http://hq.ssrn.com/conference=Children-Youth-in-Crisis

We are delighted to invite you to submit papers to the Children and Youth in Crisis Conference co-hosted by the World Bank and the Jacobs Foundation.

About the Conference:
The conference will bring together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to amass their expertise on the impact of crises on the human capital development process of children and youth. Participants will include academics engaged in research in the areas of health, education, labor (including child labor), social protection, and human development and welfare more generally; World Bank staff from Washington and country offices; and policymakers involved in the development and implementation of social safety net programs and other responses to the crisis targeted at shielding children and youth from negative impacts. The particular focus is on developing countries. The conference will be structured in order to encourage active participation and a stimulated and effective exchange of ideas among participants to ensure high quality results.

Subject and guidelines:
There is ample reason to believe that, in the absence of formal social insurance systems, systemic economic shocks significantly decrease the effectiveness of alternative, informal coping mechanisms. In the face of a drop in public expenditure, poor households may find it difficult to sustain their own investments in their children's human capital which may result in irreversible consequences. These impacts can all lead to lower productivity, lower economic growth and development, and continued susceptibility to future economic crises. Hence, the long-run consequences and costs of the crisis, both private and to society at large may be more severe than those observed in the short run.
Through this call for papers we seek high quality research analyzing the areas of health, education, youth employment/school-to-work transition, and child labor, which will deepen our understanding of the impacts of financial crises (past and present) on the development of children and youth, and what policies best address these risks in order to avoid long-term negative effects expressed, for example, in lower levels of education, higher rates and longer spells of unemployment, life-long lower income earning potential, and lower life expectancy.

The focus is on developing countries; developed country studies will be considered; studies focusing on low income countries, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa are encouraged and will be given special consideration. Studies using data from the current global crisis are encouraged. Other outcomes, such as risky behavior, teenage pregnancy etc., will be given equal consideration.

Publication:
Selected papers will be considered for publication in a dedicated volume of an accredited policy journal. Please note that papers have to be unpublished at the time of submission in order to be considered for the journal publication.

Expert Committee:
To date we are honored to announce the participation of the following (non-World Bank) experts:

Lawrence Aber (Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University)
Sarah Baird (Department of Global Health, GeorgeWashington University)
Jere Behrman (Dept. of Economics, University of Pennsylvania)
Suzanne Duryea (Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, DC)
Eric Edmonds (Dept. Of Economics, Dartmouth College)
Michèle Lamont (Dept. Of Sociology, Harvard University)
Ann Masten (Dept. of Psychology, University of Minnesota)
Susan Parker (Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE), Mexico City)
Rainer Silbereisen (Dept. of Developmental Psychology, University of Jena, Germany)

For current updates, please go to:
http://hq.ssrn.com/conference=Children-Youth-in-Crisis

Travel and Accommodation:
Economy airfare up to $1000 (exceptions made on a case by case basis) and accommodation during the conference will be reimbursed for invited presenters; participation in entire conference is expected. Arrival on May 4th is recommended; the conference will be all day 5th and 6th of May 2011.

Submission:
Researchers interested in participating should submit a paper or extended abstract (including results) by February 28, 2011 at: http://hq.ssrn.com/conference=Children-Youth-in-Crisis .

Only papers and/or extended abstracts/executive summaries including results will be accepted.