THEMATIC GROUPS

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Parent Category: THEMATIC GROUPS

Category: Ethics, Values and Planning

Published: 02 January 2024

The AESOP TG Ethics, Values and Planning welcomes contributions to a themed special issue of Transactions of AESOP on the theme Exploring Conformorality in Planning Debates: Perspectives and Implications, under the Guest Editorship of Dr. Stefano Cozzolino (ILS - Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development, Dortmund, Germany) and Dr. Anita De Franco (Milan Polytechnic University, Italy). 

Introducing conformorality

The concept of “conformorality” (Lisciandra et al., 2013) expresses the tendency of groups and communities to conform to certain normative judgments due to peer pressure. It speaks to the tendency of individuals to align with particular values to secure acceptance within a specific group. This issue has been explored in various fields (e.g., ethics, ethology, experimental psychology, philosophy). In this themed special issue, we explore its implications for issues relevant to planning theory and practice.

Crucial questions

Planning scholars are not exempt from conformorality. They advance ideas and solutions influenced by widespread value-based arguments and moral pressure from the planning community. Key related questions might include - To what extent is “conformorality” relevant in opinion-shaping processes, especially concerning spatial transformation and various ethical and moral perspectives on urban issues? How often do planners consider (and reconsider) the ways in which they work and think, even beyond their practical needs (Moroni, 2023)? How often do planning theorists challenge consensual ideas? Are attempts in this regard (Banham et al., 1969) condemned to fall under the accusation of being “naive,” “insensitive,” or “part of the problem”?

Key challenges

It is crucial to recognise that an excess of conformorality can reduce fair debate and hamper innovative ideas and solutions (Turiel, 2002; Talbe, 2012; Kelly et al., 2017; Chituc & Sinnott-Armstrong, 2020; Carlsson et al., 2021; Alshaalan & Gummerum, 2022). Planning policies, urban studies, and human geography are not exempt from this risk (Hartman, 1984/2002; Hesse, 2015; Farrow et al., 2017; Potts, 2020; Kirchherr, 2022). Debates on sustainability, the circular economy, commons, commodification, densification, touristification, segregation, gentrification, digitalisation, informality, inequality, participation, neoliberalism, post-colonialism, peripheries-peripherality, privatisation, social justice, and the just city are all susceptible to conformorality.

A call for contributions

For this special issue, the Call for Papers welcomes both conceptual and empirical papers that critically discuss and explore how the specific issue of “conformorality”, or the more general problem of how “conformism” affects urban planning and regional studies’ debates, by analysing and exploring a specific research topic. Authors are urged to address two key questions in their submissions: 

1 - Which aspects of your chosen theme are affected by conformorality? How does conformorality influence the debate on this particular topic?

2 - What can and should be done to overcome the current impasse and introduce new perspectives and ideas to deal with this particular urban issue?

Abstract Submission - Deadline 10 January 2024

As a first step authors are invited to submit an abstract of no more than 200 words which outlines the themes and content of their proposed papers to the Guest Editors Dr. Stefano Cozzolino This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Dr. Anita De Franco This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 10 January 2024. A full timetable of deadlines for the production of the Special Issue is provided below. 

Full paper format - First full paper draft submission 01 March 2024

Authors whose abstracts are selected will be invited to submit their original contributions in the form of full papers of 5000 up to 7000 words (including footnotes and references) by 01 March 2024.

The connection between the AESOP thematic group Ethics, Values and Plannig and this special issue

The special issue builds on the annual conference of AESOP TG Ethics, Values and Planning: “Breaking through ‘Conformorality’ in urban and regional studies” (Dortmund, September 14-15, 2023; conference report), while also opening the call to scholars who want to engage in the debate.

Important dates:

- 11 December 2023: open call for abstract submissions (200 words)

- 10 January 2024: call for abstracts closes

- 20 January 2024: selection/acceptance of contributors from the open call for abstract

- 1 March 2024: first drafts of full papers received, and review process starts

- 1-15 March 2024: first round of reviews returned to authors

- 30 April 2024: second revised drafts received

- 1-15 May 2024: second round of referee process

- 30 May 2024: final submission to the journal

- July/August 2024: publication and conclusion of the special issue

Guest Editors

Dr. Stefano Cozzolino, ILS - Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development, Dortmund, Germany - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  is a Senior Researcher at ILS – Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development (Dortmund), an Adjunct Professor at RWTH University (Aachen), and the coordinator of the AESOP thematic group on Ethics, Values, and Planning. His primary research interest focuses on the interplay between planning/design and the evolution of spontaneous social-spatial configurations.

