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Colette Keleher

 

 

 


IIIS EVENTS

 

  • IIIS Seminar Series
    Chasing Ghosts: Rumours and Representations of the Export of Chinese Convict Labour to Developing Countries
    By YAN Hairong, Anthropolgist, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Barry SAUTMAN, Political Scientist and Lawyer, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology read more
    Date: 30th May 2012
    Time: 1 o'clock (Sandwiches Provided)
    Venue: IIIS Seminar Room, 6th Floor Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin
  • IIIS Seminar Series
    Business-foundation partnerships as an instrument of Corporate Responsibility: Do their effects extend beyond the charitable donor-recipient role?
    By Maria Jose Sanzo, IIIS Visiting Academic and Professor of Marketing, University of Oviedo, Spain read more
    Date: 21st June 2012
    Time: 12 o'clock (Sandwiches Provided)
    Venue: IIIS Seminar Room, 6th Floor Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin


    INSIDE & OUTSIDE TRINITY EVENTS

 


IIIS Seminar Series

Chasing Ghosts: Rumours and Representations of the Export of Chinese Convict Labour to Developing Countries

YAN Hairong, Anthropolgist, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Barry SAUTMAN, Political Scientist and Lawyer, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

Date: 30th May 2012
Time: 12 o'clock (Sandwiches Provided)
Venue: IIIS Seminar Room, 6th Floor Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin

Abstract
A recent addition to the global discourse of China's interaction with developing countries has been the claim that the Chinese government exports prison labour to these countries. While no evidence is ever presented to support this claim, it has been widely circulated in international and local media, as well as on the internet. This article examines the origins of the rumour and the mechanisms of its transmission. It shows that while the rumour often originates at the grass roots in developing countries, it is promoted locally and globally by political, economic and media elites with distinct agendas that often involve building support for opposition parties, competition in obtaining contracts, or geo-strategic and ideological rivalry. We analyse the rumour's circulation in light of the larger discourse on China and developing countries, and discuss why Chinese official responses to the claim have proved to be ineffective.

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IIIS Seminar Series

Business-foundation partnerships as an instrument of Corporate Responsibility: Do their effects extend beyond the charitable donor-recipient role?

By Maria Jose Sanzo, IIIS Visiting Academic and Professor of Marketing, University of Oviedo, Spain

Date: 21st June 2012
Time: 1 o'clock (Sandwiches Provided)
Venue: IIIS Seminar Room, 6th Floor Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin

Abstract
This research analyzes the effects of partnerships between firms and nonprofit organizations (specifically, foundations) on the foundations' development of two critical capabilities, namely, human resource management and information and communication technology competence. The study proposes that the stronger the firm-foundation relationship, in terms of perceived value, communication, reduced conflict, trust, and commitment, the greater the transfer of resources and know-how should be from the firm to the foundation, and therefore the greater the foundations' development of key capabilities needed to achieve their social aims. Empirical research is based on a survey of a random and representative sample of 325 Spanish foundations selected according to the basic descriptors of the Spanish foundation sector provided by the Spanish Institute for Strategic Analysis of Foundations, INAEF. Structural equation techniques with EQS 6.2 served to analyze the data. The results confirm that this type of firm-foundation relationship positively influences the extent to which a foundation develops both competences, although the intensity of this effect depends on the type of firm's contribution (monetary versus non-monetary support).

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An International Conference
24-25 May, 2012, Dublin

TheGeopolitics of Peace&Conflict
The Public Meeting (All are Welcome)
Venue: Edmund Burke Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin
Date:Thursday, 24th May, 2012
Time: 7.00 pm - 9.00 pm
Key experts and activists from the conflict zones will address the meeting

A One-Day Seminar (Only by Invitation)
Venue will be notified to the invitees.
Date: Friday, 25th May, 2012
Time: 9.30 am - 5.00 pm

Organised by:
Grupo Raices (Grupa Fréamhacha) , Colombia Solidarity in Ireland;
Irish Forum for Peace in Sri Lanka | Irish School of Ecumenics - Trinity
College Dublin | Kurdish Association of Ireland | Latin AmericanSolidarity Centre in Ireland

