PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — International economists and journalists will come to Brown University April 17, 2012, to discuss “The Failure of the Euro? Causes and Consequences for Europe and Beyond.” The international conference is sponsored by the Watson Institute for International Studies and organized by Mark Blyth, professor of international political economy, and Ross Levine, professor of economics.

The day-long conference begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Martinos Auditorium, Granoff Center for the Creative Arts. It will examine the causes of the European financial crisis and the role of the euro in the crisis, seeking ultimately to answer the question whether the political project of the EU can survive the monetary stresses demanded by Euro currency.

Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator for The Financial Times, will deliver the keynote address, titled “Will the Euro Survive the Crisis?” at 1:45 p.m.

“The U.S. financial crisis of 2008 has morphed into the European sovereign debt crisis of today. But how did a private-sector crisis that originated in America end up as a public-sector crisis in Europe? A part of the answer lies in the project of European Monetary Union, as symbolized by the single currency of the euro,” Blyth said.

Participants include Bethany McLean, contributing editor, Vanity Fair; Morgan Després, Banque de France; Douglas Borthwick managing director and head of trading, Faros Trading; James Kiernan, Cornerstone Capital; Alfred Gusenbauer, former chancellor of Austria; Romano Prodi, former prime minister of Italy and professor-at-large at Brown University; David Wyss, former chief economist for Standard & Poor’s and visiting fellow in international relations at Brown University; Peter Hall, Krupp Foundation Professor of European Studies, Harvard University; and Jonathan Hopkin, reader in comparative politics, London School of Economics.

There will be five discussions throughout the day, each featuring a group of panelists and respondents. All events are free and open to the public and no registration is required.

For a complete conference schedule, including panel discussion topics, visit the conference website.