Globalization for the common good: An interfaith perspective
Eighth Annual Conference: Globalization for the Common Good:
The Challenge to America
May 31 – June 4, 2009 • Loyola University • Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Loyola University, Chicago’s Jesuit University, hosted “Globalization: The Challenge to America” from May 31st through June 4th at Mundelein Auditorium on Loyola’s Lake Shore campus in Rogers Park. The conference was a featured part of Loyola University’s 2009 celebration of 100 years of existence as an institution of higher learning. Over 250 persons attended the conference; 99 presenters spoke on various facets of the theme of globalization.
The eighth in an annual international series, “Globalization for the Common Good – An Interfaith Perspective” was founded by Dr. Kamran Mofid, Coventry, UK. Previous conferences have been held in Oxford (2002), St. Petersburg (2003), Dubai (2004), Kericho, Kenya (2005), Honolulu (2006), Istanbul (2007), and Melbourne (2008).
The conference was convened by four organizations: the Center for Ethics, Loyola University, Chicago: the Interreligious Engagement Project (IEP21); the Center for Global Studies at Purdue University Calumet; and Globalization for the Common Good.
It was jointly chaired by Dr. William French (Loyola University), Mr. Jim Kenney (IEP21), Dr. Yahya Kamalipour (Purdue University Calumet), and Dr. Kamran Mofid (GCG).
Click here for a powerpoint slide presentation of the conference.
Click here for a conference program.
Click here for a flyer describing the conference
Conference Themes
The Conference focused primarily on a constructive critique of the role of the United States in the current dynamic of world affairs and examined the positive and negative dimensions of America’s global stance. Plenary sessions were held in Loyola's Mundelein Auditorium. Thematic areas addressed in the plenary sessions included:
• Global Business: Creating the Virtuous Economy
• Global Media: Searching the Balance
• Our Global Commons: Beyond the Public and Private Spheres
• Global Citizenship: Preparing the Next Generation for a Life in a Globalized World
• Youth, Globalization, and Our Planetary Future
• Globalization, Civilizational Dialogue, and the Role of the Global Interfaith Movement
• The Global Environment: Climate, Habitat, Water, Energy, and All Life
• The Struggle for Social and Economic Justice and Universal Human Rights
In addition to the plenary sessions, over 20 different breakout sessions were held on a wide range of topics including regional perspectives on globalization (Africa and Latin America), the experiences of a new generation of young "global citizens," approaches to a new economics, human rights, the "global commons," and interfaith insights into the realities of globalization.
Conference Speakers
Francis Cardinal George (Archbishop of the Diocese of Chicago), Michael J. Garanzini SJ (President, Loyola University), and Howard Cohen (Chancellor, Purdue University, Calumet) offered their greetings to participants on Sunday evening, May 31st.
Over 80 speakers from the United States and other countries addressed the conference. Among them were:
• Michael Klare, Five College Professor of Peace and World Security;
• Rosemary Radford Ruether, feminist theologian and peace activist;
• George Rabb, President Emeritus of the Chicago Zoological Society:
• Sallie King, James Madison University;
• John Pawlikowski, Catholic Theological Union;
• Rev. Clare Butterfield, Faith in Place;
• Marchia Hermanson, Islamic Studies, Loyola University Chicago;
• Nancy Tuchman, Ecological Studies, Loyola University Chicago.
The Peace Council played a major role in the conference. This extraordinary group has worked since 1995 to bring prominent religious leaders together in the midst of conflicts around the world to be present, listen, and learn. Peace Council trustees have committed to assembling as many of these leaders as possible in Chicago for the 2009 GCG conference. Peace Council leaders include Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire (Northern Ireland), Don Samuel Ruiz Garcia (Bishop Emeritus, Chiapas), Fr. Gonzalo Ituarte (Provincial, Dominican Order, Mexico), Dr. Chandra Muzaffar (JUST International, Malaysia), Fr. Thomas Keating (Snowmass Abbey), Sr. Joan Chittister (BenetVision), Rev. Marcus Braybrooke (President, World Congress of Faiths, UK), Samdhong Rinpoche (Secretary of State, Tibetan Government in Exile), Dr. Chung Hyun-kyung (Union Theological Seminary), Dr. Paul Knitter (Paul Tillich Chair of Theology, Union Theological Seminary), and several others.
