UERA conference – Transforming Urban Governance in a Post-Pandemic World
UERA conference – 20-22 october 2021 – Call for abstract 15 June 2021
Conference organised by UERA and the University of Aalborg:
Transforming Urban Governance in a Post-Pandemic World
The “New Normal” in Planning and Participation
Organisers: Aalborg University and Urban Europe Research Alliance
Dates: 20-21-22 October 2021
Place: Aalborg / Virtual / Denmark
This conference is planned as a hybrid in-person and virtual event. The in-person event will be held at Aalborg University, CREATE building in Aalborg city center, Denmark.
Venue: Rendsburggade 14, 9000 Aalborg
Abstracts: 15 June 2021
The world is facing unprecedented risks. In just a few weeks, the Covid-19 pandemic has swept across the world and caused tremendous human tragedy and a historical economic setback for which we still do not know the full impact. The pandemic has also given rise to the notion of an emerging “new normal”, reflecting changes in attitudes and behaviours. The pandemic has also propelled cities and citizens through a decade of digital transformation overnight. Cities across Europe and the world are now facing a common challenge in planning for a deeply uncertain future to deliver carbon neutrality whilst transitioning towards the post-pandemic “new-normal”. Both climate emergency and Covid-19 have thrown into sharp relief the limitations of urban governance, demonstrating the urgency for new solutions, given EU commitments to define decarbonization pathways for cities by 2050.
The UERA Conference aims to promote diverse approaches to the understanding and framing of problems generated from experience of the pandemic in cities, and to address the transformation of paradigms of participation, collaboration, governance, creation of urban commons, in order to rethink urban research alliances for urban governance and participation.
The Conference aims to promote pluri-disciplinary and interdisciplinary as well as transdisciplinary research on urban studies and sciences across planning, design, management, geography, the built environment, technology, data and digital innovation, ecosystem services, artistic creation, sociology and politics.
Themes can be proposed on the relations between the pandemic and the digital transformations of cities, the creation of mini publics and deliberation after social distancing, climate change and citizen participation in the ‘new normal’. The issues on capacity building and sense of community are particularly challenged in a future ‘new normal’ after the post-pandemic era. Lessons and experiences across thematic issues on energy, food, mobility, biodiversity, and new forms of partnership and participatory strategies for urban justice and inclusiveness, are much needed as well as issues of conflict and potentials of mediation in creating urban solidarity.
Focus areas include but are not limited to:
- Urban participatory methods and innovative governance forms
- Urban planning and integrated models for cross-sectoral understanding for sustainability and resilience
- Urban smart and data driven urbanism, participatory data platforms and technologies for citizens-policy interaction
- Urban innovation hubs and labs for digitalization, accessibility and connectivity
- Urban transformative economies and welfare models for innovative governance
Details on content and submission are described on the attached files.
Key dates
- 15 June 2021: Abstract Submissions
- 1stJuly 2021: Abstract Feedback
- 2ndJuly 2021-31st September: Conference Registration opens
- Conference: 20-22nd October, 2021
- 8th January 2022: Full Paper Submissions (where applicable)
- March 2022: Feedback from review round
- May 2022: Full Paper re-submission
- Autumn 2022: Publication volume book by Springer
- Submit & contact : UERA@plan.aau.dk
Scientific organization committee:
Urban Europe Research Alliance (UERA) Working Group on Urban Governance and Participation: Enza Lissandrello (Aalborg University, Denmark), Pia Laborgne (EIFER, Germany), David Ludlow (University of the West of England, Bristol, UK), Jolanta Dvarioniene (Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania).
Further information about the Conference can be obtained by the chair of the conference Enza Lissandrello (enza@plan.aau.dk).