Contact:
085 156 2980 (Jude) | 01 676 0435 (Jose) | 085 729 1174 (Abraham)
Email: geopolitics2012@gmail.com

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Conference of Irish Geographers 2012

Geographies of Globalisation and Crisis:Climate, Food, Fuel and Finance

Date: Friday 25th to Sunday 27th May 2012
Hosted By: The Department of Geography,The School of Natural Science, Trinity College Dublin in association with The Geographical Society of Ireland (GSI)

Keynote Speakers:

  • Professor David Simon, Royal Holloway, University of London.
  • Professor Helga Leitner, University of Minnesota.
  • Professor Eric S. Sheppard, Regents Professor, University of Minnesota and Incoming President, Association of American Geographers.
Registration Details

The registration fee includes:

  • Admission to all sessions of the conference, including the keynote addresses.
  • Welcome reception on Friday evening.
  • Coffee breaks throughout the duration of the conference.
  • Participation in the conference fieldtrip.

Registration Fee

Geographical Society of Ireland member

Non GSI member

Concessions (students, retired, unwaged)

Standard registration fee

E100

E110

E75

Late registration fee

(after 25th April)

E110

E120

E85

Conference Dinner, Trinity Capital Hotel

(Saturday 26th May)

E30 (including one bottle of wine per table)

For further information and to register for the conference


 

CALL FOR PAPERS

Emerging Markets Multinational Corporations and the State: Implications for Transnational Activity

Call for papers, special issue of “Critical Perspectives on International Business”

The rise of multinational corporations (MNCs) from emerging markets has been a major development during the last decade. Publications such as the UNCTAD Global Investment Report and the FT Global 500 indicate the increasing share of these companies among the world’s largest multinationals. This development not only relates to the BRICs, but also comprises companies from countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico Saudi-Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey and others. Explaining the rather sudden rise of these companies has become somewhat of a growth industry over the last years. (Brennan 2011, Sauvant et al. 2010). Various International Business scholars have developed or modified long established analytical instruments in order to account for the rise of these companies. Theories such as the Eclectic Paradigm (Dunning 1986) or the Product Cycle Model (Wells 1983) have been extended in order to account for the rise of these companies while others such as the Linking, Leverage, Learning-approach (Mathews 2002) have been proposed to address this novel phenomenon.

However, many of these approaches do not fully take into account that the institutional and political background in the home states of these companies may be quite different from the ones within most countries of the established centre of the world economy and that this background may be a very important one for understanding the transnational activity of these corporations (Goldstein 2007, Ramamurti 2008). Moreover, literature has only begun to address the implications of this institutional background for the global economic order (Nolke and Taylor 2010, Nolke 2011).

This call for papers is based on the assumption that a major feature of emerging market MNCs appears to be their close relationship with their home country states. To be sure, many Western MNCs cultivate close relationships with their home states as well (as, for instance, recently witnessed in the financial sector), but this special issue will investigate whether and where there is a special quality of relationship between the state and major corporations stemming from countries outside of the recent centre of the world economy, as well as explore how this special quality affects the cross-border activities of these corporations.

In order to study this claim, a number of topics may be highlighted that might form the focus of individual contributions, both comprising of specific public policies and more general structural issues. A first set of topics looks at the role of (partial) state ownership/(former) public enterprises among emerging markets MNCs, direct financial support by (para-) state bodies, such as development banks or pension funds, as well as the importance of close, formal or informal inter-personal networks between major corporations and public officials in these countries, as far as this proximity and these support measures directly effect the cross-border operations of emerging market MNCs.

