Institute for New Economic Thinking ‘Young Scholars Initiative’, Finance, Law and Economics and East Asia Working Groups, welcome contributions by young scholars who wish to present their work at the workshop “Finance, Law and Economics in East Asia” which will take place on Friday 14th September at the CUHK (Chinese University Hong Kong). The WINIR (World Interdisciplinary Network for Institutional Research) Conference 2018 will be held the same weekend.
This workshop aims to address the future for and challenges of fin-tech and cryptocurrencies from a law and economics perspective. Our special focus is on the East Asia region.
FinTech is believed to be highly disruptive and is challenging traditional financial systems, while at the same time promoting regulatory arbitrage among countries. In particular, blockchain technology is providing opportunities to approach the issues of trust in banking and finance in novel ways that are of interest both for central banks and financial institutions. East Asia has emerged as a leading region and hub for these new technologies. Japan is one of the leading countries for cryptocurrencies whilst Hong Kong emerged as an international fintech centre. South Korea has meanwhile exhibited a popular fever in the investment of ‘bitcoins.’ Beyond the regulatory response by local monetary authorities, fintech/cryptocurrencies have deeper social, political and cultural implications. In the workshop we will explore together these issues with the aim of achieving a critical understanding of their place in the structural transformation of modern economies and potential diverging paths forward in their further development.
Legal and Economics scholars and practitioners as well as relevant social scientists and historians in Hong Kong and greater East Asia are especially encouraged to submit their abstracts to discuss the economics, law and policy issues arising from the development of financial technology (e.g. blockchain, digital currencies, payments systems, smart contracts, and crypto-assets). We also welcome historical and sociological approaches.
Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:
• Economic and legal implications of FinTech (e.g. blockchain, digital currencies, payment systems, smart contracts, and crypto-assets)
• The development of regulatory and policy responses to financial innovation
• Theoretical developments and legal certainty in the context of financial innovation
• The relationship of new forms of money and intangible property rights
• Approaches of central banks and governments to blockchain and digital currencies
• Historical as well as sociological approach to cryptocurrencies as ‘money’
• Political culture of investing in cryptocurrency in East Asia
The workshop is free to attend. We encourage regional participants to seek funding from their home institutions, but some travel funding or subsidies to attend WINIR 2018 are available from YSI/INET.
To apply, please email a brief (300 word) abstract describing the research you would like to present, along with the title of your proposed presentation and your institutional affiliation, to:
Rachel Ganly : [email protected]
The submission deadline is 10 August 2018. Selected papers will be notified by 20 August 2018 at the latest.