ESRC neoliberalism seminar
Neoliberalism is characterised by an antipathy towards state involvement in economic exchange and an emphasis on the benefits of market forces. The ascendancy of such neoliberal processes, rules and institutions illustrates the impact that an ideology can have, especially where it is presented as a technocratic rather than political process.In contrast, the emerging global civil society reaction against neoliberalism is exemplified in the global justice movement, which challenges a number of assumptions about the purpose and direction of economic and social reforms based on the Anglo-American model.
It is important for the social sciences to consider the differences between neoliberalism and anti-neoliberalism in order to highlight the impact that such ideologies have on social research and policy.
The aims of this two-year ESRC seminar series are to contribute to such an undertaking, by providing a forum in which both senior and junior academics can engage in dialogue with each other and with research users, where such users are conceived in broad terms.
Aims and Objectives
- The central aim is to provide a forum in which to discuss the impact and effect of ideologies on policy-making and policy-directed research in the social sciences.
- The initial aim is to assess the ideologies of neoliberalism and anti-neoliberalism, in particular focusing on their respective influence in policy and research.
- A subsequent aim is to engage a range of different participants in the discussion of whether and how this influence is problematic in both policy and research.
- The final aim is therefore to explore how policy and the social sciences might identify and respond to ideological influences.
Participation
To register your interest in participating in the series or presenting a paper at any of the seminars please contact the organisers.
We have a number of travel bursaries available for speakers and participants, including for PhD students and user groups. Users are here broadly defined to cover non-mainstream organisations and individuals drawing in civil society and protest groups, as well as more usual policy-makers.
Seminar: Understanding Neoliberalism(Monday 27th November 2006) - Fully Booked
- Professor Bob Jessop (Sociology, Lancaster University)
"From Hegemony to the Ecological Dominance of Neo-Liberalism: the Deepening Contradictions of US Domination" - Professor David Miller (Sociology, Strathclyde University)
"How Neoliberalism Got Where It Is: The Social Movement for Neoliberal Reform" - Dr Susan George (Transnational Institute)
"The Betrayal of Social Europe"
Susan George Neoliberalism Seminar - Dr Julie MacLeavy (Geography, University of Bristol)
"Neoliberalising Values? New Labour's Construction of Social Inclusion in Local Governance" - David Tyfield (Egenis, University of Exeter)
"Neoliberalism and the Knowledge Economy: The Construction of the US Patent Coalition"
Seminar: The Influence of Neoliberalism - Seminar 2 Programme (Wednesday 25th April 2007)
- Professor Adam Tickell (Geography, Royal Holloway)
"Making Global Rules" - Dr Ha-Joon Chang (Economics, University of Cambridge)
"Neo-Liberalism and History: What is Wrong with the Official History of Capitalism?"
Chang Neoliberalism Presentation - Dr Elizabeth Olson (Geography, University of Edinburgh)
"Confounding Neo-Liberalism: the Crisis of Faith-Based Activism in the Southern Andes of Peru"
Olson Neoliberalism Presentation - Stephen Boyd (Assistant Secretary, Scottish TUC)
"The Impact of Neo-Liberalism on Economic Debate in Scotland"
Boyd Neoliberalism Paper
- Elisa Van Waeyenberge (Economics, SOAS)
"Tightening the Web: Country Policy and Institutional Assessments at the World Bank" - Daniel Hale and Megan Blake (Geography, University of Leeds)
"'Complete Worker' vs. 'Total Worker': Citizenship, Volunteerism and Job Satisfaction"
Seminar: Local Anti-neoliberalism(Tuesday 17th July 2007)
- Dr Paul Routledge (Geography, University of Glasgow)
"Dreaming the Real: A Politics of Ethical Spectacles" - Dr Paul Chatterton (Geography, University of Leeds)
"Do It Yourself: Lessons in Popular Education with the Trapese Collective on How to Change the World" - Dr Alex Plows (Cesagen, Cardiff University)
"Embodied and Local Resistance to Genetic Bioscience Within the Global Bioeconomy"
Plows Neoliberalism Seminar - Dr Sarah Glynn (Geography, University of Edinburgh)
"Fighting Neoliberalism at Home: Lessons from 100 Years of Housing Campaigns"
Glynn Neoliberalism Presentation
- Inigo Garrido (Camcorder Guerillas)
[film screening]
Seminar: Global Anti-neoliberalism(Wednesday 21st November 2007)
- Professor Jean Shaoul (Business School, University of Manchester)
"Opposing neo-liberalism: A Marxist internationalist perspective" - Dr Andrew Cumbers (Geography, University of Glasgow)
“Buggering about in Cuba” or “health and safety in Darlington”? The dilemmas of forging trans-national labour solidarity networks"
Cumbers Neoliberalism Presentation
- Dr Leonith Hinojosa and Professor Anthony Bebbington (Environment and Development, University Manchester)
"Fire-fighters or fire-makers? Mining transnational companies and transnational civil-society networks in the Andes" - Kathya Cordova (International Politics and Economics, Universite Pierre Mendes France)
"Anti-neoliberalism or a new socialistic agenda? Case of Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela" - Nina Moeller and Martin Pedersen (Anthill Agency)
"Autonomous Development in the Amazon"
Colonos
Seminar: Ideologies and Social Science (Tuesday 1st April 2008)
- Professor Ben Fine (Economics, SOAS)
"Zombieconomics: The Living Death of the Dismal Science in the Age of Neoliberalism" - Dr Adam Swain (Geography, University of Nottingham), Dr Vlad Mykhnenko (CPPR, University of Glasgow) and Shaun French (Geography, University of Nottingham)
"Neoliberalising Post-Soviet Space: The Idea of 'Corruption'" - Dr Huw Macartney (CSSGJ, University of Nottingham)
"Articulating Particularistic Interests: The Organic Organisers of Hegemony in Germany and France"
Macartney Neoliberal Presentation
- David Woodward (freelance, formerly nef)
"Ideologies and Social Science"
Woodward Neoliberal Presentation - Larry Lohmann (The Corner House)
"Neoliberalising Climate Change: Science, Accounting, Law and Public Discourse"
Seminar: De-ideologisation (11th August 2008)
- Dr Michael McKinley, (International Relations, Australian National University)
"Identifying and Confronting the Enemy through Parrhesia, Hate and Reform"
McKinley Neoliberalism Paper - Professor Peter Gowan (ISET, London Metropolitan University)
"Individualist Objectivity as Bias helped by Lakatosin the Background: Some thoughts from IR" - Dr Les Levidow (Development Policy and Practice, Open University)
"EU Biofuels Policy: Neoliberal Eco-efficiency in Dispute"
Levidow Neoliberalism Presentation - Dr Matthew Feldman (History, University of Northampton)
The Global Village and People of Goodwill: 'We had to destroy the village to save it'"
Feldman Neoliberalism Paper - Ana Soage (University of Granada)
"Western Ideologies in Egypt: Failure of Assimilation?"
Soage Neoliberalism Paper
End of Award Report
Seminar Organisers
Mr Kean Birch (kean.birch@lbss.gla.ac.uk)
Dr Vlad Mykhnenko (vlad.mykhnenko@lbss.gla.ac.uk)
Dr Katherine Trebeck (k.trebeck@lbss.gla.ac.uk)
Location
Centre for Public Policy for Regions (CPPR), University of Glasgow.