Forging the Future: Politics, Economics, and Society in Global Public Policy

Call For Papers

Forging the Future: Politics, Economics, and Society in Global Public Policy

Organizer: Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Department of International Studies

Date: May 15th, 2026

Location: Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, South Campus, Industrial Park, Suzhou, China.

This conference brings together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to explore how global public policy can tackle unprecedented challenges that transcend national borders and defy unilateral solutions. We aim to foster a multidisciplinary understanding of global policymaking to shape a more equitable and effective international framework.
This Call for Papers invites original contributions that examine the political, economic, and social dimensions of providing global public goods while addressing global policy issues from diverse perspectives such as political science, political economy, economics, sociology, and related fields.

We welcome submissions on the following topics, including but not limited to:

Topic 1: Global Policy for International Relations, Cooperation and Security – Examining political frameworks that foster international cooperation and stability, with a focus on global public goods such as security, non-proliferation, and multilateral approaches to conflict resolution.

Topic 2: Global Policy for Open and Shared Development – Discussing economic policies that promote equitable growth and openness through mechanisms such as technology transfer, knowledge sharing, fair trade, and inclusive financial systems.

Topic 3:Global Policy for Social and Environmental Sustainability – Exploring social and collaborative pathways toward a sustainable global future, addressing challenges such as poverty reduction, climate change mitigation, and resilient development.

Keynote Speakers

Jeffrey Sachs

Jeffrey Sachs is widely recognized for bold and effective strategies to address complex challenges including the escape from extreme poverty, the global battle against human-induced climate change, international debt and financial crises, and national economic reforms. Prof. Sachs serves as the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. He is President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development, and SDG Advocate for UN Secretary General António Guterres. From 2001-18, Sachs served as Special Advisor to UN Secretaries-General Kofi Annan (2001-7), Ban Ki-moon (2008-16), and António Guterres (2017-18). Sachs is the 2022 recipient of the Tang Prize in Sustainable Development and was the co-recipient of the 2015 Blue Planet Prize, the leading global prize for environmental leadership. He was twice named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential world leaders. Prior to joining Columbia, Sachs spent over twenty years as a professor at Harvard University, most recently as the Galen L. Stone Professor of International Trade. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Sachs received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees at Harvard.

David Daokui Li

David Daokui Li is the Mansfield Freeman Professor of Economics and director of the Center for China in the World Economy at Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management.
A prominent voice on China's political economy, Li served as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the People's Bank of China from 2016 to 2018 and as a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He was appointed the founding dean of Tsinghua's Schwarzman Scholars program in 2013. Li is the author of China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict and has served as editor of the Journal of Comparative Economics. His recent research has examined local government debt in China. He previously held academic positions at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Stanford University's Hoover Institution, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Robert H. Wade

Robert H. Wade is a political economist and development scholar, currently Professor of Global Political Economy at the London School of Economics' Department of International Development.
A preeminent scholar of global development, Wade's research spans economic growth, international and comparative political economy, industrial policy, and the developmental state, among others. He is best known for his influential book Governing the Market: Economic Theory and the Role of Government in East Asia's Industrialization (1990), which won the American Political Science Association's award for Best Book in Political Economy in 1992. His work has been instrumental in challenging neoliberal orthodoxy and demonstrating the central role of state intervention in East Asian development. In 2008, Wade was jointly awarded the Leontief Prize with José Antonio Ocampo for contributions to economic theory addressing contemporary realities and supporting just and sustainable societies.

Submission Guidelines

You can submit your proposal by either completing the online form at the link: https://xjtlu.mike-x.com/mnori or by scanning the QR code.

You can also submit an abstract or full paper as a PDF via email to: InternationalStudies@xjtlu.edu.cn.

The first page of the submitted material must contain:
• Names of author(s) with e-mails and affiliations
• Title of paper
• Relevant conference topic (please indicate 1, 2, or 3)

The language of the conference is English. Selected high-quality papers will be considered for publication in a special issue/section on Global Public Policy in an international academic journal, with selected contributions also featured in an edited volume.

Best Paper Award for Early-Career Scholars

The conference will present a Best Paper Award, accompanied by a prize of CNY 2,500. Eligibility is limited to current PG and PhD students and those who have completed their PhD within the past three years.

Travel and Hotel

The conference will provide full coverage of accommodation and travel expenses for invited speakers only. All other speakers will be responsible for their own expenses.

Registration and Fees

Participants wishing to present a paper must register and pay the submission fee by 10 April 2026. The payment link will be activated on 15 March 2026.

Regular participants (assistant, associate, and full professors with an academic affiliation, policymakers, and practitioners): CNY 500 (approx. EUR 64)

The conference is free for currently enrolled PG and PhD students, and Postdocs.

Important Dates

Extended abstract deadline: March 1, 2026
Notification of acceptance: March 15, 2026
Registration deadline: April 10, 2026
Full paper submission deadline: May 4, 2026
Conference date: May 15, 2026

Contact

Any general request for information should be sent to InternationalStudies@xjtlu.edu.cn.
Inquiries regarding topics should be emailed to specific panel chairs:

Topic 1: Dr. Fanglu Sun (fanglu.sun@xjtlu.edu.cn), Dr. Lina Gong (lina.gong@exjtlu.edu.cn)
Topic 2: Dr. Francesco Macheda (francesco.macheda@xjtly.edu.cn), Dr. Robert Pauls (robert.pauls@xjltu.edu.cn)
Topic 3: Dr. Tian He (tian.he@xjtlu.edu.cn), Dr. Afa’Anwi Che (afaanwi.che@xjtlu.edu.cn)

Download the call in PDF format here.