[New dates and abstract submission deadline] Call for Papers - 15th ICA-AP Cooperative Research Conference, Trivandrum, India
19 Feb 2020
Organizer and local partners
The ICA Asia-Pacific CCR Research Conference 2020 will be held in Trivandrum, India from the 17-18 December 2020 at the Agricultural Cooperative Staff Training Institute (ACSTI). The conference is organized by the ICA Asia and Pacific Committee on Cooperative Research (CCR) with the support of ACSTI, Government of Kerala and the ICA-EU Partnership on Cooperatives in Development, to bring together academics and researchers working on cooperatives in the Asia-Pacific region. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference will use a hybrid model, combining online and physical meeting to showcase the presentation of papers and discussion.
Main theme and topics
There is an urgent need to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, including the migration and displacement of peoples. As per the analysis of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) member survey carried out in 2018, ICA members expressed concerns about environmental issues. The 2020 International Cooperative Day focused on, Cooperatives for Climate Action: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 on Climate Action.
The global impacts of COVID-19 have enhanced the importance of climate action. According to the World Health Organization "changes in infectious disease transmission patterns are a likely major consequence of climate change. Rising temperature can create favorable conditions for the spread of certain infections, while disappearing habitats may force various animal species to migrate, increasing the chances of spill over pathogens between them."
Ranging from small-scale to multi-million dollar businesses, cooperatives employ around 100 million women and men in both industrialized and developing countries, and have more than 800 million individual members across the globe. Climate change severely impacts people's lives and livelihoods around the world, with disparate impacts on the vulnerable, economically disadvantaged, minorities, and women. These impacts will be profoundly exaggerated for small businesses and agricultural communities, and even more pronounced in the Asian-Pacific region. Cooperatives in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and consumer have a large membership base in the region, and the effects of climate change are felt directly in the form of crop loss, lower productivity, soil crosion, depletion of forest cover, and loss of cattle; resulting in increasing poverty, food insecurity, and other associated problems.
'Concern for community' is the 7th Cooperative Principle which guides the work of cooperatives around the world. For this reason, the 15th ICA-AP CCR Research Conference is based on the theme: “Addressing climate change through cooperative enterprise” and invites scholars, practitioners and policy makers to reflect critically upon the significant contribution that cooperatives can make to mitigating climate change. The Conference would highlight not only how cooperatives help reduce carbon emissions, but also promote sustainable development in general.
Based on the above perspective, the conference aims to address a wide range of topics of the cooperative movement’s development through time and location from different scientific fields and traditions, including – among others:
1. Climate smart interventions
2. Strengthening resilience of communities, especially in light of COVID-19
3. Partnerships in addressing effects of climate change
4. Sustainable production and consumption to reduce the impact of climate change
5. Statistics: classification, national and regional statistics, world cooperative monitor
6. Linkages: Coordination between cooperatives and Government, local bodies and other agencies working on climate change
7. Corporate social responsibility, creating shared value, stakeholder engagement etc.
8. Role of cooperatives in restoring normalcy, community involvement, community cooperatives and tribal cooperatives etc.
9. Policy and legal frameworks, public private partnership etc.
10. Governing commons through cooperatives: resources, irrigation, fisheries etc.
11. New areas: Healthcare, elderly care, childcare, energy platforms etc.
The above thematic topics are NOT exclusive and shall be re-defined based on the received submissions.
Abstracts
Researchers interested to present their papers in the conference, need to submit an abstract of not more than 600 words that should broadly include the research question, methodology, likely contribution to the field of knowledge and relevant literature. The abstracts should be submitted in the following format:
- Title of paper
- Name(s) and affiliations of Authors
- Main theme/ objective of the paper
- Methodological and/or Conceptual approach
- Bibliography, Keywords and Contact details for corresponding author(s).
Poster proposals may also be sent, especially by young researchers, postgraduate and doctoral students. All abstracts should reach Mr. Mohit Dave, Secretary, ICA Asia and Pacific CCR at research@icaap.coop on or before 30th August, 2020.
Young Scholars and Early Career Researchers’ Workshop
On the first day of the conference a dedicated workshop will be organized for young scholars and early career researchers in order to cultivate and enhance an interdisciplinary collaboration. The workshop will be an opportunity for these scholars to present their research in a friendly environment and be provided constructive feedback and support from senior academics researchers in the field. The organisers will provide select number of scholarships to cover the cost of travel and accommodation, on merit-cum-need basis.
Important dates
* 30th August 2020 - Deadline for abstracts’ submissions
* 15th September 2020 - Notification to authors with presentation guidelines
* 15th November 2020 - Deadline to register for the conference
* 10th December 2020 - Deadline to send full papers and presentations
* 17-18th December 2020 - 15th ICA Asia-Pacific CCR Research Conference
Young Researcher Award
The ICA-AP CCR will bestow two meritorious papers with Dr. Mauritz Bonow Young Researcher Award (US$ 500 and US$ 300) to researchers not over 35 years of age, presenting their papers in the conference.
Publication
The Committee is exploring various options to publish peer-reviewed research papers with reputed journals and book publishers. For instance, Springer is currently bringing out a volume on Social Innovation and Cooperatives in the Asia Pacific Region consisting of substantially revised papers presented in the 12th ICA Asia-Pacific CCR conference held in Seoul. For the 14th ICA Asia-Pacific CCR conference held in Newcastle, the organisers are compiling all abstracts to be published as an openly accessible and searchable document with ISBN number.
Scientific Committee
Akira Kurimoto (Hosei Univerity, Japan)
Ann Apps (University of Newcastle, Australia)
Balasubramanian Iyer (International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific, India)
C. Shambu Prasad (Institute of Rural Management Anand, India)
D. Rajasekhar (Institute for Social and Economic Change, India)
R. Zarinatun Mohd Abdul Kader (Cooperative Institute, Malaysia)
Robby Tulus (Karl Albrecht Foundation, Indonesia)
Seungkwon Jang (Sungkonghoe University, Korea)
Sidsel Grimstrad (University of Newcastle, Australia)
Yashavantha Dongre (Mysore University, India)
Organising Committee
T. Paranjothi (Agricultural Cooperative Staff Training Institute, Kerala, India)
