Call for Papers: Community-led Responses to Urban and Peri-Urban Land Conflict

Land conflict is a growing challenge in rapidly urbanizing areas across the globe, with marginalized communities often bearing the brunt of disputes over housing, development, and access to basic services. Recognizing the critical role that local actors play in conflict resolution, Environment & Urbanization has launched a Call for Papers for a special issue on Community-led responses to urban and peri-urban land conflict, to be published in November 2026.

Guest editors invite contributions that explore how community groups, grassroots movements, and local institutions address land disputes linked to real estate development, rural–urban migration, gender dynamics, religious or ethnic divisions, and more.

The special issue seeks to unpack:

• The forms of land conflict emerging in diverse urban contexts;
• How these conflicts are navigated by communities themselves;
• The outcomes of these responses for different groups;
• And how governments might learn from or integrate such community-led mechanisms into broader policy frameworks.

Expressions of interest are welcome before 17 November 2025, with full submissions due 15 January 2026. This timely call may serve as a catalyst for longer-term research collaborations—possibly forming part of a roadmap toward the 2026 World Bank Land Conference.

Read More and Apply – Themes for future issues | Environment & Urbanization