Advisory: Professor to Speak at United Nations

6-5-98

NEWS ADVISORY: 
OHIO STATE PROFESSOR SPEAKS AT UNITED NATIONS

Chadwick Alger, Mershon Professor of political science and 
public policy emeritus at Ohio State, will speak at United 
Nations Headquarters in New York City on June 15 as the United 
Nations University launches its latest publication, The Future of 
the United Nations System: Potential for the Twenty-first 
Century.  Alger edited the volume, with contributions from 22 
scholars from all continents, for the International Peace 
Research Association (IPRA), and has written the introduction and 
conclusion.  He is the former secretary general of the IPRA.

The United Nations University public forum to introduce the 
book will begin at 1 p.m. at the Dag Hammarskjold Library 
Auditorium.  Alger will present an overview and focus on 
Prevention of Violence and Disruptive Conflict through Peace 
Keeping and Peace Building in the United Nations.  Following his 
presentation, Dr. Ho-Won Jeong of George Mason University will 
speak on The U.N. and Global Economic Policies.

This will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Samuel 
Insanally, former president of the U.N. General Assembly.  The 
event ends at 2:45 p.m.

The book covers the U.N. system with 12 chapters that are 
grouped under four topics: (1) Overcoming and Preventing 
Violence, (2) Creating Economic and Social Structures that 
Support Peace-building, (3) Sharing and Protecting the Commons 
(the environment, the oceans and outer space), and (4) Peace 
Education.

In his introduction, Alger expresses concern that the media 
tend to focus exclusively on U.N. efforts to cope with crises 
while neglecting coverage of the long-term peace-building efforts 
of some 30 organizations in the U.N. system.  

Alger says that the United Nations has been remarkably 
responsive to new demands thrust upon it.  

"It has made great progress in the areas of global 
environment problems, efforts to protect the rights of women, and 
in response to overwhelming numbers of refugees and displaced 
persons," he says.  "But the U.N. has been given overwhelming 
tasks to do and little money with which to do them.  The 
governments of the world spend $150 per person on arms and only 
$1.90 on the entire U.N. system." 

Alger also says the U.S. government, which is $1 billion in 
arrears in its financial obligations to the U.N., bears prime 
responsibility for preventing the United Nations from fulfilling 
its potential. 

"I'm puzzled by Congress's refusal to pay this legally 
binding obligation even though opinion polls show that the public 
favors payment of the debt and is overwhelmingly positive toward 
the United Nations," he says.

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Contact:  Chadwick Alger, Mershon Center, (614) 292-5945.  He 
will be in town through June 11.