Call for Papers

The International Conference on New Challenges of Local Governance in Times of Uncertainty and Complexity, convened by the International Geographical Union (IGU) Commission on Geography of Governance and organized in collaboration with the Adam Mickiewicz University, will be held, in virtual format, in Poznań, Poland, on 23-24 June 2021.


The Conference aims to explore the nature and transformations of territorial governance in current times of uncertainty and complexity. As Zygmunt Bauman (born in Poznań, Polish sociologist and philosopher, one of the founders of the concept of postmodernism) wrote, we live in a time of ‘fluid reality’. It is manifested by the rapidly changing development paradigms and the individual's sense of uncertainty in the face of complexity, fragmentation and episodic nature of everyday experience.


Local government and governance, urban policies and patterns of spatial change are of prime significance for the quality of life in human settlements. Public management at the urban, local, metropolitan and regional level is close to the people and their needs, and at the same time is strongly dependent on national policies and, in the case of Europe, also on the policy of the European Union.

Various concepts and visions of the state clash in the world today, based either on neo-liberalism or on neo-populism or even post-democracy. They result from economic crises, political and ideological transformations, climate change, technological progress and recently also from pandemic threats. These concepts also affect the organization and functioning of local government, centralization and decentralization tendencies, and new forms of civic involvement and participation.

The Conference will be a forum for the discussion of the state-of-the-art of research on urban, local, metropolitan and regional governance, in the different regions of the world. It will bring together researchers from academia, public and private sectors, and non-governmental organizations, in an effort to present and debate their research on urban, local, metropolitan and regional governance and to share knowledge, viewpoints, methods, research outcomes and policy ideas.


The conference is organized into five main tracks:


    • Track 1. Centralization and decentralization trends. Difficult paths of democracy

· Territorial-administrative reforms and their outcomes

· Changing relations between central government and local and regional authorities

· New forms of local democracy – public participation and citizens’ involvement


  • Track 2. Governance and planning

· Role of planning in shaping new spaces of territorial governance

· Planning visions and political agenda in local, regional and national governments

· Interplay between formal and informal planning institutions, procedures and documents


  • Track 3. Local governance and climate change

· Climate change adaptation and mitigation in local and regional policies

· Emerging governance networks in managing climate change

· The concept of urban resilience in local development strategies


  • Track 4. Impacts and challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic on local government

· Local government during a pandemic - reactions and actions

· Responses of local government to the pandemic threats and outcomes

· Reshaping of organization of public services in the pandemic time


  • Track 5. Uncertainty and complexity in territorial governance

· Long-term foresight and future scenarios for strategic development of territorial units

· Innovative institutional arrangements for complex challenges of local governance

· The financial situation of local and regional governments – trends and projections

  • The Conference will be an opportunity for inter-disciplinary discussions on a broad spectrum of innovative research within the field of the Geography of Governance.


  • The final program may combine papers submitted for different tracks, if the themes and approach so recommend.

  • We invite the submission of abstracts on the various aspects of local government reforms and governance changes and their spatial, social, economic and environmental effects, particularly those concerned with the new trends and challenges of the 21st century. The scope of our sessions is international, including comparative research.


  • We welcome abstracts of those engaged in the activities of the IGU Commission on Geography of Governance, as well as from anyone with a relevant contribution in this field.

PARTICIPATION IN THE CONFERENCE, SELECTION CRITERIA AND SESSIONS ORGANIZATION

  • Participants in the conference are expected to present a paper (oral presentation).

  • All co-authors present in the Conference need to register and pay the conference fee.

  • All abstracts submitted will be double blind peer-reviewed by the Conference Scientific Committee for content and appropriateness to this conference.

  • The working language of the conference will be English.

  • The conference is organized in plenary sessions and parallel panels according to topics and issues.

  • Each panel has 4 - 5 oral presentations.

  • A time slot of twenty (20) minutes is assigned to each speaker. This time slot includes introduction, presentation and discussion.

  • The Conference rooms are equipped with computer (Windows and Office) and projection system.

  • Oral presentations will be supported by PowerPoint. Presentations files will not be collected in advance. Participants are advised to take to the conference room the respective PowerPoint presentation file in a pen drive.

  • The Conference will be Virtual due to the current constraints associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION


  • Prospective participants should submit a 250-word paper/poster abstract, in English, by March 15, 2021 (2nd CALL) to:

Carlos Nunes Silva,

IGU Commission Geography of Governance

E-mail: igu.geogov@gmail.com


  • Download Abstract Submission form here >>


  • If necessary, contact us to discuss any ideas that you might have for a paper on the proposed themes and issues or on other related topics.

  • Successful applicants will be informed by 30 March 2021 (2nd CALL).

PUBLICATION


  • It is expected that a selection of conference papers will be published.

  • The selected manuscripts will be double-blind peer-reviewed.

  • The Conference will not publish 'Conference Proceedings'.

  • More information about the publication plan will be given during the conference.

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT


  • The conference fee is 50 Euro (On-line conference).

  • Payment is made to the Faculty of Human Geography and Planning, Metropolitan Research Center, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.

  • Conference fee payable from April 25 to May 30, 2021.

  • More information on the registration procedure will be sent to each participant in the conference.

IMPORTANT DATES


  • October, 2020 – Call for proposals/abstracts

  • February 1, 2021 – Deadline for abstract submissions (1st CALL)

  • March 15, 2021 – Deadline for abstract submissions (2nd CALL)

  • March 30, 2021 – Notifications of abstract acceptance (2nd CALL)

  • April 21, 2021 – Preliminary Program released

  • April 25 - May 30, 2021 – Payment for participation in the conference

  • June 23-24, 2021– Conference

  • Full paper for publication: date to be announced during the conference

CONFERENCE VENUE

  • The conference will be held in the research and conference facility of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, one of the top universities in Poland. The facility is located near a small village Obrzycko – some 50 km north-west from Poznan and is housed in a beautifully restored former aristocratic residence on the Warta river, which includes a 19th century palace, restaurant, guest rooms, and a garden. (UPDATE: Due to the pandemic, the conference moved to Online / Virtual mode)


  • Transportation from Poznan to the conference facility and back will be provided by the conference organizers.


  • More information will be available here soon.

CONFERENCE CONVENORS

  • Tomasz Kaczmarek, Chair of the Local Organization Commission, Metropolitan Research Center, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland - E-mail: tomkac@amu.edu.pl

  • Paweł Churski, Dean of Faculty of Human Geography and Planning, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland - E-mail: chur@amu.edu.pl

  • Carlos Nunes Silva, Chair of the IGU Commission Geography of Governance, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, University of Lisbon, Portugal - E-mail: cs@campus.ul.pt

CONFERENCE e-MAIL & WEBSITE

Dr. Łukasz Mikuła, e-mail: mikula@amu.edu.pl

Prof. dr hab. Tomasz Kaczmarek, e-mail: tomkac@amu.edu.pl

© IGU Commission on Geography of Governance, 2020