Emory Law Associate Professor Martin Sybblis convened a symposium in April focused on the legacies of colonialism and how countries in the Caribbean and North Atlantic areas are working to grow their economies.

Held at Princeton University, “Law, Identity, and Economic Development in the Postcolonial Era: The Case of the Northern Atlantic and Larger Caribbean Regions explored the economic struggles of smaller societies that are dealing with the legacy of colonialism. It looked at the cultural, legal, and institutional tools available to post-colonial governments working to grow their economies.

Many of the post-colonial jurisdictions have struggled economically since gaining their sovereignty. Sybblis says: “The economics of smaller communities in the Northern Atlantic and Caribbean regions are different from other parts of the world. It is important to explore the struggles and successes of smaller societies to prepare these economies for a rapidly changing world.”

Speakers at the symposium discussed future prosperity for the region, economic identity and diversification for smaller jurisdictions, building and evaluating regulatory capacity in smaller jurisdictions, and approaches for investment in smaller jurisdictions.

Martin Sybblis’s research investigates the economic sociology of law and development, especially how communities approach business law and economic growth.