The close relationship between emerging markets multinationals and their home states may, however, not be limited to a domestic issue. Corporations and governments may also cooperate quite closely with regard to trans-/international relations. A number of issues could be explored in this context:

  • Close relations between corporations and governments for gaining access to natural resources in other countries.
  • Cooperation between emerging market MNCs and home state governments with regard to negotiations about global/regional economic regulation, e.g. with regard to the selective protection of intellectual property rights or to competition policies that are geared towards the support of emerging “national champions”.
  • The non-enforcement of international regulations by home state governments, e.g. accounting and auditing standards or corporate governance regulations that prevent unfriendly take-overs, particularly by rival multinationals.
  • The different role of these MNCs with regard to private transnational governance, e.g. with regard to social and environmental standards.
  • The degree of integration of emerging market MNC managers in transnational organizations of the global capitalist class – vis-à-vis their primary identification with domestic state-based class networks.

Generally, the close relationship between these corporations and their home states may be considered as a problematic affair, not only from the perspective of liberals that despise any intervention of the state in economic affairs. We welcome papers that give special attention to the potential effects of this relationship with regard to:

  • The concentration of economic and political power due to the collusion of public officials and MNC owners/managers and its effect for the cross-border operation of firms.
  • Public policies that are biased towards the transnational expansion of big companies, thereby disadvantaging broad social groups (e.g. high consumer prices due to weak competition policies).
  • The emergence of international tensions, due to the use of governments in order to further company strategies (or the use of corporations for political strategies).

In order to study the agenda outlined above, we seek contributions by political scientists, political economists and critical business scholars, but also from scholars with a background in sociology, geography or business history. Moreover, we are seeking contributions from all regions of the world, in particular from emerging market economies.

Time schedule

The submission of manuscripts will follow a two step-approach. The first round is based on an initial call for abstracts (300-500 words) with a deadline of 15 March 2012. A selected number of authors will subsequently be invited for an authors’ workshop on 18/19 June 2012 in Parma/Italy, sponsored by the COST Action IS 0905 “The Emergence of Southern Multinationals and their Impact on Europe”. Participation will be open to both members of the COST Action and other scholars. Papers for this workshop will be due 31 May 2012.

The submission deadline for manuscripts with CPoIB will be 1 December 2012, with initial reviewing to be completed by 28 February 2013, revisions due by 1st May 2013, final decisions by 1 August 2013, and anticipated publication in early 2014. Submission of manuscripts will be open to all scholars, not limited to participants of the authors’ conference in June 2012.

Submissions should follow the author guidelines for Critical Perspectives on International Business which can be found at http://www.emeraldinsight.com/cpoib.htm.

Please direct questions, proposals and papers to the special issue to a.noelke@soz.uni-frankfurt.de.

About the Guest Editor

Dr. Andreas Noke is Professor of Political Science, with a special focus on International Relations and International Political Economy at Goethe University, Frankfurt. His research interests include comparative capitalism, emerging markets, financialization, deep integration, private governance and transnational policy networks. He has published articles in leading journals such as World Politics, Review of International Political Economy, Journal of Common Market Studies and Business and Politics.

References

Brennan, L. ed. (2011), The Emergence of Southern Multinationals: Their Impact on Europe, London/New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Dunning, J. H. (1986) “The Investment Development and Third World Multinationals,” in K. M. Khan (ed.) Multinationals of the South: New Actors in the International Economy, London/New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Goldstein, A. (2007), Multinational Companies from Emerging Economies, London/New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Mathews, J. A. (2002) “Competitive Advantages of the Latecomer Firm: A Resource-Based
Account of Industrial Catch-Up Strategies,” Asia Pacific Journal of Management 19: 467-488.

Nolke, A (2011) “Non-triad Multinational Enterprises and Global Economic Institutions, in: D. H. Claes and C. H. Knutsen (ed.), Governing the Global Economy. Politics, Institutions, and Economic Development, London/New York: Routledge.

Nolke, A and H. Taylor (2010), Non-triad Multinationals and Global Governance: Still a North-South Conflict?, in: M. Ougaard/A. Leander (eds.), Business and Global Governance, London/New York: Routledge.

