Economic Research Southern Africa (ERSA), in collaboration with the Economic History Society of South Africa (EHSSA), is pleased to announce a two-day conference bringing together academics, policymakers, and subject-matter experts to explore the critical role of economic history in informing economic policy. 

Conference Theme
Economic history provides essential context for understanding today’s economic challenges and designing informed public policy. This conference aims to equip economists, economic historians, and policymakers with historical insights and analytical tools to produce evidence-based policy and high-quality research in economic history. 

The programme will include keynote addresses, panel discussions, and academic paper presentations. 

Focus Areas
The conference will explore how historical data and events can help address contemporary economic issues. Economic history draws on a diverse set of methods—including instrumental variable analysis and shocks, network analysis, and institutional analysis—and lends itself to a wide range of policy-relevant research. 

Examples of relevant topics include: 

• Macroeconomic uncertainty during protectionist eras 
• Trade, Globalisation, and Industrial Policy (e.g. lessons from industrial policy, trade protectionism, globalisation cycles and relevance on today’s trade tensions) 
• Crises, Recovery, and Policy Lessons (e.g. lessons from historical crises such as hyperinflation, global financial crisis, great recession and role of policies in current African economies) 
• Financial markets, income sources, and household spending 
• Development and Structural Change (e.g voter participation and political choice, colonial legacies and economic institutions, land reform in economic history, historical urbanisation and infrastructure policy; women and labour in economic history) 
• Long-term impacts of shocks (weather, viral/illness, war, others…) on society 
• Inequality, Labour, and Social Policy (e.g. how historical inequality shaped fiscal policy responses; past labour market policies and unemployment/wages/productivity) 

Submissions on any topic in economic history with relevance to current policy are welcome. 

Call for Papers
ERSA invites submissions of working papers that use historical analysis to inform current economic policy. Papers may be in draft form, but should include at least preliminary findings. Preference will be given to submissions that include explicit policy recommendations. The conference offers a valuable opportunity for researchers to receive feedback and refine their work. 

• Submission deadline: 27 November 2025 
• Notification of acceptance: 4 December 2025 

Funding
ERSA will cover travel, two nights’ accommodation, dinner, bed, and breakfast for accepted presenters. 

Contact
Organiser: Christie Swanepoel
Email: cswanepoel@uwc.ac.za
CC: fouche.venter@econrsa.org