Description

Rapid increases in the growth and size of the Chinese and Indian economies has been accompanied by an equal, if not greater, expansion in their bilateral economic ties. This has taken many by surprise given the political discomfort between the countries. Given the explosive rate of growth in bilateral trade for almost a decade, the China-India economic relationship is likely to become one of the strongest bilateral associations in not only the Asia-Pacific, but the entire world. The talk will focus on the future of this relationship and the role of the 3Cs – Challenges, Competition and Collaboration – in shaping it. Both countries face remarkably similar challenges in their struggle to improve living standards of large populations. Some of these challenges spill on to the bilateral economic domain with competitive outcomes. Both, however, are beginning to appreciate the negative externalities of competition and seeking to collaborate on various economic issues. Successful collaborations will depend upon their strategic skills in enlarging the distance between bilateral political and economic trajectories. Adjusting stably to the fast-changing geo-economic and strategic landscape of the Asia-Pacific is an imperative for both in this regard.

Dr Amitendu Palit is Head (Partnership & Programme) and Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) in the National University of Singapore. He is an economist specializing in comparative economic studies, political economy of international trade, regional developments and public policies. His current research is on China-India comparative economic development, trade and regional architectures in the Asia-Pacific and political economy of economic reforms.

Dr Palit worked in India’s Ministry of Finance for a decade and handled India’s external sector, industrial and infrastructure policies. He also worked in the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). He was on Advisory Committees of India’s Planning Commission and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). His books include China India Economics: Challenges, Competition and Collaboration (Routledge, UK; 2011), Special Economic Zones in India: Myths and Realities (Anthem, UK; 2008, co-authored) and South Asia: beyond the Global Financial Crisis (edited; World Scientific, 2011). His forthcoming book is The Trans-Pacific Partnership, China and India (Routledge, UK). He has several publications in leading academic journals. A columnist for India’s Financial Express, he writes for the China Daily, Wall Street Journal, Business Times and other leading global publications.

Description

In recent years, we have seen a sharp increase in foreign demand for Canadian assets, including bonds issued by Canadian municipalities and provinces. Foreign capital provides Canadian governments with significant opportunities, including a more diversified investor base and cheap financing for infrastructure projects. But, it also poses risks. Hanniman will discuss the factors driving foreign investment in Canada’s subnational bond market; the implications of these developments for municipal borrowing costs and credit spreads; and what, if anything, municipalities are doing to manage the risks and opportunities involved.

Kyle Hanniman is this year’s Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance post-doctoral fellow. He received his PhD in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2012. His current research examines the relationship between fiscal federalism and government credit markets. His broad research interests are political economy and political institutions.

Seating is limited for this event, registration is required at: http://hanniman.eventbrite.com/#

Description

Assessing “Proficiency”: Teachers’ Roles in Supporting Students’ Learning

Keynote Speech & Workshop 1: Professor Osamu Kamada (Nanzan University)
Workshop 2 & 3: Professor Kimi Kondo-Brown (University of Hawaii at Manoa)
Special Lecture: Dr. Michael Salvatori (The Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers)

As our society becomes more globalized, so has the diversity of those learning Japanese. The purpose for wanting to learn Japanese varies, as do the methods for studying Japanese. Learners have options to study as part of a school education, through heritage language schools, by going to Japan, and through self-study with sources such as the internet. It is possible that these learners from varied backgrounds will come together in a classroom to continue their study of Japanese. Faced with this increasing range of diversity among the learners, how can an educator assess their levels and provide appropriate instructions to enhance their learning? At this conference, we will strive to provide educators with means to measure the proficiency level of the diversified learners and we will reflect on learning, teaching and assessment to efficiently enhance the learners’ proficiency.

We welcome for our Keynote Lecture Prof. Osamu Kamada from Nanzan University, who will also lead us in our Teacher’s Workshops with Prof. Kimi Kondo-Brown from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Our programme topics include focus on Japanese language education as a foreign language, as a second language, as well as Japanese as a heritage language. A special lecture on Canadian foreign language education will be given by Dr. Michael Salvatori, from CASLT (The Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers), a partner association of CAJLE.

With many participants from various educational institutions, we expect this conference to be an excellent opportunity for vibrant exchange of information and opinions.

Description

Maxwell A. Cameron (PhD Berkeley, 1989) teaches at the University of British Columbia in the Department of Political Science where he directs the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions. His research and teaching focuses on problems of democracy and constitutionalism, with a focus on the separation of powers. His publications include: Strong Constitutions: Social-Cognitive Origins of the Separation of Powers (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013), “Federalism and the Subnational Separation of Powers,” Publius: The Journal of Federalism, (Spring 2005, with Tulia Falleti); “Texts, Media, and Constituent Power: Latin America from ancient to modern times,” Canadian Journal of Latin American Studies (2010). At the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions, Cameron is working on constitutional reform and citizen engagement.

The separation of powers is an idea with ancient origins, but nowadays it is often relegated to legal doctrine, public philosophy, or the history of ideas. Yet the concept is often evoked in debates on the “war” on terrorism, the use of emergency powers, or constitutional reform. So it is surprising that there have been few attempts to place the study of the separation of powers on a social scientific footing. In this talk, Professor Cameron argues that the separation of powers is linked to social-cognitive changes associated with evolving media of communication. Constitutional states use texts to coordinate collective action, and they do so by creating governmental agencies with specific jurisdiction and competence over distinct types of power. The first, and most familiar to students of political science since Max Weber, is the power to make decisions backed by legally sanctioned coercion. Cameron highlights two other forms of power: the deliberative power to make procedurally legitimate laws, and the judicial power to interpret and apply laws in particular circumstances. The division of government into three such branches enables state officials and citizens to use written texts-legal codes and documents, including constitutions-along with unwritten rules and conventions to coordinate their activities on larger scales and over longer time horizons.

Description

We are at the planning stage of this film conference. Please SAVE THE DATE and check back later for details and registration.

Description

We are at the planning stage of this film conference. Please SAVE THE DATE and check back later for details and registration.