Please join us for an EPS Bernard Schwartz Symposium - A Strategic Policy:  Investment, Social Security and Economic Recovery. You are cordially invited to a public symposium on Friday, October 1, 2010, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington DC. 9:00am - 1:30pm.

For more information or to register, see http://www.epsusa.org/events/1010conf/ssprogram.htm

The true cost of the Iraq war: $3 trillion and beyond
By Joseph E. Stiglitz and Linda J. Bilmes, Sunday, September 5, 2010 for The Washington Post

"Writing in these pages in early 2008, we put the total cost to the United States of the Iraq war at $3 trillion. This price tag dwarfed previous estimates, including the Bush administration's 2003 projections of a $50 billion to $60 billion war.

"But today, as the United States ends combat in Iraq, it appears that our $3 trillion estimate (which accounted for both government expenses and the war's broader impact on the US economy) was, if anything, too low. For example, the cost of diagnosing, treating and compensating disabled veterans has proved higher than we expected."

To read the full article, see http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/03/AR2010090302200.html

Thoughts on a Plan B
By James K. Galbraith, September 6, 2010 for New America Foundation

"In July 2008, in a memorandum for the Obama campaign team and later published in Challenge,  I wrote as follows:

"If the above analysis is correct, the political capital of the new presidency risks being depleted, quite quickly, in a series of short-term stimulus efforts that will do little more than buoy the economy for a few months each. Since they will not lead to a revival of private credit, every one of those efforts will ultimately be seen as ‘too little, too late’ and therefore as ending in failure.

"Painful though it is to repeat those words, the question remains: what can be done now?"

To read the full paper, go to http://growth.newamerica.net/publications/policy/thoughts_on_a_plan_b

The CEPR Deficit Calculator

"There is considerable concern that the debt burden that United States will face by the end of the next decade will place serious strains on the government and the economy. It is not clear how high the debt can go before it begins to hamper economic growth or raise questions about the creditworthiness of the US government. The calculator shows that the debt burden has been much higher for the United States in the past, and is currently far higher for many countries, than it is projected to be in the baseline scenario for the United States in 2020.

"This calculator allows users to see how various policies will affect the debt burden in 2020. These options have appeared in public debates (or should) and would have a substantial impact on the deficit. The calculator allows users to select whatever target they consider appropriate given the various reference points shown."

To try the calculator, go to http://www.cepr.net/calculators/calc_deficit.html

National Priorities Project's Trade Offs Tool Shows the Magnitude of Federal Budget Spending
Do you understand the localized impact of federal spending? How will your federal tax dollars be spent in 2011?

With all eyes on our nation's budget, National Priorities Project (NPP) has overhauled its Trade Offs Tool designed to clarify the magnitude and localized impact of federal spending programs. The tool estimates FY2011 spending for select federal programs for individual states, counties, congressional districts, and towns. It then represents these dollar amounts in terms of localized costs of alternative goods and services such as police, teachers, or care for military veterans.

To use the National Priorities Project Trade Offs Tool, see http://www.nationalpriorities.org/tradeoffs

The Journal of Economic Perspectives (JEP), published by AEA, is now available online at no charge to the public.  The JEP consists of articles that serve several goals such as synthesizing and integrating lessons learned from active lines of economic research and providing economic analysis of public policy issues. 

To view all issues of the JEP published since 1999 online, compliments of the AEA, visit http://www.aeaweb.org/jep/contents/index.php.

Time for the Nuclear Test Ban
By Daryl G. Kimball, Proliferation Analysis, August 24, 2010 for Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

"Twenty years ago, a popular movement in Soviet-controlled Kazakhstan forced Moscow’s communist regime to halt nuclear weapons testing at proving grounds in their homeland, where more than 456 explosions had contaminated the land and its people. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev would authorize only one more test (in Russia) and then declare a moratorium in October 1991, prompting US legislators to initiate a US test moratorium. The last US nuclear test explosion was conducted on September 23, 1992.

"Just four years later, the world’s nations concluded the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) to prevent proliferation and help end the nuclear arms race. President Bill Clinton was the first of 182 national leaders that have signed the treaty, yet the CTBT must still be ratified by the United States and eight other hold-out states before it can formally enter into force."

The full article can be read at http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=41419

Rethinking US war in Afghanistan
by Steve Clemons, September 8, 2010 for Politico

"Though President Barack Obama last week gave his ‘Combat Operations in Iraq Are Over’ speech from the Oval Office, in the hope that anxious Americans would feel that nationally unnerving, messy foreign military entanglements are being reduced, his focus should have been Afghanistan — where the hemorrhage of US interests and resources is only worsening.

"Despite acceding to the Pentagon’s surge in troop levels, huge budget requests and civilian nation-builders, as well as the deployment of a superstar general, Obama’s current approach in Afghanistan is failing."

