Prominent globalization scholar visits Queen's Law

Photo by Greg Black

Professor Jagdish Bhagwati of Columbia University presents a lecture entitled "Containing the Protectionist Threat Today" in Macdonald Hall on April 3, 2009.

Queen's Law welcomed Professor Jagdish Bhagwati, one of the world's foremost experts on globalization and international economics, on April 3, 2009.  Bhagwati gave a talk to students and faculty entitled "Containing the Protectionist Threat Today" as the first "Distinguished Speaker" in the law school's International Speakers Series.  

Bhagwati's talk focussed on encouraging governments to continue to engage in globalization, even in turbulent economic times, because of globalization's wide-reaching positive effects.  Bhagwati presented a strong argument against protectionism, even though calls for such measures are louder when economies are suffering.

"Free trade is a way to exploit the trade opportunity best in order to advance economic prosperity," Bhagwati said.  "There is nothing really right wing or left wing with it...Free traders probably don't explain this well in the public space...Free trade is also seen a special interest...If you are seen a special interest, it's very hard to win your agenda in the public space."

Bhagwati is a Professor at Columbia University and a Senior Fellow in International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations.  He has previously acted as the Economic Policy Advisor to the Director of GATT, as Special Advisor to the UN on globalization, and as an External Advisor to the WTO.  His 2004 book In Defense of Globalization was highly influential and received worldwide acclaim.  His latest book, Termites in the Trading System, was published in 2008.

"His defence of globalization is not based in corporate interests or neoconservative ideology," said Professor Darryl Robinson, organizer of the International Speakers Series.  "Instead his focus is entirely on the human and social benefits for everyone affected, particularly the most vulnerable.  Through painstaking and methodical empirical research, he brings powerful arguments for the at-times counter-intuitive proposition that globalization is the most reliable route to alleviating poverty and inequality."

2008-2009 has been the inaugural year for the International Speakers Series.  The series has enjoyed good attendance, particularly both at Bhagwati's talk and at a visit by His Excellency Omar Samad, the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Canada.  Michael Atlas, Law '11, attended Bhagwati's talk and found it an enjoyable and informative experience.

"Bhagwati took complex economic concepts and made them accessible to the students.  He dispelled many myths about globalization in a clear and engaging manner."


For more information on the International Speakers Series and to watch to a recording of Professor Bhagwati's talk, please visit:
http://law.queensu.ca/events/internationalSpeakersSeries.html