A global conference series held across continents
since 2000
Part of a long-standing international conference cycle
8th edition
WELCOME
from the
organizers
Global economies are navigating uncharted waters. Systemic shocks, geopolitical crises, rapid technological transformations, authoritarian tendencies and epoch-making ecological changes call into question long-held assumptions about the institutional architectures that have governed the global economy in the last decades. Increasing concentration of capital, rising protectionism, polarisation of power, and widening socio-economic inequalities are processes that increasingly threaten the stability of the global economy, prompting reflection on the broader roles of states, regions, cities, individuals, and societies in a time of profound transformation. Economic geographers are well-positioned to analyse these challenges, continuing to offer critical insights and varied frameworks for understanding their implications in a changing landscape. The Global Conference on Economic Geography (GCEG) is the ideal platform for discussing these most pressing issues. As such, we invite you to Rome to take part in the 8th edition (GCEC 2028) under the overarching theme:
Economic geographies in turbulent times: mapping a changing world
By fostering an open, informal and transnational dialogue across the pluralistic perspectives of our vibrant community, GCEG 2028 aims to develop a transformative research agenda that brings together the most innovative, critical, and impactful scholarship in the field to nurture fresh perspectives into the processes, practices, and mechanisms shaping the contemporary global economy. In so doing, GCEG 2028 aims to unite economic geographical research that not only analyses evolving dynamics but also informs effective responses to a rapidly changing global landscape. With its unique geographical positioning, historical legacy, and ongoing contemporary struggles, Rome offers an ideal setting for hosting the 8th Global Conference on Economic Geography.
In Rome, our community will not only engage with the city’s resonance of global economic processes at the urban scale but will also leverage its diverse academic ecosystem, logistical strengths and overall attractiveness.
As such, the GCEG 2028 will represent a unique experience for all. Further, the city enjoys a vibrant academic environment. This enhances its appeal as a hub for scholarly exchange among economic geographers and across disciplinary and methodological boundaries. Rome’s strategic position as a gateway between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, along with its geographical centrality yet relative peripherality within the Anglo-American disciplinary tradition, offers unique conditions for a truly ‘global’ economic geography conference. It provides a welcoming environment for scholars from both the Global North and the Global South and reflects a sincere attempt to promote geographical, thematic and epistemological diversity within the international community of economic geographers. For these reasons, we invite you to join the 8th edition of the Global Conference on Economic Geography in Rome: GCEG 2028.