The Global Research Programme on Inequality (GRIP) presents its Annual Lecture, a flagship event series that brings together renowned experts from academia, activism, and other relevant fields to address the multifaceted challenges of inequality will be held on 24 April 2024. GRIP will select a prominent academic to deliver the Annual Lecture each year, focusing on a specific inequality-related theme. This year’s annual lecture will be delivered with Walden Bello, the world-famous sociologist from the Philippines and the Focus on the Global South. The lecture catalyses thought-provoking discussions, setting the research agenda for the year and inspiring our research activities.
In his forthcoming lecture, Walden Bello will embark on a comprehensive exploration of the ascent of the illiberal Right, both in the Global South and Global North. The lecture’s focal point will be an examination of the multifaceted ways in which global transformations within the framework of capitalism intersect with the pervasive inequalities that serve as both catalysts and focal points of right-wing authoritarianism. Central to this discourse is the intricate interplay of class, ideology, and power, set within the context of the intertwined yet uneven trajectories of world history.
During Professor Bello’s lecture, attendees can expect a profound exploration of various sub-themes that hold significant relevance in the current global landscape.
Global Pervasiveness of the Illiberal Right
Professor Bello will rigorously examine whether the rise of the illiberal Right is an all-encompassing global phenomenon, investigating its potential inevitability.
Comparative Analysis of Authoritarian Processes
This segment of the lecture will closely scrutinise the parallel and contrasting elements within authoritarian processes in the Global North and Global South. An emphasis will be placed on dissecting the shared conditions that enable such processes, as well as the roles played by inequalities and class actors within this framework.
Relevance of Geographical Categorisation
Professor Bello will critically assess the applicability and constraints of categorising regions as the Global South and Global North in the context of these developments.
Comparability of Right-Wing Mobilisations
The lecture will delve deep into the intricacies of right-wing mobilisations in Eastern Europe and the Western world, probing the interplay of class, ideology, power, and local historical contexts in these diverse cases.
Generalisation vs Local Specifics
The audience will gain insight into the prospects of identifying overarching patterns and principles amid the diversity of fragmented local narratives. Professor Bello will address whether there is potential for generalisation and universalisation across various cases.
Global Capitalism and the Illiberal Right
Lastly, the lecture will explore the hypothesis that the seemingly synchronised global ascent of the illiberal Right may be symptomatic of a crisis within global capitalism. Professor Bello will offer an assessment of whether this phenomenon signifies a broader crisis within the global capitalist system and, if so, how this crisis manifests.
About Walden Bello
Walden Bello is a distinguished international sociologist renowned for his insightful analysis of the politics of inequality. He is a longstanding leader of the policy think-tank ‘Focus on the Global South’ and the Centre for Economic and Policy Research, a professorship in sociology at the State University of New York at Binghamton University (SUNY), and has been actively involved in progressive political movements in the Philippines and on the global stage.
Following the Annual Lecture, you are invited to participate in the Annual Symposium scheduled for Thursday, 25th April 2024. It is an excellent opportunity to engage in deeper discussions and exchange insights on these critical global issues.
Please note that registration is not required for the Annual Lecture, but it is required for the Annual Symposium.
Please visit the GRIP website for more information and details on this event.
Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash