ND launches Euro conference
By JOE TROMBELLO
News Writer
McKenna Hall this weekend will host the three-day "The Year of the Euro" conference sponsored by the Nanovic Institute for European Studies and convened by sociology Professor Robert Fishman and political science Professor Anthony Messina.
A series of eight presentations ranging from 1 1/2 to two hours in length will occur today through Sunday and feature a collection of scholars from Europe and North America.
"We [Professors Fishman and Messina] both felt as scholars who had worked in Europe for some time that the inauguration of the Euro and the launching of a common currency in 12 European countries represented a major watershed event in the history of Europe and the European Union," Fishman said. "We felt it would be fascinating to bring together major scholars to see how they would evaluate this event and the meaning of monetary change."
Each session will feature discussion from four to five prominent scholars on topics ranging from the Euro's catalyzing effect on economic change to the currency's implications on politics and social policy. Notre Dame faculty members will participate in each presentation, as well as scholars from American universities such as Northwestern, Yale, Rice and Harvard and international universities such as the University of Montreal and Centeral European University, among others.
"The conference is inter-disciplinary," Messina said. "[It features] sociologists, political scientists, historians, and economists. We wanted to focus on both the non-economic and the economic aspects of the Euro currency and involved the fertilization of North American and European scholars."
Both Messina and Fishman said that the conference would focus on many of the non-economic issues associated with the introduction of the Euro currency that often get overlooked. The implications of the Euro on society, identity and transnational relationships will also be addressed in the discussions.
"We are interested in highlighting that the introduction of the Euro is not simply an economic event," Messina said. "That is something that to some extent is underemphasized. We are going to learn as a result of the papers and presentations from our colleagues what they think the ultimate significance of the Euro will be. We don't have a preconceived idea about this."
The group of panelists includes both Euro-enthusiasts and Euro-skeptics who will cover the range of opinions regarding the Euro currency and its future implications.
Two guest speakers, Philippe Schmitter of the European University Institute in Florence and Hervé Carré, minister of Financial Affairs for the Delegation of the European Commission, will address panelists during dinners today and Saturday.
The conference was co-sponsored by the European Union, the Graduate School's Office of Research, the Henkels Lecture Series, The Kellogg Institute for International Studies, the Keough Institute and the Political Science and Sociology departments. Student interns also assisted with the preparation and organization of the event.
All News Stories for Friday, December 6, 2002
