Lund Critical Debate

Democracies worldwide—even many wealthy democracies long considered safely consolidated—are at risk today. Governments, policymakers, and voters face new conflicts over democratic institutions, checks and balances, which citizens can compete for office or deserve representation, and what rules of accountability apply.

This year's Lund debate from the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies examines the threats democracies around the world are confronting, both from external forces and from within—and what governments and citizens can do to fight back.

Join Thomas Garrett of the Community of Democracies and Damon Wilson of the National Endowment for Democracy for a conversation on democratic backsliding, strategies for resilience, and the conditions and practices that undermine democracy: democracy ... and its opposites.

A reception with refreshments will follow the conversation.

Lund Debate: 5:00–6:30 p.m. | Alice Statler AuditoriumFree ticket required for in-person attendance. Reserve your ticket today! Join the lecture virtually by registering at Cornell.

Reception to follow.

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Panelists

Thomas E. Garrett is secretary general of the Community of Democracies, a global intergovernmental coalition comprised of the Governing Council member states that support adherence to the Warsaw Declaration's common democratic values and standards. Garrett previously worked for the International Republican Institute for 12 years overseas in Ukraine, Mongolia, and Indonesia, returning to Washington, DC, in 2005 as director of Middle East programs and then as vice president for global programs.

Damon Wilson is president and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a nonprofit grant-making foundation supporting freedom around the world. Prior to joining NED, he helped transform the Atlantic Council into a leading global think tank as its executive vice president. He previously served as special assistant to the president and senior director for European affairs at the National Security Council. Wilson also served at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad as the executive secretary and chief of staff, where he helped manage one of the largest U.S. embassies during a time of conflict.

Moderator

Rachel Beatty Riedl has served as the Einaudi Center's director since 2019. She is the Einaudi Center's John S. Knight Professor of International Studies and professor in the Department of Government and Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. Her research interests include institutional development in new democracies, local governance and decentralization, and authoritarian regime legacies in Africa.

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About the Debate

The Lund Critical Debate is a signature event of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies. This year's dialogue is part of Einaudi's work on democratic threats and resilience. Established in 2008, Einaudi's Lund Critical Debate series is made possible by the generosity of Judith Lund Biggs '57.

Faculty and staff are invited to join for an overview and open discussion of the Global Hubs initiative.

Vice Provost Wendy Wolford will explain the purpose of the Global Hubs, and faculty leads for several of the Hubs locations will discuss their experiences with institutional partners and ways for faculty and staff to be involved.

Please bring your questions about the Hubs and join us in person on March 13 at 11:30 a.m. in G10 Biotech.

Moderator:

Wendy Wolford, Vice Provost for International Affairs

Faculty Presenters:

Gustavo Flores-Macias, faculty lead for Tecnológico de Monterrey, MexicoNate Foster, faculty lead for University of Edinburgh, United KingdomYing Hua, director of Cornell China Center, BeijingLee Humphreys, faculty lead for DenmarkTom Pepinsky, faculty lead for National University of Singapore, SingaporeMark Milstein, representative for the Faculty Senate CAPP on the faculty advisory committeeRachel Beatty Riedl, director of the Mario Einaudi Center for International StudiesKen Roberts, faculty lead for Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador

As part of Mann Library’s Sustainable Fashion programming for the month of April, the Cornell and Ithaca area public are warmly invited to a screening of a documentary film co-directed by professor of communication and feminist, gender & sexuality studies Katherine Sender. Threads: Sustaining India’s Textile Tradition follows the stories of fashion designers and fabric artisans as they transform traditional textile practices for contemporary fashion markets. The film features interviews with designers in Delhi and Jaipur; hand weavers in Chanderi, 350 miles south of New Delhi; bandhani tie-dyers in Bhuj, in India’s north west; and block printers near Jaipur in Rajasthan. As conversations with designers and artisans featured in the documentary illustrate, their ongoing partnerships not only present promising implications for environmental stewardship and workers’ lives, they are also reinvigorating traditional textile techniques and the communities who produce them.

A Q & A discussion with professor Sender will follow the screening.

Mann Library is pleased to present "Threads" as part of the "Threads of History: Textiles Across Cornell" programming occurring on the Cornell campus in. 2022/2023. Other events taking place at Mann Library as part of this programming include:

"Threading the Needle: Weaving Tradition Into Contemporary Textile Art," an exhibit in the Mann Library Gallery, March 23 - August 2023. (Opening reception: Thursday, March 23)"Sustaining Style: Towards Responsible Fashion," exhibit in the Mann Lobby, March 23 - September 15, 2023. Clothing Exchange in collaboration with Cornell Thrift (Mann Lobby, Thurs, April 13). Sew Creative: A Hands-on Workshop on the Techniques of Stitching (Mann Room 102, Friday, April 14; 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.; registration required).19th Century Woven Coverlets: The Finger Lakes Story (Mann Room 160, Thursday, May 4, 4:00 p.m.)Fiber Arts Stressbuster - displays & activities with natural dyes & stamps, Friday, May 12, 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Check mann.library.cornell.edu for more details and updates on additional programming.

Digvijay Negi, Cornell University

Deadweight Losses or Gains from In-kind Transfers? Experimental Evidence from India

Abstract:

Are in-kind transfers associated with deadweight losses? To answer this, we conducted an incentivized field experiment in India, which offered low-income households the choice between a free quantity of rice and varying amounts of cash to elicit their willingness to pay for rice. Contrary to expectation, we find evidence of deadweight gain on average, though with a striking contrast between a deadweight loss among respondents from female-headed households and a deadweight gain among respondents from male-headed households. Our results highlight the role of gender differences in bargaining power in shaping the choice between cash or rice.

As part of the Threads of History exhibition series, Kroch Asia presents Textiles of Asia: Patterns & Processes.

There is a rich history of textiles in Asia. From the animal-skin clothing of the Ainu to the intricate weaving of silk, Asian cultures have showcased their artistry through their textiles for centuries. Textiles of Asia: Patterns and Processes covers a multitude of fabrics, designs, and production techniques created by indigenous cultures and those imported through trade and travel.

Exhbit runs February 16th - October 31st, 2023 in the Kroch Asia Exhibition Space.

Contact AsiaRef@cornell.edu for questions or more information.