Conference Title: 2nd Conference on Rural Transformation in China, South and Southeast Asia (CRT-CSSEA)
Conference Theme: Transforming Rural Areas in the Global South towards Urban-Rural Integration: Practices in China, South and Southeast Asia.
Host Institution: College of International Development and Global Agriculture (CIDGA), College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD), and National Institute for Rural Vitalization Studies, China Agricultural University
Conference Date: Mid-October 2026 (Exact date to be announced)
Conference Venue: Manluanzhan Village, Xishuangbanna, China
Format: In-person
Conference Background and Scope:
As vital actors within the Global South, China and South and Southeast Asian countries, drawing on their profound smallholder agricultural traditions and endogenous knowledge systems, have forged unique paths of rural transformation. China has accumulated rich practical experience in areas like poverty eradication, rural industrial integration, and ecological governance, which resonates deeply with various practical innovations across South and Southeast Asian countries.
Simultaneously, they face common challenges such as rural depopulation, demographic aging, lack of rural industries, inadequate public services, and environmental degradation. These shared practical experiences and development challenges not only highlight the possibility of non-Western modernization paths but also reveal the potential for the South-South cooperation to achieve common development through theoretical innovation, technological exchange, and mutual learning in governance.
Building on the insights and thematic focus of the inaugural 2025 conference, which examined policy innovation, land systems, and technology empowerment, this 2026 gathering continues the critical dialogue. With the theme “Transforming Rural Areas in the Global South towards Urban-Rural Integration: Practices in China, South and Southeast Asia,” this conference aims to critically examine the complex transformations, advance comparative rural studies, and synthesize theory and the on-the-ground innovation to develop inclusive, analytically sound, and implementable rural development frameworks.
We invite scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to submit papers and engage with these pressing questions, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on the political economies, cultural reconfigurations, and human-environment interactions defining contemporary rural futures in the region. The conference seeks to bridge theoretical innovation with robust empirical research, laying the groundwork for a deeper understanding of this pivotal moment in rural Asia.
Thematic Streams for Submission:
The conference welcomes abstracts aligned with one or more of the following interconnected streams:
1. Urban and Rural Synergy: How does reconceptualizing the ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ help us understand the power relations and resource distribution in this spatial binary? We invite papers that interrogate and reshape the conceptual foundations of urban and rural spaces that illuminate their diverse socioeconomic linkages.
2. Participation, Agency, and Inclusive Governance: How are rural communities, especially women, youth, indigenous groups, and smallholders, participating in or resisting top-down development models? We welcome studies on multistakeholder governance, the politics of inclusion and exclusion in rural policy and project implementation, as well as the role of local institutions, power dynamics, and collective action in shaping development outcomes.
3. Livelihoods, Ecology, and Just Sustainability: How are rural livelihoods being reconfigured at the intersection of economic restructuring and ecological change? This stream explores “green” development initiatives, the political ecology of land and water, and the pursuit of sustainability that prioritizes social justice alongside environmental health.
4. Digital Frontiers and Reimagined Economies: How do digital technologies (e-commerce, platforms, fintech) rewire rural economies and social relations? We invite analyses of digital livelihoods, new labor forms, shifting market linkages, and the potential of technology to either empower or further marginalize rural actors.
5. Migration, Mobility and Transforming Rural Societies: How internal and cross-border migration reconfigures rural societies, economies, and landscapes? We invite papers that explore the drivers of migration (e.g., economic shifts, climate stress, policy incentives), its multidimensional impacts on sending and receiving communities, and the agency of migrants themselves.
Submission Types and Deliverables:
· Abstract: 250-300 words, plus 3-5 keywords. Deadline: 31 May 2026.
o Abstracts must clearly state the paper’s research questions, theoretical framework, methodology, key findings, and core argument. Include a brief bio (maximum 50 words) for each author, noting affiliation and contact information.
o Please submit your abstract to crtcssea@126.com. The conference organizers will conduct an initial screening for relevance to the conference theme and streams, and a decision will be sent by the 2nd week of June 2026.
· Full Paper: 9000-word full paper (prepared in both anonymous and non-anonymous versions) in PDF and MS Word formats. Deadline: 01 July 2026.
o Please submit your full paper to crtcssea@126.com. A decision regarding acceptance for presentation and logistical information will be sent by the 2nd week of July 2026. Evaluation criteria include the paper’s originality, methodological rigor, significance to the field, and overall clarity. Qualified papers will undergo a peer-review process, and reviewer feedback will be provided to the authors.
· PowerPoint: 10-15 slide PowerPoint file for a presentation not exceeding 15 minutes. Deadline: 11 September 2026.
