REVISIONING PERI-URBAN FUTURES

A two-day International Conference

Oct 1-2 2021

In neoliberal economic policies, cities are considered as ‘engines of growth’ which could attract national and global business, and investment that could contribute to the larger economic growth of the country (Mitra and Mehta, 2011; Siddiqui, 2014). Cities are fast expanding with stringent regulations on urban development densities pushing businesses and people out of urban cores. The outward expansion of large cities has meant increasing and more complex interactions with the surrounding rural areas and gradual changes in their land uses and occupations, transforming them into peri-urban areas, where urban and rural activities and or institutions are juxtaposed. In the peri-urban interface the three systems-social, economic and environmental constantly interact: the agricultural system, the urban system and the natural resource system (Allen, 2003), emerging at a fast pace and playing a critical role in the country’s growth and economy (Saxena and Sharma 2015).Unfortunately, due to a lack of adequate planning and policy attention to peri-urban areas, they suffer from poor infrastructure, wide spatial disparities and poor access to amenities resulting in severe social, economic and environmental problems (Marshal and Randhawa, 2017; Sharma and Saxena, 2015). If no new planning and policy actions are taken within the next decade, several cities will have irreversibly altered the resource base required for sustained economic prosperity and resilience (OECD, 2011; Sankhe et al, 2010).

REVISIONING PERIURBAN FUTURES aims to bring to forefront the critical role of peri-urban regions for enabling inclusive and resilient urban futures addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Reduced inequality (SDG10); Good Health and well-being (SDG3); Work and economic growth (SDG 8); Climate action (SDG13);

We invite submissions that address the issues related to the multiple definitions and complexity of the peri-urban, historical constructions, politics and policies of sustainability, and legislative frameworks. Specific research questions include but are not limited to the following:

● How do we define the peri-urban? What are the differences in conceptualizing the peri-urban in the Global North and South?

● What concepts and approaches can help in studying the complex peri-urban dynamics?

● What are the current and future challenges for sustainability of peri-urban regions?

● How do the everyday socio-spatial narratives of the peri-urban (re)define the concepts of identity, belonging and marginalisation in cities? And what implications do these have on health and wellbeing, environmental and social justice?

● What are the national and international planning and policy challenges to enable inclusive and sustainable peri-urban development?

Keynote Speakers

Prof Fiona Marshall
Professor of Environment & Development
University of Sussex Business School

Mr Joe Ravetz
Co-Director of Centre for Urban Resilience & Energy at Manchester Urban Institute
University of Manchester

Submission Guidelines

Abstract submission must be no more than 300 words and must highlight one (or more) of the themes set out above. Submissions are encouraged from across the world and from a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to, urban planning and development, ecology, cultural studies, public health, engineering, and design. When submitting your abstract, please follow the guidelines below to what your abstract should include:

– an introduction that outlines the background and significance of the study

– a succinct description of the basic methodologies

– a clear indication of the major findings of the study

– conclusion

Please follow the formatting details given in the abstract template and send a 300 words (max) abstract to pivotfrontier@gmail.com with subject title ‘PIVOT FRONTIERS CONFERENCE ABSTRACT SUBMISSION’

Submission Deadline: August 15, 2021

The quality of abstract and relevance to the conference themes and topics will be the sole criteria based on which the Scientific Organizing Committee will select the abstract for presentation. Notification of selected abstracts will be sent early June 2021 along with guidelines for full paper submission.

Publications and Awards

The Book of Abstracts will be made available at the conference as an electronic PDF format.

The full papers will be published in online peer-reviewed conference proceedings with ISBN after the conference.

Selected papers from the conference will be invited to be part of a Journal Special Issue in a Scopus-Indexed , good impact factor journal which is planned as a part of the PIVOT project.

One Best Conference Paper Award will be given to a selected presentation which demonstrate academic rigour and innovative approach to the topic of study. The award will comprise of a Certificate, and 100 £ Gift voucher and an invitation to submit the proposed Journal Special Issue.