Overview
An essential component of the liberal tradition has been the principle that peace is preferable to war. This tradition recognizes the dangers of conflict: the direct human cost of war, the growth of power wielded by governments, and the destruction of wealth.
In response, the liberal tradition has emphasized the role of free movement and free trade in improving relations between peoples. Additionally, it has been skeptical of extended interventions abroad.
The ultimate aim of this discussion colloquium is to encourage conversation on the historical and theoretical underpinnings of an approach to international affairs that is compatible with a free society. The discussion will be led by Abigail Hall Blanco, associate professor of economics at the University of Tampa, and will be held in the Washington, DC, area.
We encourage late-stage PhD students and postdoctoral fellows interested in this discussion to apply. Participants will receive a $500 honorarium, and travel stipends will be provided based upon need.
Sessions
I : Moral and Intellectual Foundations of Peace
II: War and the State
III: An Experiment in Peace and War: The United States
IV: Trade as an Antidote to War
V: Cultural Responses to War
VI: Interventionism and Non-Interventionism in Theory and Practice