CPE has been running our Popular Economics Institutes for over thirty years! To give you a sense of the kinds of topics we cover, check out the following examples of our more recent Institutes.
2010-Beyond the Economic Fright Fest: Building a Solidarity Economy
CPE’s 2010 Popular Economics Institute took place at the Highlander Research and Education Center in New Market, Tennessee. The 2010 special track focused on Building a Solidarity Economy. We talked about zombie banks, disappearing jobs, climate change, and the Great Recession. But we also looked at ways that people and communities are building just and sustainable economic solutions.
In addition to the core courses there were afternoon sessions led by the Highlander Research and Education Center focused on sharing lessons and organizing strategies around the solidarity economy and economic justice; popular education and organizing skill building; and a field trip that connected the dots locally.
2009-After the Economic Meltdown: Building a Solidarity Economy
CPE’s 2009 Popular Economics Institute took place at the World Fellowship Center in Conway, New Hampshire.
Given the global economic crisis, the clear choice for the 2009 Popular Economics Institute was to focus on not only understanding the roots of the crisis, but how to get beyond it for the long term. In particular, we evaluated:
- How did we get into this economic mess? Was it individual greed or the way the system is rigged?
- What drives these booms and busts? Why do they happen on a regular basis?
- Could the economic crisis have been avoided?
- Is there a better way – one that puts people and planet front and center?
- What is the solidarity economy all about?
2008-The Economics of Immigration and Migration
CPE’s 2008 Popular Economics Institute took place at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL.
- What’s the relationship between corporate led globalization and migration?
- What’s the impact of immigration on wages, jobs, state expenditures, healthcare
- What’s the economic impact of border militarization
- What’s the impact and potential of remittances to the home country
- How are women impacted differently?
Plenary and workshop themes included: Immigration Enforcement; What would a good immigration policy be?; Immigration: Myths & Realities; Climate change and migration; HIV Ban in U.S. iImmigration law; Worker rights and undocumented immigration; Hometown Associations; and Immigrant Banking.
