Invitation to the International Public Administration and Public Policy Scientific Conference
DECENTRALIZATION POLICIES: RESHUFFLING THE SCENE May 7-10, 2015 University of Zagreb Centre for Advanced Academic Studies (CAAS), Dubrovnik, Croatia http://www.caas.unizg.hr
Organisation of the Conference • Institute for Public Administration, Croatia In collaboration with and support from • RC 05 Comparative Studies on Local Government and Politics of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) • RC 32 Public Policy & Administration of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) • Croatian Political Science Association, Croatia • Faculty of Law, Study Centre for Public Administration and Public Finance, University of Zagreb, Croatia • Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia Conference theme Decentralization Policies: Reshuffling the Scene General aim and topic of the Conference Decentralization policies have been on the agenda in a number of countries for a long time. They include widening local autonomy as well as the scope of local affairs and responsibilities, territorial rescaling, strive for local democracy and accountability, building local capacities and professionalism, new local financial arrangements, building partnerships with regional and central institutions, and the like. Decentralisation is deeply connected with the change of power structure in national contexts. The results can be of win-win, win-lose, but also of lose-lose type. Generally, the beginning of economic crisis in 2008 made decentralisation policies precarious. The power game between political actors has become more dynamic, in some cases even brutal. The conference would like to explore decentralization policies that have been recently undertaken, their realms, components, triggers, short- and long-term effects, and prerequisites of successful decentralisation. Specific themes that will be covered during the conference: • Decentralization policies and processes – values, components, challenges, expectations, effects • Territorial restructuring and reform of functions of local and regional authorities in multi-level governance settings • Decentralisation as democratisation – legitimacy and efficiency • Evaluation of current decentralisation reforms Date and Conference format The conference will last from Thursday, May 7 to Sunday, May 10, 2015 and will be held in the CAAS premises in Dubrovnik It will be organized in the form of plenary sessions and several topical panel sessions Tentative schedule of the Conference is the following: • Thursday – afternoon session – opening of the Conference and the PhD panels • Friday – morning and afternoon sessions • Saturday – morning and afternoon sessions • Sunday – morning session and closing of the Conference Detailed schedule will be sent later. Publication opportunities Selection of presented papers will be submitted for publication in the international scientific journal Croatian and Comparative Public Administration, which is published by the Institute for Public Administration. Important dates - 31 January 2015 – Submission of abstracts to the Organizing Committee - 15 February 2015 – Notification of abstract acceptance - 1 March 2015 – Circulation of Draft Conference Programme - 31 March 2015 – Submission of draft papers - 7-10 May 2015 – Conference in Dubrovnik Venue and accommodation The Conference will be organized at the Centre for Advanced Academic Studies (CAAS) in Dubrovnik, Croatia (address: Don Frana Bulića 4, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia). CAAS is located in the very heart of Dubrovnik, less then five-minute walk from the Old City. Accommodation for participants is reserved at CAAS residence for the period 7-10 of May 2015 and organizers will cover accommodation costs for the invited paper givers and participants. Web site of CAAS: http://www.caas.unizg.hr/accomodation.html All participants are kindly asked to take necessary steps for their travel arrangements soon after their participation is confirmed by the Organizing Committee. The Dubrovnik Airport has good connections (direct or indirect) with all main European airports. Organising committee - Professor Ivan Koprić, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, ivan.kopric@pravo.hr - Professor Zdravko Petak, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, petakzdravko@gmail.com - Professor Fred Lazin (IPSA RC 5, chair), Ben Gurion University, Israel lazin@bgu.ac.il - Professor Robert Hoppe (IPSA RC 32, chair), University of Twente, Netherlands, r.hoppe@utwente.nl - Assistant Professor Vedran Đulabić, assistant professor, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, vedran.dulabic@pravo.hr
Additional information For any additional information please contact: Assistant Professor Vedran Đulabić – vedran.dulabic@pravo.hr Dr Jasmina Džinić – jdzinic@pravo.hr
