HARBORVIEW—- The Social Economic Council (SER) in collaboration with the University of St. Martin (USM) has extended an invitation to the general public to a lecture titled “Education as an Emancipation tool in a Hospitality based island”. The SER-USM lecture, on the eve of the St. Martin day celebration, will take place on Tuesday, November 10th 2015 at the USM Lecture in room 202 and will commence at 7pm and conclude at 8.30 pm.
Keynote speaker for the lecture is, Dr. Brian Meeks. Dr. Meeks is the Professor and Chair of Africana Studies at Brown University, Rhode Island; Professor of Social and Political Change and Director of the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies (SALISES); Director of the “Centre for Caribbean Thought in the Department of Government” at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica.
Dr. Meeks is a graduate of the University of West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus and holds the Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences with Upper Second Class Honors. He completed the Master of Science degree in Government at the UWI, Mona Campus and went on to obtain the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree also from the UWI, Mona Campus. Dr. Meeks has also pursued Post-Doctoral studies at Cambridge University on a Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship.
Dr. Meeks focuses much of his academic research on Caribbean politics; social and political change; and the political and social theories used to interpret change, from liberalism to Marxism to post-structuralism. Dr. Meeks has authored and edited 11 books and numerous articles.
The SER is an independent advisory body that provides solicited and unsolicited advice to Government on all important social and economic developments. The SER promotes sustainable development, with the aim of achieving and improved quality of life for the people of Sint Maarten. Another aspect of the advisory body, is the organization of public conferences and workshops on Socio-economic matters of concern.
USM is an expertise center on the bi-national island of Sint Maarten & Saint Martin specialized in studying and promoting cultures of hospitality in education. As an institution catering to development of knowledge and wellbeing, it offers academic courses as well as adult enrichment programs. The general objective of the USM is to produce in every household on the island at least an Associate degree holding mediator and contributor to a tolerant and economically vibrant public life.