[PEN-L:6908] Off Limits: USA

["Alex Izurieta" <izurieta@xxxxxx>]

Thanks Michael, I take this one! ...and write you immediately,  before
 you go picnic!

Now that you say it, I am ashamed that I never introduced myself!!!
The truth is that I entered into the list as a 'passive observer',
whith the single intention of learning and getting a relief feeling
that there are *still* some leftists cromagnon species somewhere in
the world... Soon after, I got 'enthusiastic' with some ongoing
discussions and ... intruded without being  introduced!!!

Very briefly, I am from  Uruguay and for 'obvious reasons' I rushed
out in the 1970s. From Ecuador, I moved then to Spain, then
Italy, now The Netherldands. I say this because if you are going to
have 'days off' per continent (which I do *not* agree, of course),
better 'classified' me in the third world rather than in Europe
(moreover, in the Netherlands they use a sort of  barbaric language
that I can hardly understand; so do not ask me questions about...)

With some years of direct involvement in 'left oriented popular
movements' in my background, mixed with (uncompleted) studies
 of pure mathematics and philosopy, I ended up, at present, trying
 to finish a PhD in Economics while doing some teaching/research
 assistanship.

As to my 'interests' are concerned, I just feel at easy with the way
things go in Pen-l. Sometimes, when subjects are too much into
specific US affaires, I still over-read and, after confirming my
ignorance, I delete. But in most of the times, I learn from the way
discussions are tackled and new aspects come to the fore.
Sharing bibliographical references, sylabus, methodological
approaches, debating on theoretical grounds, having arguments on
current issues, etc. is very useful to me.

Obviously, I have a preference for issues that concern directly
the third world; but, overall speaking, in the 'global context' we
are submerged, there is little that would not influence in one way
or another, at the end, the lifes of people in the third world (and
viceversa). I have to admit that 'I have had it' with the international
financial institutions (WB,  IMF, IADBs, etc.), because of their
overwhelming pressure on the third world, but *also* because I
believe they are terribly effective and dangerous at proliferating
the most orthodox mainstream economics, all over the world (at the
level of politics,  but also research and teaching). And this worries
me, be it for  its present *and also* its long term impact...

Now, looking forward for the rest of the day (including the 'rest
overs' from those folks who went picnic!)

Salud,

Alex


Alex Izurieta
E-mail: izurieta@xxxxxx
Institute of Social Studies
P.O. Box 29776
2502 LT The Hague
Tel. 31-70-4260480
Fax. 31-70-4260.755
           4260.799