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City Futures in a Globalising World

An international conference on globalism and urban change

4 to 6 June 2009, Madrid




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The European Urban Research Association (EURA) and the Urban Affairs Association (UAA) will hold their second Joint Conference on City Futures in Madrid. We extend an invitation to colleagues from Europe, North America and from across the world to join us in a major forward looking conference examining the future of cities.


Background – the City Futures Joint Conference, Chicago

The Madrid conference will build on and take forward the international dialogue that started at the first City Futures Joint Conference held in Chicago in July 2004. Hosted by the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), and attended by over 250 participants from 36 countries, our first Joint Conference was intensely international. Full details:www.uic.edu/cuppa/cityfutures


Aims of City Futures in a Globalising World

The central aim of the Madrid Conference in 2009 is to lift the quality of international dialogue about urban issues by:

  • Creating a whole conference sharply focussed on international exchange.
  • Engaging different disciplinary perspectives and approaches.
  • Welcoming papers that address policy concerns – local, regional, national and international – that speak to the impact of policy on the ground.

Conference Themes

This conference calls for papers relating to one or more of the following themes. We welcome scholars from diverse disciplines as well as practitioners.

  • Climate change, resource use, and urban adaptation. How sustainable are modern cities? What policies are being introduced to tackle climate change?

  • Knowledge and technology in urban developmentHow are cities harnessing knowledge and technology to increase the quality of life for their citizens? Whither local economic development in a rapidly changing world?

  • Community development, migration and integration in urban areas How are cities coping with rapid population movements – both into and out of cities? What are the implications for housing, urban regeneration and community building of international population shifts?

  • Urban governance and city planning in an international eraSound city governance and urban planning†are critical to urban success. What are the implications of current trends for political and managerial leadership? How should cities position themselves internationally?

  • Architecture and the design of the public realmThe quality of architecture and urban design affects the quality of life in cities. What innovations are taking place in urban design and planning at street level? Are cities redesigning themselves to cope with new challenges relating to, for example, public safety?



Madrid, world-class city

Madrid, the largest city in Southern Europe, with more than 3.1 million people (6.5 in the metropolitan area), is a vibrant, dynamic metropolis, with a dense cultural and social life. Madrid is today an important cultural, university, scientific and financial centre, and the main hub between Europe and Latin America.

The conference will take place in the Municipal Training Centre of Madrid City, a splendid building in the heart of the City (close to the Alonso Martinez Metro Station). Recently renovated this facility is purpose designed for international events.

Outline Programme

The conference will start at lunch time on 4 June and will finish at lunch time on 6 June.


Registration Fees

The registration fees for the conference will be announced at a later date.


Conference Organisers

The conference is organised by the Department of Geography at the Autonomous University of Madrid with the support of colleagues at other universities in Madrid, the Mayor’s Office of Madrid, and members of the European Urban Research Association (EURA) and the Urban Affairs Association (UAA).