute for Science in Society

ARE CORPORATIONS REFORMABLE? IS TECHNOLOGY NEUTRAL? EXPLORING SYSTEMIC ANALYSES
Fritjof Capra, Center for Ecoliteracy
Jerry Mander, International Forum on Globalization
Andrew Kimbrell, International Center for Technology Assessment
Paul Hawken, Author, Natural Capitalism
Kirkpatrick Sale, Author, Rebels Against the Future

TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS (1): COMPUTERS & TELEVISION
Zenobia Barlow, Center for Ecoliteracy
Jane Healy, Author, Endangered Minds
William L. Rukeyser, Learning in the Real World
Chet Bowers, Portland State University
Langdon Winner, Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute

GLOBALIZATION OF TECHNO-MIND (AND ITS CONSEQUENCES)
Steve Talbott, The Nature Institute
Satish Kumar, Resurgence magazine
Bill Vanderberg, Center for Technology & Social Development
Pat Roy Mooney, Rural Advancement Foundation International

(RAFI) LABOR ISSUES WITH TECHNOLOGY
John Cavanagh, Institute for Policy Studies
Tony Clarke, Polaris Institute
et. al. (others to come)

WEAPONS IN SPACE (CONTINUED FROM PLENARY)
Karl Grossman, State University of New York
Jacqueline Cabasso, Western States Legal Foundation
Bruce Gagnon, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space
Freda Berrrigan, World Policy Institute

INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES: GLOBAL VS. LOCAL
John Mohawk, Seneca Nation
Debra Harry, Indigenous Peoples' Council on Biocolonialism
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Indigenous Peoples' International Center for Policy Research and Education

4:15-6:00 p.m. workshops

CAN INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE FEED THE WORLD?
Anuradha Mittal, Food First
Vandana Shiva, Research Foundation for Science, Technology & Ecology
Walden Bello, Focus on the Global South
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Indigenous Peoples' International Center for Policy Research and Education
Chee Yoke Ling, Third World Network

NEW DIET FOR A SMALL PLANET
Frances Moore Lappé, Author, Diet for a Small Planet
Anna Lappé, Author, New Diet for a Small Planet

TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS (2): MANAGING MINDS
John Taylor-Gatto
Roland Legiardi-Laura

AVERTING TECHNO-CATASTROPHE: CLIMATE CHANGE & ENERGY POLICY
Simon Retallack, The Ecologist
Michael Northrup, Rockefeller Brothers Fund

THE GLOBALIZING ROLE OF MEDIA & WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT
Mark Crispin Miller, Project on Media Ownership
John Stauber, PR Watch
Marianne Manilov, UNPLUG- Center for Commercial Free Public Education
Shaya Mercer, Film Producer

TECHNOLOGY & THE HOMOGENIZATION OF CULTURES
Helena Norberg-Hodge International Society for Ecology & Culture
Chet Bowers, Portland State University
Debra Harry, Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism
John Mohawk, Seneca Nation

(Program subject to change)

This event is not sponsored by or affliated with Hunter College

For Information visit the IFG website at www.ifg.org. Check this site again for updates about this event.