State of Australian Cities (SOAC)
Themes:
The Conference will focus on the contemporary form and structure of Australian cities. The over-arching theme of the conference will be:
Growth, Sustainability and Vulnerability of Urban
The conference will be an opportunity for Australian and international academics to explore urban issues in . The purpose of the conference is to report on current research into issues of urban and regional sustainability, to discuss the research with practitioners and policy makers, to identify research gaps and to improve our understanding of the state of Australian cities. It will also contribute to the development of early career researchers and government officers by offering them a forum to critically discuss their research.
The Conference will have four broad themes:
To review the condition of the contemporary Australian city, based on current empirical evidence, as a means of better understanding current patterns, processes and drivers of change, including those related to population trends, environmental pressures and globalisation.
To identify research gaps and suggest areas that should be given priority for future research funding.
To identify and showcase policy relevant research.
To provide a space for dialogue between researchers, policy makers and practitioners.
The Conference will provide a focus for new urban scholarship by bringing together the most prominent academics working in this area in with new researchers and others who are interested in the Australian city.
The Conference is aimed at (1) advancing understanding between leading researchers about the state of Australian cities; (2) leading to a better understanding of the research needs of Australian cities; and (3) providing those in the public and private sectors with a better appreciation of the current status of research and the capacities of researchers.
The conference proceedings will be grouped into six key sub-themes. Each theme will have its own multi-disciplinary Editorial Review Panel:
The city economy – economic change and labour market outcomes of globalisation, land use pressures, changing employment locations.
The social city – population, migration, cultures, immigration, polarisation, equity and disadvantage, housing issues, recreation.
The environmental city – sustainable development, management and performance, natural resource management, limits to growth, impacts of air, water, climate, energy consumption, natural resource uses, conservation, green space.
Changing city structures –morphology of the city – inner suburbs, middle suburbs, the CBD, outer suburbs, the urban-rural fringe, the city region.
City governance – finance, taxation, provision of urban services, public policy formation, planning, urban government, citizenship, accountability, the democratic process.
City infrastructure – transport, mobility, accessibility, communications, IT, water supply, sewerage, other urban infrastructure provision.
Abstract submission:
Abstracts are now invited which report on research on Australian cities under one of the above six sub-themes. The first stage will be the submission of abstracts of not more than 250 words using the abstract form attached with this call for papers. Once an Editorial Review Panel has accepted a proposed paper, authors will be invited to submit their draft papers for presentation at the conference. It is expected that papers will have an average length of 5,000 words with a maximum length of 6,000. Authors must specify whether they intend to submit a refereed or non-refereed paper. Refereed papers will be anonymously, externally, peer-refereed in accordance with DEST guidelines and papers that are accepted will be published on the Conference website. Non-refereed papers give an opportunity for research ‘work in progress’ to be presented. PhD candidates may also feel that the non-refereed route is an appropriate way of presenting their work to a wider audience.
Timetable:
Abstracts due by no later than 31 January 2007. Submission of Draft Papers (refereed and non-refereed) by 30 April 2007. Draft Papers to be Peer Reviewed by 30 June 2007. Amendments to Papers must be received by 30 September 2007.
For further information please contact the Conference Organising Committee by email at soac2007@unisa.edu.au
Dr Matthew W Rofe
Lecturer, Urban and Regional Planning
School of Natural and Built Environments
The University of South Australia
Phone - +61 8 8302 2358
Fax - +61 8 8302 2252
Start Date: Wednesday 28th of November 2007
End Date: Friday 30th of November 2007
Last Updated: Wednesday 10th of October 2007
