Welcome to the website for the Conference “Iranian Economy at a Crossroads: Domestic and Global Challenges”.  The conference is organized by the Department of Economics and the School of International Relations at the University of Southern California (USC).  This Conference will be held on September 18-19, 2009 at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.

The Conference focuses on the changing role of Iran in the Middle East and the global economy, and considers the evolution of the Iranian economy, the development of its various product and factor markets and the institutional framework within which these operate.  In particular, it explores the interrelated issues of domestic economic development, trade, capital and labor movements, financial asset position, and the country’s opportunities and constraints to both the domestic and international levels. A wide range of issues will be covered, ranging from social policy and welfare, causes and consequences of rising inflation and unemployment, political economy of policy making and economic reforms, developments and problems in the agricultural, industrial, energy (oil, gas and nuclear) and services sectors, the role of formal and informal economic institutions (including the bazaar and bonyads), the growing trade, service and other links between Iran and the countries of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, especially Dubai, the relevance of WTO membership, the vagaries of international oil markets, economic sanctions and their effects. It also will discuss actual and suggested alternative mechanisms for resolving international tensions among the major economic and political players in Iran and the West.

The Conference is intended to serve as a cross-disciplinary forum bringing together scholars from the disciplines of Economics, Political Science, International Relations, International Business and related fields.  Its purpose is to create a dynamic, scientific environment for exchanging of views on current research on the Iranian economy and its relation to the Persian Gulf region and global economy.

If you would like to know more about this Conference, please bookmark the Iran Conference site http://college.usc.edu/conferences/iran/ and return to the site for further information. (The site is regularly updated.)

For further information and queries, please email Dr. Farideh Motamedi at:
fmotamed@usc.edu.