%0 Journal Article %T Introduction: #OCCUPYIRTHEORY %A Nicholas J. Kiersey %J Journal of Critical Globalisation Studies (JCGS) %D 2012 %I Journal of Critical Globalisation Studies %X The idea for this special commentary forum emerged out of a conversation with a number of friends and colleagues concerning the question of whether or not we were, as scholars of International Relations (IR) and International Political Economy (IPE), at all equipped to teach our students about the significance of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movements. During this conversation, the thought emerged that OWS might be taken as a kind of cue for us to check in and think about the relevancy of our work, and our relationships with the world of political activism. In becoming career academics, we had all been guided by the hope that we were doing something good for the world. As wequickly learned, however, this was not an easy or straightforward proposition 每 academia has its way of letting us know what sort of things we can and can't do if we want to be secure in our positions. As we followed the news about OWS over various networks and,where possible, ventured out to the General Assemblies 每 from Berlin to Dublin to New York to Columbus, OH 每 we felt a sense of embarrassment. For while we were busy pursuing our careers, out on the streets there were people 每 often including our students每 who were risking so much to express their indignation... %K International Relations %K International Political Economy %K Occupy Wall Street %K Occupations %K Occupy IR Theory %U http://www.criticalglobalisation.com/issue5/104_106_OCCUPYIR_INTRO_JCGS5.pdf