Press Invitation cum Press Release 19 September 2000
IMMANUEL WALLERSTEIN TO LECTURE AT HKUST
Distinguished social scientist Prof Immanuel Wallerstein, founder of the “World-Systems School”, will speak on cultural conflicts at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on 20 September as its first Y. K. Pao Distinguished Visiting Professor.
The Y. K. Pao Visiting Chair in Cultural Studies Fund will be formally inaugurated on the same day. Established at the University’s School of Humanities and Social Science, the Y. K. Pao Visiting Chair in Cultural Studies Fund was founded by Dr Helmut Sohmen, a member of the University Court, with a generous donation of US$ 2 million (HK$15.6 million). Under the program, internationally renowned academics will be invited as visiting professors to promote art and culture on campus, and to enrich the intellectual life of the University community.
Seen as one of the most innovative social scientists of his generation, Prof Wallerstein is noted for his founding of the “World-Systems School” in the 1970s, in which he looks at the modern capitalist world-economy from a perspective of “world-systems”. This new methodology has laid the foundation for the scholarly debate on “globalization” in the 21st century.
Two intellectual decisions evolve from the world-systems analysis: the long duration of time and the “unthinking” of social sciences. Prof Wallerstein calls for an evaluation of social processes in terms of the long durée of the historical social system. He believes that the subdivision of social sciences into distinct disciplines—economics, political science, sociology and anthropology—creates blocks to the intellectual development and the understanding of the real world. He calls for an integrated and unidisciplinary approach towards the study of social sciences.
At the inaugural lecture, Prof Wallerstein will use his world-systems analysis to examine the conflict in cultures. Eminent social scientists from the Chinese Mainland, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong will join him at the subsequent forums on 21 and 22 September respectively.
Prof Wallerstein received his BA, MA and PhD in sociology from the Columbia University. He is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Binghamton University, a Senior Research Scholar at Yale University, and a former President of the International Sociological Association. He is Director of the Fernand Braudel Center for the Study of Economics, Historical Systems, and Civilizations, and Chair of its Gulbenkian Commission on the Restructuring of the Social Sciences.
He has published more than 30 books and over 200 articles and book chapters. His recent books include: Race, Nation, Class: Ambiguous Identities; The Modern World Systems; Unthinking Social Science; The Essential Wallerstein, etc.
Members of the media are welcome to cover the ceremony and Prof Wallerstein’s lectures. Details are as follows:
Event: Y. K. Pao Visiting Chair Inauguration Ceremony
Date: Wednesday, 20 September 2000 Time: 10-10:30 am
Venue: Multipurpose Hall, University Center, HKUST, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon Guests-of-Honor: Dr and Mrs Helmut Sohmen
Inaugural Lecture: Cultures in Conflict? Who are We? Who are the Others?
Date: Wednesday, 20 September 2000 Time: 10:30-12 noon
Language: English
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Forum and Seminar
Title: A Dialogue on “Cultures in Conflict Chinese Perspectives”
Date: Thursday, 21 September 2000 Time: 4-6 pm
Venue: Multipurpose Hall, University Center, HKUST, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon Language: English
Title: Seminar on “Unthinking Social Science”
Date: Friday, 22 September 2000 Time: 4-6 pm
Venue: Multipurpose Hall, University Center, HKUST, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon Language: English
Note to Editors:
The above release can be downloaded at: http://www.ust.hk/~webopa/news/2000_News/news0919b.html. For enquiries, please contact Ms Jacky Tsang of the Office of University Development and Public Affairs on 2358-6306, or email pamedia@ust.hk.
