CFP HES-AFEE session at ASSA

The History of Economics Society (HES) and the Association for Evolutionary Economics (AFEE) are pleased to announce their wish for a joint session on 'John R. Commons, a founder of Original Institutional Economics', to be hosted during the upcoming ASSA meetings in San Francisco, CA, January 3-5, 2025.

Topic: Educated in the German tradition of economics by his mentor Richard T. Ely, Commons brought a historical perspective to bear on our understanding of the American economy. In so doing, he contributed very significantly to the development of American institutionalism, a leading approach in the field of economics before WWII. The combination of economic and legal issues was a hallmark of Commons' writings, culminating in his masterpiece Legal Foundations of Capitalism (1924), whose centenary we commemorate this year. Commons introduced the economics profession to influential ideas about transactions, contracting, and the importance of rules and the law. He also highlighted the notion of 'reasonable value' and the impact exerted by the courts on economic life. Legal Foundations of Capitalism attributed a significant role to the legal system in the well-functioning of markets and the economy, especially during periods of fundamental change. 

Submissions of individual paper or panel proposals for this joint session should observe the details below:

Deadline for submissions: May 1, 2024

Membership requirement: At least one of the authors of any paper, as well as each contributor to a panel must be a current member of AFEE.

Submissions: Please submit your individual paper or panel proposals by email to [log in to unmask] and also [log in to unmask]

A proposal for presentation of a paper or for presentation in a panel must include the following:

·       Names & full contact details of Corresponding Author

·       Name & full contact details of Presenting Author

·       List of all co-authors, including affiliation and email addresses

·       Title of the paper

·       Abstract (max. 250 words)

·       2 JEL codes

·       3 keywords