EH.N: CfP: Asia Pacific Economic and Business History Conference in Tokyo, 18-20 February 2009

[pierre.vandereng at anu.edu.au]

Asia-Pacific Economic and Business History Conference 2009
18-20 February 2009, Tokyo (Japan)-- Gakushuin University
Organisation: Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand


CALL for Papers
Due date: 30th November 2008

Papers and proposals for sessions are invited for the 2009 APEBH
conference. The conference theme is ‘Asia-Pacific in International
Economy and Business’, around which the conference programme committee
expects to organise a number of sessions. As at past conferences, the
2009 APEBH programme committee welcomes contributions on other topics in
economic, social, and business history. Early career researchers are
encouraged to participate. Researchers across a range of disciplines are
warmly welcomed, including economists and historians of economic
thought, business, society and management, as well as archivists. The
conference organisers are particularly interested in attracting papers
that examine developments within the Asia-Pacific region (broadly
defined) and/or papers that provide an international comparative
perspective.

The conference theme provides ample opportunities to explore and discuss
historical research that has implications for ongoing discussion on
current topical issues. Arguably, current discussions about processes of
economic and business integration across East Asia and Australasia tend
to suggest that this is a recent phenomenon. Such discussions are often
insufficiently informed by historical studies, which suggest that
economic integration across the Asia-Pacific region and in parts of the
region is actually a recurrence of integration tendencies that
flourished before World War II. In many cases these tendencies stalled
in the aftermath of World War II, when many countries opted to pursue
more inward-looking development paths, until recent decades when
countries embraced more outward-looking paths of development.

What drove the processes of economic and business integration before and
after World War II? What roles did private enterprises and the
internationalisation of their investment play? What role did bilateral
political relations or even regional organisations play? Did sub-regions
set examples in the integration process that other countries followed?
Is the integration process in recent decades essentially different from
earlier processes? Were there significant differences in integration
across industrial sectors; commodities, manufacturing industries and
services? Were there differences between product and factor markets?
What was the role of distant markets in e.g. North America and Europe?

Paper abstracts of one page may be submitted to the address below at any
time up to 30th November 2008. 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. Written papers must be submitted by 15 January 2009. There will
be a refereed paper section for those interested.

A conference paper prize will be awarded, and a selection of papers
(subject to review) will be published in the Australian Economic
History Review.

Further details about the conference can be found at the web page of the
Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand:
http://www.uow.edu.au/commerce/econ/ehsanz/

Please send abstracts and session proposals to Dr Jim McAloon, Human
Sciences Division, Lincoln University, PO Box 84 Canterbury, NEW
ZEALAND. Email: mcaloonj at lincoln.ac.nz