Call for Papers (CfP) on Convergence for Integration in a Global World

 

Call for Papers (CfP) on Convergence for Integration in a Global World

 

The Law and Economics Department at Universidad Externado (Colombia), Universidad del Rosario (Colombia), the Latin American Network of International Economic Law – Red LatDEI, and the Federal University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), in collaboration with the Society of International Economic Law (SIEL), the World Trade Institute (WTI), and Corporación Escenarios (Colombia), are inviting practitioners, researchers, and academics committed with the study and promotion of Latin American integration, as well with the processes and experiences in Africa, to participate in the event "Convergence for Integration in a Global World" to be held at  Universidad Externado in Bogotá on October 3rd and 4th, 2024.

Current economic, social, and political challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean have led CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) to propose the recovery of UNASUR and working towards the convergence of integration organizations in the region. The Declaration at the VII Summit in Buenos Aires in 2023 reaffirmed the commitment of its 33 countries and the consensus to "move forward with determination in the integration process, promoting political, economic, social, and cultural unity and diversity" in Latin America.

The process of strengthening regional integration includes the need to resuming spaces paralysed by their politicisation, restoring organisations' credibility before citizens, and making globalisation policies and its promises effective at the local level.

This Conference purposes are to delve into, dissect, and engage in robust discussions about the challenges, progress, and opportunities of the various aspects upon which Latin American and Caribbean convergence can be based and projected into the future. Moreover, it offers a chance to compare this process with the African experience, fostering a deeper understanding of both regions' integration processes.

We welcome a diverse range of contributions with different approaches and disciplines. These can include works on the Convergence on commercial and political agreements between Latin American and Caribbean countries, works on the diffusion of culture and identity across regional borders, and works in research and development areas. We also encourage submissions on topics such as digital connectivity, transnational migration, shared environment, and other relevant aspects of regional integration.

This will be a space for close meetings between political and technical institutions of States, the regional integration organisations with academic circles. This event provides an exceptional opportunity to present recent research from law, economics, political science, and international relations on Convergence processes in Latin America, where proposals are expected on:

1.       Issues related to how a new CELAC should be and how it could become the foreign ministry of Latin America and the Caribbean, when acting as a bloc in global scenarios.

2.       The role and relaunch of UNASUR, its integration agenda, and proposals for modifications to strengthen it as a complementary mechanism to the work of the new CELAC.

3.       Proposals for Convergence of subregional integration mechanisms, their strengths, weaknesses, specialities, and possible roadmaps towards Convergence to strengthen joint actions.

4.       Economically, the development of social value chains and endogenous engines of growth and inclusion.

Within the general themes, we expect to receive papers related to the conclusions reached at the regional authorities' meeting on Convergence in Bogotá in 2023, some of which include:

·         The main contributions or limitations of Convergence

·         Convergence of ESG criteria (environmental, social, and governance) in the context of global and regional sustainability initiatives and corporate governance.

·         The use of accumulated specialities from different integration institutions to eliminate duplications.

·         Depoliticization and deideologization of the discussion on integration and Convergence.

·         Food and pharmaceutical security

·         Regional energy integration

·         Regional citizenship

·         Digital transformation

·         Policies for sustainable convergence and internationalisation

·         Construction of new regional and global value chains with a social component

·         New roles in the multilateral scenario

·         Construction of economic corridors for integration

·         The experience of economic integration in Africa and building bridges with Latin America and the Caribbean.

·         Convergence and energy transition

·         Convergence, sustainable reindustrialisation, and integration of physical infrastructure.

SIEL will sponsor two high-quality proposals from African academics, and the Latin American Network of International Economic Law will sponsor four academics working in academic institutions in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Other participants will cover their own accommodation and airfare expenses.

Selected contributions that meet the editorial parameters will be published in a physical book and Open Access during the first semester of 2025.

Michelle Sánchez-Ratton, Fabio Morosini, Enrique Prieto, and José Manuel Alvarez Z will make up the academic committee that will evaluate and select the proposals.

Interested parties can submit their panel or article proposals in Spanish, English, or Portuguese under the following guidelines:

·         An abstract in Word format not exceeding 500 words

·         It must include a brief biography and affiliation, contact information, and links to networking platforms such as Linkedin, Orcid, or Google Scholar.

Deadlines

The deadline for submitting paper proposals is May 31, 2024, and the accepted proposals will be announced on June 17, 2024.

On September 30, 2024, selected speakers will submit a 2000-word summary.

The conference will take place on October 3rd and 4th, 2024.

For detailed information on the event, topics of interest, and presentation guidelines, please get in touch with dianama.beltran@uexternado.edu.co; natalia.figueiredo@unifesp.br

We urge you not to miss this valuable opportunity to participate in an enriching and transcendent academic dialogue on Latin American convergence and its role in the global arena. Your experience and perspective are essential to shed light on this crucial topic. We look forward to your participation enthusiastically.