Special Issue with AIER’s Public Choice and Public Policy Project

Call for Papers: The Impact of Special Jurisdictions on the economic, policy, legal, and social aspects of community and business development. Over the past 40 years, special jurisdictions, also known as special economic zones, have emerged as a popular policy tool for promoting economic growth, attracting foreign investment, and improving the ease of doing business at a local and global scale. These designated areas have unique legal, economic, and regulatory frameworks that differ from the rest of the country, providing businesses with a more favorable environment to operate in. 

Despite their impact, the  effects of special jurisdictions are a topic of debate and discussion among policy makers and researchers . Some argue that special jurisdictions have been successful in promoting economic growth, creating jobs, increasing freedom, and improving the overall business climate, while critics question their effectiveness, and the potential negative impact on labor standards, environmental protection, and social welfare, as well as their efficacy of promoting free-market reforms.

This call for papers invites researchers and scholars to explore the impact of special jurisdictions on multiple aspects, economic, political, social, technological and even environmental. Possible topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• The impact that special jurisdictions have had on economic freedom, individual liberty, and free-market capitalism, and how they may help to promote or hinder free-market values.
• The economic impact of special jurisdictions on local and national economies, including their impact on innovation, entrepreneurship, job creation, and foreign direct investment.
• The legal and regulatory framework of special jurisdictions and its impact on businesses, including the role of property rights, contracts, and dispute resolution mechanisms.
• The political and social implications of special jurisdictions on local communities and the nations as a whole, including their impact on labor standards, environmental protection, social welfare, and public policy.
• The role of special jurisdictions in promoting international trade, including their impact on trade policy, tariffs, and non-tariff barriers.
• The challenges and opportunities for businesses operating in special jurisdictions, including issues related to governance, corruption, and access to finance.
• The comparison of special jurisdictions in different countries and regions, and their impact on the ease of doing business.

We welcome empirical, theoretical, and comparative studies, as well as case studies and interdisciplinary approaches. We especially welcome papers that use Public Choice to analyze the impacts of Special Jurisdictions. Papers should aim to provide new insights and contribute to the academic and policy debates on the impact of special jurisdictions.

Submission Guidelines:

• Full papers, in English, should be submitted by August 30th, 2023, through the Author’s section of the Journal of Special Jurisdictions website. 
• Papers should be between 6,500 and 12,000 words, excluding references and appendices.
• All papers will be subject to a double-blind peer review process.
• Accepted papers will be published in a special issue of the Journal of Special Jurisdictions done in collaboration with AIER.

Important Dates:

Call for papers announced: April 10th, 2023

Abstract submission: June 15, 2023

Submission deadline: August 30th, 2023

Notification of acceptance/rejection: September 30th 2023

Revisions due (if applicable): November 1st, 2023

Publication date: December 1st 2023

Guest Editors

Ryan Yonk from the American Institute for Economic Research