ASA'18 CFP on Economic Development

***Deadline date has been extended to 10/16/17***

Re-stitching the Seams: Appalachia Beyond its Borders

41st Annual Appalachian Studies Association Conference

April 5-8, 2018 | Millennium Hotel, Cincinnati, OH

CALL FOR PROPOSALS ON TOPICS RELATED TO

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

DUE MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2017

The Economic Development Work Group for the 2018 Appalachian Studies Association (ASA) Conference invites proposals from diverse perspectives on the broad theme of “Economic Development and Sustainability.” In light of the overall conference theme of “Re-stitching the Seams” and the organizers’ focus on Appalachians’ future and Appalachian futures, we seek a wide range of voices and experiences from artists, youth, educators, researchers, workers and business owners, health care providers, and grassroots organizers and community leaders. We also encourage proposals in a variety of formats that share creative expression, important historical insights, useful data and studies, richly textured ideas, inventive plans, and workable solutions that will strengthen our connections and foster mutual support. The focus can be rural, small town, urban, or Appalachian migrant communities in cities outside the region.

The dramatic decline in living standards and life expectancy in Appalachia, the Rust Belt, and other areas of the U.S. that has accompanied the rise of outsourcing and a high-tech, service-oriented economy is intensified in Central Appalachia by the coal industry’s sharp contraction in recent years. Political divisions and timidity hinder progress toward a better Appalachian economy, and both major parties have failed to adequately prioritize or put forward sufficiently ambitious policies to address the region's economic problems. We invite you to help us develop bold, alternative plans and strategies for transitioning to a more just and sustainable economy, while recognizing the complexity and difficulty of the task. We especially seek proposals that highlight local development, reconcile economic growth with community well-being, and foster solidarity and cooperation among polarized community members working towards a diversified and high-wage economy. We welcome proposals that address diverse notions and practices of “economic development and sustainability,” including (but not limited to) the following related sub-themes:

• Alternative economies (e.g., existing local economies, opportunities/risks of formalizing alternative systems)
• Appalachian Commons on local and regional levels
• Cultural organizing and regional development (“creative place-making” or “place-staying”)
• “Economic” vs. “community” development
• Global implications for a “Just Transition” in Appalachia
• Entrepreneurialism vs. collectivism
• Socially responsible business models
• Transportation infrastructures (local, intra-regional, inter-regional)

Proposal formats can include but are not limited to experiential presentations, films, networking, panels, papers, performances, posters, roundtables, workshops, or other innovative frameworks for sharing knowledge and dialogue. See the final ASA 2018 call for proposals for more details on proposal formats, additional topics and subthemes, conference logistics, etc.: http://appalachianstudies.org/annualconference/files/2018-call-for-participation.pdf.

Proposals must be submitted via http://mds.marshall.edu/asa_conference/  by October 9, 2017.