To read the full article, see http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/41871.html

What are the links between shame and poverty? By Chris Arnot for guardian.co.uk, August 24, 2010. Are shame and poverty closely linked? And, if so, why is it important? An international research project aims to find out.

Undermining the dignity of the poor is a tendency that "resides deep in the pores of our culture", observes Robert Walker, professor of social policy at Oxford University, who has just embarked on a major international study on the connection between shame and poverty.

He goes on to quote Indian economist Amartya Sen, who argues that "shame is pernicious because it leads to a lack of self-esteem, and ultimately that saps the will to get on and do something. You retreat into yourself and let go of people around you who could help".

To read the full article,visit http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/aug/24/research-poverty-shame-links

Request for submissions: The Eastern Economic Association welcomes individual submissions and organized session proposals for its annual conference at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers for February 25 — 27, 2011.

For full details please visit the conference website at www.ramapo.edu/eea .
Any questions may be asked by emailing eea@ramapo.edu .

Call for Papers: Proposals are invited for the Eurasian Peace Science Conference which will take place January 7 — 8, 2011 at Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey.

The Conference's goals are to broaden cooperation among Eurasian and Middle Eastern peace science scholars, encourage interaction with the worldwide peace science community, and bring together research on conflict and peace-related topics from throughout the world.  All aspects of the peace science field are welcome including in particular: (a) empirical studies of political violence and peaceful resolution, (b) quantitative and formal analyses of conflict and peace processes, (c) peace science methodology and theory, (d) alliances, investment, trade, and conflict, (e) economic and political causes of international and domestic violence encompassing war, ethnic conflict, and terrorism, (f) contemporary regional conflicts in Eurasia and Middle East, (g) security and foreign policy, and (h) conflict analysis and management.

Proposals will only be considered if there are presentation slots available. All submissions, with tentative titles, abstracts (150-300 words) and contact information for authors, should be sent to Eurasiaps@ku.edu.tr (or Eurasiaps@gmail.com).

Request for submissions: The book series Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development now totals 15 volumes. Published by Emerald Publishing, UK, the series presents theoretical and empirical papers on conflict and peace related to economic, social and political development, primarily of the developing countries. EPS Fellow Manas Chatterji is General Editor. Colleagues interested in submitting a manuscript for possible publication may contact him at mchatter@binghamton.edu.

For information about the series, go to http://info.emeraldinsight.com/products/books/series.htm?id=1572-8323.

One Earth Future Foundation is hiring a Quantitative Research Director and Quantitative Research Associate.
One Earth Future is a private foundation based in Colorado, with a mission of a world beyond war through effective systems of governance, and business as partners.

For more information about job positions, see www.oneearthfuture.org.

The Connect US Fund is seeking an Executive Director committed to their vision of responsible US global engagement and the belief that the whole of NGO advocacy in support of this goal must be greater than the sum of its parts.
The current Executive Director, Heather Hamilton, is leaving DC to fulfill her dream of sailing around the world. They expect to fill this position by mid-October.

For more information, see http://www.connectusfund.org/

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is looking to hire several research assistants.
USIP provides the analysis, training and tools that help to prevent, manage and end violent international conflicts, promote stability and professionalize the field of peacebuilding. To be eligible you must  be a full time student at one of the following schools in the Washington DC area: American University, the Catholic University of America, Corcoran College of Art and Design, Gallaudet University, Georgetown University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Marymount University, National Defense Intelligence College, National Defense University, Southeastern University, Trinity University, University of the District of Columbia, Howard University, the University of Maryland at College Park.

For more information, see http://www.usip.org/work-us/research-assistant-positions.

Rotary Peace Fellows are leaders promoting national and international cooperation, peace, and the successful resolution of conflict throughout their lives, in their careers, and through service activities. Fellows can earn either a master’s degree in international relations, public administration, sustainable development, peace studies, conflict resolution, or a related field, or a professional development certificate in peace and conflict resolution. Fellows are chosen from countries and cultures around the globe based on their ability to have a significant, positive impact on world peace and conflict resolution during their careers. Interested candidates must apply for Rotary Peace Fellowships through their local Rotary club.

Learn more at http://www.rotary.org/EN/STUDENTSANDYOUTH/EDUCATIONALPROGRAMS/ROTARYCENTERS
FORINTERNATIONALSTUDIES/Pages/HowToApply.aspx.

The Jobs, Investment and Energy Symposium Issue, EPS Quarterly, July 2010. This issue contains summaries of the proceedings from The Jobs, Investment and Energy Symposium held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington DC on March 23, 2010. The Symposium was organized by Economists for Peace and Security and co-sponsored by The New America Foundation, and The International Trade Center Washington DC.

