4th Intl Conference ESPAnet-Poland “Social Policy: Controversies and Paradoxes” (September 2017, Wroclaw, Poland)

Dates: 25-27 September 2017
Location: Wroclaw University of Economics, Poland
Website: ESPAnet4
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 15 May 2017

The conference is organized by Department of Sociology and Social Policy at the Wroclaw University of Economics, as well as the Polish Social Policy Association.

Stream 19: “Social Innovation and Technological Innovation in Ageing Policies in the European Union: Emerging Alternatives and Controversies”
Stream convenors: Andrzej Klimczuk, Łukasz Tomczyk

Language: English

Stream description:
The session will continue discussion undertaken during the 3rd International Conference ESPAnet-Poland. This session will focus on both positive and negative side of social innovation and technological innovation that are increasingly recognized as important concepts associated with the formulation of responses to the challenges of ageing populations.

For example, the concepts related to the "silver economy", the "new ageing marketplace", or the "boomer market" may be considered both as "hope" or as "hype" and included in various ways in ageing policies. It is important to discuss not only the potential advantages of these concepts but also their limitations and alternatives (see "Aging: Concepts and Controversies", Moody and Sasser 2012; "Economic Foundations for Creative Ageing Policy", Klimczuk 2015, 2017).

The aim of the session is to discuss the programming, promotion, and implementation of innovative policies, programs, and projects related to ageing. In particular, we draw attention to the search for so-called "best" and "worst" practices, testing of innovative models, and dilemmas in the fields of management, financing, implementing and maintaining the sustainability of these new programs.

The session welcomes papers that will provide both theoretical and empirical findings. Selected topics that we would like to underline include, but are not limited to:

• Social innovations and co-production schemes based on diversity of ageing policy concepts (such as healthy ageing, active ageing, creative ageing, and ageing in place);
• Disruptions and challenges for integrated public policies for older adults and intergenerational programs related to delivering social, health and care services;
• Governance and ageing policies, including (insufficiencies of) multilevel and multisectoral approaches to age-friendly cities and communities (see Phillipson 2015);
• "The valley of death" and "crossing the chasm" (see Moore 2013) in the field of scaling social innovation and technological innovation for ageing societies;
• Opportunities and ethical controversies related to digital social innovation, ICT solutions, social and service robotics, smart solutions, gerontechnology, and welfare technology for independent living for older adults (see Hofmann 2012).

Papers presented in the thematic session will have a chance to be published in the planned volumes of the "Czech-Polish-Slovak Studies in Andragogy and Social Gerontology" series.

In order to submit an abstract, please send .doc or .pdf file to espanetpolska2017@ue.wroc.pl before 15th of May including the following information:

• first name and last name
• title
• institution
• e-mail address
• telephone number
• stream number and title
• the title of the paper
• summary of the paper (max 2000 characters including spaces).

The conference fee is 100 EURO or 400 PLN (does not cover accommodation and publication - if you choose publication in other recommended journals: "Research Papers of Wroclaw University of Economics" or "Society and Economics").

Deadline for registration and payment is 20th of June.

All the details about the conference and other streams can be found at the website.