NEWS NOTES

March 2004

News Notes is a monthly email update of goings-on at ECAAR.  In it you will find information on current projects, announcements of upcoming events and publications, and an action corner.  We would like to include information on what our members are doing.  If you would like to submit information about an event or publication that you are involved with, please send an email to theaharvey@ecaar.org.  (The fine print - we reserve the right to edit submissions for space or content.)  

In this issue (click on a heading to jump to that section):
*ECAAR News
*Links
*In Other News
*Funding Opportunities
*ECAAR Publications
*Action Corner
*Upcoming Events
*How Can I Help

*ECAAR NEWS*

*The joint application by Economists Allied For Arms Reduction-South Africa (ECAAR-SA) and Terry Crawford-Browne for setting aside of the loan agreements that give effect to a major arms deal was dismissed by the Cape High Court on March 4 2004.  The application was dismissed on the grounds that "by the time the loan agreements were concluded, the Cabinet decision was a fait accompli and [the role of the Minister of Finance] was limited to that of finding the necessary funding in order to finance the acquisition."  Therefore, ECAAR-SA's primary attack should have been directed against the Cabinet's decision [rather than the Minister of Finance]. Mr. Crawford-Browne has been directed to pay the court costs for the suit.  ECAAR-SA and Mr. Crawford-Browne plan to appeal immediately.

*April 6, 2004. International Symposium on Resources and Conflict in the Asia-Pacific Region.  Sponsored by ECAAR-Australia and ECAAR-US, organized by the Department of Economics at Macquarie University. Internal conflict has become increasingly widespread in the Asia-Pacific region, creating an "arc of instability" stretching from Indonesia in the west, through East Timor, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and other parts of the Pacific, to Fiji in the east.  The aim of this symposium is to bring together experts in the field to discuss how far economic concerns are implicated in internal strife within the countries of the region, and what sorts of economic and other strategies might offer promise for bringing about peaceful resolution of these problems. As well as a focus on economic issues, an important theme running through the symposium will be the role of the media, both actual and potential, in reporting on conflict and in playing a constructive role in processes of conflict resolution in the Asia-Pacific.
For more information visit http://www.ecosoc.org.au/conferences.html.

*ECAAR board member Manas Chatterji organized a meeting on Peace, Conflict and Development in South Asia held at National Law University, Jodhpur, India on January 10-11, 2004.  About 50 people attended and 20 papers were presented. Next year, a major meeting on the same subject is planned in India. The dates will be announced later. Professor Chatterji co-organized an international meeting on Conflict Management, Peace and Development at Krakow University of Economics, Krakow, Poland in 2002, and a one day seminar on Conflict Management and Peace Economics at Chinese Academy of Science. He is now preparing a volume including some of the papers for possible publication.

*J. Paul Dunne and Sam Perlo-Freeman of ECAAR-UK have authored a report recently released by Oxfam of Great Britain showing that there is a major loophole in the arms export controls of the British government.  The report, entitled, Lock, Stock and Barrel, reveals that the government is applying weaker controls to the export of components, compared to the export of full weapons systems. These double standards allow British-sold weapons components to end up in countries where they could ultimately be used to violate human rights. The report is released as part of the Control Arms Campaign led by Oxfam, Amnesty International and IANSA.

Figures contained in the report - the first analysis of its kind - show that since 1998 there has been an eleven-fold increase (1100%) in the number of arms components licensed for export. The loophole has allowed British arms components to be sold to a list of countries including Zimbabwe, Israel, Indonesia, Colombia, Nepal and the Philippines. To read the entire report, go to: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/conflict_disasters/lock_stock_barrel.htm

*ECAAR Board member Joseph Stiglitz, in The Guardian of March 12, 2004, writes: "The war on terrorism and in Iraq has distracted much of the world's attention from the pressing issue of how globalization should be managed so that it benefits everyone. A new report, issued by the International Labor Organization's commission on the social dimensions of globalization, reminds us how far the Bush administration is out of line with the global consensus."  Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1167759,00.html

*Call for Papers: for sessions on The Political Economy of War, Peace, Armament, Disarmament, and Conversion organized by the European ECAAR affiliates in conjunction with the European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy (EAEPE) to be regularly held at the annual meetings of EAEPE: October 28-31, 2004, in Rethymnon, Crete (Greece) and November 10-12, 2005, in Bremen, Germany. Please contact: Prof. Wolfram Elsner, welsner@uni-bremen.de

