International Conference “Can it happen again? Sustainable policies to mitigate and prevent financial crises”

The University of Macerata – Department of Economic and Financial Institutions (DIEF), Department of Studies on Economic Development (DiSSE) and Laboratorio Vicarelli is pleased to announce an International Conference that will take place in Macerata on 1 and 2 October 2010.
The theme of the Conference will be “Can it happen again? Sustainable policies to mitigate and prevent financial crises”.
In 1982 discussing financial instability and the Great Depression, H. Minsky asked «Can it happen again?». His answer was a qualified no, provided appropriate stabilisation policies were adopted. Forty years on, the world is going through another crisis; the most severe in a long series. Financial crises are usually addressed through a mixture of government-sponsored bailouts, liquidity injections and fiscal expansion. Many believe this policy mix is structurally flawed and unsustainable in the long run. The Conference aims at evaluating the congruence of the policy interventions adopted during the most recent financial crises with the long-run objective of economic and financial stability, focussing on the policies that can establish institutions and rules consistent with this goal.
A list of possible topics includes, but is not limited to:
1. Global imbalances and the future of the international monetary system.
2. Particular mix of policies adopted to face the crisis in different countries including developing countries (country studies).
3. Financial liberalization and the restructuring of the financial system after the crisis, including regulation issues.
4. Effects of the planned unwinding of the temporary policy measures taken during the worst phase of the crisis and their consequences.
5. The link between the financialization model and the current crisis.
6. Usefulness of economic models of financial markets to draw policy advices. Eventually how alternative approaches might help.
A one page abstract in pdf format, not exceeding 300 words, should be sent to the following address (can_it@unimc.it) no later than April 30th 2010.
Website: http://www.unimc.it/can_it