Seedcorn Fund Projects Awarded for 2012

Award holders should complete an ASRF Seedcorn End-of-award Report Pro-Forma on completion of their research.

Previous awards

Housing and Governance: Why regulatory reform is part of the problem and part of the solution

Working Paper 2011:06

Author: Josef Konvitz (Honorary Professor of Education, School of Education, University of Glasgow)

The “regulatory governance gap” in housing policy has widened glaringly since 2007. This matters all the more because governments are far more reliant on the regulatory lever now that their room for manoeuver to use fiscal and monetary instruments is severely constrained. A wholesale review of housing policies, from credit and banking to building codes and permits was overdue in the run-up to the crisis. But the crisis has made the prospects for serious reform even less likely. Proposals for specific macro- and micro-economic reforms are advanced earnestly by people in government, the private sector and the academy in pursuit of recovery. These however are not backed up by proposals for effective evidence-based regulatory design and implementation. Regulatory reform in housing must address three challenges: risk management, cross-sectoral coordination, and multi-level coherence.

Security Council Legislation, Article 2(7) of the UN Charter and the Principle of Subsidiarity

Working Paper 2011:05

Author: Nicholas Tsagourias (Professor of International Law and Security, School of Law, University of Glasgow)

This article considers the relationship between the United Nations and its Member States in view of the recent assertion of legislative powers by the Security Council. It claims that the exponential growth in UN powers at the expense of the powers of its Member States cannot be arrested by legal means, because of the nature of the UN system and the absence of legally enforceable criteria or compulsory dispute settlement mechanisms. For this reason, it proposes a different approach to law-making in the area of international peace and security; one which is built around the principle of subsidiarity, as reflected in Article 2(7) of the UN Charter. The role of the principle of subsidiarity in this respect is to determine which authority is best suited to exercise legislative power in peace and security, and how such power should be exercised, in order to attain peace and security more efficiently. It is thus contended that the principle of subsidiarity promotes cooperative relations between the UN and its Member States by protecting the latter’s jurisdictional authority from unnecessary interference.

Rediscovering Adam Smith: How The Theory of Moral Sentiments can explain emerging evidence in experimental economics

Working Paper 2011:04

Author: Douglas E. Stevens (Florida State University)

Emerging evidence in experimental economics has been difficult to explain using traditional economic theory. In particular, experimental tests of economic theory have provided evidence consistent with the existence of internalized social norms such as reciprocity, fairness, and honesty. Even in single period settings where traditional economic predictions are most likely to hold, participants frequently exhibit “repeated play behavior” and achieve cooperative solutions that surpass game theoretic predictions based on narrow self-interest. I discuss how the moral theory in Adam Smith’s first book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, can explain this evidence. I begin by reviewing the historical context behind Adam Smith and the Scottish Enlightenment. Next, I present the moral theory in The Theory of Moral Sentiments within this historical context. Next, I present the emerging evidence in experimental economics that has been difficult to explain using traditional economic theory. Finally, I discuss how The Theory of Moral Sentiments can be used to explain this emerging evidence.

ASRF Seedcorn Funding 2011/12: Call for proposals

The ASRF is issuing a call for proposals for Seedcorn Funding 2011/12 (one call only, this year).

The Seedcorn Fund offers financial support to researchers across the College of Social Sciences to develop interdisciplinary research partnerships, funding bids and projects addressing one or more of the ASRF’s cross-College research themes. It is expected that research-related activities supported will result in external research grant applications and also other quality outputs, within a reasonable time frame.

Seedcorn Fund applications must be submitted by 24 November 2011, with the decisions of the ASRF Board being announced in December.

Further details…

New Visiting Senior Research Fellowships Awarded

Two ASRF Visiting Senior Research Fellowships have been awarded for 2011/12, to Professor Rebecca Reuber (University of Toronto) and Professor John Pisapia (Florida Atlantic University).

