Social Science Research Council

The SSRC served in 2004 as Secretariat for the International Forum for Development (IFD), and, in October, convened the First Annual Forum here in New York City. The First Annual Forum proved a successful start for the IFD's goal of institutionalizing a space for dialogue that is devoted to the production, discussion, dissemination and legitimization of concrete policy proposals that are genuinely developmental and practicable.

The IFD was created not only to promote the articulation of an analytically informed, socially-oriented development paradigm focused on harnessing the forces of “globalization” in ways that will promote greater social equity; it also aimed to encourage policy makers in less developed countries to strive for alternative strategies for promoting sustainable development, and to broaden the range of stakeholders whose perspectives will be incorporated in the elaboration of such development strategies. The IFD positioned itself self-consciously as a counterweight to mainstream, market-oriented approaches to development that have been prevalent in international financial institutions and in developed country policy circles.

Under this initiative, diverse stakeholders who are dissatisfied with the current development orthodoxy came together from different experiences, yet with shared concerns regarding the current state of the world economy, and sought a common voice that may more directly and effectively influence emerging development policy debates. The primary objective of this new platform was to facilitate policy dialogue and outreach among key stakeholders regarding the current global economic outlook, the risks and opportunities it poses for development, and potential policy responses that could be employed by developing countries.

As the Forum Secretariat, the Council was instrumental, together with the Forum's Special Advisory Committee and eight-member Steering Committee, in institutionalizing and launching the first annual two-day Forum to serve as an international platform for world political leaders, national government officials, members of the international media, organized labor, concerned academics, business leaders, NGOs, and activists interested in seeking alternatives to the current development orthodoxy. Panelists and speakers not only highlighted the areas in which the current orthodoxy has failed to bring about improvements of the livelihoods of the world's people; they also presented alternative frameworks and policies in the areas of industrial policy, employment creation, trade negotiations, central bank policies, and financial liberalization. Bringing together expertise from the academic world with development practitioners and activists, the participants in the Forum argued for the need for more “policy space” for developing countries, so that the options available are not so constrained by the pressures of the developed countries, the IMF, the World Bank, and the WTO.

Additionally, the Forum convened with the Second Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations, with support and cooperation from the Financing for Development Office at UNDESA to discuss tangible policy alternatives with Delegates and non-governmental organizations from around the world. This discussion was followed by a number of smaller panel sessions on specific topics of interest to development policy makers, thinkers, and activists.

The event was co-chaired by SSRC Board member Deepak Nayyar, and Cambridge University economist Ha-Joon Chang, and featured notable thinkers and activists in the field of development, including Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, Oxfam America's Ray Offenheiser, the UNDP's Kamal Malhotra, and Joanna Kerr of the Asssociation of Women's Rights in Development, among numerous others. (Click here for a complete list of participants and participating organizations.)

In concluding statements, Professor Nayyar stressed that the current development agenda confuses means and ends: “Growth and trade liberalization,” he said, “are not ends in and of themselves. We must not forget that, ultimately, development is about improving the livelihoods of people, and economic growth and international trade are but aspects of the means for achieving that.” Additionally, he argued that the current development orthodoxy “has meant inclusion and prosperity for a few, and exclusion and deprivation for many,” concluding that “This situation is not only politically unsustainable, but morally unacceptable.”

Please see the First Annual Forum page for more information on this event.

The work begun by the International Forum for Development continues as part of the Global Policy Innovations Program at the Carnegie Council on Ethics in International Affairs. For more information, contact GPI program managers Jerry Maldonado and Nadia Roumani at policyalternatives@cceia.org.