Populorum Progressio 40 Years later: Has International Development Failed The Poor?

February 28, 2008 @ Rome, Italy

Conference Summary

Forty years ago, Pope Paul VI called for the integral human development “of all men and all of man.” How well has the international community heeded this call? Have developing countries benefited from foreign aid? Has international trade made a difference in the lives of the poor? What is true human progress according to Catholic social teaching? A panel of international experts will address these and other important questions at this English-language seminar in Rome.

Speakers

Professor Philip Booth
Philip Booth is editorial and program director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, as well as professor of insurance and risk management at Cass Business School. Prof. Booth established his reputation in actuarial science in the fields of investment, finance and social insurance. His work in investment and finance included a number of publications in the real estate finance literature on the role of property in pension funds and the valuation of property with upward only rent reviews as well as on property risk analysis. Other research interests include regulation.

Mr. Michael J. Miller
Michael Miller is the director of programs at the Acton Institute and also oversees all of Acton's international work. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame, has an MA from Nagoya University's Graduate School of International Development (Japan), an MA in philosophy from Franciscan University, and an MBA in International Management from Thunderbird (The American Graduate School of International Management). Before coming to Acton, he spent three years at Ave Maria College of the Americas in Nicaragua where he taught philosophy and political science and was the chair of the philosophy and theology department. He has almost 10 years of international experience and has lived and traveled in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He has been published in the Washington Times, The Detroit News, and Crisis.

Dott. Giampaolo Silvestri
(coming soon)

Father Thomas D. Williams, LC
Fr. Thomas Williams is dean of the faculty of theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, where he teaches moral theology and Catholic social doctrine. He also serves as consultant on Vatican affairs for NBC and MSNBC. Fr. Williams studied business administration and managerial economics at the University of Michigan, ancient and modern languages in Salamanca, Spain, and received both a license in philosophy and a doctorate in moral theology from Regina Apostolorum. Fr. Williams has authored numerous books and articles on theological topics, including Who Is My Neighbor? Personalism and the Foundations of Human Rights, and the recently published Spiritual Progress.