John Cavanagh

Senior Advisor
Institute for Policy Studies
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John Cavanagh was Director of the Institute for Policy Studies from 1999-2021, and is now a Senior Advisor at IPS. He directed IPS’ Global Economy Program from 1983-1997. Cavanagh is the co-author of 12 books and numerous articles on a wide range of social and economic issues. His newest book (with Robin Broad) is The Water Defenders: How Ordinary People Saved a Country from Corporate Greed. He co-authored (with Richard J. Barnet) Global Dreams: Imperial Corporations and the New World Order, which sold over 60,000 copies with Simon & Schuster. Cavanagh co-led a 24-person team to create the International Forum on Globalization book Alternatives to Economic Globalization, which sold over 20,000 copies and was translated into 12 languages. Cavanagh sits on the boards of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, Jobs with Justice, Resilience Force, and the Fund for Constitutional Government. He is a senior advisor of the Poor People’s Campaign and the Blue Mountain Center. Cavanagh worked as an economist for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (1978-1981) and the World Health Organization (1981-1982). He served on the Civil Society Advisory Committee of the UN Development Program (2000-2012). He received a Bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, and a Masters from Princeton University.

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Articles

VIDEO: Organizing to Defeat Fascism and Deepen Democracy
How movements are organizing for real democracy in small towns, workplaces, and across borders.

Climate Justice, Economic Justice, Leadership Programs, Peace & Foreign Policy, Racial & Gender Justice | Reports

BLUEPRINT: Forging a Democracy that Works for All

Countering the power of billionaires, corporations, and the Pentagon

Leadership Programs, Peace & Foreign Policy, Racial & Gender Justice | Articles

Cora Weiss: A Champion of Peace, Internationalism, and Women’s Rights

On December 8, Cora Weiss — one of the great champions of peace, the United Nations, and women’s rights — died at 91...

Peace & Foreign Policy | Reports

Lessons from Resistance to Authoritarianism Around the World

A webinar series on what the U.S. can learn from anti-authoritarian movements around the world.

Peace & Foreign Policy, Racial & Gender Justice | Articles

Don’t Let Bukele Export His Brand of Authoritarianism to the United States

Now is the time for the public here to start paying attention to El Salvador and for our elected officials to demand an...
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