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*LINKS*

*ECAAR has recently been listed on SOSIG, the Social Science Information Gateway.  The service aims to provide a trusted source of selected, high quality Internet information for researchers and practitioners in the social sciences, business and law.  It is part of the UK Resource Discovery network.  The service offers:

• The SOSIG Internet Catalogue - a database of high quality Internet resources. The Catalogue points to thousands of resources, each one having been selected and described by a librarian or academic.
• Social Science Search Engine - This is a database of over 50,000 Social Science Web pages.
• Social Science Grapevine - Grapevine is the "people oriented" side of SOSIG, offering a unique online source of career development opportunities for social science researchers in all sectors. Grapevine carries details of relevant training and development opportunities from employers and training providers. Researchers can also make their CVs available online which are freely accessible to all visitors to the site. Grapevine's Likeminds section provides a forum for exchange of ideas and information about potential research opportunities and networkhips. If you want to find contacts in your field you can also check the social science departmental database.

* The Research Unit on Security and International Cooperation (UNISCI) at the Faculty of Political Science and Sociology, Department of International Studies, University of Madrid, announces the publication of the fourth issue of UNISCI Discussion Papers, La Revista Sobre Seguridad (the Security Review).  This special issue is focused on Taiwan-China relations, Central Asia, Georgia, APEC, the European Union, Northern Africa, etc.  The book is available online at: http://www.ucm.es/info.unisci.  The website is in both Spanish and English.

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*IN OTHER NEWS*

*In October 2003 the US Defense Department released a commissioned study on An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States National Security.  The report looks at the very real possibility of dramatic climactic change in the next century, and finds that there could be security issues associated with such a change.  Recent research suggests that the current gradual global warming could lead to a relatively abrupt change, which could lead to harsher winter weather, sharply reduced soil moisture, and intense winds in certain regions that currently provide a significant fraction of the world's food production.  Such an abrupt climate change could potentially de-stabilize the geo-political environment, leading to skirmishes, battles and even war due to resource constraints such as food shortages, decreased availability of fresh water and disrupted energy supplies. 

The report suggests that, because of the potentially dire consequences, "the risk of abrupt climate change should be elevated beyond a scientific debate to a US national security concern." http://www.ems.org/climate/pentagon_climate_change.html

*David Broder's column in The Washington Post of Sunday, March 14^th reports on a House speech by Rep. Barney Franks, in which Rep. Franks argues "The ability of the private sector in this country to create wealth is now outstripping its ability to create jobs. The normal rule of thumb by which a certain increase in the gross domestic product would produce a concomitant increase in jobs does not appear to apply."  Read the full article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56650-2004Mar13.html (registration is required but is free).

*Jeffrey Sachs writing in the Financial Times of February 29, 2004 says, Don't Fall for Washington's Spin on Haiti. "The crisis in Haiti is another case of brazen US manipulation of a small, impoverished country. Much of the media portrayed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide as an undemocratic leader who betrayed Haiti's democratic hopes and thereby lost the support of his erstwhile backers. He 'stole' elections and intransigently refused to address opposition concerns. As a result he had to leave office, which he did on Sunday at the insistence of the US and France. Unfortunately, this is a very distorted view.  President George Bush's foreign policy team came into office intent on toppling Mr. Aristide, and their efforts were apparently consummated on Sunday." Read the entire article at: http://www.ecaar.org/Articles/sachs.htm

*Former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark makes a similar argument on the website of the International Action Center. "The Bush administration has worked towards the removal of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide from office for three years. It has enforced a unilateral embargo and cut off humanitarian aid to the poorest country in the hemisphere. It has sought to undermine support for President Aristide while supporting his opposition. It has waged a relentless propaganda campaign to force him out of office. It has supported calls for elections in violation of the constitution and laws of Haiti. Most recently the U.S. has forced regime change by armed aggression supporting former Haitian military officers, FRAPH leaders and criminal elements who entered Haiti with heavy firepower. Though only hundreds in number they easily captured Cap Haitien, Gonaives, Hinche and Les Cayes, killing the police who were untrained in warfare, or in defending against commando units, armed only with pistols. This small force could never have entered Haiti if President Aristide, a man of peace, had not abolished the Haitian army, a praiseworthy act. Unfortunately, this left the country defenseless against armed aggression."  Read the entire message at http://www.iacenter.org/; scroll down the right side of the page and click on "Ramsey Clark's Statement on Haiti."

