Call for Abstracts
First Doctoral Conference on the Social and Political Constitution of the Economy March 24–26, 2021, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne
The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG) is hosting the First Doctoral Conference on the Social and Political Constitution of the Economy. The event aims at building bridges and finding commonalities among young scholars whose research is addressing the complex linkages between economic and social action. It will give PhD students at all stages the opportunity to present their work and receive constructive and well-informed feedback from an audience of peers.
The virtual conference is organized by the doctoral researchers of the International Max Planck Research School on the Social and Political Constitution of the Economy (IMPRS-SPCE). This graduate program combines approaches from economic sociology, organizational sociology, and comparative and international political economy. Its research explores the relationship between the modern economy and its social and political foundations.
Reflecting the School’s broad multi- and interdisciplinary program, the three-day conference will bring together junior researchers in the fields of economic sociology, political economy, organization studies, and related disciplines. It aims to foster dialogue and promote synergies among those studying the mutual interdependence and complex interactions between the economy and society by providing a platform for interdisciplinary exchange on topics such as (but not limited to):
Democracy, Representation, and Populism
Economic and Financial Policymaking
Inequality and Stratification
Labor Market Actors, Institutions, and Policies
Market Sociology
Migration and Immigrant Populations
Social Movements and Non-Governmental Actors
The conference will be held online, 24–26 March, 2021. It will be hosted by the International Max Planck Research School on the Social and Political Constitution of the Economy (IMPRS-SPCE).
Submission Details
The papers must be authored by current PhD researchers. Submissions co-authored by a PhD researcher
are also welcomed. However, the presentation of the paper at the conference has to be given exclusively by the PhD researcher.
Interested scholars can apply by submitting a 300–500 word abstract including the research topic and the theoretical and methodological approach of their proposed paper to: phdconference@mpifg.de by November 8, 2020
Please add a few remarks regarding your affiliation and your general research interests.
Successful applicants will be notified by November 30, 2020 and are expected to submit a draft paper of roughly 4000–6000 words by February 15, 2021.
For further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the conference organizers via
For more details on the conference and the submission procedure please see the attached Call for Abstracts (PDF).