12-14 September 2024
The 18th Biannual Conference of EACES will be hosted by University of Belgrade – Faculty of Economics and Business. To guide prospective authors and participants, the main conference theme is:
Tides of change:
Comparative economic systems in the era of geo-economic fragmentation
With the slowdown of growth in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, a swing towards economic de-globalization and unilateralism has taken place even in advanced economies of the West. These trends have been depicted most dramatically in Trump’s “America First” policy and the Brexiteers’ objective to “take back control”. The European Union (EU) also showed signs of detachment from global market liberalism by its politicized trade and investment policy of “strategic autonomy”. This geo-economic fragmentation has only accelerated with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the subsequent energy crisis. The rise of non-western economies, especially China and the Gulf states, has been an additional challenge for the global dynamics of development and growth. Peripheral economies, including those in Central Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, have also been significantly affected by this geo-economic fragmentation. Many have started to contest the status quo of EU integration and market liberalism by experimenting with alternative approaches to economic governance, while also attempting to benefit from the more fragmented global value chains that have altered business practices across the world.
The climate crisis and the socio-economic changes that have characterized the last decade, such as the rising inequalities, bring in additional sets of challenges, including increasing contestations to the idea of growth and of capitalism in its current form. The impact of new technologies on the world of work and the future of the welfare state have become a major concern for policy makers, workers and firms. Economic challenges posed by the climate crisis and the transition to cleaner energy sources are also multifaceted and complex. They encompass issues like the substantial upfront costs of transitioning to renewables, potential job disruptions in fossil fuel-dependent industries, price volatility in energy markets, the need for effective carbon pricing mechanisms, significant infrastructure investments, managing economic inequality in green technology adoption, maintaining global competitiveness in the face of climate regulations, agricultural impacts and food price fluctuations, increased insurance costs due to climate-related disasters, and the necessity of global cooperation and agreements.
The 18th Biannual Conference of EACES is interested in contributions that analyze various perspectives on the evolving economic systems of the post-2008 era, including countries’ economic responses to stagnating growth and the increasing environmental and societal challenges. The comparative and international political economy of state aid, economic nationalism, and economic integration with other parts of the world, and how these relate to economic upgrading, are of particular interest. We invite participants to reflect on policies that are related, but not limited to, trade, social inclusion, the future of labour, environmental protection, energy, finance, dynamic services, manufacturing, digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI). Apart from the role of the state, the conference also focuses on the changing strategies of global and domestic businesses, as well as other stakeholders. What economic consequences of geo-economic fragmentation and countries’ reactions to it can we already observe? Individual paper contributions as well as paper panels that extend beyond the main conference theme are also welcome.
To commemorate the work of Francesco Pastore who as member of the EACES Executive Board passed away unexpectedly in 2022 at the age of 56, we invite session proposals that deal with school to work transition, returns to education, and gender inequality in the labor market, with a focus on developing, emerging and post-transition countries.
The deadline for submission of individual paper abstracts and panel proposals is 15 April 2024. Abstracts should not exceed 250 words and they should be submitted at this link. The full text of the call for proposals and information about conference fees can be found here.
Online registration: Starting from 15th April 2024.
Deadline for the submission of doctoral dissertations for the EACES 2024 PhD Award: 30 April 2024. Application requirements for the EACES PhD Award can be found here.