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Cities in Transformation: Processes, Problems and Policies

Event type: Other Urban
Date: 14/07/2016

14-15 July 2016, St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge

There is little doubt that cities are navigating a turbulent and uncertain context, and face an unprecedented and intense set of economic, social and environmental challenges. There is mounting evidence that different cities are demonstrating very different capacities to adapt, cope with and respond to such challenges leading to diverse and unpredictable outcomes. Some cities have grown rapidly, while others have lagged behind. Other cities have managed to ‘reinvent’ themselves, and undergo economic resurgence, while others have declined. Differences in adaptability mean that while some cities are experiencing the intensification and worsening of economic inequalities and failures, other cities appear able to develop innovative solutions and new growth paths. In the context of the decentralization and devolution of policy-making and responsibility to cities and city-regions, such differences between cities will assume increased significance.

The aim of this conference is to examine the different experiences and consequences of, and challenges for, cities of this process of transformation.

Papers are invited that address the following and related topics:

The differing experiences of cities in the transition from industrialism to post-industrialism
The prospects for reindustrializing cities
The role of labour and skills in the transformation of cities
The implications of new technologies for the economic performance and spatial structure of cities
The implications of international investment, trade and labour flows for city economies
The implications for social inequality in cities
The resilience of city economies
The potential and prospects of inclusive and/or equitable urban growth
The meaning and nature of ‘smart cities’
The ‘greening’ of the urban economy
The adaptability and resilience of city economies
The role and implications of big data for city development
The impact and ramifications of austerity and state and public sector restructuring for cities
The challenges of infrastructure development, its funding and financing, and roles in city growth and development
Emerging models of city governance
City experiences in addressing societal challenges such as ageing, the low carbon economy and resource constraints
Policy challenges and choices

A refereed selection of papers from this conference will appear in a special issue of the Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society in November 2017. Submissions may be made independently to this issue via the journal’s website.

See the conference website for more information. Abstracts of up to 400 words should be emailed to Francis Knights <fk240@cam.ac.uk> by 16 April 2016 for consideration.