CFP: The Ethics of Business, Trade & Global Governance: An Online Conference

The Ethics of Business, Trade & Global Governance: An Online Conference

Date:  Friday, December 4, 2020

Proposal Submission Deadline: September 15, 2020

Submission email: [email protected]

Plenary Speaker: Douglas Irwin

John French Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College

The Saint Anselm College Center for Ethics in Business and Governance, in cooperation with the Department of Finance—University of Vienna and the University of St. Andrews Centre for Responsible Banking & Finance, announces a call for proposals for a one-day conference on the economics, ethics and governance of global commerce.

International trade policies and disputes have dominated domestic and international politics.  From the continued negotiations in the EU and the UK over Brexit to US/China tariff “battles,” the questions and debates over international trade and capital flows will not be going away, particularly in the midst, and in the aftermath, of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Many of these trade discussions highlight the economic benefits and costs of individual trade deals or policies without examining the diverse ethical, economic, social and political ramifications of globalization and trade for global actors as well as for local communities and businesses. What is needed now is a more comprehensive, interdisciplinary discussion of the complexities of international commerce.

The goal of this one-day conference is to bring together ethicists, economists, political scientists, international relations scholars, policy experts, and business leaders to examine not only the political and economic impact of globalization but also how international trade and investment can be conducted more ethically.

Suggested topics or questions that a proposal could address include:

International Commerce

• Is free trade a goal countries and corporations should pursue?
• Does portfolio liberalization’s benefits in terms of financial deepening counteract its systemic risks?
• What is the respective role of corporations and governments in determining trade policy?
• What are the origins and causes of the current international trade regime?
• Are there advantages to bilateral as opposed to multilateral trade agreements?
• What are the “externalities” of trade or foreign direct investment for democracy, human rights, civil peace, and state autonomy?
• How does the global low interest rate environment affect the viability of exchange rate management?
• How will big-data affect decision making about trade policy?
• How will the COVID-19 pandemic affect trade?

Ethics

• Should individual countries prioritize their own interests in trade?  
• Is globalization beneficial or detrimental to communities?   
• What are the rights and responsibilities of economic actors engaging in the global economy?
• Does free trade demand the free movement of peoples?
• Do participants in international trade have a responsibility to ensure a more equitable distribution of benefits?
• Should there be a shared responsibility to ensure that trading practices enable sustainable development and the recognition of human rights?
• What responsibilities do multinational firms have to the communities where they do business?
• Is offshoring morally problematic?  Is offshoring necessarily part of a free trade system?
• Should nations ensure that they produce essential goods within their own borders?

Global Governance

• What are the social and political challenges in governing international trade and the movement of global capital?
• Who has the authority to make and enforce the rules and laws involved in the global economy?
• How does trade affect collective bargaining rights?
• What is the relationship between economic development and international trade?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of international organizations in regulating international economic relations?

Specifics:  We will accept proposals for individual presentations, entire panels (3-5 presentations per panel), or moderated panel discussions.  Individual proposals should consist of an abstract of no more than 350 words.  Individual presentations at the conference will be about 20 minutes.  Proposals for panels should include a proposed title and brief explanation (50-100 words) of the panel along with abstracts for each presentation.  Roundtables should include a title, a list of participants, and an explanation (up to 350 words) of the questions and issues the roundtable will address.  All proposals may be submitted via email to [email protected].  If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Kyle Hubbard [email protected].

Deadlines:  Proposals for individual presentations, panels, and roundtable discussions are due September 15, 2020.  All individual panel presenters will be required to submit completed papers by November 20, 2020 (two weeks prior to the conference date). 

More Information:  The online conference is hosted by the Saint Anselm College Center for Ethics in Business and Governance and supported by our partners at the University of Vienna and the St. Andrews Centre for Responsible Banking & Finance.  For more information on the conference, please see the Saint Anselm College Center for Ethics in Business and Governancewebsite.