CIESE, an independent research organisation which is in the process of being created, is calling for proposals for papers for its inaugural Conference which will take place in September 2007 in Maputo.

IESE's (Institute for Social and Economic Studies) central objective is to promote research from an interdisciplinary and heterodox perspective, bringing together different approaches and research groups in a process of mutual reinforcement. The focus of IESE's research is the analysis and development of public policy. In an initial phase, the research promoted by IESE will be centered on two lines of research:

• Problems and dynamics of poverty, growth, and social and economic development; and
  
• Citizenship, political participation and governance.

Mozambique and Southern Africa have been in profound political, economic and social change. The challenges facing the reconstruction of the region's economies and democratisation at a local, national and regional level, in an international context of increasing interdependence, are numerous and complex. Thus, the formulation of policies and public interventions need to be based on dynamic knowledge of the problems and their context that can only be provided by research that is rigorous, interdisciplinary, continuous and systematic.

It is in this context that IESE is being created. The objective of its inaugural Conference is to contribute to a systematisation and reflection on the current challenges facing social and economic research in relation to the questions of Mozambique's development in the context of Southern Africa. In doing so, the conference aims to contribute to a reflection on future directions of social and economic research and the basis for collaboration between national and foreign research organisations and researchers. The conference will bring together not only researchers that have already established their professional reputations but also young, talented researchers.

All interested parties are invited to submit, by May 15, 2007, a two-page summary of the paper, clearly indicating the theme, sources of information, the research central questions and the methodology, as well as information on their institutional position and contacts. Papers may be presented in Portuguese, English or French. The summaries should be sent by e-mail to: iese.moc@gmail.com.

All proposals will be considered and submitted for selection by a jury but the authors are encouraged to give priority to submitting proposals that are in line with the main areas of research of IESE (see above), covering one or several of the following aspects:

• Historiography of social and economic research in Mozambique: institutions, themes, methodologies, financing and periodization.
  
• Current research in Mozambique: results of recent research projects or those still underway; future directions and challenges raised by the results and experiences of current research;
  
• Theories and paradigms: theoretical models and paradigms used, evaluation and definition of research priorities and formulation of research questions
  
• Methodological questions: methodological options and their advantages and/or difficulties, type and conditions of access to existing information

Candidates can present proposals individually (one author) or in a group (two to four authors per proposal). The same candidate(s) may not submit more than two proposals.

Candidates will be informed by May 31, 2007 whether their proposals were pre-selected. The definitive texts of the selected papers should follow the rules established by the contract to be set between IESE and the author (norms of submitting articles, deadlines and payments) and should be submitted for final evaluation by July 30, 2007. All papers presented at the conference will be edited and published on IESE's website with the idea of publishing the most relevant papers in a book.

Candidates whose proposals were not selected will be invited to participate in the conference but not as presenters.

Note: Given the limited funds available for organizing the conference, the selected authors and other scholars and researchers interested in the Conference are encouraged to seek guaranteed funding for their participation because the organization, at this stage, cannot guarantee that funds will be available for all.

April 18, 2007.