The theme of the Eighteenth International Conference of Agricultural Economists held in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 1982 was 'growth & equity in agricultural development'. The central problem of the ...conference, which was extensively discussed in general, as well as in very detailed or applied papers, centered around the question of whether or not a tradeoff between growth & equity might occur &, if so, in what situations this might be the case & what should be done if growth negatively affects equity. The general trend of the papers presented was that there is very often no tradeoff between growth & equity. In some cases, however, when a tradeoff exists it is preferable to enhance rather than inhibit growth, because it is a necessary prerequisite for achievement of equity goals. This is especially true as far as technical progress is concerned. Another generally accepted finding was that measures of agricultural policy that influence price relations not only cause welfare losses but also very often show adverse effects on distribution, & are thus jeopardizing to both growth & equity. 1 Figure, 1 Appendix, 59 References. HA.
A review of the literature on evaluating international conferences, identifying significant factors that contribute to measured success. Extensive research over the last twenty years has identified ...criteria for evaluating success, but these continue to be ignored as international conferences repeat their mistakes. A framework of 25 evaluation measures is described for future research on conference assessment. Responses to three items of a questionnaire sent out by the East-West Culture Learning Instit in Honolulu, Hawaii, as part of a project studying international conferences are also discussed, relating to measures, problems, & potential benefits of evaluation. Guidelines & suggestions are provided synthesizing the available research with the aim of planning more successful international conferences in the future. Six issues are identified for further clarification in future research on international conferences. HA.
The Science and Politics of a Disinvitation Wade, Nicholas
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
09/1978, Letnik:
200, Številka:
4359
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The invitation & later disinvitation of H. Weill to cochair a National Cancer Institute (NCI) conference on lung cancer surveillance is explored to assess the way in which people form opinions of one ...another. Weill, an authority on occupational lung cancer, was asked to stand down from the cochair position after an AFL-CIO health expert hinted that Weill might be partial to industry. The NCI failed to evaluate the opinions offered it, resulting in an action based on prejudice. P. Montgomery.
Discussed are the main issues raised at the conference 'Paths of Social Development,' attended by 3,500 sociologists from 129 countries. Special attention is given to contributions of 300 scholars ...from socialist countries, including 29 from the German Democratic Republic. M. Meeks.
Presented is an account of the sessions held in Torun, Poland, 9-13 Sept 1976. Attendance by 1,100 people from 70 countries is indicative of the tendency toward integration of the sociooccupational ...movement, which embraces rural sociology. The Congress theme (global problems of the modern world, including the consequences to natural & human resources caused by economic growth) was dealt with in the 470 papers presented. Topical sessions included: concepts & strategies for complex development of human & natural resources; economic growth & its consequences; technological changes in agriculture, demographic changes & strategies of social development; spatial & regional planning; social changes & agrarian reforms; group & cooperative forms of agriculture; employment & occupational structure; the changing role of women, rural youth, & national & ethnic minorities. Stressed is the active part played by sociologists from socialist countries, who presented 257 papers. Modified HA.
A decade after the World Population Conference in Bucharest, delegates representing 146 states convened in Mexico City to examine world population problems and recommend action. The political ...environment of the Mexico conference caused North-South economic issues, which dominated Bucharest, to remain in the background. Planning and organization of the conference served to emphasize consensus on most issues, while highlighting the discordant behavior of the US delegation. The US position itself had domestic political origins and reflected a victory of--or concession to--a coalition of heterogeneous groups of the New Right in an election year. If in fact the US position at Mexico City foreshadows a permanent shift in US population assistance activity, it will have significant implications for international population policies and programs.
The German Sociologists' Meeting held in Dortmund, Federal Republic of Germany, 7-12 Oct 1984 was attended by over 1,500 participants. Much criticism was directed at the lack of a central theme. As ...such, the conference symbolized the lack of direction in contemporary sociology. It is suggested that sociologists devote greater effort to investigating current social trends & their implications for future social development & change. M. Meeks.
