North American Basic Income Guarantee Congress

Eleventh Annual North American Basic Income Guarantee Congress

http://www.usbig.net

PUTTING EQUALITY BACK ON THE AGENDA:
Basic Income and Other Approaches to Economic Security for All

Thursday May 3rd, to Saturday May 5, 2012
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

Featured Speakers:

Richard Wilkinson
Co-Author of The Spirit Level: Why More Equal
Societies Almost Always Do Better

Armine Yalnizyan
Senior Economist with the Canadian Centre for
Policy Alternatives

Over the past 30 years, Canada, the United States, and many other OECD countries have grown increasingly unequal. While the rich pull farther and farther ahead, the poor and the middle class are struggling just to maintain their income level. Evidence regarding economic disparity suggests that income inequality is accompanied by a range of significant negative consequences, and that these consequences are present in greater numbers at every income level of a less equal society when compared with a more equal society. In January, the World Economic Forum named economic disparity one of the most significant global risks.

Putting Equality Back on the Agenda will consider three central questions:
1. To what degree is there a common public good in reducing economic disparity among all citizens?
2. Is a basic income the best way to provide this public good?
3. How could a basic income best be structured and funded to meet these goals?

The Eleventh North American Basic Income Guarantee Congress is organized by Basic Income Canada Network in cooperation with the USBIG Network. These North American affiliates of the Basic Income Earth Network promote the option of a basic income, an unconditional government transfer that would provide a basic but decent standard of living to all. The congress brings together academics, students, activists, policy analysts, government officials, low income people, and others interested in exploring the merits of this proposal.

Plenary Speakers Include:
• Richard Wilkinson, Professor Emeritus of Social Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham Medical School and co-author of The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better;
• Armine Yalnizyan, Senior Economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives;
• John Rook, Chair of the National Council of Welfare Senior Associate with Housing Strategies, Inc;
• Evelyn Forget, Professor, University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine; and
• Trish Hennessey, Director of Strategic Issues for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Scholars, activists, and others are invited to propose papers or presentations, organize panel discussions, or submit posters. Proposals are welcome on the following topics:
• What are the costs of economic disparity (economic, social and political)?
• What are the implications for pursuing (or not pursuing) basic income options?
• What are possible models for generating revenue to sustain a basic income and what are their implications for economic disparity?
• What are the practical issues for implementing a basic income policy and what are their implications for economic disparity?
• What communication and engagement strategies are necessary to raise awareness about economic disparity and basic income in the public sphere?

All points of view are welcome. Anyone interested in presenting, organizing a panel, or displaying a poster should submit an abstract of their proposal to the chair of the organizing committee at basicincome2012@gmail.com.

Please include the following information with your proposal:

1. Name(s)
2. Affiliation(s)
3. Address
4. City, Province/State, Postal/Zip Code, and Country
5. Telephone
6. Email Address(es)
7. Paper/Presentation/Panel/Poster Title
8. Abstract of 50-150 words

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: January 13th, 2012

Proposals for panel discussions should include a title, topic, and description of the panel and the information above for each participant. If the participants are not presenting formal papers, the title of the paper and abstract may be omitted. Panels should be limited to four presentations.