The Center for Popular Economics
invites you to the
2011 Popular Economics
Summer Institute
Smith College, Northampton, MA
July 24-30, 2011
Click here for the full Schedule of Public Events.
CPE’s Summer Institute is a week-long intensive training in economics for media makers, activists, educators, and anyone who wants a better understanding of economics. We focus on how economic systems impact our lives and work every day. Our trainings are highly participatory and build on the knowledge and experience of our participants. No background in economics is required. Core Classrooms: At the heart of the Summer Institute program are two core courses, one on the U.S. Economy, one on the International Economy. All participants must choose one core course. The core classes meet each day in the mornings.
Special Track: Media, Democracy and the Economy.
Each year, we choose an issue area that we focus on in the workshops and panels as well as in the core classrooms. As an example of what we will cover… The U.S. has the lowest level of public funding for media in the industrialized world, and we rank 15th for internet access. What does it mean that our media is becoming increasingly controlled by corporate interests? What does it mean for our country when costs and availability prevents 93 million Americans from having Internet access at home-and when being “connected” is increasingly essential for quality education, employment and healthcare. What does it mean for the press to be so dependent on advertisers to keep them afloat? What does it mean for our democracy that news and analysis critical to its functioning is often overshadowed by the battle for corporate profits. In our special track we’ll discuss these topics and more.
Public Events – Workshops and Plenaries
The afternoon workshops and evening events are free and open to the public. We’ll kick off the week with a keynote on Sunday evening, featuring John Nichols, a leading media scholar and Washington correspondent for the Nation magazine. Click here for the full Schedule of Public Events.
Are You Ready to Register?
Please go to our Summer Institute information page and fill out a registration form. If you have additional questions, please e-mail us at: programs {at} populareconomics(.)com or call us at (413) 545-0743.
