K-School Conference to Focus On Third World Development

Organizers of the fourth annual Third World Conference said yesterday they hope to consider ways institutions and individuals can help solve the problems of undeveloped nations.

This Saturday's conference at the Kennedy School--organized by a group of K-school students and sponsored by several groups including the Institute of Politics and the Institute for International Development--will focus on themes of global responsibility and collective action.

Principal speakers at the conference will be two prominent international economists, who will discuss different aspects of international economic aid.

Hollis Chenery, vice-president of the World Bank and Cabot Professor of Economics, will suggest ways of improving international cooperation and alternatives to bilateral aid Yale economist T. N. Srinivasan, a former member of the India planning commission, will present a Third World recipient's view of aid

After the speeches, workshops focusing on international actors, regional issues and the components for development will be held. Some specific sessions will concentrate on international corporate responsibility. U.S. policy in El Salvador, instability in Africa, and feeding the world's population.

Ned Strong, one of the conference organizers, said yesterday that attracting speakers for the workshops from groups such as the Salvadoran Democratic Front. OXFAM and the international third world development organization is indicative of this year's emphasis on action and practical solutions

Conference organizers say that previous conferences were more academically oriented and tended to promote theoretical discussions. By inviting more people actively working on Third World problems, they hope the emphasis of this weekend's conference will be practical and encourage more people to become actively involved.

"The last three conferences have been sort of esoteric We wanted to get together people who are really involved in this stuff to tell just exactly what they are doing," said Strong.

Since over the last four years the Third World Conferences have been organized by groups from the K-School, Law School, and Center for International Affairs, the conference site has shifted from year to year. Last year the conference was held in Coolidge Hall and three years ago it was hosted by the Law School.