*Project on Defense Alternatives (PDA) announced the publication of a new monograph entitled Disappearing the Dead: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Idea of a "New Warfare" by director Carl Conetta. The report reviews and assesses Pentagon efforts to shape the media and public debate on war casualties during the Iraq and Afghan conflicts. The political and strategic relevance of the casualty issue is also explored. Case studies include the Baghdad bombing campaign. Several Pentagon news frames are analyzed, including "casualty agnosticism" and "precision warfare" (which the study concludes is an ideological construct).  An appendix provides a Guide to Surveys and Reporting on Casualties in the Afghan and Iraq wars.  Other topics addressed: asymmetric and information warfare, perception management, guided munitions technologies, weapon effects, casualty estimates, media coverage of recent warfare, and relevant public opinion polls worldwide and in Iraq.
Exec Summary HTML: http://www.comw.org/pda/0402rm9exsum.html
Exec Summary PDF: http://www.comw.org/pda/fulltext/0402rm9exsum.pdf
Full Report HTML: http://www.comw.org/pda/0402rm9.html
Full Report PDF:  http://www.comw.org/pda/fulltext/0402rm9.pdf

* The European University Center for Peace Studies (EPU) offers an intensive course in peace and conflict studies, in Stadtschlaining, Austria.  All the courses are taught in English, by leading specialists in their fields from around the world, including Johan Galtung, founder of the field of peace research. Students who complete one semester obtain an Advanced Certificate in Peace and Conflict Studies.  Those who complete two semesters and write a thesis obtain a Master of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies.

The Program, established in 1991 by Dr. Gerald Mader, Founder and President of the Austrian Study Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, received the 1995 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education.   Peace Studies is a highly interdisciplinary and growing academic field.  Students who have successfully completed their studies are well grounded in both theory and practice to face the challenges of global conflict transformation.  Many former students now have thriving careers with international organizations or work with their respective home governments.  Topics include: Introduction to Peace Studies, Cross-Cultural Communication, Peaceful Conflict Transformation, Human Rights, Governance, Participation, the Global Economy, Peacebuilding and Development, Demilitarization, Nonviolence, Security, United Nations Reform, Mediation, Peace Education, Peace and the Media, Reconciliation after Violence, Peace and Deep Culture.

Sessions are beginning: Fall term 2004: Oct. 3 - Dec. 22 (apply by March 15, 2004); Spring term 2005: February 27 - May 22 (apply by Sept. 15, 2004); Fall term 2005: October 2 - December 21 (apply by March 15, 2005). The cost is Euro 2500 tuition + Euro 1200 room rent per semester, plus Euro 700 examination fee for the Master of Arts program.  A few partial scholarships are available to Third World students.

For more information and to apply: see http://www.aspr.ac.at/, and click on "European University Center for Peace Studies," on the left.  If you have further questions, please contact Anita Flasch, EPU Secretary at epu@epu.ac.at, Tel +43-3355-2498-515, or Dr. Dietrich Fischer, Academic Director of EPU at fischer@epu.ac.at, Tel +43-3355-20726. 

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*FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES *

*The mission of the National Geographic Society's Education Foundation (http://nationalgeographic.com/foundation) is to prepare children to embrace a diverse world, succeed in a global economy, and act as stewards of the planet's resources.  The foundation provides grants to educators to facilitate their work in the classroom, school, district, and community. Teacher Grant applications are accepted in the spring (deadline: June 10, 2004) from any current teacher or administrator in an accredited K-12 school within the United States or Canada. This year, the program will place a special emphasis on "cultural connections" - projects that promote understanding of and respect for differences between cultures, as well as explorations of students' own heritage. Projects will be funded in either of two broad categories: Promoting Stewardship of Cultural and Natural Resources, and Promoting Geographic Knowledge Through Education.

The program encourages high-impact projects with the potential to reach as many teachers and students as possible. The program also seeks work that directly engages students and encourages them to understand the power and relevancy of geographic skills, the uses of geography, and a spatial perspective. Projects that have outreach to urban areas are particularly encouraged.  The foundation plans to make approximately $100,000 available, in grants of up to $5,000 each. Applications may be submitted by a single teacher or by a project team leader on behalf of a group.

