2008-09 Feinberg Series: Democratization at $130 per Barrel
Audrey Altstadt, professor of history at UMass Amherst, will be giving a lecture entitled "Democratization at $130 per Barrel: The Value of Human and Political Rights in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan" as a part of the 2008-09 Feinberg Lecture Series.
From Professor Altstadt: "Post-Soviet, oil-rich Azerbaijan borders Iran and Russia. The recently completed export pipeline, the BTC, was funded by a consortium of Western oil companies with the support of their home governments to draw Azerbaijan away from Russia and closer to Turkey and the West. Despite increased ties to Western states and laws that nominally protect human rights and foster democracy, Azerbaijan's corruption and democratization ratings remain poor. This talk will examine the struggle for democratization and protection of human rights in the context of regional politics and high oil demand."
This event is free and open to the public.
