April 8, 2002 Economists inaugurate social justice lecture series By Jennifer McNulty Two well-known economists will visit UCSC this month to participate in the new "Global Policy and Social Justice Lecture Series" being presented jointly by College Nine and the UCSC Division of Social Sciences. Both lectures are free and open to the public. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen was awarded the Nobel Prize in economics in 1998 for his work on poverty and welfare. The first lecture in the series will be presented Tuesday, April 23, by Pranab Bardhan, professor of economics at UC Berkeley. Bardhan's talk is entitled "Globalization and the Poor." The lecture begins at 7 p.m. in Room 75 of Social Sciences 2. Bardhan specializes in international trade and economic development. He has done extensive research on rural institutions in poor countries and on the political economy of development policies. He is chief editor of the Journal of Development Economics and is cochair of the Network on the Effects of Inequality on Economic Performance, which is funded by the MacArthur Foundation. On Tuesday, April 30, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, professor of economics at Cambridge University's Trinity College, will present a lecture titled, "Clashing Civilizations and Lesser Tales: A Critique." His talk begins at 7 p.m. in the UCSC Media Theater. Sen was awarded the Nobel Prize in economics in 1998 for his work on poverty and welfare. His work on the fundamental problems in welfare economics stems from his broad interest in distributional issues and the poorest members of society. Sen's research has clarified the conditions that permit rules for collective decision making that are consistent with the rights of the individual. Sen's work has also enhanced understanding of the economic mechanisms underlying famines. Sen has used some of the Nobel Prize cash award to establish the Pratichi Trust, which funds literacy, health care, and gender-equity projects in India and Bangladesh. Major funding for the Bardhan and Sen visits was provided by the UCSC Alumni Association Distinguished Visiting Professor endowment. Established in 1982 with funding from the association, individuals, and the chancellor, the goal of the endowment is to deepen the collegiate academic experience. Return to Front Page