Ramamurti, R. (2008) “What Have We Learned about Emerging-Market MNEs?,” Paper
Prepared for Conference on Emerging Market Multinationals: Outward FDI from Emerging and Developing Economies, 9-10 October 2008, Copenhagen: Copenhagen Business School.

Sauvant, K. and G. McAllister with M. Maschek eds. (2010), Foreign Direct Investments from Emerging Markets, London/New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Wells, L. T. (1983) Third World Multinationals: The Rise of Foreign Investment from Developing Countries, Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.


 

2012 TOChina Summer School
TOChina are now accepting applications for their 2012 Summer School on the politics, foreign policy and political economy of contemporary China.

The School tackles the complexity of today's global China through a two-week, intensive program featuring leading China experts from around the world, a vibrant international class, and an informal environment designed to encourage in-depth discussion and first-rate networking.

The School will be held in Torino, in the northwest of Italy, between 25 June and 6 July 2012. Training runs from Monday to Friday, 09.30-17.00. Lectures address both China's long-term structural transformations and the most topical trends informing current international debate. The working language is English. Full information on the Summer School, including session titles and profiles, can be found by clicking here.

TOChina would like to welcome applications from professionals and postgraduate students who have achieved a Bachelor's degree at 1st or 2:1 level, and undergraduate students enrolled in a China/Asia-related course who have already completed at least one year of study. A small number of ad hoc auditors with an interest in particular sessions will also be admitted.

If you are interested in attending, please follow the application procedure outlined on the TOChina website.

Please note that competition for a place at the School can be intense and early application is highly recommended. Several scholarships are available, covering tuition fees ("Zerotasse" scholarships) and tuition & accommodation ("Freetorino" scholarships).




Call for Papers-Annual Conference

The EuroMed Academy of Business announces the 5th Annual Conference

Conference Dates: October 4th-5th, 2012

The EuroMed Research Business Institute invites you to submit papers or abstracts to the 5th Annual Conference of the EuroMed Academy of Business “Building New Business Models for Success through Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness and Responsibility” that will be held in Glion-Montreux, Switzerland, 4th - 5th October 2012.

Hosted by: Les Roches-Gruyère, University of Applied Sciences
Venue: Glion Institute of Higher Education, Glion-Montreux, Switzerland

EMRBI Presidents:

Prof. Demetris Vrontis, Dean

Prof. Yaakov Weber, Chair

School of Business,

Dept. of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

University of Nicosia,

School of Business

Nicosia, Cyprus

College of Management, Israel

Conference Chairs:

Dr. Ruth Rios-Morales and Dr Ian Jenkings
Research Centre, Les Roches-Gruyere, University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland

 

The conference is under the auspices of Les Roches-Gruyère University of Applied Sciences & Glion Institute of Higher Education

Publication Opportunities

All accepted papers and abstracts will be published in the Book of Proceedings (with an ISBN number) which is approved for inclusion in the Conference Proceedings Citation Index — an integrated index within Web of Science. This distinction is given only to the most significant papers, in terms of academic excellence, conferences-conventions worldwide.
A selection of the best conference papers will also be considered for publication in the following journals, most of which are internationally ranked or/and ISI approved:

1.      EuroMed Journal of Business - EMRBI’s official Journal
2.       International Journal of Organizational Analysis
3.       International Studies of Management and Organization
4.       Global Business and Economics Review
5.       World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management & Sustainable Development
6.       Economic Research
7.       Journal of Transnational Management
8.       Journal of Promotion Management
9.       International Journal of Technology Marketing
10.   Journal for Global Business Advancement
11.   Journal for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development
12.   International Journal of Online Marketing

Conference Goals
Les Roches-Gruyère, University of Applied Sciences is pleased to organize the 5th EuroMed Academy of Business Conference to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of its sister school Glion Institute of Higher Education.
The EuroMed conference has established itself as one of the major Business Management conferences of its kind in the EuroMed region (European and Mediterranean), in terms of size, quality of content, and standing reputation of attendees. Many of the papers presented contribute significantly to the business knowledge base. Its Book of Proceedings is highly recognized and accepted to be under citation. Many papers were published in Special Issues in leading journals, and were driving international research and teaching programs.
The conference attracts hundreds of leading scholars from leading universities and principal executives and politicians from all over the world with the participation or intervention of Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers, Company CEOs, Presidents of Chambers, and other leading figures.
Author Guidelines

