Debt: Ethics, the Environment, and the Economy

Acknowledgments

vii Acknowledgments This collection of essays began life as a conference held at the Center for 21st Century Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. The idea for a major conference on the theme of debt came about from the effort to find a term that could tie together the various crises—economic, environmental, and ethical—affecting the nation and the world. The proposal for what became the conference was submitted at the end of September 2008, two weeks after the historic bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers shocked the global markets and sent them into a tailspin. The global financial crisis unfolded under the shadow of ongoing conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan and of alarms sounded by scientists about the devastating impact of greenhouse gases on the environment . Debt, both in the financial sense and in the sense of obligation and responsibility , seemed to be a thread running through the three crises, and so promised to open up productive standpoints from which to examine the present. The conference provided two days of stimulating papers and engaging discussion. The presentations had a timeliness and a sense of energy which made possible striking points of convergence between scholars working in a wide variety of fields. The success of the event owed much to the resourcefulness and dedication of the staff at the Center for 21st Century Studies: Deputy Director Kate Kramer, Associate Director John Blum, and graduate student assistants Kris Knisely and Lea Gnat. John Blum also provided invaluable editorial assistance in putting together the manuscript. The editors also wish to thank Rebecca Tolen of Indiana University Press for her steadfast support of this essay collection. Finally, a deep and abiding debt is owed to Nan Kim, whose thoughtfulness and sagacity provided the inspiration for undertaking an intellectual exploration of the concept and experience of debt. ...