American and European Visions in the Contentious Areas of Freedom and Social Responsibility, September 14-15, 2007
"American and European Visions in the Contentious Areas of Freedom and Social Responsibility" will take place on the 14th and 15th of September. It is organized in collaboration with the Hessischen Landeszentrale fuer politische Bildung, the Atlantische Akademie Rheinland-Pfalz e.V., the US Generalkonsulat Frankfurt, and the Zentrum fuer Nordamerika Forschung (ZENAF).*The event is open to the public and will be located at:* Fridtjof-Nansen-Haus, Ingelheim Wilhelm Leuschner Strasse 61 55218 Ingelheim am Rhein
*American and European Visions* Unfettered capitalism and a minimal welfare state in the USA, encrusted structures of social governance and over-regulated market-economies in Europe. This is the common perception of societal reality in the US and Europe. Despite shared democratic values, both sides could not be further from each other when it comes to taming capitalism and the designing of the welfare state. Moreover, it is clear as to which of the two faces greater difficulties adjusting to the challenges of globalization: sluggish growth in Europe demonstrates that the challenges of a global economy and competition from the Far East are much more problematic. However, the societal realities are much more nuanced--here as well as there. This is why the Holzschnitt will undertake a more in-depth analysis during the seminar. Differences in economic and social structures in the US and Europe will be identified and related to differences in values and political culture: why are there minimum wages in the US but with only weak dismissal protection, and why is this found to be exactly the opposite in Germany? And why does the US tolerate higher levels of inequality than Europe? Ultimately, proposals and blueprints for a design of society and economy will be compared on both sides of the Atlantic. The question will be posed as to whether one can benefit from the ideas of the other.
Speakers will include:
- Prof. Dr. Diether Doering, of the Akademie der Arbeit der Universitaet Frankfurt/Main
- Sigurt I. Vitols, PhD, of the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin fuer Sozialforschung
- Dr. Christian Lammert, University Frankfurt, Centre for North American Studies
- and Prof. Dr. Aloys Prinz
The event will take place under the guidance of:
- Dr. Peter Becker, Director of the Centre for Further Study, Ingelheim
- Juergen Kerwer, Hessische Landeszentrale fuer politische Bildung
- Wolfgang Toennesmann, Atlantische Akademie Rheinland-Pfalz
- Dr. Ruediger B. Wersisch, ZENAF, University Frankfurt
- and Dr. Gerhard Wiesinger, US-Generalkonsulat Frankfurt
Fees Adults: 50 euros with accommodation, 30 euros without accommodation Youths and students: 30 euros with accommodation, 20 euros without accommodation
