Founded in 1990, the Association for the Study of the Cuban Economy (ASCE) serves as a leading forum for rigorous analysis and open dialogue on Cuba’s economic, social, and political challenges. Through conferences, publications, and member-driven engagement, ASCE brings together scholars, professionals, policymakers, and entrepreneurs from around the world—including participants from Cuba—to exchange ideas and advance understanding.
 

Annual Conference

ASCE’s flagship activity is its Annual Conference, held every year in Miami, Florida. This two-day conference convenes scholars, practitioners, and private-sector professionals to present research, participate in panel discussions, and engage in in-depth conversations on issues shaping Cuba’s present and future.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ASCE introduced virtual attendance, thereby expanding access to participants who were unable to travel. Virtual participation has since become a permanent feature of the conference, allowing ASCE to maintain a broad, international audience.
 

From 1991 through 2021, conference papers, comments, and roundtable discussions were published annually in the proceedings volume Cuba in Transition. Beginning with the 2022 conference, presentations are made available directly on the ASCE website, ensuring timely and open access to current research.
 

Publications and Proceedings

ASCE’s thirty volumes of Annual Proceedings (1991–2021) are widely used by scholars, universities, research institutions, government agencies, and policy analysts both inside and outside Cuba. These volumes remain a foundational resource for the study of Cuba’s economic and social transformation.

All papers are available in electronic format in the Publications section of the ASCE website under Annual Proceedings, preserving long-term access to this extensive body of work.
 

Areas of Research and Discussion

ASCE conferences and publications address a broad and evolving range of topics, including:

• Cuba’s socio-economic and political conditions and reform efforts

• Lessons from transition economies

• Fiscal, monetary, and exchange-rate policy

• Inflation, stabilization strategies, and external debt

• Governance, legal frameworks, property rights, and privatization

• Social security and social safety nets

• Agriculture, with particular emphasis on the sugar sector

• Labor markets, foreign investment, and tourism

• Environmental challenges

• Balance of payments, trade policy, and foreign assistance needs
   

Conference Highlights and Distinguished Addresses

Each ASCE Annual Conference features several signature events that anchor the program:

• The Carlos Díaz-Alejandro Lecture, honoring one of the most distinguished Cuban-American economists of his generation

• The Keynote Address, delivered by a leading scholar, policymaker, or practitioner

• The Cuba Transition Policy Address, focusing on policy-oriented perspectives on Cuba’s economic and institutional transformation
   

Together, these addresses provide high-level insight and set the intellectual tone for the conference.
 

Newsletter and Member Engagement

ASCE maintains year-round engagement through its monthly newsletter, Happenings in ASCE. The newsletter highlights ASCE activities, member publications, research developments, and professional achievements, including work produced by scholars based in Cuba.
 

Supporting the Next Generation

ASCE is committed to fostering new voices in the study of Cuba. The Association sponsors student prizes for outstanding undergraduate and graduate papers on Cuban economic and social issues. Awards include a stipend and the opportunity to present research at the ASCE Annual Conference.

ASCE actively encourages independent research by young scholars in Cuba and welcomes their participation in the student competition.
 

Expanding International Collaboration

ASCE seeks to broaden its engagement with economic and social science communities outside the United States and to encourage participation by international scholars in its Annual Conference, strengthening global dialogue on Cuba’s ongoing and future transitions.