From: radhika_gajjala <radhika-AT-cyberdiva.org>
Subject: M/C online review feature
Date: 	Tue, 19 Sep 2000 06:38:24 -0400



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 19 Sep. 2000

   The Media and Cultural Studies Centre at the University of Queensland

             is proud to present a special feature issue of

               M/C Reviews - An ongoing series of reviews
                   of events in culture and the media.
                  http://www.api-network.com/mc/reviews/

                     Featuring world-renowned feminist
                  and environmentalist, Dr Vandana Shiva

                   "Global Capitalism, Local Responses:
                    Exploding the World Economic Forum,
                          September 11-13, 2000"
                           Edited by Guy Redden
              http://www.api-network.com/mc/reviews/features/


This issue is a tribute the session of the World Economic Forum that was

held in Melbourne between 11 and 13 September. More precisely it is a
tribute to the voices that critiqued the agenda of the forum but were
largely (with notable exceptions) overlooked by a mainstream media
intent
on constructing sensational images of the "S11" protesters who blockaded

the conference for three days.

The S11 protests were preceded by several public meetings and
conferences
in which academics, activists and members of the public aired their
views
about globalisation. In association with the Community Advocacy Unit of
RMIT University, M/C Reviews is able to publish audio recordings of
sessions from the conference Global Capitalism, Local Responses.

The feature opens with Annette Xiberus explaining the importance of land

care from an Aboriginal Australian perspective. This is followed by the
address of the keynote speaker of the conference, Vandana Shiva, an
internationally renowned environmentalist and feminist and a prominent
voice in the growing opposition to 'market fundamentalism'. In her
powerful
address she shows how the attempts of transnational corporations to
control
the world food supply defy common sense in favour of a logic of
enslavement
which obliges farmers to use agribusiness products. The people of the
world
could easily feed themselves, but their agency is being blocked by the
designs of global capitalism which demands cash crops be produced for a
world market rather local consumption and sale.

The panel discussion comprises contributions by Associate Professor Rob
Watts of RMIT, Dr Lynette Dumble of the Global Sisterhood Network and
Associate Professor Terry Laidler, who is also an ABC journalist.
Between
them they cover issues such as the role of the State in globalisation,
the
feminisation of poverty and corporate media. Their speeches are followed
by
a lively question and answer session. Rounding off the feature, an
article
by Guy Redden reflects on the rhetoric of globalism and the struggles of

neoliberal ideologues, politicians, protesters and the media to promote
their preferred definitions of the concept.


"Welcome and Introduction" (audio)
  by Annette Xiberus

"People, Food and Globalisation" (audio)
  by Vandana Shiva

"Globalisation and Statecraft" (audio)
  by Rob Watts

"The Losers of Globalisation" (audio)
  by Lynette Dumble

"Thoughts on Globalisation" (audio)
  by Terry Laidler

Audience Questions and Answers (audio)
  with Rob Watts, Lynette Dumble, and Terry Laidler

"Media, People and the Rhetoric of Globality" (review article)
  by Guy Redden


Many other recent reviews -- too many to list here individually --
published in our five sections 'events', 'objects', 'screens', 'sounds',

and 'words' are also available online, as well as previous M/C Reviews
features on Women Writing Culture, Politics on the Net, Food, the
National
Young Writers' Festival, the E-Journal genre, the Stage X festival and
Star
Wars: The Phantom Menace.

M/C Reviews is a companion publication to the M/C - A Journal of Media
and
Culture. Along with various other resources, both are available through
M/C
Online at <http://www.api-network.com/mc/>.


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 M/C Reviews is now available at
<http://www.api-network.com/mc/reviews/>.
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   For more information on M/C Reviews and M/C, check out M/C Online at
                     <http://www.api-network.com/mc/>
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All M/C contributors are available for media contacts:
mc-AT-mailbox.uq.edu.au
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end

                                                     Axel Bruns

--
 M/C - A Journal of Media and Culture               mc-AT-mailbox.uq.edu.au

 The University of Queensland             http://www.api-network.com/mc/



--
****************************************************
Radhika Gajjala
http://www.cyberdiva.org/