call for papers
20th Annual Conference
november 12–13, 2026
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The University of the West Indies, Global Campus Antigua and Barbuda
The University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus
The Antigua and Barbuda Studies Association (ABSA)
The Antigua and Barbuda Youth Enlightenment Academy (ABYEA)
Announce the Call for Papers
For
Our 20th Annual Country Conference
Online
November 12–13, 2026
On the Theme
Engaging the ECCB’s “Big Push” Initiative
Greetings again one and all—members of our Antiguan and Barbudan scholarly community. Yes, another year has just about slipped by us indicating that it is time for us to gather once more to reflect and exchange ideas about our beloved Antigua and Barbuda, and the larger Caribbean region of which we are an integral part. In other words, it is time for us to start thinking, writing and planning for our 20th Annual Antigua and Barbuda Country Conference. Last year, our guiding theme was Caribbean Democracy and trade in our era of increasing global authoritarianism, multi-polarity, climate change and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
This year, we will take as our overarching theme an examination of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s (ECCB) “Big Push” initiative to transform the economies of the eight members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU)—Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, Montserrat, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The “Big Push” is an initiative at the core of the ECCB’s strategic plan for 2026–2031. Formally announced in March of this year, the primary goal of this five-year plan is the doubling of the GDP of this 8-member sub-regional currency union over the next ten years. Such a doubling would bring the combined GDP of the union to an estimated $34 billion.
The hope clearly is that this doubling of the GDP will at the same time bring about significant structural transformation, economic diversification, greater economic resilience, financial stability and inclusive growth.
To enable the success of the Big Push, the ECCB has called for “new mindsets, stronger skill sets, bold policy choices, and coordinated investments”. The ECCB’s contributions to this effort at planned coordinated investment beyond the tourism sector, will include expanding access to credit, modernizing payment systems, enhancing data systems, maintaining currency stability, and increasing financial inclusion.
The ECCB’s annual reviews of the economies of the Currency Union portray them as recovering from the deep falls of the COVID pandemic and growing at about 2%. To double the sub-region’s GDP in ten years, the ECCB estimates that the Big Push will require a growth rate of 7%, to accompany the structural transformation, coordinated investments, the stronger skill sets, etc., noted above. In short, this is an integrated and comprehensive set of changes envisioned by the ECCB.
Needless to say, this is not the first such plan to transform Caribbean economies that has been put forward, and it has already elicited extensive commentary and criticism. Professor Justin Robinson, Principal of UWI (Five Islands), has been among the first of these commentators. He begins his commentary with the assertion that growth alone will not be enough, as the region has already known periods of growth. However, what it has not known are periods of growth that reached young people without competitive or needed skills. In short, what used to be called the unskilled lumpen proletariat or the informal sector.
Further, Robinson notes that the global economy is changing rapidly and not in our favor. Thus, growth in the current period of transition from a collapsed neoliberal order to a still-to-be-determined future is what the Big Push is facing. In response, Robinson has suggested that the choice is between shaping the terms of global engagement or accepting them.
From our previous discussions of economic issues at earlier conferences, we have a lot that we can bring to the Big Push. For example, we have spoken extensively about positive and negative trends in the global economy and their likely impact on Caribbean growth and development. At our last two meetings, we had highly original presentations that revisited more carefully the continuing relevance of the theories of Arthur Lewis for Caribbean growth and development. In short, let us draw on this rich legacy and make a major part of our 20th anniversary meeting into a strong contribution to the discussions triggered by the ECCB’s Big Push agenda.
As customary with us, we must continue our focus on how initiatives like the Big Push are affecting social life, the arts and sciences in Antigua and Barbuda. Submissions in these areas will definitely be welcomed.
If you are interested in making a presentation at this 2026 conference, please send us a brief abstract that includes your name, your title and a brief description of the theme of your presentation. We must receive your abstract by October 7, 2026. It will help us to put you on the right panel. Your abstract, in the form of a Word document, should be emailed to [email protected] or to [email protected]
Paget Henry
President
ABSA
Coleen Letlow
Head
UWI (Antigua)
Janet Lofgren
Editorial Assistant
A&B Review of Books