PRESS ADVISORY: 'Critical World Problems' conference kicks off Sunday afternoon

The World Association of International Studies "Critical World Issues" conference, which will include a special program on Iran, is scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday on the Stanford campus.

The event begins at 1 p.m. Sunday with authors' presentations at the Stanford Bookstore.

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday, speakers will make presentations on a diverse array of current national and international political, educational, and policy concerns, including "Moral Education in East Asia," "Oiling the Dragon: China's Petroleum Concerns and Policies," "American Hegemony and its Discontents: Global Politics after 9/11," "The Future of the UN" and "Implementing Education for Sustainable Development in K-12 Schools."

In a special discussion of Iran, topics will include the origins of mullahism; the history and future of democracy in Iran; and the influence of ancient Iran on the modern world.

The conference is organized by Ronald Hilton, emeritus professor in Romanic languages and visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution. Conference sponsors include Stanford Bookstore, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, the Asian Religions and Cultures Initiative and the Bechtel International Center.

The program is open to the public (registration fee $40) and free for members of the press. For more information and a schedule of presentations, visit the web at http://wais.stanford.edu.

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