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TED Focus on 2012-13 No. 2 A

UPD – Focus on Cuba ISSUE 2

Globalization & Entrepreneurship in Center for Latin Cuba’s New Economy American and Caribbean Studies

Yailenis Mulet and Betsy Anaya of the Universidad de la Habana’s Center for Research on the Cuban Economy (CEEC) will offer presentations based on Watson Institute their research at CLACS on October 30, 2012. 111 Thayer Street Providence, RI Mulet holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Universidad de la Habana and is the author of many articles on economic restructuring, entrepreneurship Upcoming Events and business in Cuba. The title of her talk is “El • 10/30 Cuban emprendimiento empresarial en Cuba: Realidades, Economists Yailenis retos y mitos.” Mulet and Betsy Anaya Anaya received her Master’s degree in Political Economy from the Universidad de la Habana in • 11/15 CLACS Forum 2008. Her research focuses on a wide range of topics on International Study from social indicators and agricultural trade to education and transportation. She will offer a • 3/14 Susan Eckstein to presentation entitled “Desempeño productivo y sector Speak on Cuban externo en Cuba.” Diaspora Note that the lectures and Q&A will be conducted in • Renowned Cuban Spanish. Sociologist Aurelio This event will be held on Tuesday, October 30 at 5 Alonso to Visit Brown p.m. in the McKinney Conference Room. • Descemer Bueno Brings Cuban Music to Brown

Brown in Cuba… and Beyond

On November 15, CLACS will The forum will feature Brown host a lunch-time discussion on students, alumni, faculty and international programs offered community members for whom by Brown University and other international study has been entities to students who are important professionally and interested in studying in Latin personally. America or the Caribbean. Panel members will address their experiences in cities and This event will take place on countries throughout the region November 5 at 12 p.m. in through initiatives such as Joukowsky Forum. Brown’s Cuba Program, which is offered in partnership with Lunch will be provided. Casa de las Américas. Page 2 Focus on Cuba 2012-13

Susan Eckstein to Speak on Cuba’s Diaspora

Next March, Susan Eckstein, Professor Needing hard currency, the government of Sociology and International Relations transformed the diaspora into a dollar at Boston University and former generating strategy, by facilitating and President of LASA, will offer a talk tacitly encouraging remittance-sending. entitled “The New Cuba and the Impact Ordinary Cubans themselves wanted of the Cuban Diaspora in Transforming remittances to finance a lifestyle they Their Homeland.” She provided us with could not otherwise afford, and the “new the following synopsis: Cubans” who emigrated left committed to help family they left behind. Despite the For the first thirty years of Castro’s rule new state and societal shared interests in the government created a “wall” between remittances, the government increasingly Cubans who emigrated and those who appropriated remittances at recipients’ stayed loyal to the revolution, and expense. Cubans in the diaspora supported an embargo of Cuba on both the state-to- In my presentation I will document how state and people-to-people level as and why the government encouraged impermeable as possible, in hopes of remittance-sending, tensions between its thereby bringing Castro’s regime to heel. interests in remittances and those of But after Soviet aid and trade ended, recipients, and contradictions inherent in with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the hard currency accumulation strategy Cuba was forced to reintegrate into the that are transforming socialism as Professor Eckstein will speak at 5 p.m. on March 14, 2013 in McKinney Conference capitalist world economy. Cubans knew it. Room. Cuban Sociologist Aurelio Alonso to Visit Brown in April

Renowned sociologist Aurelio Alonso on Religion and Society in 2003 and has will visit Brown during the second and offered lectures in countries throughout third weeks of April 2013. Students who the Americas and Europe. have participated in Brown’s Study He is currently a Lead Researcher at Abroad Program in Cuba will recognize the Center for Psychological and Professor Alonso from their time there, Sociological Research and Professor at and those interested in the program will the Universidad de Habana. find a wonderful resource in him. During his visit, Alonso will offer Alonso is the author of Iglesia y política several lectures to Brown students and en Cuba revolucionario (1998) and over the community. A complete list of eighty articles and essays. He was lectures and activities to be held during appointed coordinator of the CLACSO his visit will be published on the (Latin America and the Caribbean CLACS Website. Social Science Council) Working Group

Cuban Musician Descemer Bueno Heads to Providence

Providence will welcome an exciting Bueno will perform at 8 p.m. on April emerging figure in contemporary world 12, 2013 at the Underground in Faunce music next Spring. Miami-based House. For more information see: Cuban musician Descemer Bueno will descemerbueno.com or view an travel to Brown University in April interview with Descemer Bueno at 2013 to meet with students and http://www.youtube.com/watch? perform on campus. v=S33Dt32R4p0. Though he is not yet a household name, Bueno has worked with the “When I dream, I dream of these streets,” he says. “I see likes of Steve Coleman, Rufus Reid, myself working on more projects here in Cuba now. I Dave Matthews Band, Enrique come here very often – first off because this is my country Iglesias and Yusa and performed in and I have my whole family here, but especially because countries in North and South America, all my musical roots here in Cuba keep pulling me back.” Africa, and Europe.