Submission Deadline: April 28rd, 2012
Please submit your paper or abstract to EMRBI@unic.ac.cy and to tarba2003@gmail.com by strictly adhering to the attached author guidelines.
All manuscripts (including abstracts) will be double blind reviewed. Please indicate, on the first page of the manuscript, the track (only one) for submission. All conference tracks are included at the end of this call.
The maximum number of papers accepted per author (either single or co-author) is three.

Other Important Dates
Notification to authors: June 4th, 2012
Early-bird registration: Till August 08th, 2012
Deadline for inclusion in Book of Proceedings* September 7th
Late registration: After August 08th, 2012
*Only papers or abstracts of participants registered until September 7th, 2012 will be included in the Book of Proceedings that will be distributed at the conference. Papers and/or abstracts of participants who will register after the above date will be included in the final book of proceedings that will be distributed after the Conference.

 


Political Studies Association of Ireland PSAI Postgraduate Conference
NUI Maynooth

Date:  22-23 June 2012

Call for Papers

The deadline for submission for both paper and panel proposals is April 13th.

The PSAI Postgraduate Conference 2012 will be hosted at NUI Maynooth on 22nd and 23rd June. The headline theme is 'Political Institutions: Continuity and Change'. In what ways have political institutions held on to their past traditions, customs and rituals? How are they currently responding to calls for political reform? However, as is the tradition of the PSAI Postgraduate Conference, we also welcome paper and panel proposals in any other area of politics and international relations, not just those relating to the conference's headline theme, and not just those with an Irish dimension. These might relate to topics including but not limited to:
Political philosophy and theory
Political parties and electoral studies
Government and policy-making
Local government and administration
Political history
Political economy
Social movements and civil society
International relations
Peace and conflict studies

Please forward paper and panel proposals to the conference organiser, Claire McGing, by April 13th : claire.f.mcging@gmail.com

Paper abstracts should be submitted as a word attachment of no more than 300 words, together with a covering e-mail stating the title of your paper, your institutional affiliation and your contact details. Panel proposals should include abstracts for each paper, and a panel title.

Please note that papers and panel proposals accepted for the PSAI Postgraduate Conference are still eligible for submission to the PSAI Annual Conference. PSAI
members can also apply for financial support to help attend the postgraduate conference through the PSAI Postgraduate Support Scheme. For details see: www.psai.ie/news/postgraduate.asp

Any questions or queries should be directed to the organiser at the above e-mail address or call +353 1 708 6837.

 


 

Conference of the Society for Romanian Studies (SRS)
Lucian Blaga University, Sibiu
2-4 July 2012
SRS is an international inter-disciplinary academic organization based in North America. For information about SRS visit www.society4romanianstudies.org
Europeanization and Globalization: Romanians in Their Region and the World
More than two decades after the fall of communism and several years after Romania's accession to the European Union, Romanians, whether at home, in a growing diaspora around the world, or by virtue of international economic and cultural networks, are continuing to find themselves integrated into increasingly interconnected European and global institutions and practices. This gradual process of integration into international networks and interaction with foreign powers has been underway for centuries. States that occupied the territory of contemporary Romania and Moldova came under the influence of more powerful neighbors, and stood at the crossroads of both warlike and peaceful migrations. At one point most Romanian boyars spoke Greek, and in the 19th century Romanian students often studied abroad as they are again doing today. In the 1920s and 30s, ethnic and religious diversity contributed both to Europeanization and to domestic and international tensions. Then, the Soviet model played a major role in the imposition of communism. The proposed focus of the 2012 SRS conference encourages historical, cultural and contemporary inquiries into the place of Romanians and Moldovans in European and global structures, while pondering the implications of these trends for the future.

