“Armenia Amid The Global Trends of Neoliberalism: Austerity and Social Movements”
September 16th and 17th, 2015
3 public discussions with Ingar Solty, Political Scientist from York University
Organized by “Political Discourse” Platform for political thought and public discussions www.diskurs.am
Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Armenia www.fes.am
Simultaneous English-Armenian interpretation will be provided
September 16th at 3:30 - 5:30 pm, Ani Hall of Ani Plaza Hotel (Sayat Nova 19) Presentation and public discussion on the following topics of political economy
1․ “Austerity and Social Resistance”, Ingar Solty, political scientist, York University, Toronto
2․ “Economic Policy and Civic Movements in Armenia”, Vahram Soghomonyan, political scientist, “Political Discourse” platform
On presentations
The speakers will present the issues of austerity measures that are unfolding globally after the 2008 crisis. What kind of a political project is austerity? Ingar Solty will address the trends of indoctrinating austerity as a policy without alternatives and the interconnection between this neoliberal course and the various social movements waged in various parts of the world.
The speakers will also attempt to find parallels of these trends in Armenia and to what extend they are peculiar to the economic policy of Armenia given the experience of Greece, Ukraine and other countries of the region. Other questions to be addressed will be on the discourse of neoliberal trends in Armenia, as well as the rapidly growing civic movements of the past 5 years of Armenia in the country's economic and political context.
On September 17th 2 additional discussions will be held (at 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm) in AUA Business Center Hall 501 (Alek Manukyan 9):
3․ “Towards Authoritarian Capitalism?” Ingar Solty (4:30 pm) This discussion will focus on the social and political conflicts around the “New Economic Governance” in the Eurozone, as well as the influences on the EU actors. The case in point will be Greece.
4․ “Democracy and the 4 Greatest Crises of Capitalism in History”, Ingar Solty (6:30 pm) This presentation will discuss the 4 historically greatest crises of capitalism and the issue of democracy during these periods.
The discussions are open to public.