IASC News and Announcements

IASC 2007 North American Regional Conference

Theme: “Transitions in Defining and Utilizing North American Commons”
Host: Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Memorial University
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Dates: July 31 – August 3, 2007

Plenary speakers are:

Dr. Fikret Berkes
Professor and Canada Research Chair
University of Manitoba
Title of Talk: Governance systems and role of communities: The challenge of scale

Dr. Roberto Enriquez-Andrade
Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
Title of Talk: Globalization and market pressures on Mexico’s marine and coastal commons: 12 years of NAFTA

Registration is now open and participants and observers are encouraged to register early for discounted conference rates at: http://www.swgc.mun.ca/iasc2007/index.asp . Individuals not wanting to register online may complete the attached registration form.

The theme of the meeting is “Transitions in Defining and Utilizing North American Commons.”

We welcome proposals for panels, workshops, directed discussion sessions, individual papers, and posters relating to the following topics:

* Societal vision, goals, and objectives regarding the Commons and human well being;
* Expanding conceptions of the Commons, including the ‘New Commons’;
* Reducing conflict, improving management, and increasing efficiency in traditional natural resource (e.g., fisheries, forestry, agriculture, wildlife, water) sectors;
* Out-migration and eroding human/social capital in resource-dependent rural regions;
* Global benefits versus local costs – sustaining local and regional stewardship capacity;
* Global costs versus local benefits – mitigating the external costs of local resource use;
* International institutions and the Commons (e.g., Kyoto Protocol, NAFO, NAFTA);
* Globalization and market pressures on North American common pool resources;
* Aboriginal perceptions, goals, and governance issues in North American Commons;
* Theoretical and methodological advances in Commons research;
* Commons research – making the transition from information to public policy; and
* Resource management and challenges in Newfoundland and Labrador (e.g., fishery collapses, rural out-migration, sealing, tourism development, hydroelectric development).

Panels, Workshops, Directed Discussions. Submit an abstract to organize a 1.5 hour concurrent panel session (3 to 4 speakers and session chair), workshop (a practically-oriented session with 2 or 3 speakers, session facilitator, and sufficient time for audience questions), or directed discussion (a facilitator(s) stimulates audience participation on a particular topic). Abstracts should be a maximum of 350 words and include names and affiliations of the organizer and individual presenters (if applicable). Abstracts for panels, workshops and directed discussions are due February 16, 2007. Confirmation of acceptance will be sent by March 9. Panel session presenters will need to submit an abstract for their individual papers by March 23 (see below).

Individual Papers. Submit an abstract to give a 20-minute oral presentation. Abstracts should be a maximum of 250 words. Include the name, title and affiliation of each author. Abstracts will be peer reviewed and are due March 23, 2007. Confirmation of acceptance of the abstract will be sent by April 27, 2007. Final papers are due June 22, 2007 (details will be sent to authors upon abstract acceptance).

Posters. Submit an abstract to present a poster. Abstracts should be a maximum of 250 words. Include the name, title and affiliation of each author. Posters can be used to present research results, case studies, or provide information about practitioner initiatives relating to the management of the Commons. Abstracts are due June 22, 2007.

Conference Proceedings. All abstracts and submitted papers will be made available online. All conference paper submissions will be peer reviewed and successful papers will be published in full in an edited conference volume.

Submission of Abstracts. All abstracts must be submitted electronically in Word, text, or PDF format. Abstracts should be submitted to the Conference Chair, Murray Rudd, via email (mrudd@swgc.mun.ca).

Additional information about the venue, program, and accommodations is available on the conference website at: http://www.swgc.mun.ca/iasc2007/index.asp.