2009 Violet Wurfel ASEAN Lecture Series by Dr. Michael Lim Mah-Hui

Ethnicity and Politics in Malaysia
March 10, 2009 (Tuesday), 3:30 pm-5:30 pm
Bulwagang Sala'am (Asian Center Conference Hall)
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City
Sponsors: Office of the UP President
Office of the UP Vice-President for Academic Affairs
UP Asian Center


Public Forum: The Origins of the Global Financial
and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Asia
March 11, 2009 (Wednesday), 10:00 am-12:00 nn
Pulungang Claro M. Recto, Bulwagang Rizal (Faculty Center)
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City
Sponsors: Office of the UP President
Office of the UP Vice-President for Academic Affairs
UP Department of Political Science
UP Third World Studies Center


The U.S. Financial Crisis and Alternative Paradigms
March 11, 2009 (Wednesday), 2:30 pm-4:00 pm
Palma Hall 207, Audiovisual Room
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City
Sponsors: Office of the UP President
Office of the UP Vice-President for Academic Affairs
UP Department of Sociology
UP Third World Studies Center


Trends and Prospects in Malaysian Politics
March 12, 2009 (Thursday), 9:00 am-11:00 am
Philippine Social Science Center
Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Sponsors: Office of the UP President
Office of the UP Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Philippine Social Science Council



THE LECTURER: DR. MICHAEL LIM MAH-HUI

Dr. Michael Lim Mah-Hui’s professional background spans 30 years as an international banker and academician.

Dr. Lim worked in major international banks that included Chemical Bank (now J.P. Morgan Chase) in New York and Tokyo, Credit Suisse First Boston in Singapore and Hong Kong, Deutsche Bank in Singapore and Jakarta, Standard Chartered Bank in Jakarta, and the Asian Development Bank in Manila.

Dr. Lim has a multi-disciplinary background in finance, economics and politics. He received his B.A. (Honors) in Economics from the University of Malaya, a Master’s degree in International Affairs, a Master’s degree in Sociology, and a Ph.D. in Development Studies from the University of Pittsburgh; and Certificate of Business Administration from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Prior to his banking career, Dr. Lim did research in and taught Political Economy and Sociology at Duke University, Temple University and the University of Malaya.

Most recently he has delivered public lectures on the present international financial crisis in Tokyo at the Asian Development Bank Institute and the International Developing Economies, in Bali at the U.N. High Level Policy Dialogue on Food, Fuel and Financial Crises, in Singapore at the Singapore Economics Society and Bankers Association, in Bangkok at the Experts’ Workshop on Financing and Development in Economic Commission of Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP-UN) and the Annual conference of Federation of ASEAN Economics Association, in Kuala Lumpur at the Harvard Project in Asian and International Relations and at Pricewaterhouse Coopers briefing for senior management, and in Manila at the Asian Institute of Management and the University of the Philippines.

His recent articles on the financial crisis have appeared in the Bangkok Post, the Philippines Inquirer, the Edge, the Straits Times (Singapore), The Star (Malaysia), the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, U.N., the Third World Resurgence, the Levy Economics Institute, and the Journal of Applied Research in Accounting and Finance.

He has published several books and manuscripts: The Ownership and Control of the 100 Largest Corporations in Malaysia, (Oxford University Press, Kuala Lumpur, 1981); Transnational Corporations from Developing Asian Economies. ESCAP/UNCTC Publications Series B No.7, United Nations, 1985; Women and the Industrialization Process in Asia: Close-up Study of the Thai Textile Workers (a report submitted to the Social Development Division of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific, Bangkok, 1986.)

He was a Senior Fellow at Asian Public Intellectuals Program of the Nippon Foundation for 2007/8.

He is now a Fellow in the Social, Economic and Environment Institute (SERI), in Penang, Malaysia.

