Building upon the success of the first three Meetings on the Economics of Risky Behaviors, we are delighted to announce that our fourth annual meeting will be held in April 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey .We would like to acknowledge the support from IZA, the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at GSU, the Center for Economic Analysis and Risk at GSU, and the Center for Economic and Social Research (BETAM) at Bahcesehir University, Turkey.
Many individuals, adults, adolescents, and children alike engage in a host of risky behaviors that might have significant present and future ramifications. Broadly defined, these are the type of behaviors that involves a trade-off between short term benefits and long-term costs. Examples of such behaviors include, but are not limited to, crime and delinquency, smoking, alcohol and substance abuse, suicidal behavior, gambling, reckless driving and driving under the influence, prostitution, underage sexual activity and sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and poor physical activity. These behaviors impose substantial costs to both those who engage in them and the whole society.
The meeting will bring together economists and other researchers who work on the analysis of risky behaviors. We hope to advance our understanding of the causes and consequences of risky behaviors and to improve strategies aimed to reduce the incidence and cost of these behaviors.
We seek high quality academic work that enriches, refines, and challenges our understanding of the broad array of issues related to the analysis of risky behaviors. Please note that papers have to be unpublished at the time of submission. The meeting will be organized in a manner designed to foster interaction and exchange of ideas among the participants in a relaxed atmosphere. The highlights of the 2012 meeting are a Keynote Lecture by Professor Steven Machin of University College London and an honored speech by the IZA Director and University of Bonn Professor Dr. Klaus F. Zimmermann.
Those authors, who are invited to present, are expected to participate in the entire 3-day meeting. Inexpensive coach airfares and 4 nights of lodging for presenting authors and discussants will be covered according to IZA standard guidelines.
