Call for papers: SALISES Fifty-fifty Conference, Kingston, Jamaica
August 20-25, 2012.
The Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) will host a conference entitled Fifty-Fifty: Critical Reflections in a Time of Uncertainty in Kingston, Jamaica from August 20-25, 2012.
August 2012 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of independence in the Commonwealth Caribbean, as in the same month both Jamaica (August 6) and Trinidad and Tobago (August 31) gained their independence from Great Britain. This set the stage for the rapid transition to statehood in Barbados and Guyana and numerous other Caribbean islands and territories over the following three decades.
Half a century is a short time in the history of a nation, yet it is sufficiently long to begin stocktaking. How successful have the new nations been in improving the quality of life for their respective citizens? To what extent have they been able to forge a new and self-confident national culture? To what extent do the political systems - democratic in form – reflect principles of transparency and genuine accountability? How far have the economies moved away from traditional markers of dependency to become poles of dynamism and development? And for the next fifty years: what changes need to be made to the constitutional and more broadly political systems of government to deepen democracy and popular participation? What new economic models and approaches might be appropriate to confront the environmental and energy challenges that face the entire world, but especially small states? What combination of social, political and economic strategies might most effectively combat, reduce and ultimately eliminate the scourges of drugs, violence and criminality that threaten to engulf the region? What have we learned from the experience with regionalism over the past fifty years and what are the new approaches that might be taken to advance Caribbean integration? These and many other questions need to be asked and answered as we collectively seek to explore the meaning of independence and chart a way forward for the next fifty years.
We encourage proposals for panels and individual papers around these and other social, political economic and cultural themes, reflecting on the independence experience in the Caribbean and looking forward to the next half century.
While the August 2012 date is specific to the nations of the Anglophone Caribbean, we particularly encourage papers reflecting on the experiences and trajectories of the countries with a longer history of independence, including Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and the contiguous mainland countries of the Caribbean region. Special focus will also be given to the non-independent countries of the region, whose experiences are an important counterpoint to those that have chosen sovereign paths.
Please send all abstracts to Arlene Supersad: arlene.supersad@uwimona.edu.jm
For further information and updates on the conference, visit our fifty-fifty website at: http://thesalises5050project.blogspot.com/
August 20-25, 2012.
The Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) will host a conference entitled Fifty-Fifty: Critical Reflections in a Time of Uncertainty in Kingston, Jamaica from August 20-25, 2012.
August 2012 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of independence in the Commonwealth Caribbean, as in the same month both Jamaica (August 6) and Trinidad and Tobago (August 31) gained their independence from Great Britain. This set the stage for the rapid transition to statehood in Barbados and Guyana and numerous other Caribbean islands and territories over the following three decades.
Half a century is a short time in the history of a nation, yet it is sufficiently long to begin stocktaking. How successful have the new nations been in improving the quality of life for their respective citizens? To what extent have they been able to forge a new and self-confident national culture? To what extent do the political systems - democratic in form – reflect principles of transparency and genuine accountability? How far have the economies moved away from traditional markers of dependency to become poles of dynamism and development? And for the next fifty years: what changes need to be made to the constitutional and more broadly political systems of government to deepen democracy and popular participation? What new economic models and approaches might be appropriate to confront the environmental and energy challenges that face the entire world, but especially small states? What combination of social, political and economic strategies might most effectively combat, reduce and ultimately eliminate the scourges of drugs, violence and criminality that threaten to engulf the region? What have we learned from the experience with regionalism over the past fifty years and what are the new approaches that might be taken to advance Caribbean integration? These and many other questions need to be asked and answered as we collectively seek to explore the meaning of independence and chart a way forward for the next fifty years.
We encourage proposals for panels and individual papers around these and other social, political economic and cultural themes, reflecting on the independence experience in the Caribbean and looking forward to the next half century.
While the August 2012 date is specific to the nations of the Anglophone Caribbean, we particularly encourage papers reflecting on the experiences and trajectories of the countries with a longer history of independence, including Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and the contiguous mainland countries of the Caribbean region. Special focus will also be given to the non-independent countries of the region, whose experiences are an important counterpoint to those that have chosen sovereign paths.
Please send all abstracts to Arlene Supersad: arlene.supersad@uwimona.edu.jm
Deadline for abstracts is January 31, 2012.
Acknowledgement of acceptance of abstracts: March 2, 2012.
For further information and updates on the conference, visit our fifty-fifty website at: http://thesalises5050project.blogspot.com/
