News
Press release: The uncertain future of globalization – perils of protectionism


Oslo, Norway – On Tuesday, 10 October, Pinelopi (Penny) Goldberg, Yale University professor, and former Chief Economist of the World Bank, delivers the 27th WIDER Annual Lecture.

UNU-WIDER, in collaboration with the Oslo SDG Initiative, will host the event at the University of Oslo in Norway. 

Gamle festsal
The Gamle Festsal (Old Assembly Hall) in the Domus Academica of the University of Oslo

Globalization has faced a series of challenges, including the 2008–2009 financial crisis, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine. Recent changes in public sentiment and government policies, particularly in major economies like the United States and Great Britain, are heralding a new era of de-globalization. 

A shift from encouraging trade to a protectionist stance, as illustrated by bans to the trade of semiconductor chips between China and the United States, brings the risk of a divided world. Such division could resemble a new cold war, which would hinder scientific collaboration, increase inequality within and between countries, and more.  

In her lecture, Penny Goldberg will explore the factors driving this shift, discuss the potential ramifications of this evolving global landscape, and what can be done to promote global cooperation in the future.  

Details: WIDER Annual Lecture: Globalization in crisis – confronting a new economic reality 
When: 10 October 2023, 15:00–18:30 (UTC+2) 
Where: The Gamle Festsal (Old Assembly Hall) in the Domus Academica of the University of Oslo, Karl Johans gate 47, Oslo, Norway

For media inquiries, please contact: 
Ruby Richardson, Communications Team Lead, UNU-WIDER
richardson@wider.unu.edu
tel. +358 45 266 7273