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BildnerWorld Bulletin of the Bildner Center vol.1 2004-2005 IN THIS ISSUE: The Bildner Center Enters a New Era The New Bildner Center 1 by Mauricio A. Font 3 Brazilian Presidents at the The new century brought major change to Bildner Center the Bildner Center. In 1999-2000, when Lula touts Brazil's economic we began to explore new directions for prospects the Center, our attention was drawn to two main ideas. Past President Cardoso First, we agreed that the Bildner Center receives Honorary Degree should focus on the assessment of emergent tendencies in the region—processes of de- 2004 Conferences 4 mocratization and the promotion of human Humboldt Conference rights, structural reforms and sustainable Cuba Today Conference development, globalization, regional inte- Albert Bildner, President Lula da Silva, gration, and changing US-Latin America Mauricio Font US–Cuba Relations relations. Emphasis would fall on new de- great venue for bringing people together. Conference bates about social, political, and economic The University’s mandate to reach out to shifts in the region. Though much of Latin Recollections 5 all sectors in this great global city, together America and the Caribbean seemed to be with the latter’s prominence in the region, Diego, Frida and Trotsky moving in the same direction, various voic- naturally implied a serious look at our es demanded reforms that effectively pro- Special Projects 6 many links with Latin America and the Ca- mote social and sustainable development. ribbean. New York is the paramount global Brazil Project Important distinctions had to be better un- city and millions of Latin Americans have derstood. A bird’s eye comparison of pro- Cuba Project made it their home. cesses of reform in Brazil, Mexico, Chile These ideas reinforced each other and Bildner Western Hemisphere 7 and Cuba showed not only contrasting bal- convinced us to rededicate the Center as Book Series ances between continuity and change, but a policy-oriented international forum fo- also the emergence of new voices claiming cused on the well-being of the peoples of Bildner Center Launches New roles in strategies for development, political the Americas. The first objective of the new Book Series modernization, and redefined roles in glob- Bildner Center was to aggressively design Reforming Brazil al affairs. To play a significant role in the a program of seminars, international sym- study of those processes the Center should posia, related events, and publications to Cuban Counterpoints fully address the international debate about bring together faculty and students from how best to improve the well-being of the Bildner 2003-2004 8 The City University of New York, policy- peoples of the Western Hemisphere. Highlights makers, academics, and other stakeholders from other research centers, foundations, Latin American Consuls As a forum, the Center non-governmental organizations, and civil Luncheon addresses debates on how society organizations in the Americas and the rest of the world. Cuba Project Launches Online best to improve the well- Directory of Cuba Specialists We have achieved our basic aims in this being of the peoples of regard. In the last four years the Bildner Bildner Fellows and CUNY 10 Center organized dozens of seminars and Faculty the Western Hemisphere five international symposia, as listed on our website. We sharpened the focus on a hand- Bildner Fellows Research Second, the idea of organizing the Bild- ful of themes, working with colleagues and CUNY Faculty Research ner Center as a broad international forum programs throughout the CUNY system seemed natural, considering the compara- and beyond. We learned to cooperate with tive advantages related to The Graduate diplomatic corps, research centers and non- Center’s mission and location. The very governmental organizations throughout move of The Graduate Center to the re- furbished B. Altman building provided a Continued on next page Bildner Center for Western Hemisphere Studies one BILDNER CENTER The Graduate Center, City University of New York FOR WESTERN HEMISPHERE STUDIES 365 Fifth Avenue Suite 5209 New York, NY 10016 ourselves of the sustained collaborative Continued from page 1 BILDNER CENTER effort called for in the next four years and The Bildner Center brings together the New York area. As a result, the Cen- beyond. Building on current strengths, we scholars, policy makers, civil society ter has become widely known throughout need to launch research initiatives and aug- leaders, and other stakeholders to further the Americas as a world-class forum and ment the Bildner Center’s contribution to understanding and policy-oriented re- research center. In 2004 alone, we were the generation of new knowledge. We need search concerning governability, human greatly honored by visits from two presi- to better sell our ideas to academic authori- security and the economic well-being of peoples in the Americas. dents from Brazil, the largest country in ties and vital supporters. We face the