GLD 2026 Annual Conference

Participation and Decision-Making: Studies on Citizen Engagement and Mobilization in Local Governance

Call for Proposals:

The Governance and Local Development Institute is inviting proposals for papers to be presented at its 9th Annual Conference. The conference will be held June 10-12, 2026 (arrival on June 9, departure June 12). We aim to bring together scholars and practitioners from a range of disciplines to discuss who participates in decision-making at the local level, how, where, and to what ends. This year’s conference will revolve around how participatory mechanisms at the local level differ from each other, from those at the national level, and the extent to which elites (within the state or in other arenas of authority) use participatory mechanisms to serve their interests. We invite proposals that use a diversity of research methods, examining various geographic settings, decision-making venues, and institutional arrangements.

Paper proposals may address questions including, but not limited to:

In what ways do people participate in local decision-making? To what extent does participation in local decision-making differ from participation in decision-making at other levels?
Who participates? How does identity (e.g., gender, caste, race, or religion) facilitate or proscribe participation in local-level arenas (or local fora)?
In what local arenas or fora do people participate? Is participation more democratic in certain local arenas than others?
To what extent does the government co-opt participatory mechanisms to reinforce their power? What are the implications of this co-optation for outcomes like development, representation, and public goods provision?

Proposals are due by October 20, 2025, 11:59 pm CET. Proposals must include a project title, an abstract (300 word max), an explanation for how your submission fits the theme (500 word max), and a draft of the proposed work or another example of your work (in English). All proposals and proposal materials must be in English. Invitations to participate will be sent in December.

Please email contact@gld.gu.se with any questions.

Name*

First NameLast Name

Preferred Pronouns *

Preferred Email Address*

Professional Affiliation*

Discipline*

Please select your position*

PhD Date (if applicable)

Date

Current Location (City, Country in which you are based)*

Region(s) of Study*

What would you like to present?*

How would you like to present? Please check all that apply.*

Paper Presentation (10-12 mins duration)Lightening Round (5 mins duration)Poster

Title or Working Title*

Abstract*

0/300

How does your submission fit the theme? *

0/500

Please either upload a draft of your proposed work to be presented OR another example of your work.*

*The file should be titled with your last name and be in PDF format.

Where did you first hear about this call?*