Asia-Pacific Economic and Business History conference, Canberra (Australia) 16-18 February 2012

Asia-Pacific Economic and Business History conference, Canberra (Australia)
16-18 February 2012

Asia-Pacific Economic and Business History Conference 2012

2012 Theme: Economic Integration, Historical Perspectives from Europe and the
Asia-Pacific region

Dates and place: 16-18 February 2012, Canberra (Australia)

Venue: Australian National University

Organisation: Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand

Conference website: http://apebh2102.wordpress.com
http://apebh2012.wordpress.com/

Call for Papers

Papers and proposals for sessions are invited for the APEBH 2012 conference.
The main conference theme is ‘Economic Integration: Historical Perspectives
from Europe and Asia-Pacific’ but the organisers are open to proposals for
contributions on other topics in economic, social, and business history, as
well as to proposals for sessions on particular themes. Researchers across a
broad range of disciplines are warmly welcomed. Early career researchers are
encouraged to participate. The conference organisers are particularly
interested in attracting papers that examine developments in countries and
regions in the Asia-Pacific region and papers that provide an international
comparative perspective.

Economic integration is generally considered to be an aspect of the current
process of globalisation. The European Union (EU) is often held up as a
possible model for fostering the process of regional economic integration in
Asia. However, the integration process in Europe since the 1950s has been a
formal process by which member states handed some authorities to the
supranational EU. But throughout history, processes of economic integration
of factor and product markets occurred through both informal and formal
processes. They occurred across regions within countries as transport
facilities improved. They occurred across the borders of neighbouring
countries as bilateral trade barriers were reduced, and in regions of the
world due to multilateral initiatives. Formal agreements were not necessarily
a prerequisite for economic integration. Private enterprises often took
international business initiatives, despite the continued existence of
barriers to international trade and investment. Formal processes of lowering
such barriers followed. Where tariffs had been lowered, deepening integration
by reducing non-tariff trade barriers remained an ongoing process. This
happened in countries that became federations (e.g. USA, Germany, Malaysia),
and countries concluding bilateral (e.g. Australia-New Zealand) and
multilateral trade agreements.

Hence, there are historical experiences abound. What lessons can be drawn
from comparative historical perspectives on processes of economic
integration? How were such processes taken from one level to the next, how
were issues of differential regulation dealt with, how did private
enterprises seize new business opportunities and influence the process of
integration, and what consequences did cross-border integration have for
markets and societies? Lastly, integration has rarely been a linear process,
but one of leaps and bounds. What can we learn from cases when integration
processes rebounded? Are they fragile processes that need continuous
energising to avoid being taken for granted?

Our theme could be approached from a number of perspectives, including those
of the cliometrician, the economic historian, the economic theorist, the
business historian, the applied economist, as well as the social historian.
There is scope for new interpretations, new findings, as well as syntheses of
existing work.

ALL ABSTRACTS, PROPOSALS FOR SESSIONS, AND PAPERS FOR REFEREEING OR POSTING
ON THE CONFERENCE WEBSITE SHOULD BE EMAILED TO ALL THREE MEMBERS OF THE 2012
PROGRAMME COMMITTEE:

Dr John Singleton, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield (UK),
J.Singleton
A/Professor Jim McAloon, Victoria University, Wellington (New Zealand),
jim.mcaloon
Dr Keir Reeves, Monash University, Melbourne (Australia),
Keir.Reeves

Paper abstracts of one page may be submitted at any time up to the closing
date of 30 November 2011. A decision on proposals will be made within a month
of submission. Session proposals of one page may be submitted up to the same
date, outlining the main objectives of the session and potential
participants. You are not obliged to submit your full paper for refereeing.
Complete versions of accepted papers should be sent to us by 4 February 2012
for posting on the conference website.

Some universities require staff attending conferences to have their papers
refereed. If this is the case in your institution, please submit the full
paper by the 30 November 2011 due date for the double blind refereeing
process.

A conference paper prize will be awarded. A selection of papers (subject to
the normal reviewing process and standards) may be published in Australian
Economic History Review: An Asia-Pacific Journal of Economic, Business and
Social History (see:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1467-8446). Further
details about the conference and this Call for Papers can be found at this
web page: http://apebh2012.wordpress.com/

The web page of the Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand
is:http://economichistorysociety.wordpress.com

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