Call for Papers

The Critical and Conceptual Advances in Urban Studies Call for Papers initiative sets against the backdrop of evolving urbanisation patterns and dynamic urban life seen globally, aims to fill gaps in urban scholarship, generate conversations, and spark seminal debates on how cities are being transformed, reshaped, and reimagined through diverse processes and actors.  The editorial team at Urban Studies welcome scholars from a wide range of disciplines to contribute new insights and approaches to understanding urban conditions, experiences, and social actions. It aims to foster a multidisciplinary, collaborative dialogue, encouraging innovative ideas and solutions for the challenges and opportunities presented by modern urbanisation. It represents a unique platform for exploring the diverse and dynamic nature of cities, their inhabitants, and the policies that shape them, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive and forward-thinking understanding of urban life.

The following themes have been identified so far under the Call for Papers Initiative:

• Urban Transport as a Social Construct
• Climate Urbanism, Resilience, and Justice
• Platform Urbanism, Artificial Intelligence, and the City in the Metaverse
• Urban Science, Big Data Analytics, and Digital Cities
• Urban Democracy, Governance, and Social Movements in the City
• Urbanism and Urbanisation in the Global South
• Black and Indigenous Geographies and the Racialisation of Urban Spaces
• Other-than-human Cities: Animals, Plants, and Urban Life
• Urban Imaginations and Urban Futures
• Urban Health Equity
• Crime in Urban Contexts
• Urbicide: The Lifecycle of Cities
• Urban and Aging Population
• Urbanisation, Violence, and Conflict

Each of these will be the subject of future specific calls.

The Critical and Conceptual Advances in Urban Studies Call for Papers initiative directly aligns with Urban Studies’ mission to support pioneering research and stimulate critical debates that will influence the trajectory of urban studies. This initiative not only invites original research articles but also encourages submissions of critical commentaries or debate papers. For further details on these article types, refer to the Journal’s submission guidelines. This inclusive approach is expected to create synergy with other Journal initiatives, including webinars and podcasts. Dependent upon the number of submissions received under each thematic topic, special issues may be developed to increase the visibility of accepted papers. In addition, the Journal welcomes Special Issue proposals appropriately aligned to the Critical and Conceptual Advances in Urban Studies themes, especially when devised by scholars working in different geographies and disciplines.