The Ethics of Business, Trade, & Global Governance

The Ethics of Business, Trade, & Global Governance

 Format:  In person and online

Location: Wentworth-by-the-Sea (near Portsmouth, New Hampshire)

Dates: December 3-4, 2021

Proposal Submission Deadline: August 31, 2021

Submission email: [email protected]

Plenary Speaker: Daniel Drezner, Tufts University

The Saint Anselm College Center for Ethics in Society, 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 conference on the economics, ethics, and governance of global commerce.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the global economy.  Because this has been a time of disruption and shifting economic power, it is an opportunity to reassess ethical and governance questions and debates about international trade and capital flows that will be essential to address in the post-COVID-19 recovery period.  The goal of this interdisciplinary 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 as we move towards a “new normal” in a post-pandemic global context.

Suggested topics or questions that a proposal could address include:

International Commerce

• Economic and trade rebalancing - The rise of China and other emerging countries are shifting economic activity. How will this affect trade and commerce?
• Acceleration of new technologies - New and disruptive technologies are advancing faster than the ability to manage and harness them. Digital platforms and automation are affecting production, trade, and workstyles: do they necessitate new business models/frameworks?
• Uncertainty - Political and market instability create economic hardship, nationalism, and extremism, increasing risk and uncertainty. What are the effects on international trade and commerce?
• Demographic Shifts - Emerging and developing economies have younger populations than developed economies. How will these demographic shifts change trade?
• Do the benefits of portfolio liberalization, in terms of financial deepening, counteract its systemic risks?
• 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 has the COVID-19 pandemic affected trade and global supply chains?

Ethics

• Are nations right to prioritize their own interests in the global economy, whether in trade or vaccine distribution?
• Is globalization beneficial or detrimental to political 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 to governing international trade and the movement of global capital?
• What are the respective roles of corporations and governments in determining trade policy?
• Are there advantages to bilateral as opposed to multilateral trade agreements?
• Sustainability and Environmental Degradation - Rising demand is straining supplies of energy, food, water, and other resources. Unrestricted trade and commerce threaten the land, air, and water, and promote global warming. What national or global mechanisms should be in place to prevent further environmental degradation?
• Who has the authority to make and enforce the rules and laws involved in the global economy?
• How does international trade affect collective bargaining rights across nations?  
• What is the relationship between economic development and international trade?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of international organizations in regulating international economic relations?
• Is the WHO’s Covax program an effective vehicle for shared global responsibility in vaccination distribution?

Details for Preparing Proposals:  Most of the conference will take place in person, but some individual papers may be presented via video conference.  We will accept proposals for individual presentations, entire panels (3-5 presentations per panel), or academic posters.  

• Individual proposals should be submitted in an abstract of no more than 350 words and must indicate whether it will be presented in person or online.  Individual presentations at the conference will be about 20 minutes.  
• Panel proposals should include a proposed title and brief explanation (50-100 words) of the panel along with abstracts for each presentation.   
• Poster session proposals should include a proposed title, a research question under investigation, and a bibliography of at least three sources engaged.  Posters may only be presented in person during the conference’s poster session.  

All proposals or questions may be submitted via email to Kyle Hubbard ([email protected]).  

Deadlines:  Proposals for individual presentations, panels, and roundtable discussions are due August 31, 2021.  All presenters will be required to submit completed papers or posters by November 19, 2021 (two weeks prior to the conference date). Posters should be attached as a .jpg, .png, or .pdf file.

More Information:  The conference is hosted by the Saint Anselm College Center for Ethics in Society 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 Society website (www.anselm.edu/ethics).

Conference Costs:  The regular and student fees include three meals.

• $250-regular/in person
• $75-student/in person
• $50-plenary address & luncheon
• $50-online