Call for papers

The financial crisis has created a new economic environment that poses a threat to the welfare state as well as economic and social progress. Greece and other Southern European countries have been severely affected by the financial crisis, but less affected countries have also been forced to make severe cuts to welfare programmes. In the UK, for instance, the financial crisis has led the new government to set a course which will take public spending below US levels by 2013.

It has been argued that the financial crisis represents a qualitative shift in our understanding of the role of the state and the nature of our welfare system. For instance, the financial crisis has shown that there are close links and spill-over between national economies, particularly in the euro zone. Furthermore, while emphasizing economic growth, the financial crisis has also made the task of securing economic growth more difficult. It has even been argued that the qualitative shift in the nature of our welfare system challenges the existing scientific dogmas and the disciplines of the social sciences. It may be asked whether the crisis is an intellectual and academic crisis.

Whatever the case, the financial crisis has certainly intensified or accelerated existing challenges such as globalisation, individualisation, post-industrialisation, demographic ageing, low fertility, immigration, changes in the life-courses and family structures, public risk perception, and new normative ideals (e.g. neo-liberalism, communitarianism) etc. Most commentators thus support the idea that high levels of debt and long-term problems related to ageing populations create an inescapable need to deal with challenges to public finances; that individualisation and ethnic diversity call for new and more effective forms of steering; that post-industrialisation calls for the deregulation of labour markets etc. However, new forms of risk management and changes in the welfare architecture will undoubtedly create new outputs and outcomes, as well as a new complex pattern of winners and losers.

The organizers invite all sorts of theoretical, methodological and empirical papers addressing all aspects of welfare state challenges, including themes such as:

• What is the substance of welfare state challenges?

• Has the financial crisis intensified welfare challenges? If so, how?

• How can challenges be measured?

• Have new forms of steering emerged in the face of welfare state challenges?

• How have welfare state challenges restructured welfare programs?

• Who are the new winners and losers?

• Have welfare state challenges fostered new social cleavages?

• Have welfare state challenges fostered new public risk perception?

• Have welfare state challenges challenged the disciplines of the social sciences?

Keynote speakers: Kees van Kersbergen, Bent Sofus Tranøy, Henrik Bang, Wim van Oorschot and Tine Rostgaard.

Call for papers and research notes:

The conference is aimed at presenting papers, but also at informal exchange of ideas. This is why the conference takes place at an old manor, where informal discussions can continue after the sessions. It means that presenting short research notes will also in principle be possible. However, the number of participants (including key note speakers who participate in the conference) is limited to 40, and paper givers are prioritized.

The conference organizers invites submission of abstracts for papers and research notes (about one page). Please indicate whether you want to present “normal” paper (some 15-20 pages) or “research note” (some 5-10 pages).

Deadline for applications: January 14, 2011  NB! Has been extended to February 20

Send applications to Merete Ejsing-Duun (ime@epa.aau.dk)

with cc. to Per H. Jensen (perh@epa.aau.dk)

Information about acceptance of participation will be sent to applicants by February 1, 2011. Max. no. of participants: 40

Price: 500 Euro (3.750 DKK) (covers conference fee, accommodation for two nights and all meals for 2½ days; contact conference organizers if you need additional accomodation)

Deadline for papers: Papers (and research notes) should be submitted as soon as possible and not later than February 20, 2011. Send to Merete Ejsing-Duun (ime@epa.aau.dk)

Papers will be available from the conference homepage at www.ccws.dk (currently being established)

Store Restrup Herregaard is an old manor situated some 12 km. SW of Aalborg (=taxi distance from airport). http://www.slotshotel.dk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=47

There are about 20 daily flight connections Aalborg-Copenhagen which is the main domestic route, and some direct connections from Aalborg to a number of European cities. Train distance from Copenhagen: about 4½ hours.

Programme:

Wednesday, March 2

10.00-12.00 Arrival and registration

12.00-13.00 Lunch

13.00-13.15 Welcome and introduction / Per H. Jensen

13.15-14.15 Keynote: Kees van Kersbergen: “Did the financial crisis intensify the pressure to reform the welfare state?”

14.20-15.20 Keynote: Bent Sofus Tranøy: “Supply-side bias and rational cheats: Reflections on the status of political economy and neighbouring disciplines in the wake of the great financial crisis”

15.20-15.45 Coffee break

15.45-18.00 Paper presentations in parallel sessions no.1-2

19.00 Dinner

Thursday, March 3

09.00-10.00 Keynote: Henrik Bang: “Complexity, individualisation and culture governance”

10.15-12.00 Paper presentations in parallel sessions no. 3-4

12.00-13.00 Lunch

13.00-15.40 Paper presentations in parallel sessions no. 5-6

15.40-16.00 Coffee break

16.00-17.00 Keynote: Wim van Oorschot: “Feelings of insecurity among European workers in the context of flexicurity policies and the financial crisis”

17.10-18.00 Paper presentations in parallel sessions no. 7-8

19.00 Dinner

Friday, march 4

09.00-10.45 Paper presentation in parallel sessions no. 9-10:

11.00-12.00 Keynote: Tine Rostgaard: “Social care as a response to the demographic challenges: closing the gab or creating new tensions?”

12.00-12.15 Closing the conference / Christian Albrekt Larsen

12.00-13.00 Lunch and departure