Our apologies for cross-posting. We're still looking for a few more papers to complete our session/s. If you're interested in joining us at the AAG in New Orleans, please send an abstract conforming to the requirements of the AAG (see http://www.aag.org/cs/annualmeeting/call_for_papers/abstract_guidelines) John Bryson (j.r.bry...@bham.ac.uk<mailto:j.r.bry...@bham.ac.uk>) and Vida Vanchan (vanc...@buffalostate.edu<mailto:vanc...@buffalostate.edu>) by Wednesday, October 11, 2017.
Thank you. ------------------------------ FINAL CALL FOR PAPERS Dynamics and the Evolving Global Geographies of Manufacturing: Offshoring, Reshoring, Robotics and Autonomous Systems and Global Production. Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting (New Orleans, April 10-14, 2018) Sponsored by the Economic Geography Specialty Group Organizers: John R. Bryson (University of Birmingham, UK) & Vida Vanchan (SUNY Buffalo State, US) While manufacturing has transformed the global economy, it also continues to be transformed with the emergence of new geographies and new drivers behind these geographies. One of the major transformations involves the continued restructuring of global value chains or global production networks. This process includes outsourcing, offshoring and reshoring, but also the application of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous systems (RAS). Manufacturing is on the threshold of a major revolution that will transform the relationship between work, worker and machine. This revolution will destroy existing geographies of manufacturing and, at the same time, transform workplaces. It is important that geographers begin to explore the drivers and consequences of these changes as firms respond to pressures to replace people with RAS systems, to reshore production and to create new global and local geographies of production. This session invites contributions that critically engage in understanding manufacturing and production. It seeks to bring together papers that explore the dynamics of manufacturing theoretically and empirically to advance debates and understanding of manufacturing from pre- to post-industrial worlds and to explore new geographies of production, their drivers and implications for work and workers. Papers may examine topics including, but are not restricted to: * Micro or firm-level studies, meso or regional studies or macro or international or global studies that explore the changing nature of manufacturing with a focus on dynamics, new drivers and impacts including the role played by policy and politics in this process. * Rethinking, redefining, and reconceptualizing the concept of manufacturing and/or production in the twenty-first century. * New drivers that are altering the geographic organization of production. * Offshoring and reshoring - drivers, motivations and impacts. * The on-going evolution of the spatial division of labor. * Financialization and its impacts on the organization of production. * Product and process innovation including innovations in the geographic organization of production and consumer-informed innovation (end-user or participatory innovation). * Global Value Chains, Commodity Chains, and Global Production Network as well as alternative ways of conceptualizing the production process. * Manufacturing and logistics including supply chain management. * Studies that explore different types of manufacturing firm - contract manufacturers, virtual manufacturers, original design manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers. * Case studies (of all forms) of small, medium, and large manufacturing firms, and all subsector studies (process chemicals, automotive, aerospace, energy, agricultural equipment, consumer products, etc.). * The impacts of new technologies including artificial intelligence and robotics and autonomous systems. * Studies that explore manufacturing in particular regional or national settings. * Strategies and policies that attempt and/or assist in bolstering the manufacturing sector. * The relationship between manufacturing and consumption. * Manufacturing impact on society and economy ranging from wages, wage security, to social benefits and labor reproduction. Anyone interested in participating in the session should send an abstract conforming to the requirements of the AAG (see http://www.aag.org/cs/annualmeeting/call_for_papers/abstract_guidelines) by Wednesday, October 11, 2017 to John Bryson (j.r.bry...@bham.ac.uk<mailto:j.r.bry...@bham.ac.uk>) and Vida Vanchan (vanc...@buffalostate.edu<mailto:vanc...@buffalostate.edu>), Dr. Vida Vanchan Associate Professor Director, Center for Southeast Asia Environment and Sustainable Development Department of Geography and Planning State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo State 1300 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, NY 14222 USA Tel: 716-878-5209 E-mail: vanc...@buffalostate.edu<mailto:vanc...@buffalostate.edu>
