Global Meets Local
Reconfiguration of Social Classes in Iran and Turkey since the 1960s: Has Globalization Mattered?
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sohrab Behdad
There is a dearth of empirical study about the pattern of change in the class structure of Middle East societies, as their socio-economic structures have undergone some radical transformations in the past fifty years. This study focuses on Iran and Turkey in their socio-economic and political context since the1960s. This was the decade when these two countries, similar to many other developing economies, began their integration into the globalization process, by pursuing a forceful import substitution industrialization, which had become possible only by the accelerated process of internationalization of capital through transnational corporation. We propose to empirically verify the structure and the transformation of class configuration of Iran and Turkey in the past five decades as these countries have weathered some turbulent domestic and international politico-economic crises. In our comparative analysis of class reconfiguration in Iran and Turkey we will examine the development of their economies in terms of the deepening of capitalist relations of production in corresponding periods. The focus of our study is the impact of the discontinuous, turbulent economic development and in these two economies on the configuration of their social classes. The general framework of our class analysis is a structural conception of class influenced by Rosemary Crompton (1993), John Scott (1996), and especially Erik O. Wright (1997, 2001). We rely on the cross classification of data on occupational status-economic activities-occupational groups, collected in decennial national census in Iran and Turkey between 1960 and 2011 for the operationalization of class structures.
Islands of Globalization : Impacts and Responses to Globalization in the Caribbean
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Brenda Kauffman
This analysis establishes sustainable models for managing livelihoods and the environment, focusing on the US and British Virgin Islands. In order to arrive at effective sustainable development models, a number of efforts must be made to cultivate broader more inclusive approaches. Taking a systems approach to better understand past, present, and future concerns requires the inclusion of the many varied stakeholders. If sustainable development is to succeed, the needs of each group must be acknowledged. On the small islands of the Caribbean this includes groups as diverse as the indigenous inhabitants, multi-national corporations, non-indigenous residents, and the many tourists who pass through annually. Collaboration to strengthen governance in regards to economic, social, and environmental factors is critical, especially in the context of globalization. In order to discover areas where collaboration is needed the central issues must be identified. Issue maps combined with stakeholder maps can help to analyze the interdependencies of the social, economic, cultural, and natural systems. The goal of the analysis is to establish sustainable models for managing livelihoods and the environment. This research will conduct such an analysis in the US and British Virgin Islands. Issue and stakeholder maps will be analyzed in order to make policy and systemic change recommendations
Business Law Fundamentals in Globalizing Higher Education
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Mihaela Tofan
This paper investigates the fundamentals of business law, including the rules that are both general and mandatory for national legal systems and for international trade, in order to describe efficient and dynamic business regulations. Nowadays, the legal framework for global business is understood as a guarantee of fair and mutually beneficial trade. Thus, regulation for business is always an actual issue and it asks for continuous developments, in order to ensure speed, efficiency, and productivity in business activities. This research synthesizes business law fundamentals, offering instruments for identifying the milestones for approaching business law education. The main objective of the paper is to identify the fundamental concepts of business law for globalizing higher education. Business law courses in universities worldwide are sometimes compulsory, but they can be optional and their applicability is not limited to law students. This field of research and regulations on the topic will be analyzed both on an international level and in Romania, one of the most successful emerging economies of the Eastern Europe. The main methods of research are documentation review (specialized literature, course syllabi and extended abstracts, case studies) and qualitative and quantitative data analysis, comparison, synthesis, and deduction. The results identify the principles of business law regulation and the features that bring autonomy and credibility to this legal field of study. Final conclusions of the research are also summarized.
