In Cooperation with the Department of Politics and Government, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

 Contemporary Capitalism:

USA, Europe and the Middle East in the Beginning of the 21st Century

International Workshop       January 9-10, 2006

Ben Gurion University

Monday, January 9th 2006 (Conference Hall A, BGU)

09:15 – 09:30           Reception & Coffee

09:30 - 09:45            Greetings and Opening Remarks:

Chair: Dr. Uri Ram (Ben Gurion University)

Prof. David Newman, The Centre for the Study of European Politics & Society (Ben Gurion University)

09:45 - 11:30            First Session: Capitalism, Class & Politics

Chair: Prof. Fred Lazin (Ben Gurion University)

Speakers:

Prof. Stanley Aronowitz (City University of New York): Aspects of the Global Class Divide.

Dr. Dani Filc (Ben Gurion University): Popular Sovereignty and Populism: The Political Logic of Neoliberal Globalization.

11:30 - 11:45            Coffee Break

11:45 - 13:30            Second Session: Capitalism, the State & Politics

Chair: Dr. Daniel De-Malach (Sapir College)

Speakers:

Dr. Daniel Maman (Ben Gurion University) & Dr. Zeev Rosenhek (The Open University):

The Transformation of the Capitalist State and Central Bank Independence.

Dr. Dov Khenin (Tel Aviv University): Bringing the Left Back to Politics - Bringing Politics Back into the Left.

13:30 - 14:30            Lunch

14:30 - 16:15            Third Session: Capitalism and Identity

Chair: Dr Iris Agmon (Ben Gurion University)

Speakers:

Prof. Alev Cinar (Bilkent University): Local Imaginations of the Global: Changing Modes of Modernity in Turkey.

Dr. Joern Lamla (Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen): The Problem of Authenticity in Contemporary Capitalism.

16:15 - 16:30            Coffee Break

16:30 - 18:15            Fourth Session:

Panel on Capitalism, Occupation and Resistance in Israel and Palestine

Chair: Dr. Yoram Meital (Ben Gurion University)

Speaker:  

Dr. Neve Gordon (Ben Gurion University): Israel's Occupation: Tracing the Technologies of Control

Panelists: Fatme Kassem (Ben Gurion University), Dr. Pnina Motsafi-Haller (Ben Gurion University), Prof. Adi Ophir (Tel Aviv University)

19:30                        Dinner

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 (Rector Hall, Senate Building, BGU)

09:00 - 10:45            Fifth Session: Capitalism and Theory

Chair: Dr. Gulie Ne'eman Arad (Ben Gurion University)

Speakers:

Prof. Sylvia Walby (Lancaster University): Globalization, Inequalities and Complexity Theory.

Dr. Hartmut Rosa (Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena): Capitalism Unbound: Towards A Critical Theory of Social Acceleration.

Dr. Uri Ram (Ben Gurion University): When Marx-ism Meets Post-ism.

10:45 - 11:00            Coffee Break

11:00 - 12:45            Sixth Session: Capitalism and Globalization

Chair: Dr. Sharon Pardo, The Centre for the Study of European Politics & Society (Ben Gurion University)

Speakers: 

Dr. Shlomo Swirski (Adva Center): Some Political-Economic Aspects of Being a Regional Power.

Dr. Sarit Helman (Ben Gurion University): Flexibility and Obstruction:  Globalization and Israel's Citizenship Regime.

Prof. Avishai Ehrlich (Tel Aviv Academic College):  Globalization and Total War: International Law, Human Rights and Privatization. 

12:45 - 14:00            Lunch

14:00 - 15:45            Seventh Session: Capitalism and Civil Society

Chair: Dr. Erez Tzfadia (Ben Gurion University)

Speakers:

Dr. Ilan Gur-Zeev (Haifa University): Education Facing Global Capitalism: Sport and Counter-Education.

Dr. Guy Ben Porath (Ben Gurion University): The Neoconservative Revolution.   

Dr. Ahmed Saadi (Ben Gurion University): Capitalism in the Eye of the Beholder.

15:45 - 16:00            Coffee Break

16:00 - 17:45            Eighth Session:

Panel on Capitalism, Colonialism & Empire in Israel and Palestine

Chair: Dr. Rebecca Kook (Ben Gurion University)

Speaker:  Prof. Yoav Peled (Tel Aviv University): One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Sharonism and the Future of Israel/Palestine

Panelists: Prof. Oren Yiftachel (Ben Gurion University); Dr. Guy Ben Porath (Ben Gurion University).  

17:45 - 18:15            Concluding Discussion: Contemporary Capitalism and Contemporary Marxism

Chairs: Dr. Dani Filc (Ben Gurion University)

Dr. Sharon Pardo, The Centre for the Study of European Politics & Society (Ben Gurion University)

19:30                       Dinner

Organizers: Dr. Uri Ram & Dr. Dani Filc.

Coordinator: Ms. Alma Vardari-Kessler vardari@bgumail.bgu.ac.il

The Workshop is conducted in English