Professor Rebecca Reuber, Professor of Strategic Management at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, will be here from April-June 2012, and will be conducting research into online internationalisation, in collaboration with Anna Morgan-Thomas and colleagues in the Business School. Her research interests intersect most directly with the 'Globalisation, Competitiveness and Sustainability' College Research Theme, and include:

• Use of social media by entrepreneurial firms
• Development of reputation in new firms
• Internationalization of young and small firms
• Idetification and management of rapid growth start-ups

http://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/reuber/details.aspx?ContentID=250

Professor John Pisapia, Professor of Leadership and Policy in the Department of Educational Leadership, Florida Atlantic University, will be here from May-August 2012, and will be conducting research to examine the competence of leaders working across professions in multidiscplinary teams through working alliances. He will be working closely with Professor Tony Townsend and colleagues in the School of Education's 'Professional Learning and Leadership' RKT Group. His research interests intersect most directly with the 'Learning Across the Professions' College Research Theme, and include:

• strategic leadership
• strategic thinking
• strategic execution

http://www.johnpisapia.com

Seedcorn Fund 2010/11

*2010/11 Round 2 Awards*

Award holders should complete an ASRF Seedcorn End-of-award Report Pro-Forma on completion of their research.

Previous awards

Flood Risk, Climate Change and Housing Economics: The four fallacies of extrapolation

Working Paper 2011:02

Authors: Yu Chen, Gwilym Price and Danny Mackay (University of Glasgow)

This paper argues that major gaps exist in the research and policy understanding of the intersection of flood risk, climate change and housing markets. When extrapolating the research on historical flooding to the effects of future floods—the frequency and severity of which are likely to be affected by global warming—housing economists must be careful to avoid a number of methodological fallacies: (a) The Fallacy of Replication, (b) The Fallacy of Composition, (c) The Fallacy of Linear Scaling, and (d) The Fallacy of Isolated Impacts. We argue that, once these are taken into account, the potential magnitude and complexity of future flood impacts on house prices could be considerably greater than existing research might suggest. A step change is needed in theory and methods if housing economists are to make plausible connections with long-term climate projections.

Humanitarian Uses of Force

Working Paper 2011:03

Author: Christian J. Tams (Professor of International Law, School of Law, University of Glasgow)

This paper considers the current legal standing, shaped by the UN Charter, for humanitarian uses of force to protect the rights of others. Any normative system seeking to address the question of whether force can be used has to strike a balance between two considerations: (i) the desire to restrict the availability of force, and (ii) the interest in seeing human rights effectively protected. How this balance is struck depends on the relative importance accorded to each, as well as on the modalities of the use of force. The UN Charter has set the parameters by prohibiting the use of military force in the international relations between States and by explicitly recognizing two relevant exceptions – the inherent right to self-defence and military enforcement mandated by the Security Council. What is uncertain is whether these express rules, or possible unwritten rules that have evolved alongside them, accommodate humanitarian concerns, or ought to do so. This question has prompted much debate, notably under the rubric of ‘humanitarian intervention’. The subsequent considerations reflect on these debates, but adopt a broader approach that includes other humanitarian uses of force – resort to military violence with a view to protecting human rights of others – as well, notably UN-mandated interventions, armed struggles against colonialism and military operations to rescue nationals from abroad. It is hoped that this broader focus will enable us to avoid the “tunnel vision” besetting entrenched contemporary debates about humanitarian intervention, and to appreciate the dynamic evolution of the Charter regime.

Seedcorn Fund Call for Proposals for 2010-11 (Round 2)

The Adam Smith Research Foundation (ASRF) is seeking a second round of ambitious applications from colleagues in the College of Social Sciences to the 2010/11 ASRF Seedcorn Fund.

The closing date for applications for this round is 15 April 2011.

The aim of the seedcorn fund is to support researchers across the College to develop research ideas, make new inter-disciplinary research partnerships, stimulate future research grant applications and produce quality published outputs.

Proposals should address one or more of the following cross-College research themes:

• Globalisation, Competitiveness and Sustainability
• Governance, Policy, Accountability and Risk Management
• Health and Wellbeing
• Inequalities, Inclusion, Identities and Social Change
• Justice, Rights, Security and Conflict
• People, Places, Engagement and Change
• Learning and the Professions

Full details and application pro forma

Seedcorn Fund 2010/11

*2010/11 Round 1 Awards*

Award holders should complete an ASRF Seedcorn End-of-award Report Pro-Forma on completion of their research.

