Request for Scholarly Commentary on Issues of Current Interest

The Risk Management and Insurance Review invites academics and practitioners to contribute their expertise to the discussion of topical, insurance-related issues affecting society at large.

As state and national governments confront such important public policy issues as funding Social Security, indemnifying terrorism losses, expanding health-care coverage, and reforming the civil justice system, it is critical that the informed voices of insurance experts be heard within the broader societal discussion.

To address this need, the RMIR is expanding its Perspectives section to encourage scholarly commentary on topics of current interest. Suggested issues could include one of the following (although there are no restrictions on topic areas):

Adequacy of defined-contribution programs in meeting retirement needs

• Capital market solutions to mortality risk
• Capping liability awards and other tort reforms
• Commercial broker market practices
• Consumer-driven health care
• Data standards
• Federal chartering of insurance companies
• Financing catastrophe/terrorism risk
• Government and industry roles in unemployment insurance
• Health care savings accounts
• Insurance rating laws
• Enterprise risk management
• “Privatizing” Social Security
• Underwriting standards (e.g., credit scoring) in personal lines insurance

Submissions must be well researched and reasoned, but can be tendentious or neutral in perspective. Also, potential authors may consider submitting “point/counterpoint” commentary jointly with colleagues of differing opinions.

Interested authors are asked to contact Mary A. Weiss at rmir@temple.edu with a brief outline of their ideas.