Their America: The U.S. in the Eyes of the Rest of the World, a two-day conference at the New School University, invites the public to participate in a “global test.” Just two weeks before the election, while the candidates debate the need for an international referendum on U.S. military action, Their America will bring together, in one auditorium, representatives from around the world to discuss the growing tide of anti-American sentiment. Moving away from the divisive trend of “America bashing”, Their America will foster understanding and propose solutions to anti-American attitudes by placing this crucial issue in a historical context spanning 75 years. Their America will take place on October 18 and 19, 2004 and is being presented by the Social Research journal, published by the New School’s Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science.
Senator George Mitchell will deliver the keynote address on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 6:00 p.m. During his fourteen-year senatorial career Mitchell earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for chairing the peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. New School University President Bob Kerrey will deliver additional remarks.
Their America convenes journalists, writers, academics, politicians, and activists from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America to share their unique perspectives on how the U.S. is viewed in their countries and regions. Audience members will have a unique opportunity to engage in candid dialogue with the speakers. The conference begins on the evening of Monday, October 18, 2004, with “Voices from the U.K., Mexico., Germany and France.” On the morning of Tuesday, October 19, Session II will present “Voices from Africa, the Balkans, and the Middle East.” That afternoon, in Session III, we will hear “Voices from Russia, Pakistan, Malaysia, and China.” Confirmed speakers include Michael Naumann (Germany’s Former Minister of Culture and Media and Editor in Chief of Die Zeit), Avishai Margalit (Professor of Philosophy at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Saad Eddin Ibrahim (human rights activist and professor at American University in Cairo) and Pervez Hoodbhoy (Professor of Nuclear Physics, Quaid-I-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan).
Their America conference sessions will be held at New School University’s Tishman Auditorium, 66 West 12th Street, in New York City. For additional information contact (212) 229-2488, [email protected] or visit www.socres.org/theiramerica/.
Their America has been generously supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, and others.
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New School University, with 7,200 matriculated students and 20,000 continuing education students, is a New York City University committed to critical scholarship, artistic integrity and ethical responsibility in the social sciences, humanities, the arts and design. It is comprised of a liberal arts foundation of three schools: The New School, Eugene Lang College, and the Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science. The five professional schools are the Parsons School of Design, Mannes College of Music, Actors Studio Drama School, Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy and New School University jazz. New School Online University offers one of the largest selections of online courses in the nation. For further information visit www.newschool.edu.