chal- Latin America: President Luiz Inácio Lula lenges of consolidating our position in the Founded in 1982 with the support of phi- da Silva and former President Fernando midst of challenges from competing agen- lanthropist Albert Bildner, the Center has Henrique Cardoso. das, budget constraints, and inevitable in- been directed by sociologist Mauricio stitutional change. Font since 2000. The non-partisan and In the last four years the There are plenty of grounds to be opti- multi-disciplinary center organizes and Bildner Center organized mistic. The new Bildner Center’s mission sponsors a range of activities. is today more sharply defined, shared and dozens of seminars and supported than at the turn of the century. It DIRECTOR five international may be more relevant than ever. New York’s Mauricio Font long history of ties to Latin America and FELLOWS symposia. the Caribbean—financial, economic, polit- Desmond Arias ical, and cultural—is well documented. We John Jay College of Criminal Justice Faculty and student involvement has been are still reckoning the full extent to which Jerry Carlson a major ingredient in the Center’s achieve- recent and ongoing migration flows have City College ments. Our country specific programs and further connected us inextricably to the rest Margaret E. Crahan other special projects are good examples. of the Americas. As New York is now home Hunter College & The Graduate Center In 2004, Distinguished Professor Margaret to some four million people from Latin Kenneth Erickson Crahan (The Graduate Center and Hunter America and the Caribbean, it and its en- Hunter College & The Graduate Center College) played the key role in organiz- virons have become a fundamental point of Ted Henken ing a conference on US-Cuba relations, an Baruch College event in which professor Ted Henken (Ba- The new Bildner Center’s Alfonso Quiroz ruch College) and two graduate students mission is today more Baruch College & The Graduate Center also coordinated. These and other members J. Michael Turner of faculty and student body, as well as staff sharply defined, shared Hunter College and interns at the Center, helped organize and supported than at the Mark Ungar the international symposium on today’s Brooklyn College Cuba. Later this year, Distinguished Pro- turn of the century. fessor Raquel Chang-Rodriguez, Alfonso STAFF Quiroz, and others joined the large inter- reference to the region. The census, school Outreach Coordinator national conference, “Alexander von Hum- counts, and other surveys report Hispanics, Danielle Xuereb boldt: From the Americas to the Cosmos.” Latinos, and Latin Americans at large to be Conference Coordinator The Brazil Project has led to equally im- one of the largest and fastest-growing blocs Scott Larson pressive forms of collaboration with senior in the Greater New York area. Research Assistants faculty and recently hired professors. Alto- Today, the Bildner Center plays an im- Carlene Buchanan gether, the new phase of the Bildner Center portant role in The City University of New Alejandra Bujones has drawn from the efforts of nearly two York’s new importance in policy-oriented Anthony Buttaro dozen members of the CUNY faculty and a studies of the Americas. We are in tune with Michael Landis large number of students. Collaboration has the evolving agenda of the Western Hemi- Grant Writer/Copy Editor been critical in the launching of the Bildner sphere. Our accomplishments invite atten- Karen Young Western Hemisphere Studies book series. tion. We have mechanisms and momentum. We have reasons to be proud of these and We are much better able than ever to ad- Interns other achievements described in this bulle- dress major issues in our changing world Marie-Claude Jean Baptiste tin or on the Bildner Center website. Yet it with academic rigor and responsibility. The Wilmer Castro would be a mistake to take the new Bildner agenda is clear and much work remains to Lillian Gilbert Center for granted. We all need to remind be done. Manos a la obra! Steve Perez Liz de Souza Alejandro Zulberti BILDNER WORLD Editorial Committee www.bildner.org Mauricio Font Visit our website for Danielle Xuereb information on upcoming events and minicourses. Scott Larson Lay-Out and Graphics Danielle Xuereb two BRAZILIAN PRESIDENTS AT THE GRADUATE CENTER Lula offers optimistic view of Brazil's economic prospects Brazil is on the road to economic recovery net-based remittance program administrat- Paulinho’s infectious melodies and Lula’s and remittances from citizens ed by the government-owned populist appeal – at one point he compared living abroad are helping drive Caixa Economica Federal, the Brazilian immigrants on hand to his fa- the country’s development, Brazil’s third largest bank. ther, who migrated from northern Brazil to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Remittances by more-than São Paulo in the 1950s “in order to survive” “Lula” da Silva told a festive 2 million Brazilians living – made for an emotional evening.

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