European University UNIC organises its 2nd Thematic conference on 17-19 June 2026 in Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey with the tittle Institutions in Transition: Justice, Security, and Well-Being in Post-Industrial Cities. The conference is now accepting proposals from scholars, independent researchers, students, civil society actors, practitioners, and policymakers. Submissions may include individual papers, thematic panels, workshops, round table discussions, book talks, or special issue presentations. Please find further details of the call for submissions from the conference website or from the pdf-file attached to this email. Submission deadline is the 1st of December 2025.
About the Conference
Within the context of post-industrial urban transformations, the conference examines how institutions strive to respond to the challenges of growing socio-spatial inequalities, uneven access to health and social care, and the pressures of governing increasingly diverse and superdiverse urban populations, including how everyday encounters with institutions in clinics, schools, welfare offices, neighbourhood councils, streets, platforms, and housing systems shape well-being and belonging. From local administrations and public health providers to universities, schools, and civil society organizations, institutions play a critical role in shaping how cities address disparities between neighbourhoods, ensure democratic participation in local decision-making, and foster collective well-being.
By focusing on the interplay between institutions and urban change, the conference seeks to explore how institutions can adapt to shifting urban realities and manage tensions between inclusion and exclusion. It aims to foster dialogue on how different actors and governance levels respond to these challenges, and how collaborative and innovative approaches can support urban futures that promote equity and well-being. The event will bring together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to advance transdisciplinary approaches, co-creative methodologies, and policy-relevant research. We invite multidisciplinary contributions from across, but not limited to, the social sciences, law, health, education, and urban studies.
Thematic Streams
Stream 1: Justice, Security, and Institutional Dynamics: Resilience and Legitimacy
This stream explores how institutions respond to crises, uphold justice, and adapt in times of democratic volatility, digital transformation, and growing societal complexity. It is concerned with institutional and digital resilience, inclusivity, and legitimacy in the face of multiple crises including conflicts, economic inequality, and threats to democracy.
Stream 2: Health and Wellbeing in Post-Industrial Cities: Institutions, Inequalities and Transformations
This stream explores how health and well-being are shaped by institutional transformation, social inequalities, and urban change. It focuses on inclusive and adaptive health policies, infrastructure, and governance in diverse and superdiverse urban contexts.
Transversal Theme: Superdiversity as a Lens for Navigating Inclusion and Belonging in Post-Industrial Cities
Superdiversity serves as a transversal lens across all thematic streams, emphasizing the multiplicity of differences—ethnic, linguistic, legal, socio-economic, gendered, and cognitive—that shape contemporary urban life. This theme invites critical engagement with how institutions, policies, and communities respond to complexity and foster inclusive environments in education, health, justice, and urban governance. We encourage contributions that trace how everyday administrative and digital practices (registration, triage, eligibility, platform access) produce or mitigate exclusion for differently positioned residents.