2023년 9월 스위스에서 개최 예정인 IGU의 경제지리분과 컨퍼런스에 대해 안내드립니다.

컨퍼런스에 관한 자세한 사항은 하단의 안내메일과 첨부 된 안내문을 통해 확인가능합니다.

회원 분들의 많은 관심부탁드립니다.

 Dear Colleagues,

We would like to remind you of the upcoming CFP deadline (May 15) for
the IGU CDES Conference “RETHINKING THE ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY OF SMALLER
URBAN PLACES: TRANSFORMATION AND WELL-BEING IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED
TOWNS” [1] that will take place from SEPTEMBER 13 TO 15, 2023 in BERN,
SWITZERLAND.

We are also happy to inform you about our keynote speakers who will be
DR. CARLOTTA FIORETTI (JRC), DR. JÖRN HARFST (UNIVERSITY OF GRAZ) AND
DR. MONIKA LITSCHER (SWISS ASSOCIATION OF CITIES).

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE THEME:
Small and medium-sized towns (SMSTs) are undergoing major socioeconomic
transformations in these uncertain times. Many regions in the world are
characterized by small and medium-sized towns (SMSTs) and these smaller
urban places are fundamentally changing their economic structures
because of these multiple crises. While there has been a recent upsurge
in scholarly attention on small and medium-sized towns particularly with
regards to their economic role and function, we still know little about
how ongoing crises and upheavals influence economic transformation and
well-being in them. There is little knowledge about the ways in which
firms, communities, local actors in smaller urban places experience
socioeconomic transformation and how they position themselves against
larger centres of power in times of crises. In addition, we know little
whether economic success is automatically reflected in the well-being of
local communities and whether economic growth translates into positive
social, cultural and political development of SMSTs. Moreover, there is
a dearth of theories and concepts that can be applied to the small-town
context and that can help us understand these changes.

We invite conceptual and empirical papers that cover the economic
geography dimensions of transformation and well-being in small and
medium-sized towns. We welcome papers on the following topics, but not
limited to:

* Conceptualization and assessment of economic transformation
processes in SMSTs or small city-regions
* Displacement and discontent due to economic transformation and
(negative and positive) economic development
* Resilience and adaptation to economic transformation strategies by
local communities, economic actors such as firms, organizations, public
sector, local leaders etc.
* Embedding and disembedding of SMSTs in the global economy through
global value chains, global production networks, local anchor firms such
as so-called “hidden champions”
* Transformation of economic sectors such as manufacturing, retail,
personalized services, tourism, creative industries, etc. in SMSTs
* Industrial culture: how it evolves and transforms SMSTs
* New innovation models and processes in response to multiple crises
(COVID-19, climate crisis, economic crisis, etc.)
* Strategies of actors in SMSTs to go beyond small size and to
capitalize on concepts such as “borrowing size” or “agglomeration
shadows”
* Emerging opportunities as a result of shifting housing demands,
shifting work patterns (e.g. homeoffice), changing work culture, etc.
* The role of real estate investors in small and medium-sized towns
* New forms of urbanity and the changing role of residential economies
and the foundational economy
* Rethinking economic growth paradigms and sufficiency/post-growth
policies in SMSTs
* Planning and policy responses to respond or to foster economic
transformation such as Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) or others.

PLEASE SEND YOUR ABSTRACT INCLUDING 4 TO 6 KEYWORDS (MAX. 250 WORDS) TO
SIMON.KUENZI@GIUB.UNIBE.CH BY MAY 15, 2023

Detailed information on the conference can be found in the attached pdf
document or on our website [1]. Feel free to forward this call to
colleagues who might be interested in attending the conference.

The conference is organized by the IGU Commission on “The Dynamics of
Economic Spaces” in collaboration with the Institute of Geography &
the Center for Regional Economic Development at the University of Bern,
Switzerland, and the Anton Melik Geographical Institute, ZRC SAZU, in
Ljubljana, Slovenia.

We look forward to welcoming you to beautiful Switzerland and to Bern in
September 2023!

Best regards on behalf of the LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Prof. Heike Mayer, [2] Institute of Geography & Center for Regional
Economic Development, University of Bern, Switzerland

Dr. Ottavia Cima, [3] Institute of Geography & Center for Regional
Economic Development, University of Bern, Switzerland

Dr. Arnault Morisson [4], Institute of Geography & Center for Regional
Economic Development, University of Bern, Switzerland

Dr. David Bole, [5] Anton Melik Geographical Institute, ZRC SAZU,
Ljubljana, Slovenia

Dr. Maruša Goluža [6], Anton Melik Geographical Institute, ZRC SAZU,
Ljubljana, Slovenia

Dr. Jani Kozina, [7] Anton Melik Geographical Institute, ZRC SAZU,
Ljubljana, Slovenia