The State's rejection of the Nice Treaty and the anti-capitalist riots in Seattle and Gothenburg reflect a "discomfort with change", said former EU commissioner Mr Peter Sutherland.
The former Director General of the World Trade Organisation was speaking to reporters at the opening of the Institute for International Integration Studies, The Sutherland Centre, at Trinity College Dublin. The institute will research issues related to globalisation. Mr Sutherland said "there is an explosive growth of interest in this fundamentally interdisciplinary intellectual project".
A range of departments within TCD will be involved, including economics, sociology, history, law and political science.
"We are confident that the wide-ranging interdisciplinary expertise at Trinity College can be combined to create a unique and powerful centre in Ireland for the study of globalisation", said TCD Provost, Dr Thomas Mitchell.