Provost’s Colloquium Series Presents “How Does Trade Affect You? In Every Way, Every Day”

Dr. Johan Eliasson

Posted by: Elizabeth Richardson on September 26, 2023, No Comments

East Stroudsburg University’s Provost’s Colloquium Series, an intellectual experience that promotes dialogue among ESU faculty, staff, students, and community, continues the Fall 2023 semester with a presentation by L. Johan Eliasson, Ph.D., professor, political science and economics, “How Does Trade Affect You? In Every Way, Every Day”, will take place on Wednesday, October 4, at 5:30 p.m. in Beers Lecture Hall. The presentation will also be live streamed on the ESU Live Events webpage.

The United States imposes high import duties on hundreds of thousands of products and since 2018 it has further raised these taxes. Dr. Eliasson will discuss how new trade policies affect people’s daily lives. In a bid to stave off China and retain American technological, economic, and military superiority, the U.S. Congress and President have passed laws and issued executive orders that significantly curtail the freedom of operation of tens of thousands of U.S. firms and individuals. The European Union has also adopted laws that impact most Americans. While seemingly abstract, this results in direct effects on the prices Americans pay for items such as food, fuel, hardware components and finished products, access to software and internet services, plus data transfers and online privacy.

Eliasson has researched and published on various aspects of trade policy over the past two decades. This presentation will engage the audience as he explains why we tax the clothes and food consumed by us at rates far in excess of luxury goods, and he will provide examples of the implications of how new trade, industrial, and data policies impact the cost of living for everyone. Myths about the effects of import duties or “punishing bad countries” will be addressed as well as real life effects on Pennsylvania businesses and employees.

For more information about the Provost’s Colloquium Series, contact Christina McDonald, director, office of sponsored projects and research, at (570) 422-7954 or cmcdonald9@esu.edu.