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AAG 2015 Call for papers and panellists Session Title: Digital Disruptions and Urban Governance Organizers: Donald McNeill, (University of Western Sydney), Elizabeth Rapoport (University College London, UK), Ellie Cosgrave (University College London), Michele Acuto (University College London, UK) Session overview We invite paper presenters and panellists to participate in a two-part session to be held at the April 2015 AAG annual meeting in Chicago, entitled Digital Disruptions and Urban Governance. Part one will be a paper session. Part two will consist of an interdisciplinary panel discussion on the implications of new digital technologies on urban governance. Abstract Digital technologies are currently leading to rapid changes in the lives of urban dwellers. Around the world, governments and other actors are pouring time, energy and money into efforts to foster digital innovation in the hopes of promoting economic development, improving service delivery and enhancing quality of life. Yet, beyond feel-good slogans about sharing economies and “smart” cities, digital technologies are creating both challenges and opportunities for urban governance. These include the regulatory challenges posed by new consumer and service offers. Examples include the controversies around the taxi booking service Uber, and challenges to the legality of the accommodation booking service Airbnb. There are also a range of companies selling new ways of accessing health services, bidding down labour costs, and creating crime profiles for urban groups. Behind every “digital economy” success story are real implications for city governance, around issues such as regulation, procurement and financing. In this context it is important to explore whether city leaders and political actors can anticipate and plan for the impact of disruptions emerging from a fast-paced world of technology, and to understand how they are currently coping with present disruptions. The aim of these sessions is to explore the concept of “digital disruptions” and its implications for city leadership and governance, urban economies, and urban life more broadly. The session aims to examine the theoretical and practical implications of new, disruptive digital technologies and platforms for cities. We seek proposals that will unpack the social, political, and spatial dimensions of this issue, to move toward an approach to theorising digital disruptions and their impact on urban places. Administrative directions We welcome proposals from those interested in participating in the panel session or submitting a paper. Paper submissions: Interested authors are invited to submit their paper titles, abstracts (of no more than 250 words) to the session organisers by October 3rd, 2014. Panellists: Please submit a description of your interests in this area (of no more than one page), including any publications, and your proposed contribution to the session to the session organizers by October 3rd, 2014. Contact details for organisers: Donald McNeill, University of Western Sydney: [log in to unmask] Elizabeth Rapoport, University College London: [log in to unmask] Please note that if your paper or presentation is selected you will need to register for the conference and send us your presenter identification number (PIN) by October 29th. Guidelines can be found here: • http://www.aag.org/annualmeeting/register • http://www.aag.org/cs/annualmeeting/call_for_papers#session-types _______________________________________________________ [log in to unmask] An urban geography discussion and announcement forum List Archives: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/URB-GEOG-FORUM Maintained by: RGS-IBG Urban Geography Research Group UGRG Home Page: http://www.urban-geography.org.uk