Call for Papers

The Journal of Mega Infrastructure & Sustainable Development provides a platform to critically examine the theory and practice of international mega infrastructure development holistically in different contexts. It explores the complexities, risks, opportunities and uncertainties entailed in decision-making and governance of large-scale infrastructure plans, programmes and projects, the lessons they offer for the future, and their potential to promote and deliver more sustainable development.

The journal comprises 3 parts:          

Part One containing articles on Theories and Applied Research in Mega Infrastructure Development.
Part Two containing articles on International Experience and Practice in Mega Infrastructure Development.
Part Three featuring Reviews of international research papers, monographs, books and case studies, together with letters, conference reports and a quarterly commissioned column on mega infrastructure investment and sustainable development challenges world-wide (Carte Blanche).

Type of papers welcomed

The journal invites contributions from practitioners, researchers and key stakeholder interests that encompass all sectors of infrastructure development, in particular Water, Energy, Transport, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Regeneration, plus other land-use based large-scale infrastructure investments that present significant costs and benefits to the environments, economies, societies and territories they traverse and serve - both in the developed and developing world.

Preference will be given to papers which present:

• innovative thinking and constructive critical analysis of new approaches,
• multi-disciplinary and multi-sector perspectives of decision-making and problem-solving,
• useful cross-links between research findings and practical outcomes, and
• lessons from case studies drawn from different sectors, constituencies, and national and regional contexts.

While submissions are welcome on any theme and in any development context, papers are especially welcome that examine:  

• the power of context on mega infrastructure planning, appraisal and delivery,
• mega infrastructure plans, programmes and projects acting as ‘agents of change’,
• how mega infrastructure investment ‘success’ should be judged,
• the role of public finance in promoting and delivering mega infrastructure developments,
• the role of private finance in promoting and delivering mega infrastructure developments,
• the opportunities and costs of ‘public-private partnerships’ in financing and delivering sustainable infrastructure development,
• mega infrastructure governance and institutional capacities and their impacts on delivering sustainable development,
• mega infrastructure plans, programmes and projects for smart cities and how to deliver sustainable development visions,
• the compatibility of hosting major events and mega infrastructure projects with visions of sustainable development,
• ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ of mega infrastructure developments and their economic, social, environmental and distributional consequences, and
• mitigation and adaptation initiatives of climate change and carbon footprints as they relate to mega infrastructure investments.

For further information on all types of contributions, please see the Instructions for Authors.

Manuscripts should be submitted directly on-line, indicating for which part of the journal the paper is proposed. If you have any queries about how the journal might handle a proposed submission, please contact Dr. John Ward, Assistant Managing Editor.

Once accepted selected, articles may first be published on-line before appearing in print editions that will be published tri-annually. All papers undergo double blind peer-review.