To read this issue of EPS Quarterly, go to http://www.epsusa.org/publications/newsletter/2010/march2010/march2010.pdf
To see video of the symposium, go to http://www.epsusa.org/events/310conf/investmentprogram.htm

***Volume 5, No. 2 of the Economics of Peace and Security Journal is now available online.

The Journal is a peer-reviewed online publication hosted by EPS-UK. Published twice yearly, it raises and debates all issues related to the political economy of personal, communal, national, international, and global peace and security. Previous contributors include Joseph Stiglitz, James Galbraith, and Lawrence Klein. The Journal’s website also features book reviews submitted by members and subscribers.

EPS members receive a 25% discount on the annual subscription to the Economics of Peace and Security Journal. A regular one-year subscription is $40; for EPS members, it's only $30! Non-subscribers can access the abstracts and contents pages.

For more information about the Journal or to subscribe: http://www.epsjournal.org.uk/.
To become a member of EPS (and to qualify for the subscription discount), visit http://www.epsusa.org/membership/membership.htm.

The Obama First Year Issue, EPS Quarterly, March 2010. This issue takes a closer look at President Obama's foreign policy during his first year in office.

Read this issue of EPS Quarterly at http://epsusa.org/publications/newsletter/2010/march2010/march2010.pdf
The full list of articles is available at http://epsusa.org/publications/newsletter/2010/march2010/march2010.htm

"The Next Stage" Symposium Issue, EPS Quarterly, December 2009. This issue contains the proceedings from The Next Stage: Financial Reforms, Jobs and Housing, the Dollar and the International System Symposium held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington DC on Friday, November 13, 2009. The Symposium was organized by Economists for Peace and Security and co-sponsored by the Foundation for Human Progress’ Initiative for Rethinking the Economy, the New America Foundation, and the International Trade Center Washington DC.

See video or read transcripts from the symposium by visiting http://www.epsusa.org/events/09conf/bankingprogram.htm.
The Initiative for Rethinking the Economy also has a webpage devoted the symposium at
http://www.i-r-e.org/index_en.html.
To read this issue of EPS Quarterly, go to http://www.epsusa.org/publications/newsletter/newsletter.htm.

The Aftermath Project is a non-profit organization committed to telling the other half of the story of conflict: what it takes for individuals to learn to live again, rebuild destroyed lives and homes, restore civil societies, and address the lingering wounds of war while struggling to create new avenues for peace.

The Aftermath Project holds a yearly grant competition open to working photographers worldwide covering the aftermath of conflict. In addition, through partnerships with universities, photography institutions and non-profit organizations, the Project seeks to help broaden the public’s understanding of the true cost of war — and the real price of peace — through international traveling exhibitions and educational outreach in communities and schools.

For more information, see http://www.theaftermathproject.org/

Get the word out on the topics that matter most to you! With a letter to your local paper, you can help bring your message not only to your neighbors but directly to the offices of your Members of Congress, where staffers and our lawmakers themselves follow opinions from home with an especially watchful eye.

The ACLU has a tool that helps write and send letters to local papers. For a list of media outlets by state, with tips on how to write a letter in your own words plus talking points for the listed topics, see http://action.aclu.org/site/PageServer?pagename=LTE_SOTU_2007&JServSessionIdr001=3bu4 9o8t91.app20a.

Do you have a foreign policy alternative that should be heard in the halls of government?
Citizens for Global Solutions provides an easy-to-use tool to find the foreign policy staffer for your Member of Congress. To access the Foreign Policy Staffer Locator, go to http://globalsolutions.org/hill/fpstaff.

September 21, 2010. The United Nations invites you to observe Peace Day.
The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly.May Peace Prevail On Earth

For more information, see http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/.

September 24, 2010. Bard Center for Environmental Policy C2C / National Climate Seminar
an innovative network of faculty, staff and students fighting for policies that can change the future.

Event details are available at http://www.bard.edu/cep/ncs/.

October 1, 2010. EPS Bernard Schwartz Symposium - A Strategic Policy:  Investment, Social Security and Economic Recovery
You are cordially invited to a public symposium on Friday, October 1, 2010, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington DC.

For more information or to register, see http://www.epsusa.org/events/1010conf/ssprogram.htm

Event details are available at http://www.etechgermany.com/IGEE2010.pdf.

Nov.18 — 19, 2010. The second International Conference on Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Peace Science meeting will be held at Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China. The theme of the meeting is Cooperation for a Peaceful and Sustainable World.

If interested in attending, please contact Manas Chatterji at mchatter@binghamton.edu.

January 7 — 9, 2011.  The annual meetings of the Allied Social Sciences Associations/American Economics Association in Denver, Colorado.  EPS will be hosting two sessions, “Afghanistan – Costs and Exit Strategies” and “Pressures on the Paradigm.”   Registration will begin in mid-September.

For more information, see http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AEA/.

February 25 - 27, 2011. The Eastern Economic Association's 37th Annual Conference will be held at The Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers, New York City.

For more information, see http://www.ramapo.edu/eea/2011/

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