Working Group in African Political Economy (WGAPE) Meeting at the Ohio State University

Release date: December 2, 2024

Submission deadline: January 6, 2025 

Notification date: February 5, 2025 (Approx)

Meeting dates: April 25-27, Ohio State University. 

The WGAPE Meeting will be held on April 26-27th, as well as a graduate student seminar and public lecture will be held on April 25th. 

Submit your Paper/Research Design

The Working Group in African Political Economy (WGAPE) invites interested scholars to submit a paper or research design to present at a meeting at the Ohio State University from April 26-27th, with a graduate student seminar held on April 25th. 

The Working Group in African Political Economy (WGAPE) brings together faculty and advanced graduate students in Economics and Political Science who combine field research experience in Africa with training in political economy methods. The group has met semi-annually to discuss the in-progress work of its core members and has invited guests since 2002. It is co-led by Daniel Posner (Political Science, UCLA), Edward Miguel (Economics, UC Berkeley), Amanda Robinson (Political Science, Ohio State University), and Amma Panin (Economics, University of Louvain), and hosted by the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at UC Berkeley.

WGAPE meetings are held regionally throughout the year in different locations. This call for papers and research designs is for a meeting at Ohio State University, presumptively for researchers located in the midwestern United States (although we have reserved a small budget for a select number of scholars based in Africa to attend).

Meeting Information

WGAPE meetings center on research discussion sessions rather than presentations. Papers are circulated and expected to be read in advance by all participants. Presenters provide brief, orienting comments before the floor is opened for an hour-long discussion of each paper or research design. WGAPE accepts working papers and research designs (see an archive of papers from past WGAPE meetings here).

• What we’ll accept: We invite submissions that reflect WGAPE’s broad research agenda on political economy and development economics in sub-Saharan Africa, including civil conflict, decentralization and democratization, public economics, corruption, local governance, and other related topics. Submissions that deal with other topics in the applied microeconomics of development in Africa will also be considered. WGAPE commonly, but not exclusively, selects submissions with a strong focus on fieldwork and quantitative analysis. We plan to accept a total number of 8 papers for this meeting.
• Paper Submission Categories: We invite submissions of papers or research designs. Early-stage (but complete) papers and research designs are particularly welcome, and will be prioritized for inclusion, as these are the kinds of submissions that generate the most useful discussions at WGAPE meetings. Research design submissions should describe a fully planned research study on one of the themes listed above. A suggested format for these submissions is the Pre-Analysis Plan (please find a template here). It is not necessary to reformat a Pre-Analysis Plan to exactly match the linked template, but a strong Pre-Analysis Plan will include the elements listed in the template.
• Who is eligible: Priority will be given to Midwestern-based junior faculty, post-doctoral scholars, and graduate students whose research interests are aligned with WGAPE themes.
• Timeline and logistics: Please submit your application by January 6th, 2025. Selected participants will arrive in Ohio by April 25, 2025. Because the WGAPE format revolves around in-depth discussions rather than presentations, authors of selected papers are expected to read the papers in advance and participate in the full April 26-27th meeting.
• Participant costs and travel: WGAPE will provide funding for travel, accommodation, and related expenses for one author of each accepted paper. Applicants whose papers were not accepted to be presented will still be considered for general attendance.

Considerations for Submission

Please see here for an example of three previously accepted submissions.

Reviewers will consider the following factors when making their decisions about which papers or research designs to accept:

1. Completeness of the submission: Submissions will be rejected if they are incomplete or if the necessary details of the research design are not reported clearly and in sufficient detail.
2. Novelty: The study should add to or build on the existing literature, as well as advance the knowledge base about the research questions.
3. Relevance: The study should explore an area related to the political economy and development economics in sub-Saharan Africa, including civil conflict, decentralization and democratization, public economics, corruption, local governance, and other related topics. Note that quantitative studies will be prioritized (although studies that include some level of qualitative analysis are welcome).
4. Quality: We understand that papers/research designs may be in the early stage, but reviewers will still want to ensure the methodology is rigorous and sound. To that end, are the assumptions motivating the analysis reasonable? Is the research design clear and well-articulated? Does the design hold promise of generating valid inferences that speak directly to the project’s motivation?

Apply to Submit Your Paper or Research Design

To submit your paper or research design, please complete the form at this URL by 11:59pm PT on January 6, 2025.  

Submissions must include:

• Your paper or research design

• Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae or Resume with contact information, including current location

• A paragraph describing why you would like to attend WGAPE, what you hope to gain from it, and how your research project advances the study of political economy in Africa, in line with WGAPE focus areas.

Successful applicants will be notified within a few weeks, and will be expected to attend the full 2-day workshop.

If you are based in the Midwest, and would like to participate without submitting a paper (self-funded), please write to Amy Shipow (amyshipow@berkeley.edu) with an expression of your interest and how this opportunity will contribute to your personal and professional goals.

Withdrawing or Amending your Application

If you have already applied for this RFP, and would either like to withdraw or amend your submission, please contact Amy Shipow at amyshipow@berkeley.edu. Please also contact this email address for any further information or clarification.