Quinn Slobodian to Speak at WTO Public Forum on Global Capitalism and Democracy
Quinn Slobodian, Professor of International History at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, will be a featured speaker at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum on September 13, 2024. The forum, one of the WTO’s largest annual events, serves as a global platform for discussing key trade issues and developments, attracting thousands of participants from civil society, academia, business, and government.
Slobodian’s session, titled “Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy,” will explore the evolution of global economic structures, with a focus on the influence of radical libertarian ideologies on modern capitalism.
Known for his research on the intersection of capitalism and governance, Professor Slobodian will address how tax havens, free ports, city-states, and special economic zones have emerged as powerful, often unregulated centers of economic activity. These zones, designed to operate outside traditional regulatory and tax frameworks, reflect broader attempts by ultracapitalists to decouple free-market principles from democratic oversight.
Joining Slobodian at the session will be Gopalan Balachandran, Co-Director of the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy, who will offer further insights on how these shifts in economic power challenge democratic institutions worldwide.
The WTO Public Forum, which draws over 2,000 participants each year, is a key event for stakeholders across industries to discuss the future of the global trading system. This year’s forum offers a unique opportunity for attendees to engage with leading experts like Professor Slobodian on the changing landscape of global capitalism.
For more information about the event and the full program, visit the WTO Public Forum website.
Quinn Slobodian is Professor of International History at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. He is also a contributing writer to the New Statesman, co-editor of Contemporary European History, and co-director of the History and Political Economy Project. Learn more about Quinn Slobodian at his faculty profile.