Computer‐based conferencing is a form of computer‐mediated communication which supports group discussion. This report describes the reaction of scientists who participated in such a conference and ...were asked to comment on the technology itself and on the scientific value of the exercise. While 78% indicated that they would participate in other computer‐based conferences, they also identified improvements that they would like to see. Scientists from developing countries were concerned primarily with technical problems because their capability for on‐line participation was low; most received the transcript in the mail and sent their contributions by TELEX. However, the problems identified by the industralized‐country participants require social, not technical, solutions. These scientists were concerned about the lack of contribution of others, the quality of the information that was presented, and the lack of focus or direction to the conference. They saw little of value contributed by others, but were also reluctant to contribute themselves to such an open conference. These concerns are described and related to a number of topics in social psychology such as equity, leadership, and communication networks.
A PREVIOUS CONFERENCE IN GENEVA IN 1958 IS FOUND TO BE SIMILAR TO THE DIVISION OF AFRICA BY THE WESTERN EUROPEAN POWERS; AT CARACAS AN INTERNATIONAL REGIME MODEL WAS OBSERVED. ALTHOUGH THIS MAY HAVE ...BEEN PARTLY THE EFFECT OF THE ARTICULATION OF A VALUE, THE "COMMON HERITAGE OF MAN" (CHM), THE MAJOR CAUSE WAS THE CHANGE IN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM FROM ONE DOMINATED BY EUROPE & THE AMERICAS TO ONE CHARACTERIZED BY THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE US & WESTERN EUROPE, & THE USSR & ITS SATELLITES, SUPPORTED BY THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THE INFLUENCE OF THE SUPERPOWERS HAS DECLINED; THEY ARE THE VICTIMS OF "THEIR OWN ARROGANCE OF POWER" & 'DETENTE'. 3 POSSIBLE MODELS FOR THE ARTICULATION & REPRESENTATION OF CHM/INTERNATIONAL SEABED REGIME (ISR) VALUES ARE PRESENTED: (1) WOULD INCLUDE IN NATIONAL DELEGATIONS TO CONFERENCES, REPRESENTATIVES WHOSE FUNCTION WOULD BE TO ARTICULATE TRANSNATIONAL VALUES, JUST AS OTHER GROUPS/IE, ARMED FORCES, SHIPPING INDUSTRY, & ENVIRONMENTALISTS SEND REPRESENTATIVES, (2) WOULD STRENGTHEN THE ROLE OF UN REPRESENTATIVES BY GIVING THEM EXPERT ROLES & THE RIGHT TO PURSUE ARGUMENTS AT THE CONFERENCE & BE PRESENT IN LARGER NUMBERS & FOR A LONGER DUATION, & (3) WOULD REPRESENT TRANSNATIONAL INTERESTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF UNDERPRIVILEGED PEOPLE IN ALL NATIONS, THROUGH REPRESENTATION BY NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. THESE WERE NOT PRESENT TO ANY GREAT EXTENT AT CARACAS, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE PROHIBITIVE EXPENSE OF THE LOCATION & BECAUSE THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE OCEANS & THE SEABED HAVE NOT CAUGHT ON IN PEOPLE'S MINDS. THEY WOULD BE THE CONVEYOR FOR TRANSNATIONAL VALUES IF THEY WOULD DEVELOP A TRANSNATIONAL PLATFORM & MAKE IT KNOWN TO CONFERENCE MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR & THE WORLD IN GENERAL. J. N. MAYER.
A report on the First International Conference on Comparative Historical & Critical Analysis of Bureaucracy, held by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Instit fur wirtschaftliche & soziale Studien in Zurich, ...Switzerland, 4-8 Oct 1982. Four main themes were explored: comparative historical analyses, theories of bureaucracy & rationalization, the bureaucratization of culture, & alternatives to bureaucracy. Papers presented are briefly noted & reviewed. A number of disputes took place among anti-Marxists, non-Marxists, cultural Marxists, & orthodox Marxists. W. H. Stoddard.
