Report on IGU Commission on the Geography of Governance annual conference,  Istanbul  2026

The Commission held its annual conference immediately preceding the IGU Regional Conference, 15-16 August, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, convened by Commission with the support of the Faculty of Letters, Istanbul University, and with the cooperation of the Turkish Geographical Society and the patronage of the Italian Geographical Society. The conference theme was reinventing participatory governance for more sustainable cities and regions.

The call for abstracts was made during a period of significant regional unrest with two wars waging  nearby, leading to both concerns about personal safety and increased world travel costs that could have impacted attendance. The decision was therefore made to have the first day for in-person presentations and online presentations on the Sunday. In the event, we had 15 in-person presentations and 20 online, giving a total of 36, participation comparable to other years.  Participants came from 15 different countries (eleven in person, eight online). The conference was largely European, with only a fifth of participants coming from outside the continent.

The keynote speech, ‘Towards a systems paradigm in spatial governance was given online by Prof. Dr Tadeja Jere Jakulin (University of Primorska, Slovenia). Presentations were each in one of three Sessions:

·       Session1: Participatory governance  for the future of sustainable urban peripheries (Panels 1, 2 );

·       Session 2: Local government and participatory governance (Panels 3, 4, 5, 6, 7); and

·       Session 3: Participatory governance and spatial planning (Panels 8, 9, 10).

The conference was considered by participants to have been very successful, the papers of high quality and providing a broad range of perspectives and experiences relating to the conference theme. We are investigating the possibility of a in a journal special-interest issue or a book for appropriate papers presented.

Online participation is always an attenuated experience for presenters and audience alike, with limited ability for interaction and shortened presentation times due to inevitable connection glitches and connectivity problems. However, dual-track programmes are now a part of contemporary life and the Commission must continue down this route, at least in some form. We can anticipate the online experience to improve with technology improvements and experience. At the least, online participation provides some connection within our community of scholars. Nevertheless, direct contacts are important intangible benefits of in-person attendance and we do encourage in-person attendance where feasible.

We thank Prof. Dr. Barbaros Gönençgil (Head of Geography Department, Istanbul University, Senator, President of Turkish Geographical Society and International Geographical Union   Secretary ) for willingness to facilitate the conference at Istanbul University and Prof Dr  Güven Şahin (Turkish Geographical Society's Executive Board) for his Güven Şahin for his   valuable collaboration along with his friendly and helpful student assistants.

• Registration is mandatory and free of charge for all conference participants, including any co-authors of accepted papers wishing to attend.

• Registration confirms a firm commitment to attend the conference.

• Conference registration includes participation in all sessions and access to the conference programme and abstracts in digital format.

• Participation requires the presentation of a paper.

• In-person participants are expected to attend the entire conference.

• In-person registration includes access to all sessions, the conference programme, digital abstracts, and coffee breaks. Lunch and dinner are not included.

• The conference does not provide insurance coverage for participants (e.g., personal injury, illness, or property damage). Participants are advised to arrange their own insurance if needed.

• Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs.

• Online registration period: 20 May – 20 June 2026.

• Venue: Faculty of Letters, Istanbul University