Call for Papers: Municipal Transformation and Economic Equality Graduate Student Conference

Posted by Rutgers University on February 13, 2017

Call for papers!

Rutgers University–Camden Campus Department of Public Policy and Administration Ph.D. Program in
Public Affairs/Community Development presents:

Municipal Transformation and Economic Equality Graduate Student Conference
March 28, 2017, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

In an age of fiscal austerity, what strategies are available to local municipalities to develop a strong economic base? How do municipal policymakers ensure that policies are equitable? How can municipalities make use of vacant land and deteriorating infrastructure to promote economic development?

This year’s conference aims to address these questions through four focus areas:

1. Private financing strategies
For decades, attracting outside business has been the de facto strategy for developing local economies in distressed cities. How well do these policies work, and how can they be re-designed to work better for community residents?

2. Public financing strategies
What options are available to municipalities to spur economic development with public finance? How have tax policies (i.e., tax-increment financing, tax abatements) impacted local economic development? What new models exist for using public expenditures to spur equitable local economic development?

3. Residential Benefits & Equitable Distribution
How can municipalities ensure that their strategies for economic development are equitable for current residents and that they do not cause significant displacement?

4. Land use & Infrastructure Improvements in Distressed Cities
How can municipalities finance infrastructure improvements that spur economic development? What are some creative ways of implementing and financing new trends in local economic development, such as micro-grids and neighborhood energy utilities?

We encourage empirically-grounded work employing a range of methodologies—from case study analysis, to historical institutional approaches and statistical modeling – and seek participation from students in graduate programs in urban studies, public policy, planning, political science and related fields. Accepted papers will be grouped into four panels, with an invited faculty discussant from Rutgers University and other prominent research universities in our region. We are planning for a dynamic keynote speaker, and encourage controversial findings and stimulating debate. Please submit an abstract of 300 words or less to http://gsconference.camden.rutgers.edu/submissions/. Full papers are due March 20, 2017.

Deadline for Proposal Abstracts: February 20, 2017