Version: August 7, 2007

2007 URPE Summer Conference

Global Migration and the Logic of Capitalism

August 10-13, 2007

Camp Deer Run

Pine Bush, NY

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10

2:00 – 4:00 Steering Committee Meeting

4:00. REGISTRATION BEGINS AND CONTINUES ALL WEEKEND

5:00. RECEPTION/INTRODUCTION TO URPE

6:00. DINNER

6:00. Graduate students who have already arrived meet over dinner.

7:00 – 9:00. PLENARY 1: THE CHANGING NATURE OF LABOR STRUGGLES IN THE UNITED STATES

Theory and Practice: A Labor Activist Reflects on Controversies in Economic Theory. Brian Callaci, Campaigner, UNITE HERE.

Building the Movement for a New Social Contract in New Haven, Connecticut and Beyond. Gwen Mills, CT/RI Political Director, UNITE HERE; Community Organizer, Connecticut Center for a New Economy.

Rebuilding the U.S. Labor Movement: Competing Visions and the Road Not Taken. Mark Brenner, Labor Notes.

9:15 – 11:00. Informal socializing: catching up with old friends, getting to know new ones.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11

8:00. BREAKFAST

8:45 – 9:30 Continued discussion from the plenary session Friday night

9:45 – 10:40

Site A: After the War is Over: the Political Economy of the US Neoliberal Military State. (Chris Rude)

Site B: Competition: the Birth of a New Science (Jim Case)

10: 55 –12:00

Site A: Immigration, Emigration, and the Irish past and present. (Brendan Mark, Graham Cassano, Mike Ryan)

Site B: Political Economy perspectives of financial institutions in economic development (Leanne Ussher, Laura Ebert, Rex McKenzie)

12:00. LUNCH

1:00 – 2:00. RECREATION. Swim, hike, relax with friends.

2:15 – 3:45.

Site A: The Political Economy of Motherhood (Marie Duggan, Tami Ohler, Ayanna Bledsoe)

Site B: Class Analysis and the Soviet Union (David Laibman, Rick Wolff, Paddy Quick)

4:00 – 5:30.

Site A: Monopoly Capitalism, Class Consciousness, and Organizing (Andrew Jones, Dave Shukla, Chip Smith)

Site B : Theoretical Constructions of Household Production (Harriet Fraad, Paddy Quick, Rick Wolff, Graham Cassano)

6:00. DINNER

7:00 – 9:00. PLENARY 2: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF TRANSNATIONAL MIGRATION

Female Migrant Labor and the Global Integration of Labor Markets. Salimah Valiani, Social and Economic Policy Department of the Canadian Labor Congress.

Economic Insecurity and Remittances as Causes for Migration. Alex Julca, Researcher.

Migration Chains to Chained Migration: The Rise of the U.S. Temporary Migrants. Manny Ness, Professor of Political Science, Brooklyn College, CUNY. A current previous book of his on this subject is Unions, Immigrants and the New US labor Market.

9:15 – 12:00. ENTERTAINMENT. Back (but expanded!) by popular demand (from us), dance and/or chill out to the phenomenal (it really is) sounds of Soul Purpose.

Here's what they say about their band:

SOUL PURPOSE is a seven-piece DANCE BAND-

Male and female lead vocals, sax, trumpet, guitar, bass, drums and keyboards.

DANCE MUSIC is what we play. Combining the impact of a solid rhythm section with dynamic horn lines and a powerful vocal presence, we've been hitting the party, club, festival and wedding scene with a "Soulful" punch since 1998. Our repertoire includes Soul, Motown, Rock, Swing, Blues and Jazz. We play tunes that are irresistible---fun for both dancers and listeners alike!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12

8:00. BREAKFAST

8:45 – 9:30. Continued discussion from the plenary session Saturday night

9:45 – 10:40.

Site A: The Pillars of Marxist Theory (Alex Tokarev)

Site B: The Current State of Labor Studies Programs (Frances Boyes)

10:55 – 11:50

Site A: Evaluating the Rise of Neoliberalism in Latin America: the Cases of

Argentina, Brazil and Mexico (Paul Cooney)

Site B: Recent Trends in Privatization of the Commons and International Capital: The Rise of "Nature's Real Estate Agency" in New York and the Global Economy (Irwin Sperber)

12:00. LUNCH

12:00. Women’s Caucus meets over lunch.

1:00 – 2:00. BUSINESS MEETING for URPE members. We encourage everyone to join URPE, and to become involved in keeping it strong. For others, a recreation period as on Saturday.

2:05 – 3:00.

Site A: Labor Migration and World Systems Theory (Paul Hancock)

Site B: Report on the US Social Forum 2007: Building Economic Alternatives and the Social/Solidarity Economy (Julie Matthaei, Germai Medhanie and Jenna Allard)

3:10 – 4:05.

Site A:

Site B: Welfare Transformed: The Hidden Story (Robert Cherry)

4:15 – 5:45. The DAVID GORDON LECTURE

Radical Economics and Social Change Movements: Strengthening the Links between Academics and Activists. Jim Stanford, Economist, Canadian Auto Workers union;

Economics columnist, The Globe and Mail newspaper.

6:00. DINNER

7:00 – 9:00.

Film and Discussion: Sacco andVanzetti (introduced by Rina Garst)

“Miller realizes that the political passions fuelled by Sacco and Vanzetti in the 1920s are supremely pertinent to our own era’s democratic crises. Anti-immigrant paranoia, threats to civil liberties, and rigged courtrooms are far from new. The film reminds a new generation that these inequities became catalysts for an international mass movement in the early part of the twentieth century.” Cineaste.

9:30 – 11:00. ENTERTAINMENT. Radical Folk Music, led by David Laibman and Gil Skillman. Bring your instruments, and be prepared to sing along!

MONDAY, AUGUST 13

8:00. BREAKFAST

8:50 – 9:45.

Site A:

Site B: Building a Solidarity Economy from Real World Practices: A Participatory Workshop (Jenna Allard and Julie Matthaei)

9:55 – 10:50.

Site A: Measuring Wellbeing in a Meaningful Way. (Tom Masterson)

Site B: The Macroeconomic Effects of the Women's Movement: Data that sheds fresh light on some standing mysteries of U.S. economic performance, 1960-2000 (Sara Dustin)

11:00 – 11.55

Site A: Cuba Update (Al Campbell, Susan Metz)

Site B: Participating in the Transformative Moment: TransformationCentral.org (Germai Medhanie, Julie Matthaei, and Jenna Allard)

12:00. LUNCH

See you all next year!