Call for Papers International Studies Association 2014: Space, scale and geopolitics in the global governance of waste

We are inviting proposals for papers for the following panel:

Space, scale and geopolitics in the global governance of waste

Panel proposal for the 2014 International Studies Association conference: Spaces and Places: Geopolitics in an Era of Globalization, Toronto (ON), Canada.

Panel co-convenors:

Dr. Kate O’Neill (Associate Professor, University of California, Berkeley, USA) kmoneill[@]berkeley[.]edu

Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega (Assistant Professor, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas, CIDE, Mexico) raul.pacheco-vega[@]cide[.]edu

Governing waste is a complex activity given the transnational, cross-scalar and uneven dimensions of waste production, transportation, recycling and ultimately, disposal. It is an issue characterized by complex politics, and many different sorts of actors. Wastewater generated in a US chemical plant located upstream of a small village in Mexico could very well impact negatively the livelihoods of vulnerable communities downstream. International flows of electronic waste have increased in recent years, and e-waste has become a global concern for policy-makers and environmental activists. Across nations of similar states of economic development, informal recyclers (waste pickers) have very different livelihoods and behavioral patterns, and face myriad challenges of different natures.

In this panel, we seek to explore patterns of global governance of waste, broadly defined. Papers could discuss elements of the issue – for example, spatial patterns of e-waste trading, the transnational dimensions of solid waste management, and/or emergence of informal recycling and related social movements. They could also discuss elements of global/transnational waste governance – for example, recent politics in the Basel Convention on hazardous waste trading or the global politics of sanitation and wastewater governance. We are keen on exploring a diverse array of dimensions of issue (solid waste, hazardous waste, electronic waste and/or wastewater, for example), governance models (multilevel, polycentric) and scales (cross-national comparative studies at the sub-national scales are of interest). We are interested primarily in empirical papers that explore case studies of waste, wastewater and waste governance through the lenses of scale, space and politics. We are also interested in theoretical papers that frame a multidisciplinary conversation bridging geography, political science and international relations theories. Finally, we seek comparative and globally-focused papers that would enable us to create more generalizable and testable hypotheses on how waste is governed globally and whether we can ascertain specific policy pathways for a more sustainable society.

Paper proposals should be 250 words or less and should be submitted to Dr. Kate O’Neill (kmoneill[@]berkeley[.]edu) and Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega (raul[.]pacheco[-]vega[@]cide[.]edu) by May 25th, 2013 at 4pm PST. Please include paper author affiliation, contact details, and 3 keywords in your abstract submission.

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