CALL FOR PAPERS OR PROPOSAL (10th SAESM)

SAESM-NEPAL would like to invite full papers or proposal from Nepali undergraduate economics students for the upcoming regional event-10 South Asian Economics Students Meet (SAESM) to be held in Lahore, Pakistan in December, 2013. The South Asian Economics Students Meet is a yearly conference of undergraduate students of economics from across South Asia, hosted by a network of South Asian universities. This year Lahore University of Management Sciecnes (LUMS) is hosting the event. Last year, SAESM Nepal, Central Department of Economics, Tribhuvan University hosted the event in Nepal in December. SAESM Nepal is being coordinated by a team of faculties from Central Department of Economics(CEDECON), Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal under the leadership of Prof. Bishwambher Pyakuryal.

SAESM Nepal Team

Prof. Bishwambher Pyakuryal, Coordinator

Mr. Naveen Adhikari(Member Secretary), Lecturer, CEDECON, TU

Mr. Baburam Karki(Member), Lecturer, CEDECON, TU

Mr. Khagendra Katuwal (Member), Lecturer, CEDECON,TU

Mr. Nirmal K. Raut( Member), Lecturer, CEDECON, TU

All undergraduate students with strong knowledge on economics are called to submit their concept note or full papers by end of September, 2013 to address saesm.nepal@gmail.com with cc to nabueco@gmail.com. The guidelines for preparing concept is available on same blog (http://saesm-nepal.blogspot.com/2012/09/guideline-for-writing-concept-note.html). The selection committee will then make final selection for participation. All selected students must submit their full and final papers  by November, 2013. The details are provided below, yet had there any query, write email to saesm.nepal@gmail.com.

Details of 10th SAESM

There are three events planned this year, with some important changes to existing rules. As in previous years, a total of ten students from each country team will participate, accompanied by two faculty members.  

Six participants from each country will write and present individual research papers on six sub-themes in the area of political economy. The remaining four participants from each country will together participate in a quiz competition. 

Participation in the prestigious Budding Economist of South Asia event will be mandatory for all students participating in the quiz competition; it will be optional for students presenting papers. The objective is to allow all students the chance to participate in this event. 

Further details of all three events follow below. 

Call for Research Papers The questions listed under each theme are only suggestive and meant to help the students explore areas and questions within the themes. It is not intended that authors attempt to answer all of them in one paper, nor does the inclusion of these questions here suggest that there aren’t different and possibly better questions for exploration under these themes. The themes are: 

A - The political economy of access to capital What is the importance of capital to economic growth? What are the constraints to the free availability of capital to all? What determines the ease of access to capital for various economic agents? How do formal and informal rules impact access to capital? How do non-economic factors such as race, ethnicity and family networks determine the extent of access to capital? What has been South Asia’s experience with microfinance? What can be done to improve the access to capital for disadvantaged groups?

               

   B – The political economy of energy and natural resource use How does access to energy, and to natural resources such as surface and subsurface water, clean air, minerals, forests, and other natural resources impact economic decisions in other spheres? How is access to these resources determined? How do economic decisions and the political process impact the production, protection and maintenance of natural resources and the environment in South Asia? 

C – The political economy of modernization What is the role played by the political process in determining how a country attempts to move towards modernity? How is urbanization changing the politics of resource allocation in South Asia? What determines government policies towards the agricultural, industrial and service sectors? How are attitudes towards modernization formed in different social groups, and how do these attitudes in turn impact economic policy? 

D – The political economy of public finance What processes determine a government’s economic role? How do public perceptions and opinions shape government expenditures? How has the size of government changed in South Asia, and what has been its impact? How has politics influenced the privatization process? How have taxes for various sectors been determined in various countries of South Asia? How have taxes caused distortion of resource allocation? What are the political costs associated with different forms of government financing? What formal checks and informal costs limit the government’s ability to print money in South Asia? How can South Asian countries increase the tax net and reduce reliance on indirect taxation?  

E – The political economy of social security What factors determine the level of social insurance and old-age benefits in South Asia? What have been the biggest challenges to South Asia’s provision of basic social security (such as food, housing, health and education) to disadvantaged groups? Do elected officials favor the provision of some types of social security over others? What political processes determine the level of inter- generational transfers within South Asia? 

F – The political economy of international trade How do countries determine the rules and processes through which they conduct international trade? What is the role of domestic politics in shaping international trade? How does trade influence international conflict in South Asia? What is the role played by international institutions in shaping South Asian countries’ trade patterns? 

Guidelines: • Authors should follow the American Psychological Association (APA) style for referencing and in-text citation.  

• The formatting must be Times New Roman, size 12 font; with 1.5 line spacing; and standard (1 inch) margins. Page numbers should be included. 

• Any tables and figures included should be numbered, and should be in black and white. 

• A title page should include the theme title, paper title, names of the author, institution and country respectively, and the date, as well as an abstract. 

• It is recommended that papers consider including a statement of the problem/research question; literature review; methodology; results and discussion, and conclusions and recommendations. The actual structure of papers may differ according to whether a case study, literature review, theoretic, or empirical study is attempted. It is strongly recommended that students consult their professors and

country coordinators to understand proper structuring, as well as studying how academic journal articles are structured. 

• Your work will be judged first and foremost on the level of its economic content. This means that it must be clear upon reading the paper that the author has had training in economic science, and is making distinctly economic arguments. While other aspects of writing, such as structure, clarity, style, topical content and relevance to South Asia are also important, we wish to stress this first criterion, since students sometimes fail to address it sufficiently. 

Quiz Competition Each country will field a team of four participants in the quiz competition. The competition will consist of questions about economics of both an academic and general nature. Past competitions have tested participants on a wide set of questions, ranging from general questions about classical works, Nobel Laureates, and significant recent contributions to testing knowledge about specific definitions, models and equations. 

Each participant of the quiz competition must also participate individually in the Budding Economist competition. 

Budding Economist of South Asia All participants are eligible to compete in the Budding Economist competition this year. This is a competition that seeks to test individuals on a variety of skill sets. Participants must submit a three-page essay; take a written test of their knowledge of microeconomics, macroeconomics and development economics; participate in a visual round in which they will have to discuss the economic aspects of an image of an everyday object; and finally answer questions from a panel of judges in the final event of the meet. 

The essay is due November 15th, and the topic is: “Can South Asia experience economic reform without political revolution?” A panel of judges will evaluate the essays. Marks on the essay will be carried forward, and no eliminations will be done at this stage. 

During the event, all participants will take the written test. The first elimination will be done by combining the results of the test with the essay marks. About twenty students will then take part in the visual round, and the top seven will proceed to the final interview stage. 

Retreat A 2-3 day recreational retreat after the conference is an integral part of the SAESM experience. This is a chance for students from across the region to interact more closely, learn about their similarities and differences, and develop ties across borders.  

The retreat is compulsory for all participants, and is not subsidized. The cost of the retreat is included in the registration fee. Further logistical details about the retreat will follow later.