Previous awards

The Great Contraction: Implications for Cities and Universities

Adam Smith Research Foundation Working Paper 2011:01

Author: Josef Konvitz (OECD and Honorary Professor, School of Education, University of Glasgow)

A timely contribution to the debate on the effects of the financial crisis of 2008 on the future of education and innovation, and the implications of these for cities and regions.

Abstract: The crisis of 2008 has brought other, structural trends to light which are independent of the crisis, but aggravate its effects: depopulation or the withdrawl of economic activity from many rural areas and urban districts, the ageing of the population, pressure on public space, and limitations on what education and innovation - so often the source of solutions in the past - can deliver. Call this "The Great Contraction". The sources of growth in the future, at least in most of the Western world, are no longer those which operated throughout most of the 20th century. In an introduction to this sweeping subject, Professor Konvitz focuses particularly on the spatial dimensions, because changes which are long-term and often fairly abstract can also be seen, literally, on the ground. This is the biggest challenge to silo-based policy in decades. The seminar will include the implications for universities and their public mission as the regional basis for development gains in importance.

This Working Paper was first presented at an ASRF Lecture, held at the University in November 2010, and organised by the 'People, Places, Engagement and Change' research cluster.

New ASRF Working Papers Series aims to encourage and promote the interdisciplinary research work of members of the College

The Adam Smith Research Foundation has recently launched a Working Papers series, intended to reflect the diverse range of interdisciplinary research interests of staff in the College of Social Sciences at the University of Glasgow. The first issue will appear in the next week. Members of the College wishing to have a paper considered for publication in this series can submit a copy by email, to be reviewed by members of the ASRF Board of Directors.

By publishing papers as works in progress, the ASRF aims to encourage and promote the interdisciplinary research work of members of the College, and to provide a forum in which to share innovative ideas and approaches on interdisciplinary topics, and elicit feedback from peers before submitting to more formal refereed peer review in the form of conference papers or journal articles.

Submissions or expressions of interest can be sent to <adamsmith-asrf@glasgow.ac.uk>

Seedcorn Fund Call for Proposals for 2010-11

The Adam Smith Research Foundation (ASRF) is seeking ambitious applications from colleagues in the College of Social Sciences to the 2010/11 ASRF Seedcorn Fund.

The aim of the seedcorn fund is to support researchers across the College to develop research ideas, make new inter-disciplinary research partnerships, stimulate future research grant applications and produce quality published outputs.

Proposals should address one or more of the following cross-College research themes:

• Globalisation, Competitiveness and Sustainability
• Governance, Policy, Accountability and Risk Management
• Health and Wellbeing
• Inequalities, Inclusion, Identities and Social Change
• Justice, Rights, Security and Conflict
• People, Places, Engagement and Change
• Learning and the Professions

Full details

ASRF Workshops

• Sources of Research Funding (10 March 2010)
• Writing a Winning Research Proposal (18 March 2010)
• Writing for Publication (21 April 2010)

All workshops will be held in the ASRF Seminar Room (66 Oakfield Avenue) between 12.30-1.30pm.

See ASRF workshop programme for further details.

3-day International Conference

This conference was held 31 March - 2 April 2009 to mark the 250th anniversary of the publication of Adam Smith's The Theory of Moral Sentiments.

Keynote lectures (available to watch as video) included:

• Dr Nicholas Phillipson (University of Edinburgh) Smith, Hume and the Science of Man
• Professor James Chandler (University of Chicago) Smith the Critic
• Professor Tom Campbell (Cappe & Charles Sturt University) Adam Smith: Method, Morals and Financial Markets
• Professor Amartya Sen (Harvard University) Adam Smith and the Contemporary World

Adam Smith Research Foundation Visiting Fellows, 2010-11

• Yoshiya Ichinose (September 2009 - August 2010)
• Karen Wright (January - August 2010)
• Zhu Guanglei (February 2010)
• Wendy Spinks (April - August 2010)
• Kuniyasu Morioka (April 2010 - March 2011)
• Jan Mouritsen (September 2010)
• Douglas E Stevens (January - April 2011)