CFP RGS-IBG Annual Conference 2008 - New Geographies of the UK Economy

RGS IBG Annual Conference 2008

FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS

New Geographies of the UK Economy

Organisers:
Andrew Jones, Birkbeck, University of London
Neil Coe, University of Manchester
Mia Gray, University of Cambridge

The UK economy currently faces a series of major challenges in the early
21st century. Globalization, uneven development, migration, technological
change, sectoral transformations and issues of sustainability are just a
few of the key issues which present the UK with uncertainties as to the
nature of future growth and prosperity opportunities. Furthermore, at the
theoretical level, geographers and other social scientists have called the
very idea of ‘the UK economy’ into question in the context of contemporary
globalization. The ongoing integration of the European Union, the
development of global production networks and the deepening complexity of
global financial integration cast doubt on the relevance of the UK economy
(defined in territorial terms) as an effective unit of analysis. All of
these challenges and theoretical issues present an increasingly difficult
task for those who seek to theorise and formulate policy in the UK at the
national and various sub-national levels.

These sessions seek to bring together the broad range of geographical
research on the UK economy currently being undertaken by scholars based
both within and outside the UK. Whilst centred around economic
geographical work, they aim to attract a diverse set of papers that
address current key challenges for theorists and policy makers in relation
to the UK economy. These might include, but are not restricted to, issues
concerned with regional economic development, transnational firms, SMEs,
migrant flows, regeneration, the North-South divide, regulation, the
knowledge economy, innovation, global production networks, globalization,
sectoral change and environmental sustainability. However, the organisers
would welcome enquiries from any authors who feel their work addresses the
broad themes of the sessions. The sessions aim to group paper
presentations around a number of invited keynote papers from leading
thinkers on different aspects of UK economic development. However, please
also get in touch if you are interested in participating as a session
chair, paper discussant or panellist.

Those interested in presenting a paper are asked to send an abstract to
Andrew Jones on (a.jones@bbk.ac.uk) by the deadline of Monday 18th
February 2008. Please use the pro-forma from the RGS website. Expressions
of interest are welcome ahead of an abstract.

Details of the RGS–IBG Annual Conference can be found at:
http://www.rgs.org/WhatsOn/ConferencesAndSeminars/Annual+International+Conf
erence/Timeline+for+AC2008.htm

Abstract submission details and the pro-forma can be found at:
http://www.rgs.org/WhatsOn/ConferencesAndSeminars/Annual+International+Conf
erence/Submit+an+abstract.htm