Revisiting the Transportation Revolution
Generations of economic historians have written extensively about the
economic impact of the transportation improvements. Nevertheless, new tools,
new data, and new techniques derived from geographic information systems,
economic geography, and the like continue to offer better measures of the
impact of the improvements in roads, ships, railroads, and planes (and the
infrastructure which support them). They also provide new insights into the
short and long term effects of these changes and how they have shaped our
world by diminishing the importance of space and place. Once upon a time,
distance in the form of time and money protected producers and isolated
communities and cultures. Improved communications and transportation have
eroded these—a process which continues to this day as these technologies
evolve.
The Program Committee (Robert Margo, Boston University (Chair); Ran
Abramitzky, Stanford University; Leah Boustan, UCLA; and Eugene White,
Rutgers University) welcomes submissions on all subjects in economic
history, though some preference will be given to papers that specifically
fit the above theme. All papers should be submitted individually. Authors
may suggest that three particular papers would fit well together in a
session but such suggestions are in no way binding upon the Committee.
Papers should in all cases be works in progress rather than accepted or
published work and authors should let the program committee know, at the
time of application, if the paper they are proposing has already been
submitted for publication. Individuals who presented or co-authored a
paper at the 2011 meeting are generally not eligible for inclusion in the
2012 program.
Papers and session proposals should be submitted online:
www.eh.net/eha/meetings/submissions. The submission system is open from
October 24 onwards. Paper proposals should include a 3-5 page précis and a
150-word abstract suitable for publication in the Journal of Economic
History. Papers should be submitted by Friday, 27 January, 2012 to ensure
consideration.
Graduate students are encouraged to attend the meeting. The Association
offers subsidies for travel, hotel, registration, and meals, including a
special graduate student dinner. A poster session welcomes work from
dissertations in progress. Applications for the poster session should be
submitted online and are due no later than May 18, 2012.
Information on how
to submit will be posted at eh.net/eha/meetings/2012-meeting.
The
dissertation session convened by Naomi Lamoreaux (Yale University) and
Joachim Voth (Pompeu Fabra University) will honor six dissertations
completed during the 2011-2012 academic year. The submission deadline is
May 15, 2012. The Allan Nevins and Alexander Gerschenkron prizes will be
awarded to the best dissertations on North American and non-North American
topics
respectively.
For further information, check eh.net/eha/meetings/2012-meeting.
which also includes information on travel options to Vancouver, Canada; or
contact Meetings Coordinator Jari Eloranta at elorantaj
appstate.edu.
