Conference Announcement:Corporate Power or People's Power: TNCs and Globalization September 26-29, 2001, in Sydney, Australia
In recent years corporations have gained remarkable power. Many have gone transnational in the search for lower costs and bigger markets. In response, governments have removed economic barriers, and Trans-National Corporations (TNCs) have led the way in the new world of corporate globalization
Today more than one third of the world's private assets are owned by TNCs. One third of all international trade occurs within individual TNCs. The everyday power of TNCs over livelihoods and politics is now felt in the North as well as in the South. In both contexts TNCs directly pose questions about the prospects for meaningful economic development and for social and environmental justice.
Across the globe, a range of campaigns and movements are challenging TNCs, and contesting the corporate globalization that they bring. There is an urgent need to strengthen this challenge. For this reason, the Asia-Pacific Research Network , a network of 27 leading research NGOs from 15 countries in the Asia-Pacfic, has decided to hold its 2001 conference on the theme of contesting TNCs. The conference is to be held in Sydney, Australia, a corporate city that is the launch pad for many TNCs in the Asia-Pacific region.
At the conference, participants assess the impact of TNCs, and how they exercise power. They will compare experiences, build research agendas and develop strategy. They will develop common perspectives on TNCs across NGOs in the region, creating complementary research agendas, agreeing common priorities for research, and developing shared strategies for imposing popular sovereignty. In doing so, the conference will play a key role in stimulating regional and Australian political debates on how to act against corporate globalization. There are three themes:
* Trends and Impacts. How have TNCs evolved, what are the new trends, and what are the implications for campaigns? What are the impacts of TNCs on farming? How do TNCs exploit workers? How does TNC investment result in mal-development? How do TNCs shape consumers culture? How does the exploitation of resources by TNCs affect living environments?
* Power and Influence. What are the sources of power for TNCs? How do they exert pressure on politicians and on the political system? How do TNCs manipulate trade and influence trade negotiations? How do TNCs create client states? How do financial structures benefit TNCs? How do TNCs shape public perceptions? What is the role of TNCs in conflict and security?
* Strategies. What are the opportunities for movements - how can they maximize leverage over TNCs? What avenues are being pursued, and what dilemmas do these raise? What possibilities are there for workers? How to build cross-national and cross-sectoral alliances? How to contest relationships between TNCs and states? What is the potential for regulating TNCs? Is there an alternative to the TNC?
The conference will be held over four days at the end of September 2001, in central Sydney. The first three days will be APRN-focused, with participation from a wide range of Australian-based NGOs. On the fourth day APRN members will participate in a full-day Public Forum on TNCs, with a range of panels, campaign workshops and plenary sessions.
Interested organisations may contact the APRN Secretariat for additional information. To register online, visit the APRN website .
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