We welcome proposals for papers, panels and round-tables coming from young and established scholars working in history, sociology, anthropology, political science, philosophy, law, linguistics, economics, business, religious studies, theater, literature, cinema studies, music, and education. Possible topics might include, but are not limited to: Romania and the European Union "Europe's," Russia's, and Romania's roles in the Republic of Moldova The social, political, and ideological implications of globalization in Romania and Moldova Migration and diaspora within Europe, North America, etc. Consequences of EU accession

Challenges to European and global integration Romanian writers abroad Romanian literature in translation The global reception of Romanian cinema, literature and art The Romanian/Jewish avant-garde in Zurich, Paris, Berlin Multinational enterprises in modern Romania and Moldova Minority cultures in Romania and Moldova (Roma, German, Hungarian, Jewish, Russian, Ukrainian, Gagauz et al.) The construction of a European memory Romanian and Moldovan culture in the digital age The Romanian language mass media system in the panoply of world media models Journalism and political parallelism New and old forms of censorship and self-censorship Romanians' and Moldovans' historical encounters with "others" The image of the Roma/Jew/Hungarian/German among Romanians#

  • Paper proposals should include the title of the presentation, a brief abstract of up to 500 words, a short c.v., and the contact information of the presenter. They should be sent in a single attached Word document by December 1, 2011, to Matthew Ciscel at CiscelM@ccsu.edu.
  • Proposals for 2-hour panels including 3-4 papers, one chair, and 1-2 discussants should provide a description of the panel topic, abstracts of papers, short c.v.'s and contact information for all participants.
  • Panel participants should be drawn from at least two different universities. 2-hour round-tables of 3-5 participants will also be considered.
  • Participants will be notified of the acceptance of their proposal by January 30, 2012.

 


New Books

  • Migrant Activism and Integration from Below in Ireland edited by Ronit Lentin and Elena Moreo, Palgrave Macmillan, 2012

Ronit Lentin and Elena Moreo

Employing the term 'migrant-led activism' to encompass a range of activities and policy interventions that migrant-led groups in Ireland engage in, this book critically analyzes the interaction between migrant activists and leaders and the state of the Republic of Ireland - a late player in Europe's immigration regime. The book, by a team of researchers based in Trinity College Dublin, Ireland,sets outan evidence-based critique of state and societal discourses of integration to provide a nuanced migrant-inspired discussion of processes of 'integration from below' against the background of an increasingly restrictive immigration regime.

Through lobbying, advocacy, outreach, information, support, as well as campaigns against racism and discriminations, the migrant-led associations discussed in this book not only provide essential services but also participate in policy debates around issues that affect migrants, implement strategies of cultural adaptation and resistance, create opportunities for individual and community advancement, and provide a platform for disadvantaged segments of the population to become visible. The migrant-led associations studied all aim at facilitating migrants' integration from below' in Ireland, displaying a community oriented focus.

 

  • Institutions, Human Development and Economic Growth in Transition Economies by Pasquale Tridico, IIIS Research Associate

    Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the economies of Central and Eastern European countries and Former Soviet Republics have developed in different ways, with some considerably outperforming others. This book explores the reasons behind this: the models of capitalism that each country aimed at, the role of institutions and of institutional change in development, and the main determinants of economic and human development. Moreover, it also examines the relationship between democracy and development, and questions whether democracy is a prerequisite.

The book also considers the relevance of social capital in transition economies to test the relationship between social capital and development. A comparative analysis of state policies is conducted in order to assess which policies have helped societies in transition to boost democracy, reinforce the middle class, reduce the influence of oligarchs and fill an initial systemic vacuum.

How to purchase the book

 

 

IIIS Discussion Papers

PLEASE NOTE: We have introduced some changes to the process for submitting a paper to the Discussion Paper Series. I would be grateful if you could please refer to  How to submit a paper? before submitting your next paper, thank you.

 

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Last updated 24 May 2012 by IIIS (Email).