Commonwealth Club: Amartya Sen April 6, 2006

Economist; Author, Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny

http://commonwealthclub.org/featured.html#sen

Nobel Laureate Sen argues that the current conflicts between the United States and nations in the Middle East are tied to a breakdown in the bonds of identity, and that confusion, not hatred, is the reason for the bitter standoff. Challenging the reductionist notion that people of the world can be neatly sliced into unique categories, he stresses the importance of plurality of identities in today's world. Sen draws on history, economics, science and literature to present an inspiring vision of the world: that it can move toward peace with the same pace it has spiraled toward violence.