Hi everyone,
Here are a couple of topics that are spinning in my mind, that I would like to discuss at some point, if interest arises. We can pick one or more?
1) The philosophers of the Enlightenment introduced the notion of social progress as a kind of a movement toward an ideal. How do we define and measure social progress and well being? What should the connection between law and social progress be? How does the ethical and normative system at the heart of capitalism relate to the notion of (social or economic) progress?
Suggested Papers:
http://www.natural-resources.org/minerals/CD/docs/int_law/Social_Progress_en.pdf
2) What is the relationship between religion/culture and economic growth and development?
Some readings:
http://www.econ.cam.ac.uk/faculty/iyer/Palgrave_Religion.pdf
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1029285
http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/G/Robin.M.Grier-1/religion.pdf
http://www.petersoninstitute.org/publications/chapters_preview/3931/05iie3931.pdf
3) How should the government respond to informal market activity (both in developed and developing countries)? Note: informal activities includes both legal as well as illegal activity (such as drugs, gambling, prostitution, slave-trade, etc)
http://rru.worldbank.org/Documents/PapersLinks/Informality/18-Smelser.pdf
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/gems/download/women.pdf