See the National Geographic Education Foundation for complete application guidelines and examples of projects funded in the past. http://nationalgeographic.com/education/teacher_community/get_grant.html

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*ECAAR PUBLICATIONS*

*The ECAAR Review 2003.  Titled "Conflict or Development?" this edition has a regional focus on Africa, the site of most of the world's current armed conflicts.  In its pages some of the leading economists of the day analyze and reflect on the relationships among military spending, domestic and foreign policy, security, and human welfare. Features include country studies and sections on business and conflict and "Trends in World Military Expenditure." Written in clear English, with informative maps, tables, and graphs, the series is designed to inform the debate among policymakers, activists, journalists, academics, students, and citizens worldwide.

You can order the Review at http://www.ecaar.org/Review_files/order.htm   

We believe the Review can be a valuable teaching tool in economics, political science, and international relations courses.  If you are interested in teaching this book, please contact Kate Cell (Katecell@ecaar.org) for a copy to review.

* "The Full Cost of Ballistic Missile Defense"  The study estimates that the total life-cycle cost for a layered missile defense system could reach $1.2 trillion through 2035.  You can order a copy of the report from the co-sponsor of the study, http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/nmd/fullcost.html, or download the PDF file from http://www.ecaar.org/index.htm.

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*ACTION CORNER*

*Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is sponsoring a campaign of voter education and policy advocacy called "SMART Security, A Sensible, Multilateral, American Response to Terrorism."  Their website (http://www.psr.org/) describes the campaign: "SMART Security means pursuing policies that effectively prevent acts of terrorism, the spread of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, and the devastation of war.  It's time we reject the role of the go-it-alone policeman of the world.  America needs to work with a growing community of allies on addressing the root causes of terrorism.  It's time we say no to those who would build new "mini-nukes" and other unneeded weapons systems.   America needs to actively support international treaties to help prevent the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.  America needs to invest more at home - on health care for all Americans, rebuilding our schools and education system, creating jobs, and stopping the pollution of our air, land and water.  To endorse the SMART Security platform and add your voice to a call for a new security policy for the United States click: http://www.psr.org/home.cfm?id=smart_platform .

*The Bush Administration announced a new landmine policy on February 27. The policy, determined by the Dept. of Defense, Dept. of State, the National Security Council and President Bush, abandons altogether plans for US accession to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.  President Clinton's policy was for the US to join the Treaty by 2006.  The new policy also confirms the possibility that US troops may deploy antipersonnel landmines in Iraq or elsewhere.

Senator Leahy of Vermont, who has been a leader on this issue, said, "This is another squandered opportunity for US leadership on a crucial arms control and humanitarian issue...We are by far the most powerful nation on earth, and the world looks to us for leadership...When we back away from the progress we have pledged to rid the world of these indiscriminate weapons, others will ask why they, with their much weaker armed forces, should stop using them."  The US Campaign to Ban Landmines, a coalition of nearly 500 NGOs and thousands of individuals, is asking citizens to urge the President to reconsider this policy.  You can reach the White House comment line at (202) 456-1111.  For more information on the campaign to ban landmines visit:  http://www.banminesusa.org/

* Anyone who would be willing to put an ECAAR flyer up on a departmental bulletin board or similar venue, please contact Thea Harvey, Development Manager at theaharvey@ecaar.org.

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We would like News Notes to be a way for ECAAR members and our community to keep in touch.  We will include, if you send them to us, notices on events and publications that you are involved with.

*UPCOMING EVENTS*

*Friday, March 19, 2004. The Study Group on the Economics of Security in a Post-9/11 World. Study Group member David Berteau will be presenting his paper "Homeland Security: The Big Questions."  David Berteau is consultant with Clark and Weinstock, with over 15 years experience in senior defense management positions. He is a faculty member of Syracuse University's Maxwell School and serves on the NASA Advisory Council as a Public Administration representative. Berteau has previously served on three Defense Science Board task forces and two summer studies. The Study Group will meet from 2:30-4:00pm; coffee and tea at 2:00 pm, refreshments afterward, in Room 510, 66 W. 12th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues).  Please RSVP to Frida Berrigan, berrigaf@newschool.edu

*April 6, 2004.  International Symposium on Resources and Conflict in the Asia-Pacific Region.  Sponsored by ECAAR-Australia and ECAAR-US, organized by the Department of Economics at Macquarie University. See above under "ECAAR News."