The Impact of the 2008 US Elections on Asia--A Public Lecture by Vincent Boudreau

Vincent Boudreau
Chair, Department of Political Science
Director, Colin Powell Center for Policy Studies
City College of New York

January 9, 2009 (Friday), 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Bulwagang Sala'am (Asian Center Conference Room)
Romulo Hall
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City

Developing a Human Security Index for the Philippines

Sponsors:
UP Third World Studies Center, Social Sciences and Philosophy Research Foundation, Inc., Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process-Conflict Prevention and Peace Building, United Nations Development Programme, and UN Act for Peace

Date:
December 4, 2008 (Thursday), 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Venue:
Balay Kalinaw, University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City

Registration (9:00-9:30)

Welcome Remarks (9:30-9:35)

Zosimo E. Lee
Dean, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
University of the Philippines-Diliman

Project Overview and Presentation of Research Results (9:35-10:10)

Maria Ela L. Atienza
Deputy Director, Third World Studies Center
University of the Philippines-Diliman

Reactions (10:10-10:55)

Milo S. Ibrado
Deputy Director-General, National Security Council

Nymia Pimentel Simbulan
Executive Director, Philippine Human Rights Information Center

Raymund Jose Quilop
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
University of the Philippines-Diliman

Open Forum (10:55-11:40)

Concluding Comments from the Speaker (11:40-11:55)

Closing Remarks (11:55-12:00)

Teresa s. Encarnacion Tadem
Director, Third World Studies Center
University of the Philippines-Diliman

Moderator

Perlita Frago
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
University of the Philippines-Diliman

The Global Meltdown and the Philippines: Great Depression or Great Transformation?

THE GLOBAL MELTDOWN AND THE PHILIPPINES: Great Depression or Great Transformation?
An Emergency Conference on Crises and Alternatives

Balay Kalinaw, University of the Philippines-Diliman
November 12, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM

Background:
The world is entering what could be the worst global financial and economic crisis since the Great Depression in the 1930s – just as the food, employment, and climate crises are intensifying. These multiple crises threaten the lives of millions of already poor and suffering people across the globe, including in the Philippines. More workers could be unemployed; migrant workers could be sent home. Government services, limited as they are, could be further curtailed. Pensions and savings could be wiped out. Prices could soar just as incomes plunge. More will suffer from hunger, eviction, or displacement. The politics of authoritarianism or fascism could prevail.

But as the old paradigms and policies responsible for the crises are discredited, the crises also opens up new opportunities for pushing for the alternatives that could lead to a Great Transformation: one that will lead to raised living standards, social welfare, ecological justice, democracy, and equity.

Objectives
In the face of this unprecedented historical moment and the stark choices ahead, this conference aims to provide a timely opportunity to share accurate analyses of the crises, consolidate concrete recommendations, and discuss ways of working together to push for alternatives. Working together, however, requires discussing the following key questions which we hope to tackle at the conference:
- What demands/initiatives should we be making at this point?
- What demands/initiatives are common to all/the most groups?
- What, if any, are potential contradictions among the demands/initiatives?
- What are the gaps in terms of our advocacies? On what areas/issues do we still need to come up with demands/initiatives because they’re not currently addressed by existing ones?

Tentative Program:

8:30 AM Registration

9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Session 1 - Multiple Crises 101: The Economics and Politics of the Global Financial, Food and Environmental Crises and their impacts on the Philippines

11:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Session 2 – How should we respond?: People’s Solutions and Alternatives – Action Points, Legislative Agenda, Campaign Ideas, etc?

A. Plenary: Some initial ideas to kick-start discussions (11:00 AM to 12:00 PM)

Lunch (12:00 PM to 1:00 PM)

B. Workshops (1:00 PM to 2:30 PM)
C. Plenary – Reports from workshops and discussions (2:30 PM to 3:30 PM)

Break (3:30 PM to 3:45 PM)

3:45 PM to 5:30 PM
Session 3 – Where do we go from here?: Next steps in Pushing for our Solutions and Alternatives

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The conference will have presentations to enable participants to more fully understand and to be able to discuss the dynamics and implications of the financial crisis. There will also be thematic workshops to allow participants the opportunity to exchange ideas on how to respond.

The conference is envisioned to be the broadest gathering possible of all those concerned about the impacts of the crises and committed to pushing for democratic, equitable, and just alternatives.

Given the wide interest in the issue, please confirm your participation by faxing or e-mailing the registration form below to 433-0899 or info@focusweb.org. Registered participants will be prioritized in terms of seating.

To cover the cost of the venue, lunch and snacks and conference materials, we request for solidarity fees of P100/participant. This fee can be waived based on capacity to pay. We urge capable organizations to sponsor others’ fees. Inability to pay will not be grounds for refusing anyone admission.

