A panel discussion presented by the NY Salon and the Association of American Geographers

Volunteer tourism has become a staple for significant numbers of aspirant young people in the developed economies. Traveling abroad, doing good work, working to improve the environment or on development projects, is seen by some as a right-of-passage toward global citizenship. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and companies promote the transformative possibilities of good deeds at home and abroad, both for the places visited and for the ‘voluntourists’ seeking to make a difference on their travels.

But what does the growth of volunteering at home and abroad tell us about people’s aspirations to act upon their world in the 21st century? How has volunteering changed since the origins of the Peace Corps and UK-based VSO in the 1950s? Where does development fit in to the worldview of the modern volunteer? What impact does volunteer tourism have upon the host countries?

What started off as a fairly small “occupation” has now gained international attention and spurred similar spontaneous proceedings in several parts of America. The protestors at Zuccotti park present the issue as 99% of people against 1% of people in society. Is this a new radical movement that promises to upend the contemporary consensus in mainstream politics? Is this a new dawn of a 1960’s style series of demonstrations? To what extent does the extensive media attention given to OWS reflect a sympathy more broadly in society for them? Is there a need for leadership in such situations?

The New York Salon invites you to a dinner, with international journalist Nathalie Rothschild, who recently reported from Israel on the “J14 tent” demonstrations and has written about OWS.

The wannabe tyrants of Wall Street: http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/11145

Please RSVP to alanvibe@aol.com or nysaloninfo@yahoo.com if you would like to attend and venue details will be released.

The NY Salon has partnered with The Battle of Ideas 2011, organizing this event in NYC in November as part of an international series of Satellite events that spans Europe, India and the US.

The next NY Salon will be a discussion introduced by Nick Frayn – Freedom & Democracy: Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya…

This is not a walk-in event. You must RSVP to attend. Spaces are limited so please let me know if you wish to attend and if you wish to bring a guest.

The Egyptian revolution appears to have ushered in a new era of international politics. Most immediately the decisive acts of the Egyptian people appear to have stirred their neighbors across the Arab world, and a number of regimes look unsteady in the face of a popular mobilization unseen in the region for a generation. The reverberations of Mubarak’s fall have also been felt across Africa, in China, and even in Wisconsin, where public sector workers on recent demonstrations carried placards inspired by the protestors in Tahrir. Meanwhile, Western governments have been embarrassed by their relationships with the discredited regimes, confused in their response, and at critical moments have failed to stand up firmly in support of freedom.

This Salon will examine the historical significance of these uprisings and the many questions raised by recent events. For example:

• What made the images from Tahrir so inspirational?
• Why are protestors in Wisconsin emulating them?
• Have we entered a new era of mass political engagement and a reinvigoration of democratic ideals?
• Why are so many media commentators so apprehensive about recent events?

There are no set readings for the discussion but I encourage you to read as widely as possible. If you come across media coverage you consider particularly insightful please let me know.

Venue: Barnes & Noble, 86th & Lexington Avenue Branch, 150 East 86th Street, New York NY 10028, USA

Tickets: This event is free and open to the public. For further information please email Jean: nysaloninfo@yahoo.com

The NY Salon has partnered with The Battle of Ideas, organizing two key events in NYC in November as part of an international series of Satellite events that spans Europe, India and the US. The two events go to the heart of the matter in America and we would very much like to have you participate.

For more information see the event leaflet.

As the temperature rises in the immigration debate, what should our vision be for American society? Is there a moral case to welcome immigrants?

Speakers: Donna Lieberman, executive director, NYCLU Jason Riley, member, editorial board, Wall Street Journal; author, Let Them In: the case for open borders Dr Alex Standish, assistant professor of geography, Western Connecticut State University; author, The Politics of Geography: approaches to teaching global issues in the twenty-first century Gary Younge, columnist, Guardian; author, Who Are We: and should it matter in the 21st century?

Moderator: Jean Smith, co-founder and director, NY Salon

Continue Reading »