Urban Research & Practice

Call for Policy Papers - Urban Research & Practice

Policy Section

Urban Research & Practice is making a special call for submissions for its Policy Section. This call specifically targets contributions that do not take the form of traditional original research articles, but instead offer timely, insightful reflections on emerging policies shaping cities today. Practitioners, policymakers, community actors, activists and researchers are warmly encouraged to contribute.

Policy articles that are chosen for submission from this call will not be published as part of a stand-alone special issue of the journal, but will be published in the policy section of future issues of the journal.

 

About the Journal

Urban Research & Practice is a well-established, vibrant and cross-disciplinary journal with a focus on urban studies, that publishes a wide range of original academic research articles along with innovative articles on policy and practice. The journal is published in association with EURA (European Urban Research Association), a network of urban researchers that offers a bridge between research and policy, promoting innovative research design, exchange of ideas and good practice, and knowledge transfer.

 

Policy Section

We welcome contributions that focus on new urban policies launched at the international, European, national, regional and local levels. Submissions should articulate the relevance of the policy beyond its immediate context and highlight its potential implications for wider urban debates and policy. We are particularly interested in articles that might be of interest to other practitioners, policy makers and politicians. Policy articles are typically between 3,000 and 5,000 words. Further instructions can be found below.

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Guidelines for Authors: Policy section

The articles should cover core topics of interest to the journal and be written in an audience friendly language. Before submitting an article, we advise authors to carefully read the journal’s “Aims and Scope” and to look at recently published policy articles of the journal and the journal archive to ensure that their work fits the journal.

All policy articles submitted to this journal need the following elements: Introduction, main text, and conclusion. Please note that given the nature of this type of article we do not require a methodology section. However, if the article draws on a research project you may include a brief materials and methods section.

Authors may either use the headings given below and use substantive subheadings within these for each part of a section (particularly in the main text section) to guide a reader, or authors may utilise a substantive heading for each section. The following are examples of the headings and substantive subheadings used by an author in a policy article: 1. Introduction, 2. Materials and methods, 3. From a pioneering project to the Regional law, 4. Opportunities and limitations in the upscaling of a pioneering case, 5. Conclusions and outlook

(Bricocoli, M., Peverini, M., & Tagliaferri, A. (2024). The emerging role of cooperatives in the management of public housing in Italy. Opportunities and limitations of the “Valorization-alternative-to-sale” policy in Lombardy. Urban Research & Practice, 17:4, 606–616. https://doi.org/10.1080/17535069.2024.2341376)

 

The required contents are described below:

Title

The title of an article is important and should be carefully considered, as it allows the reader to ascertain the subject of the article. To guide the reader, include a keyword or phrase that is central to the paper and where possible mention case studies and/or the location in which the policy is devised and implemented.

Here is a good example:

​​Supporting open, shared and collaborative workspaces and hubs: recent transformations and policy implications

Abstract

- Briefly state the purpose of your paper and major conclusions in 300 words; the abstract must be able to stand alone.

- Avoid references and abbreviations, unless they are defined within your abstract when they are first mentioned.

Introduction

- Provide a brief overview of the subject and its relevance to urban scholars and practitioners.

- Clearly outline the purpose of your paper and issues it addresses without over-elaborating on the theoretical background.

- Limit the total number of references to fewer than 15, selecting only those essential to framing the subject.

Main text

Describe the policy, or outline the evolution of the policy, or document how the policy is being implemented, and any successes or challenges therein. This can be compared with and refer to wider literature on the policy or topic area, but it should not be overly academic.

• Focus on policies for and by cities, gathering reflections on how urban actors respond to contemporary social, economic, environmental or political challenges and to the increasingly structural nature of ongoing crises.
• Reflect on a specific policy initiative, policy framework, or the absence of policy in the given field and, where relevant, outline its origins and evolution and the broader policy context.
• Analyse how the policy is being implemented in practice highlighting key developments, opportunities and challenges.
• Discuss innovative responses or initiatives that have emerged in reaction to the policy context, and consider their potential to influence, modify or further develop existing policies.
• Provide a clear and accessible analysis informed, where appropriate, by relevant literature and critical social scientific approaches offering a rigorous assessment of policy design, implementation and effectiveness rather than policy promotion.
• Discuss the aspects which are most important when considering the transferability of the policy to other countries, regions or cities.

Conclusion

- Summarise major conclusions.

- Explain your contribution to urban practice and scholarship.

- Describe recommendations that arise from your conclusions.

 

Example:

If you would like to read a good example of a policy article, please see the following:

Mendelson-Shwartz, E., & Mualam, N. (2024). Compensation as a planning compass: decision making in light of future claims and lawsuits. Urban Research & Practice, 17(5), 758–776. https://doi.org/10.1080/17535069.2024.2346735