Susan George (political scientist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Susan George
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Susan George, in 2010
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| Born | June 29, 1934 Akron, Ohio, U.S.
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| Education | Smith College (BA), Sorbonne (BA) University of Paris (PhD) |
| Spouse(s) | Charles-Henry George |
Susan George (born June 29, 1934) is an American and French expert in politics and society. She is also an activist and writer. She focuses on topics like global social justice, poverty in developing countries, and how countries grow.
She is the president of the Transnational Institute, a group that studies important world issues. Susan George often speaks out against the policies of big organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. She believes their ideas sometimes make poverty worse. She was born in the U.S. but now lives in France and has dual citizenship since 1994.
Contents
About Susan George's Life
Her Early Years
Susan Vance Akers was born on June 29, 1934, in Akron, Ohio. She was the only child of Edith and Walter Akers. Her family had lived in the United States since 1632.
Her father worked in insurance, and her mother was a homemaker. Susan grew up during the Great Depression, but her family had a comfortable life. She had a nursemaid and took many lessons, like dance, music, and swimming.
After attending a public school, she went to an all-girls private school. She felt that this type of schooling helped her believe that women could do anything. She said she never felt held back as a woman.
Susan's father encouraged all her interests, even those not usually seen as "girly," like science and baseball. When he went to serve in World War II, Susan helped plant a "victory garden" at home.
Her Education and Studies
As a young student, Susan George was very good at school. She became very interested in the French language and French culture. When she was a teenager, she chose to go to Smith College. She wanted to study abroad in France.
While studying in France, she took classes at Sciences Po. She earned her first degree from Smith College in French and philosophy. Later, Susan went to the Sorbonne and earned another degree in philosophy. She also earned her highest degree, a doctorate, in political science from the University of Paris.
Her Family Life
While studying in France, Susan met Charles-Henry George, a French lawyer. He was 12 years older than her. She moved to France and married him in 1956. She said she missed her women friends but not America itself.
The couple soon started a family. Susan George became a French citizen in 1994. Charles-Henry George passed away in 2002. As of 2013, Susan George had three children and four grandchildren. She says her grandchildren inspire her activism even more. She wants to help create a better future for them and for everyone.
Susan George's Career and Activism
Throughout her career, Susan George has been an activist against wars. She has also spoken out against what she sees as greedy actions by large companies. She became a leader in the movement to end hunger, even when it was hard for women to get powerful positions.
Early Work for Peace
Susan became an activist because of France's war in Algeria and the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. She said the Vietnam War helped her understand some negative things about America. In 1967, she joined a group called the Paris-American Committee to Stop War (P.A.C.S.).
In 1969, she became an assistant director at a non-profit group called the American Centre for Students and Artists. This work caught the attention of the CIA. In 1971, she worked with another group that organized anti-war talks and protests in France. Later, P.A.C.S. was shut down by the French government.
She then worked with leaders from the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. Together, they formed a new non-profit group focused on social justice. This group became the Transnational Institute in 1973.
Fighting World Hunger
In 1974, Susan George went to the World Food Conference in Rome. However, she felt disappointed because she thought big farming businesses had too much influence. She said that no one important was looking at the real reasons for hunger, which she believed were about power and control.
In 1976, her first book was published. It was called How the Other Half Dies: The Real Reasons for World Hunger. In 1984, she helped organize the World Food Assembly, another important meeting held in Rome.
Her Work with Organizations
From 1990 to 1995, Susan George was on the board of the environmental group Greenpeace International and Greenpeace France. She spoke out against a proposed agreement called the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) in the 1990s. She also opposed the goals of the World Trade Organization at a big meeting in Seattle in 1999.
From 1999 to 2006, she was a vice-president of ATTAC France. This group wants to tax financial transactions to help citizens. She is still a member of their scientific council. In 2008, she was given the title of honorary president. She also took part in the Helsinki Process in 1999.
Susan George has been involved with the World Social Forum since it started in 2000. She also helped with the European Social Forum. She believed that more action was needed outside of these forums to make real change happen.
In 2004, she supported John Kerry for president. She campaigned for him, even though she felt it was hard to be very excited about him. She worried about the future if George W. Bush continued as president.
In the late 2000s, Susan George continued to make appearances. She took part in the 2006 Table of Free Voices conference. She also appeared in the 2008 documentary film, The End of Poverty?
Today, Susan George is the honorary president of ATTAC France.
Honors and Recognition
- Honorary president of ATTAC
- Mentioned as an honorary advisor of The Other Economic Summit
Images for kids
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Susan George in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Susan George para niños