All the best,

ORGANIZERS
(See list below)

'As of 29 October 2009:

Action and Solidarity for the Empowerment of Teachers (ASSERT) | Action for Economic Reforms (AER) | Alab-Katipunan | Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) | Balay Rehabilitation Center | Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) | Center for Labor Justice (CLJ) | Center for Rural Empowerment Services in Central Mindanao (CRESCENT) | Development Roundtable Series (DRTS) Thematic Working Group on Foreign Policy | Development Roundtable Series (DRTS) Thematic Working Group on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development | Development Roundtable Series (DRTS) Thematic Working Group on Trade and Industrial Policy | Focus on the Global South | Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute | Global Call to Action against Poverty – Philippines | Individuals from the National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) | International South Group Network | Kalayaan! | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD) | Kilusang Mangingisda (Fisherfolk Movement) | Labor Rights and Democracy (LARIDE) | League of Urban Poor for Action (LUPA) | Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) | Manggagawa para sa Kalayaan ng Bayan (MAKABAYAN) | Makabayan – Pilipinas | Mindanao Peoples' Peace Movement (MPPM) | Mindanao Tri-People Women’s Resource Center (MTWRC) | Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) | Pagkakaisa ng Kababaihan para sa Kalayaan (KAISA-KA) | Pambansang Katipunan ng Makabayang Magbubukid (PKMM) | Pambansang Samahan ng mga Kilusang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA) | Partido Kalikasan Metro Manila Airshed | Partido Manggagawa (PM) | Peace Women Partners Inc | Progresibong Alyansa ng mga Mangingisda (PANGISDA) | Popular Education for People's Empowerment, Inc. (PEPE) | Resource Center for People's Development | Rural Poor Institute for Land and Human Rights Services (RIGHTS Network) | SANLAKAS | SUMPAY Mindanao | Teatrong Bayan | Third World Movement Against the Exploitation of Women | Third World Network (TWN) | Union Network International-Philippine Liaison Council (UNI PLC) | UP Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran (UP ALYANSA) | UP Center for Women’s Studies (UP CWS) | UP Third World Studies Center | UP Diliman University Student Council | Women and Gender Commission - Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (WGC-AMRSP) | Women’s Education Development Productivity Research Organization (WEDPRO) | World March of Women – Pilipinas | Youth for National Democracy

Copies of the presentations have been made available in the Focus on the Global South website, click here to download.

Rizal: Cutting History Off the Pass--A Public Lecture by Benedict Anderson

(Please click this link to view the lecture.)

LECTURE ABSTRACT
The nineteenth century marks the period in which “homogenous empty time” was globalized, signalled by the arrival and rapid spread of the world-telegraph system. One effect was the repositioning of geographically “nearby strangers” as historically “backward” fellow-nationals. Another was to conceptually reorganize the world in terms of an unstable competition along the highway of progress. For the colonial world, this opened the way for shame at being backward, but also the hope of catching up and surpassing. This change made it possible for intellectuals in the peripheries to think about the future in interesting new ways. Rizal is the outstanding example for the Philippines: If imperial Spain is “backward,” what will the Philippines be like in 100 years time? The lecture will concentrate on Rizal’s El Filibusterismo in this general context, focusing especially on his unique “time-machine” methods. The Fili is an outstanding example of manipulations of time across vast geographical spaces which has no parallel in core European literature. Is it/was it possible to write a novel in the future tense? With what consequences?


SPONSORS
UP Third World Studies Center, UP College of Arts and Letters, and the Office of the Chancellor, University of the Philippines- Diliman

DATE
November 19, 2008 (Wednesday), 2:30 - 4:30 PM

VENUE
Pulungang Claro M. Recto
Bulwagang Rizal (Faculty Center)
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City

PROGRAM

2:00-2:30
Registration

2:30-2:35
Welcome Remarks
Jose Wendell P. Capili, PhD
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
College of Arts and Letters

2:35-2:40
Introduction of the Speaker

2:40-3:40
Lecture

BENEDICT ANDERSON, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Department of Government
Cornell University

3:40-4:25
Open Forum

4:25-4:30
Concluding Comments from the Speaker


Moderator

Maria Ela L. Atienza, PhD
Deputy Director
Third World Studies Center