HESBURGH LECTURE SERIES 2013 Program - Alumni Association ...

Kwan S. Kim, Ph.D.
Professor, Economics; Fellow, Kellogg Institute for International
Studies
Biography
Kwan Kim’s research interest lies in development studies and international economics with
geographical focus on East Asia, Latin America, and Africa. His research typically combines
holistic and quantitative analysis, based on fieldwork and consultancy experiences he had
abroad. He has published over 80 articles and book chapters and 13 books that include The
Political Economy of Inequality; Growth, Distribution and Political Change; El Ecuador en el
Mercado Mundial; Acquiring, Adapting and Developing Technologies in Japan; Industrial Policy
and Development in S. Korea; and Papers on the Political Economy of Tanzania.
Kim has received grants and fellowships from the Rockefeller Foundation, Nacional Financiera
in Mexico, Hudson Institute, the Agency for International Development, and Japan’s Ministry
of Education. He has received many research awards from grant foundations and merit citations from professional societies.
Most recently, he was a recipient of the 2010 International Peace Prize from the American Biographical Institute. His recent
collaborative work with Chinese colleagues focuses on the global environmental and developmental impacts of China’s fossil-fuel
energy and intensive resource-use system.
Lectures
Global Issues and Catholic Social Teaching
Globalization, while seen as a powerful force for economic growth, is also replete with social and economic conflicts among
peoples and nations. This lecture addresses the structural contradictions and inequities in the contemporary global economy.
Globalization-linked social concerns include sweatshops, world energy and environmental crisis, drugs and human trafficking,
worker rights, and principles of human dignity, the common good, and the preferential option for the poor. It serves not only as
an amoral imperative but also as an economic imperative for the development of a sustainable global economy.
The Global Poverty Gap and World Hunger
After taking a fresh look at the magnitude of global poverty, this lecture identifies the domestic and global sources of vulnerability
facing the poor, and explores the local, national, and global actions needed to end extreme poverty and hunger in the context of
social justice. Special reference is made to Sub-Saharan Africa and other least-developed nations in Asia and Latin America.
How to Help Poor Nations: What must we look for to unlock development?
For many years, many poor nations have received foreign aid but only a few have come out of poverty. This lecture offers
explanations why the impact of aid has been minimal. It explores the solutions most frequently proposed today, explaining in
great length the issues of human capital development, in particular, of gender inequality and women’s issues.
Two Koreas and the U.S.: Current Issues in Global Geopolitical Relations
What is the North Korean regime’s ultimate policy goal? How would North Korea’s attempt to reactivate its nuclear facilities
affect geopolitical relations in East Asia and the U.S.? The North’s modest progress on market liberalization and South Korea’s
economic prowess and emerging nationalism are key factors contributing to a peaceful resolution. This must include sustained,
inter-complementary roles that the U.S. could play.
The United States and China Link in the Asian Century
This lecture provides an updated overview of economic, business, and geopolitical relations between the U.S. and China. Is
China’s phenomenal development a threat or a boon to the U.S.? Reflecting on the lecturer’s site observations, it compares
alternative political-economy perspectives on China – on its enormous growth potentials and on the self-contradictory nature
of the economy. While China continues to press for market reforms, the grassroots calls for democratization and environmental
protection are slowly opening a Pandora’s box.
52 The Hesburgh Lecture Series, 2013 Program
Categories
Economics, Government,
Social Concerns