Monographs
GWCSG'S Globalization Monographs publication series
Globalizing Governance and Public Accountability
John Forrer, Director of GWCSG
James Kee, Professor, School of Public Policy and Public Administration
Seth Gabriel, Graduate Research Assistant
As the nature of public management becomes increasingly more globalized, the public manager needs new ways of using the tools of the profession. The government is being forced to expand its partnerships with para-public actors into ever-more complex networks of governance. With all of this going-on in the field of public administration, how is the public manager to keep the “public in public service?” One answer, through the use of New Public Accountability.
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The Chinese Currency: Background and the Current Debate
Jiawen Yang, Associate Professor of International Business and International Affairs
China's economic growth and increasing trade surplus with the United States has aroused heated debate on whether the Chinese currency, the Renminbi (RMB), is undervalued and whether China should revalue or float its currency immediately.
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Sino-US Trade Relations
Jiawen Yang, Associate Professor of International Business and International Affairs
In this Globalization Monograph, Professor Yang provides a brief introduction to the complicated modern history of trade relations between the China and United States.
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The Chinese Currency - Renminbi (RMB): A Primer
Jiawen Yang, Associate Professor of International Business and International Affairs
In this primer, Professor Yang provides a brief introduction to the complexities of China's currency, the Renminbi. A brief historical background is followed by an analysis of more recent events as well as a conclusion about the currency's future.
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The Big Mac Index and the Valuation of the Chinese Currency
Jiawen Yang, Associate Professor of International Business and International Affairs
The Big Mac index has been used as one of the justifications for the claim that the Chinese currency, the Renminbi (RMB), is undervalued at the current exchange rate of 8.28 yuan to the dollar. This note intends to evaluate the Big Mac index as a guide for currency valuation and analyze the value of the RMB. Since the Big Mac index fails to account for the non-tradable component in its pricing, it is a misleading measure for currency valuation for countries whose income levels are lower than the benchmark currency countries. The RMB is being overvalued by the index since China's per capita income is significantly lower than that of the United States.
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"Why Are People Protesting Globalization?" (Spring 2002 Edition)
John Forrer, Director of GWCSG
Lucas Robinson, Graduate Research Assistant
Matthew Wilkins, Graduate Research Assistant
The impression that anti-globalization street-protesters represent a unified movement or cause is a distortion. Protesters range from anarchists to the AFL-CIO. They advocate a range of actions and reforms: from the modest (altering development policies) to the radical (disband the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization). Protesters are well aware of the differences in their interests as they gather at international meetings. Some have tried to salvage the media label by declaring themselves to be "anti-corporate globalization." Others have tried to turn the tables and declare themselves as "pro-justice."
By now, many people are familiar with events like the "Battle of Seattle," and are able to vividly recall the images of protesters demonstrating against the WTO, the World Bank, the IMF, and battling with police. This paper attempts to clarify the issues and aspects of globalization that protesters find objectionable and provide a reasonable summary description of why people are protesting.
In the current document we have tried to distill the issues raised by the protesters to their essential claims and calls-to-action. We have tried to be faithful to the arguments put forward by protesters without judgment. Important too is the fact that very different policy alternatives are being put forth today. No longer can the allegation be made that "anti-globalization" protestors are failing to put forth viable policy options (if ever it could). Today, there are a wide variety of policies coming to the forefront of the debate.
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"Protesting Globalization: What Are the Alternatives?" (Summer 2003 Edition)
John Forrer, Director of GWCSG
Matthew Wilkins, Graduate Research Assistant
"Protesting Globalization: What Are the Alternatives?" is the most recent exploration by The George Washington Center for the Study of Globalization (GWCSG) into why globalization is a topic that continues to draw multitudes of demonstrators to the streets of cities across the world. Many groups involved in the protests seek to reform globalization so that it will better serve the interests of the world's impoverished and oppressed and enhance global human security.
"Protesting Globalization: What Are the Alternatives?" examines the policy alternatives suggested for eight key areas: free trade, rigged markets, the power and policies of the international financial institutions, environmental degradation, multinational corporations, Third World debt, financial speculation, and gender oppression. These eight categories correspond to those identified in "Why Are People Protesting Globalization?" Policy alternatives are supported by extensive background materials and specific case studies.
We do not attempt to provide an exhaustive catalogue of alternative policies, but summarize some of the more visible and interesting suggestions of anti-globalization protesters. It is one thing to protest, it is another to suggest what should be done differently.
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