Govind Nair was the guest speaker at the Ethical Culture Society of Westchester on January 21, 2018. His presentation examines globalization as an unfolding civilization process which is creating new challenges for human reason and agency. It inextricably links our empirical understanding of the world to our moral imperatives to face unprecedented existential challenges.

Four directions are proposed for how humanists can help society think and act within a global framework. Govind Nair’s professional and personal interests have spanned all economic, social, and political facets of globalization. He worked in international economic development as a researcher, project manager, and trainer at the World Bank which he left as Lead Economist in 2010 after a 25-year career. In his private practice as a global public speaker, international consultant, and visiting faculty at universities in USA/Europe/Asia/Australia, he has advised governments, businesses, non-profit and academic institutions on strategic responses to global demographic and technology shifts. His work and travel have taken him to over 80 countries on five continents and he is fluent in French, Spanish, and Malay/Indonesian.

He is an active community volunteer and activist as well as a Board and multiple committee member at the Northern Virginia Ethical Society. He currently teaches economics in a master program in organizational sciences at The George Washington University in Washington DC.