UNION FOR RADICAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
1995 SUMMER CONFERENCE:
Economic Development and Community Strategies
August 19-22, Camp Chinqueka
Bantam, CT
THE CONTRACT "ON" AMERICA suggests bleak times ahead for
communities and activists working for jobs, dignity, hope and
justice around the country. What will become of job creation
strategies as state governments are forced to cut programs and
employment, and as poor parents are under increasing pressure to
accept inadequate and still scarce jobs? Can worker cooperatives
survive in the face of new legislation that favors established
business-as-usual businesses? OR, might the continued
retrenchment of the federal government from programs for the poor
and for communities create a new progressive dynamic, as
activists are challenged to forge stronger, more independent
grass-roots organizations, and new alliances for development on
the national scene? What can political economists learn from the
experiences of community development around the country and
abroad?
And, for that matter, WHAT LESSONS might political economy
offer to communities around the country, now reeling under the
assault of the Republican agenda? Is community economic
development a sufficient replacement for effective macroeconomic
policies for job growth and income equity? How far can local
efforts go in the face of structural trends and fiscal policies
that work against equity, justice, and hope? Should political
economists focus more on thinking globally, or acting locally?
These are among the questions that will be considered at the
1995 URPE Summer Conference. The first night's plenary,
"Community Economic Development: Road Forward or Dead End?"
will be a debate on the opportunities and constraints facing
community development. Speakers include Jim Benn of the
Federation for Industrial Reform and Renewal and Jerome Scott of
Project South, with Doug Henwood of the _Left Business Observer_
serving as moderator. The second plenary, "Community Economic
Development: Lessons from the Field" will present a panel of
community activists offering their experiences and perspectives
on the challenges and opportunities of community development.
Speakers include Len Krimerman, editor of _Grassroots Economic
Organizing_, Curtis Haynes of the University of Buffalo, and
Nadya Papillon, director of New Chicago.
The third plenary will be a discussion of URPE's role in
these interesting times. "Whither URPE? Political Economy in a
Dismal Age" will bring long-time URPE-ers together with newer
members with a range of interests and concerns, to consider who
we are now and where we should be going as an organization, to
meet the needs of our membership and to provide service to the
broader left community. Speakers include Thomas Weisskopf of the
University of Michigan, Marianne Hill of Project Hope, and Germai
Medhanie of _Grassroots Economic Organizing_.
As always, the conference will provide an opportunity for an
exchange of views and research on a wide range of topics through
workshops and retooling sessions. Workshops on community
development and a roundtable on the right wing agenda have been
suggested, and we would welcome more on those and other topics
relating to political economy. Pedagogy sessions are being
developed on teaching mainstream economics, on games and
interactive teaching techniques, and on incorporating race and
gender topics into introductory courses. Those interested in
participating in workshop presentations are encouraged to contact
Dawn Saunders ([EMAIL PROTECTED], or P.O. Box 530, E.
Middlebury, VT 05740), by July 1.
And, of course, the summer conference is summer camp for
grown-ups, and kids too! The ever-popular Intergenerational
Olympics returns, as does the nightly entertainment, including
campfire singing, contradancing, and the D.J. dance. Swimming,
boating, hiking, games, and just general fun in the sun (or rain,
as the case may be) also await URPE campers. Childcare will be
supervised by an experienced professional. Come one, come all,
to Camp Chinqueka in Bantam, Connecticut (near Litchfield) this
August, to learn, to relax, to share your research, to meet old
(and new!) friends.
REGISTRATION FORM (DO NOT register on line: send to URPE
National Office, 1 Summer St., Somerville, MA 02143)
Name(s): ______________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
Phone: ______________________________________________________
Number of Adults Registered_______ Number of Children_________
Number of Children Requiring Childcare________
Ages of Children_______
Number of People eating vegetarian food_________
Are you an URPE member? _______ (see below if wish to join)
Date and time of arrival_______________ and departure __________
Lodging preferred: co-ed cabin _______ single gender cabin _____
space for pitching tent _____. BRING OWN BEDDING
Day(s) and meal(s) of attendance____________________________
NONREFUNDABLE DEPOSIT $30 PER ADULT REQUIRED
Total conference fees ....................$__________
New URPE membership with RRPE
($50, or $30 low income).................__________
New URPE membership, without RRPE..........__________
15% Late Registration Fee (after Aug 15) ..__________
Total enclosed.............................__________
INCOME LEVELS: HIGH MIDDLE LOW VERY LOW
household size 1 >$35,001 15,001-35,000 9,001-15,000 <$9,000
2 >$50,001 19,001-50,000 10,001-19000 <$10,000
3 >$55,001 23,001-55,000 12,001-23000 <$12,000
4 >$60,001 28,001-60,000 14,001-28000 <$14,000
Per Day Rates (conf. maximum in parenthesis)
Adult $110 ($300) $70 ($190) $55 ($126) $45 ($100)
Child 6-18 90 (190) 50 (130) 35 (100) 30 (80)
Child <6 45 (135) 30 (85) 20 (83) 15 (75)
Infants free to URPE members.