Dr. Anita De Franco, Milan Polytechnic University, Italy - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  is a Postdoctoral research fellow at Milan Polytecnic University and Adjunct Professor at the University of Pavia (Italy). From 2020 she is founder and executive member of “NormaCtivity: research network on human and non-human normativity”. In 2022 she joined the AESOP thematic group on Ethics, Values and Planning.

Keywords

Conformity, Conformorality, Ethics, Moral judgements, Normative principles, Planning theories, Social norms and conventions, Urban planning debates, Urban policies, Urban studies

Some Key References

Alshaalan, H., & Gummerum, M. (2022). Conformity on moral, social conventional and decency issues in the United Kingdom and Kuwait. International Journal of Psychology, 57(2), 261-270. 

Banham, R., Barker, P., Hall, P. and Price, C. (1969) ‘Non-plan: an experiment in freedom’, New Society 26: 435–43

Carlsson, M., Finseraas, H., Midtbøen, A. H., & Rafnsdóttir, G. L. (2021). Gender bias in academic recruitment? Evidence from a survey experiment in the Nordic region. European Sociological Review, 37(3), 399-410.

Chituc, V., & Sinnott-Armstrong, W. (2020). Moral conformity and its philosophical lessons. Philosophical Psychology, 33(2), 262-282. 

Cialdini, R.B., & Goldstein, N.J. (2004). Social influence: Compliance and conformity. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 591–621.

Hartman, C. (1984/2002). Right to stay put, reprinted in: Between Eminence and Notoriety. New Brunswick, NJ: CUPR Press.

Hesse, M. (2015). Megaurban regions: Epistemology, discourse patterns, big urban business. In J. Harrison & M. Hoyler, Megaregions (pp. 29–50). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Kelly, M., Ngo, L., Chituc, V., Huettel, S., & Sinnott-Armstrong, W. (2017). Moral conformity in online interactions: Rational justifications increase influence of peer opinions on moral judgments. Social Influence, 12(2-3), 57-68. 

Kirchherr, J. (2022). Bullshit in the sustainability and transitions literature: A provocation. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 1-6.

Lisciandra, C., Postma-Nilsenová, M., & Colombo, M. (2013). Conformorality. A study on group conditioning of normative judgment. Review of Philosophy and Psychology, 4, 751-764.

Moroni, S. (2023). Distinguishing ‘planning’ from the ‘plan’. Institutional and professional implications of taking urban complexity seriously. European Planning Studies, 1-15.

Potts, R. (2020). Is a New ‘Planning 3.0’ Paradigm Emerging? Exploring the Relationship between Digital Technologies and Planning Theory and Practice. Planning Theory & Practice, 21 (2), 272-289.

Turiel, E. (2002). The culture of morality: Social development, context, and conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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Parent Category: THEMATIC GROUPS

Category: Transboundary Planning and Governance

Published: 22 December 2023

Dear all,

Last week we had a small but productive TG meeting, reflecting on 2023 and thinking about activities for 2024. Our main activity is of course the AESOP Annual Congress in Paris. Our TG is responsible for TRACK 4 BORDERS “Transboundary planning for sustainability and cohesion”. Please note that the deadline for abstract submission is already on January 8^th. Further information about the congress can be found here: https://aesop-planning.eu/paris

In the TG meeting, we continued our conversation about “Planning across borders in times of war and geopolitical conflict” – the theme of a roundtable organized at the Lodz congress this July. Although there will be no roundtable on the subject at next year’s congress, we invite you to submit an abstract related to the theme if you are interested, and we will make sure to bundle related abstracts into dedicated sessions. Don’t hesitate to contact track chair Alois Humer (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) should you have any questions related to our track at the Paris congress. We also started discussing a separate event related to the subject taking place in Bratislava during the autumn 2024. Details on this will follow later.

