The 34th annual meeting of the Association for Institutional Thought (AFIT) is scheduled to be held from April 10th through the 13th, 2013, at the Grand Hyatt Denver, 1750 Welton Street, in downtown Denver, Colorado, USA. AFIT's 34th annual meeting is held in conjunction with the 55th Annual Conference of the Western Social Science Association (WSSA).

Please consider submitting a paper topic, or even organizing a whole panel of approximately four papers that includes a moderator and discussants.

Our overarching theme for the Denver 2013 Conference:

Advancing our Heterodox Tradition: Promoting Evolutionary and Institutional Thinking

Evolutionary and institutional thinking can be rooted in seminal advances of Thorstein Veblen, especially his efforts to recast economics. Veblen's project sought to extend efforts of Charles Darwin in the natural sciences: to offer a better understanding of our own human prospects through expanding the social sciences to consider evolutionary and institutional thinking.  Carrying on Veblen's project, contributive thinkers such as John R. Commons, Wesley Mitchell, Clarence Ayres, as well as more recent thinkers, such as John Fagg Foster, Marc Tool, Anne Mayhew, Paul Dale Bush, and William Dugger -- offer us inspiration as we seek to further advance and enrich our long-standing, heterodox tradition.

Allen Gruchy dubs our heterodox tradition as an "open system" of thought, allowing us to entertain researchers motivated to explore a wide range of interests in specific topics. Advancing evolutionary and institutional thinking tends to be inclusive.  The conference organizer seeks paper proposals, and even whole sessions that consider theoretical topics that engage both institutional as well as other approaches in economics.   This could include exploring topics in History of Economic Thought, especially from a heterodox perspective, that, for example, considers ideas of Thorstein Veblen and other major contributors to our thought tradition.  A broad set of topics could also include: advancing heterodox microeconomics; promoting the importance of "meso;" combining institutional with post Keynesian inquiry, and research into Feminist Economics.  Comparative Economic Systems, Economic Development, and Globalization Studies could be relied upon for practical inquires into countries and some of their challenges, especially related to the ongoing crisis.   In addition, proposals dealing with philosophy and also biography, as well as topics not considered herein, certainly interest this conference organizer.  AFIT likewise takes a special interest panels that consider pluralism and economic education.

Proposals for completed sessions are encouraged - see the submission format below.  If proposing a completed session, please arrange discussants of papers and a moderator for the session.

AFIT encourages proposals from graduate students, and it is anticipated that at least one and possibly more panels of graduate student papers will be included in the program. In addition AFIT sponsors prizes and awards for outstanding student papers.  A formal announcement of this year's competition can be found at the AFIT web site and consider becoming a member of AFIT.

Proposed Format for a "Paper"

1. Title of Paper; Name of Author; Affiliation; Telephone Number;  E-mail Address. Other Authors.
2. Abstract of approximately 200 words, and  cast in "New Times Roman" 12.

Proposed Format for a "Panel"

1. Title of the Session
2. Title of each Paper (appx. 4)
3. Moderator with Affiliation; Mailing Address; Telephone Number, E-mail Address.
4. Discussant  (s) with Affiliation, Mailing Address; Telephone Number; E-mail Address.
5. Presenters with Affiliations; Mailing Addresses; Telephone Number; E-mail Address.
6. Abstract for each paper approximately 200 words,  "New Times Roman" 12.

Those interested in attending this AFIT Conference or in finding out more about our organization should visit the AFIT website noted above. Conference registration information can be found at the WSSA website. WSSA offers opportunities for registering in advance.

Current membership in AFIT is required for presenting a paper at this Denver conference - no exceptions.  A current membership in WSSA is required for participation in the AFIT program. AFIT's annual membership dues are $25.00, and $15.00 for full-time students.  Queries regarding membership can be addressed to Mary Wrenn, AFIT's Secretary-Treasurer,  [email protected].

For consideration, proposals need to be sent to the conference organizer by December 1, 2012.   Ideally, send proposals by e-mail, and to [email protected].

Download Call for Papers.