EH.N: CfP: Between Empire and Nation States: Continuity and Change in the Economies of the Middle East and North Africa in the 20th Century

[msmetzer at mscc.huji.ac.il]

Call for Papers: Between Empire and Nation States: Continuity and Change in the Economies of the Middle East and North Africa in the Twentieth Century.


Since we are able to accommodate some additional submissions, we are 
re-announcing our call for papers for the session: Between Empire and Nation States: Continuity and Change in the Economies of the Middle East and North Africa in the 20th Century.  XVth World Economic History Congress, Utrecht, The Netherlands, August 3 to 7, 2009. http://www.wehc2009.org

The Middle East passed through two great transitions in the 20th Century: The demise of the Ottoman Empire and its replacement by European rule over a good part of the region in the aftermath of WWI, and the post WWII transition from foreign rule to statehood. These transitions should serve as useful anchors for comparatively examining dimensions of continuity and change in the economies of the greater Middle East (including North Africa, which was partially dominated by European powers already in the 19th Century) over the period concerned.

The session aims at doing that by focusing on the broad interrelated terrains of political economy, institutions, and economic growth. We are particularly interested in studying structures and policies, and in exploring the interplay and possible tension between tradition and modernity in the institutional frameworks of economic activity during and following the two great transitions. This endeavor should produce fresh perspectives and insights on the factors which may have enhanced or constrained economic growth in the region.

Proposals for single and/or multi country papers covering the Arab countries, Palestine-Israel, Turkey and Iran are invited. We expect the proposed papers to dwell, within the above-suggested time span and foci, on subjects such as public economics (including fiscal systems, macro and trade policies); private-public mix in economic activity, price determination, and resource allocation; property rights, land tenure and legal systems, and their growth-related attributes. We would also welcome proposals on micro extensions of these subjects, for instance, in areas of industrial organization, entrepreneurship, and business culture.

To enable more people to submit their proposals, the deadline for submission has been moved to December 1st 2008. If you are interested in presenting a paper at the session please send your proposal by that date to the session organizers:

Jacob Metzer
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
msmetzer at mscc.huji.ac.il

and/or
Şevket Pamuk
Bogaziçi University, Istanbul
and the London School of Economics and Political Science,
pamuks at ttnet.net.tr  or  s.pamuk at lse.ac.uk