*April 18-24, 2004. The 2004 Youth Summit On Sustainable Development, New York, NY.  A two-week, pro-social extravaganza with events open and free to young people from around the world during the 12th meeting of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.
http://www.sustainus.org/youthsummit.htm

* May 25-28, 2004.  Conference sponsored by International Philosophers for Peace (IPPNO) entitled Capitalism with a Human Face? at Radford University, Radford, Virginia.  The Conference will examine the following questions and related conceptual matters:  What are the conditions required for the development of a world of enduring peace and socio-economic justice between and within all nations?  Can the exercise of capitalism in any form be compatible with the above needs?  Failing this, what are the feasible alternatives? For more information email: IPPNO2004@Yahoo.com or gmartin@runet.com. Participants are welcome from all disciplines.

*May 30-June 18, 2004.  Summer Peacebuilding Institute: Conflict Transformation Across Cultures, sponsored by the Center for Social Policy and Institutional Development at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. http://www.sit.edu/contact/institute/index.html .

* June 3- 8, 2004. WIIS 2004 Summer Symposium for Graduate Students in International Affairs.  The Women in International Security Summer Symposium is an intensive six-day program in Washington, DC comprising seminars on security issues with leading policy experts, career development workshops, a crisis simulation, student research presentations, and unique networking opportunities. http://wiis.georgetown.edu/ 

*June 9-11, 2004 at the Tinbergen Institute at the University of Amsterdam. The second Peace Science Conference.  Organized by the network of European Peace Scientists (NEPS).  Registration fee will be Euro 35.  More information will be posted as it becomes available.

* June 18-20, 2004.  2nd International Conference on Defense, Security and Economic Development, at TEI of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.  For more information email kollias@teilar.gr

*June 24-26, 2004.  ECAAR-UK, along with the Arms Production and Trade Group, the University of the West of England and the University of Bristol will sponsor the Eighth Annual Conference on Economics and Security in Bristol, UK.  Papers are now being accepted.  For information on submitting an abstract visit: http://carecon.org.uk/Conferences/Conf2004/Call2004.pdf

*July 1-2, 2004. Lisbon Conference on Defense and Security, Terrorism as a Global Threat: Models and Defense Strategies.  In Lisbon, Portugal.  For more information contact: CIEF- ISEG, Rua Miguel Lupi, 20, 1249-78 Lisboa. Tel.: 351 213906850; email: cief@iseg.utl.pt

*July 6-11, 2004.  The International Sociological Association Research Committee 01, the Middle East Technical University-Ankara, and the Turkish Military Academy host an International Conference on "Military Missions and Their Implications Reconsidered: The Aftermath of September 11th" in Ankara, Turkey.  Submissions for papers are welcome until the end of March.  Visit www.asterya.com/isarc01 for more information.

* July 15-16, 2004.   The Centre for Global Political Economy at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada is organizing an international conference, The WTO and Beyond: Global Governance and State Power in the 21st Century. http://www.sfu.ca/~cgpe/projects.html

*October 28-31, 2004, annual meetings of EAEPE, the European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy, in Rethymnon, Crete (Greece).  More information is available at http://www.institutionaleconomics.org/eaepe.php?q=node/view/92

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*HOW CAN I HELP?*

*If you are considering buying a book online, please take a look at What We Give.com (http://www.whatwegive.com/).  They have thousands of titles available at a discount to you, and ECAAR receives a portion of the purchase price.

*Please consider becoming a member of ECAAR.  Your annual membership entitles you to discounts on publications, invitations to events, and most importantly, by joining us you help to ensure that reasoned perspectives on essential economic issues will continue to be heard. Membership dues and other donations are fully tax-deductible.   Visit http://www.ecaar.org/Membership.htm for more information.

*If you have enjoyed this issue of ECAAR NewsNotes, or if you wish to support our mission, please consider making a donation to ECAAR.  You can do so securely online through our website at https://www.chi-cash-advance.com/sforms/appeal196/contribute.asp or by sending a check to ECAAR, 39 E. Central Ave, Suite One, Pearl River, NY 10965.  If you have any questions call (845) 620-1542, or email ecaar@ecaar.org.

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