Call for Abstracts
Australasian Cities at the Crossroads: Navigating Legacy, Innovation & Sustainability
SOAC Conference: 9 - 12 December 2025
The State of Australasian Cities Conference 2025 (SOAC 2025) invites scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders to submit abstracts addressing the complexities and possibilities of urban environments across Australasia.
SOAC 2025 enquires how urban planning, design and policy address current challenges and global trends in urbanism with a focus on legacy, long-term sustainability, and innovation. The interplay between global dynamics and local challenges presents a critical juncture for Australasian cities and regional centres. Phenomena such as climate change, pandemics, conflict, economic downturns, and political volatility are not merely external factors but are directly augmenting the complexity of local issues. These include environmental sustainability, urban sprawl and transportation, housing affordability and homelessness, population growth and demographic shifts, the preservation and integration of indigenous communities and knowledge, economic diversification and employment, and addressing the digital divide and connectivity. These challenges necessitate a departure from reactive policies towards a more proactive and integrated approach to urban and regional planning.
The conference seeks to foster vibrant discussions around urban theory, practice, and innovation, with a focus on addressing contemporary urban challenges while envisioning transformative solutions. We encourage submissions that explore the intersections of research, policy, and practice, offering fresh perspectives on the dynamic and diverse urban landscapes of the region.
Program Themes
Abstracts are invited under the following thematic tracks. Click here for full details on the program themes.
- City Economics and Development
- City Governance and Structure
- City Health and Liveability
- City Housing and Inclusion
- City Movement and Infrastructure
- City Nature and Environment
- City Cultures and Identity
- City Design and Morphology
- Reckoning with Settler Colonial Cities
Submission Guidelines
During the submission process you will need to provide
- A clear title (max 15 words)
- Author(s) name(s) and affiliation(s)
- Selection of the relevant thematic track
- Abstracts should be no more than 300 words and include 3 - 5 Keywords
Submissions will be peer-reviewed, and successful authors will be invited to present at the conference and contribute to the proceedings. Early-career researchers and practitioners are particularly encouraged to submit.
Important Dates
| Submissions Open | 26 March 2025 |
| Abstract Submission Deadline | |
| Notification of Acceptance | 19 June 2025 |
| Full Program Released | 25 July 2025 |
| Presenter Registration Deadline | 1 September 2025 |
| Conference Dates | 9-12 December 2025 |
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Office Hours: 9.00am - 5.00pm AEST (Brisbane)
soac@absoluteevents.com.au
+61 7 3848 0089
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