Call for Papers. The Legacy of Adam Smith Workshop | 22 June 2026 | Edinburgh

Call for Papers

The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the publication of Adam Smith’s most influential work, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776). Smith is also widely understood to have regarded his earlier book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), as his superior achievement. In recent years, The Theory of Moral Sentiments has attracted renewed scholarly attention, particularly for its analysis of sympathy, an idea with clear affinities to contemporary discussions of empathy and well-being.

To mark this anniversary, we will convene a one-day academic workshop in Edinburgh on 22 June 2026 dedicated to assessing Smith’s intellectual legacy. We invite submissions from economists and economic historians that engage substantively with The Wealth of Nations, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, or both.

We particularly welcome papers that adopt a review-oriented approach, synthesising and critically evaluating the relevant literature, and that examine how Smith’s ideas have shaped the development of economics over time. Contributions may address methodological, historical, philosophical, or analytical dimensions of Smith’s influence.

There is no registration fee. Lunch and a conference dinner will be provided.

Authors presenting at the workshop will be invited to submit revised and complete papers to the new Stanford University Press Diamond Open Access journal, Reviews of Economic Literature (REL) (https://rel.journals.sup.org/index.php/rel). Following a full refereeing process, accepted papers will be considered for inclusion in a themed issue entitled The Legacy of Adam Smith. REL is fully open access, with no submission fees or article processing charges.

The workshop will be held at the Library of Mistakes (https://www.independentlibraries.co.uk/library-of-mistakes) in Edinburgh’s New Town. The programme will also allow participants to visit sites associated with Smith, including Panmure House, where he worked on The Theory of Moral Sentiments, and his grave in the Canongate Kirkyard.

We invite submissions from PhD students, early-career researchers, and senior scholars. Approximately 20 participants will be selected to present. Attendance will be by invitation only, based on decisions made about submitted Abstracts.

Submission Guidelines

Please submit:

• A 500-word abstract; and
• A two-page curriculum vitae

Submissions should be received by 31 March 2026.

For further information and submission details, please contact either of the organisers:

Professor Les Oxley
University of Waikato, New Zealand
https://profiles.waikato.ac.nz/les.oxley

Professor Eoin McLaughlin
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
https://www.hw.ac.uk/profiles/uk/school/ebs/faculty/eoin-mclaughlin