Aims and Scope
A groundbreaking forum for intellectual debate, IJURR is at the forefront of urban and regional research. With a cutting edge approach to linking theoretical development and empirical research, and a consistent demand for quality, IJURR encompasses key material from an unparalleled range of critical, comparative and geographic perspectives. Embracing a multidisciplinary approach to the field, IJURR is essential reading for social scientists with a concern for the complex, changing roles and futures of cities and regions.
Articles
IJURR publishes articles that make a decisive and original contribution to critical urban scholarship, drawing on evidence from cities and regions around the world. Manuscripts submitted for consideration are expected to advance concepts and methodologies in the interdisciplinary field of urban studies and to demonstrate the expansion of knowledge through research and theory.
Interventions
The Interventions section of IJURR presents shorter, sometimes contentious essays and collections on recent developments in the field — policy, practice and theory — and occasional coverage of truly groundbreaking convocations, mobilizations and reports. These shouldn’t be research papers, as this section aims to create a space for provocation, critical reflection, heuristic propositions and initial reports on the use of new methodologies. It also features debates centered on articles published in this journal that have prompted controversy, conceptual breakthroughs and strong opinions among IJURR’s readership. Interventions collections must have a strong introduction that situates the argument of the collection as a whole, and aims to stimulate discussion and debate. Length of essays should not normally exceed 5,000 words.
Symposia
Symposia are collections of 4–6 articles, plus an introduction, which engage with IJURR’s scholarship and build a coherent argument around a specific subject matter. The subject matter of the symposium should fall within the interest of IJURR. A symposium proposal must be submitted in the first instance for consideration by the editors. Symposium proposals will be considered only if they adhere to the symposium submission guidelines, available here.
Calls for Papers
The IJURR editors may occasionally curate a themed issue based on research interests identified by the Editorial Board. In these cases, the journal will put out a call for abstracts on emerging research on specific topics and/or regions. The editors will review the abstracts soon after the specified deadline and notify the author if a full paper is invited. Full papers invited in response to calls for papers will be subject to external peer review. These papers may result in the publication of a themed issue with an editorial introduction, or individual articles published in the journal.
Book Reviews
IJURR’s review section provides an informed, critical overview of the most important new publications as well as relevant, less obvious books that should not be overlooked. Spanning a wide subject and geographic area, this section is a reliable and valuable resource for researchers. Whilst we welcome suggestions for reviews of important and ground-breaking books, unsolicited reviews are not encouraged. Reviews should situate the book in its wider context of relevance, summarize the main arguments and finally address the reviewer’s own commentary. Reviews should ideally consist of 800-1000 words, though for multiple books this is lengthened to 1500.
Starting in Summer 2022, we also introduce Intraviews, a format aimed at introducing into our discussions books (or, in justified cases, other text formats) published in languages other than English. Intraviews should present this work as much as possible on its own terms, while also explaining to international audiences how it intervenes in the local (and, if applicable, international) debates. Standard ‘framing’ of the argument in the context of mainstream anglophone research is needed only if it creates real value. Bringing the author’s voice through generous quotations is encouraged. Intraviews should ideally consist of 1000-1500 words.
Guidelines for book reviewers are available here, and Intraview guidelines are available here.