Los Altos Summer Institute 2018: Dependency Theory in British Columbia
“You can always find a millionaire to shovel all the coal,” Clap Hands by Tom Waits
“It’s no picnic being the pretty girl,” Anonymous
Vladimir Lenin Andre Gunder Frank
You have probably heard the terms “Dutch disease” and “the resource curse” bandied about in political discussions. They refer to a problem felt acutely in Western Canada: the fact that instead of making you rich, an abundance of natural resources is just as likely to make you poor as they attract plunder and exploitation and permit the wealth concentration necessary to plunge people into poverty. And yet this is not always the case. What are the factors that interact with natural resources to generate wealth and poverty?
Many thinkers since Aristotle and Lao Tsu have considered this problem and offered explanations. We, at Los Altos Institute, believe that the body of theory that best explains this phenomenon is the intellectual movement known as Dependency Theory. Developed in the mid nineteenth century by Andre Gunder Frank, based on the work of Vladimir Lenin and other Marxist thinkers, Dependency Theory is not specifically Marxist but instead offers an array of socialist-informed intellectual tools that can be used on their own or as part of World Systems Theory.
In a resource-rich place with little manufacturing, Dependency Theory does not just help activists analyze and understand the political, economic, environmental and labour problems Western Canada experiences. It offers practical strategic advice for those governing, seeking office, engaged in activism and those building collective institutions outside the state.
Los Altos Institute will be holding its first summer institute program on Dependency Theory from August 29th to September 2nd in picturesque Valemount, BC, a northern BC community accessible by car, private and government bus and passenger rail.
Tsawassen Coal Terminal Stuart Parker
The seminars will be taught and readings selected by Institute president Stuart Parker, who, since 2008 has taught Dependency Theory and the history of the West at some of Canada’s most prestigious universities including UBC and the University of Toronto. Stuart will be joined by other experts from the fields of activism and academia for individual days of the institute. Food will be prepared by Institute director, Dan Jenneson, a professional chef. Our organizer is Jeremy Stewart, renowned impresario and poet responsible whose past work includes the ArtsWells Festival.
To ensure an intimate and successful seminar discussion, registration is capped at twelve participants.
Registration includes
- three professionally-prepared meals per day, with thematically-focused meals featuring Mediterranean-style cuisine based on fresh, local ingredients, including organic, free-range meats (Dinners will be prepared to reference the places and times discussed in that day’s seminars.)
- red and white wine with each dinner
- shared or private nightly accommodation on the nights of the 29th, 30th, 31st and 1st
- a daily seminar discussion at Valemount College from 9:00am to 12:30pm led by Stuart with one or more guest appearances from key thinkers and actors in the politics of Dependency Theory
- a package of books and articles shipped in hard copy to each registrant, arriving on August 15th including Frank’s original classic Capitalism and Underdevelopment
- dinner discussion from 7:00pm each night on the 29th, 30th and 31st
- a celebratory event and summing up on the evening of the 1st featuring live entertainment
In this way, take a frisson – for everyone who pays the required money. viagra viagra online Available are two finishes of buy levitra on line drug treatment pills viz. levitra in addition to online levitra. The best pharmacies will be able to provide you Effexor and he would bring a branded tadalafil 5mg no prescription pill. Many studies have shown the magic of bananas over http://robertrobb.com/redfored-this-should-be-the-plan/ viagra sans prescription male sexuality.
You can download a provisional schedule here. Registration rates are as follows
- For Students and Un/Under-Employed: $400 for the five days. This includes classes, meals and accommodations in a shared resort/hotel room. Those paying this rate may also apply for a travel grant to assist in covering transportation costs. The availability of these spaces is contingent upon full-freight registrants; the maximum available is six.
- For Employed Activists, Academics and Interested People: $1000 for the five days. This includes classes and meals. Those wishing to book their own accommodation at a nearby hotel or lodge or those wishing to camp in an RV or tent pay this rate.
- For Employed Activists, Academics and Interested People: $1400 for the five days. This includes classes, meals and accommodations in a private resort/hotel room.
Those wishing to register should complete this form and return e-mail it to SummerProgram@LosAltos.Ca. We will be in touch to arrange payment and make specific arrangements. We will be accepting registrations until August 7th, 2018, space permitting.
Here are some photos of the last year’s participants and activities, featuring a diversity of participants, our chef, Dan Jenneson, our logistics coordinator, Alannah New-Small, our instructor, Stuart Parker, postdoctoral fellow in English, Chris Chapman, MA candidate in psychology, Itizia Vriend, translator and editor Alborz Jaborlansar, newspaper editor Andru McCracken, data security systems executive Arthur Hatfield and MLA Bowinn Ma.
