Call for papers deadline: 28 February 2011
Conference Date: 3/4 June 2011

Over the last three decades, the expansion of transnational diasporas and the rapid growth of transport and telecommunications system have intensified links between the urban spaces of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Increasing global mobility has fostered the development of 'informal’ trading networks in which diasporas communities play a central role. As a consequence, the shadow economies of societies with vastly different levels of prosperity have begun to come into contact with one another. While the economic consequences of diasporas trading networks have been extensively explored over the past few decades, the cultural and political impact of the globalization of the economic underground has received much less attention.

This two-day conference at King's College London within the context of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence seeks to bring together scholars from a variety of disciplines including contemporary history, law, political science, sociology, migration studies, geography and economics to examine these shifts in the structure and scope of shadow economies. In particular we are keen to explore the following areas:

* The relationship between migration and the shadow economy.
* The ways in which shadow economies define 'insider' and
'outsider' status. * Policy responses to underground economies.
* Particular forms of shadow economic behavior prevalent within immigrant diasporas.
* How informal trading networks have facilitated the movement of ideas.
* The impact that informal trading networks have on wider economic development.
* Modalities and techniques of money laundering

The deadline for submitting paper proposals is 28th February 2011.