I would also like to share information about two online events, organized in the context of VASAB, which might be of interest to some TG members:

January 19^th: VASAB webinar on project idea development https://vasab.org/event/vasab-webinar-on-project-idea-development/

February 29^th: VASAB Webinar on Spatial Resilience and Spatial Planning https://vasab.org/event/save-the-date-vasab-webinar-on-spatial-resilience-and-spatial-planning/

Finally, let me extend my warmest holiday wishes to all of you! It has been a busy year and I hope that all of you can take some time to rest and recharge during the upcoming holiday season. Let’s meet again in 2024!

Best wishes,

Eva

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Parent Category: THEMATIC GROUPS

Category: Planning and Complexity

Published: 20 December 2023

Towards the end of 2023, we have news to share to kick-start all of us into 2024.

We have noticed many publications in the past year that can boost all of our collective thinking even more. Use this form https://forms.gle/gJYhTfN5DuaBMbpM9 to share your own ones on planning and complexity, or other recommendations. The form also includes our collection of key concepts and terms from Manchester in 2023, and all further ideas are welcome.

We invite you to join our new LinkedIn group and also share relevant information and debates there. Visit at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12735445/

Most importantly, our focus for the 2024 edition of the thematic group’s activities: we will collectively investigate the issue of TIME and its interlinkages with complexity thinking. TIME is a fascinating topic. Everything comes to life, evolves, transforms, and sometimes even repeats itself over time. Actions and planning interventions necessarily deal with time: sometimes as a resource, others as a pressing condition. In short, time is unavoidable. It is an omnipresent aspect, especially for those considering complexity seriously.

TIME/LESS: Sensing, Designing, Planning — the motto for the events that will take place in the following months! On the one hand, this title stresses the implications of (not) thinking about time both from theoretical and empirical perspectives, through the lens of sensing, designing, and planning. On the other hand, it reflects on and questions the timeless character of the conventions, practices, and patterns that are (not yet) affected by the passage of time.

To help plan for our upcoming activities, we encourage you to mark your calendars with the following dates - please also share widely with potential others:

UPCOMING EVENTS

• AESOP Congress (Paris) July 2024 – https://aesop-planning.eu/paris

If you are planning to come to Paris, please let us know. Note the deadlines for regular submissions on 8 and 15 January 2024 (!). Some members and friends of the thematic group have already informally confirmed their presence. Your direct confirmation will help us in setting the best format for the gathering.

We invite you to an evening event, hosted from within our group (https://aesop-planning.eu/paris-evening-event-02). Help the preparation of the evening session at AESOP 2024 by answering this Mentimeter poll: https://www.menti.com/alfkf89wog3q

We also invite you to consider submitting to track 17 (risks, https://aesop-planning.eu/paris-track-17) that we are co-chairing. 

• TG Conference, November 28-29/30, 2024 (call for abstracts out ca. in March 2024)

The conference will occur in Aachen (Germany) and will be hosted by RWTH University. Due to its central location, bordering Belgium and The Netherlands along with its vicinity to multiple major cities, it is highly accessible. There is the possibility that the event will be extended to include Saturday, November 30th depending on the number of abstracts received.

Further information will be upcoming. The event is organised by Robin Chang, Fabio Bayro Kaiser and Stefano Cozzolino (local organising team 2024), with support from Christian Lamker and Ward Rauws (thematic group coordinators).

• Further online events

Stay tuned...

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Parent Category: THEMATIC GROUPS

Category: New Technologies & Planning

Published: 17 December 2023

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS -  36th AESOP Annual Congress 2024 Paris, July 8-12 2024
GAME CHANGER? Planning for just and sustainable urban regions

All TG NTP Members and other Colleagues interested in the subject of New Technologies and Planning are cordially invited to submit a contribution to Track 16 NETWORKS AND DATA: Planning and socio-technical systems, digital methods and technologies

Please visit the AESOP 2024 PARIS CONGRESS website for more information!

To submit your abstract please click here: https://aesop-planning.eu/paris-for-authors

24 November 2023 - Open call for abstracts
08 January 2024 - Deadline for abstracts EXTENDED until 31 January 2024!