Finnish Urban Studies Conference

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The theme of 2026 is
City of Hope.

Hope is especially important in times marked by unpredictability and growing inequality. Without hope, it is impossible to work toward the well-being and health of people, the resilience of natural ecosystems, and the vitality of society as a whole.

City of Hope looks to the future while remembering its history—thriving in the places where people and buildings, nature and culture, art and technology meet to create opportunities for new, sustainable, and inclusive solutions.

Digitalization, climate change, and global crises, together with political decision-making, bring new dimensions to this discussion. City of Hope is capable of recovering and renewing itself—from individual neighborhoods to entire metropolitan regions.

Hope is key to understanding how the voices and emotions of communities can shape the future of cities. The theme encourages us to reflect on what kinds of visions, future images, and narratives are being constructed for cities—and how these can guide anticipation, planning, and decision-making at different levels of urban development.

The theme also challenges us to a critical evaluation: whose visions, decisions, and narratives are being built and strengthened, and whose are sidelined? At the same time, it invites us to ask where hope arises, how it can be nurtured, and what means can be used to build cities that are sustainable, healthy, and diverse places to live.

We invite you—researcher, expert, planner, student, or friend of cities—to participate in Urban Studies Conference 2026 to share your own topic in the light of hope. Together, we can shape the diverse cities of the future—cities that are sustainable, just, and full of hope for what is to come.