NOTE: Submitted papers must not have been previously published or be under consideration for publication in a journal.
Formatting and Content Rules:
· The full paper must not exceed 9000 words (including the reference list). Papers exceeding this limit will be returned for revision before final consideration for inclusion in the conference program.
· Please follow the Journal of Rural Studies citation style and referencing guidelines throughout the manuscript.
Publication and Rights:
· High-quality papers presented at the conference may be considered for inclusion in a Special Issue in the Journal of Rural Studies.
· Papers requiring further development may be published in the Working Paper Series on the CIDGA website. This contributes to ongoing discourse on rural transformation and allows authors to refine their work for future publication.
Conference Accessibility and Ethics:
· There is no conference registration or submission fee.
· The conference organizers will cover the following costs for invited participants: round-trip international airfare; accommodation; local transportation during the conference; and conference meals. Participants are responsible for visa expenses, personal travel insurance, and transportation to and from their departure airport.
· Any use of AI or similar tools in the manuscript writing process must be fully disclosed in the methods section.
Contact Information:
· For further questions or clarifications, please contact: Organizers at crtcssea@126.com
Conference Title: 2nd Conference on Rural Transformation in China, South and Southeast Asia (CRT-CSSEA)
Conference Theme: Transforming Rural Areas in the Global South towards Urban-Rural Integration: Practices in China, South and Southeast Asia.
Host Institution: College of International Development and Global Agriculture (CIDGA), College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD), and National Institute for Rural Vitalization Studies, China Agricultural University
Conference Date: Mid-October 2026 (Exact date to be announced)
Conference Venue: Manluanzhan Village, Xishuangbanna, China
Format: In-person
Conference Background and Scope:
As vital actors within the Global South, China and South and Southeast Asian countries, drawing on their profound smallholder agricultural traditions and endogenous knowledge systems, have forged unique paths of rural transformation. China has accumulated rich practical experience in areas like poverty eradication, rural industrial integration, and ecological governance, which resonates deeply with various practical innovations across South and Southeast Asian countries.
Simultaneously, they face common challenges such as rural depopulation, demographic aging, lack of rural industries, inadequate public services, and environmental degradation. These shared practical experiences and development challenges not only highlight the possibility of non-Western modernization paths but also reveal the potential for the South-South cooperation to achieve common development through theoretical innovation, technological exchange, and mutual learning in governance.
Building on the insights and thematic focus of the inaugural 2025 conference, which examined policy innovation, land systems, and technology empowerment, this 2026 gathering continues the critical dialogue. With the theme “Transforming Rural Areas in the Global South towards Urban-Rural Integration: Practices in China, South and Southeast Asia,” this conference aims to critically examine the complex transformations, advance comparative rural studies, and synthesize theory and the on-the-ground innovation to develop inclusive, analytically sound, and implementable rural development frameworks.
We invite scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to submit papers and engage with these pressing questions, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on the political economies, cultural reconfigurations, and human-environment interactions defining contemporary rural futures in the region. The conference seeks to bridge theoretical innovation with robust empirical research, laying the groundwork for a deeper understanding of this pivotal moment in rural Asia.
Thematic Streams for Submission:
The conference welcomes abstracts aligned with one or more of the following interconnected streams:
1. Urban and Rural Synergy: How does reconceptualizing the ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ help us understand the power relations and resource distribution in this spatial binary? We invite papers that interrogate and reshape the conceptual foundations of urban and rural spaces that illuminate their diverse socioeconomic linkages.
2. Participation, Agency, and Inclusive Governance: How are rural communities, especially women, youth, indigenous groups, and smallholders, participating in or resisting top-down development models? We welcome studies on multistakeholder governance, the politics of inclusion and exclusion in rural policy and project implementation, as well as the role of local institutions, power dynamics, and collective action in shaping development outcomes.
3. Livelihoods, Ecology, and Just Sustainability: How are rural livelihoods being reconfigured at the intersection of economic restructuring and ecological change? This stream explores “green” development initiatives, the political ecology of land and water, and the pursuit of sustainability that prioritizes social justice alongside environmental health.
4. Digital Frontiers and Reimagined Economies: How do digital technologies (e-commerce, platforms, fintech) rewire rural economies and social relations? We invite analyses of digital livelihoods, new labor forms, shifting market linkages, and the potential of technology to either empower or further marginalize rural actors.
5. Migration, Mobility and Transforming Rural Societies: How internal and cross-border migration reconfigures rural societies, economies, and landscapes? We invite papers that explore the drivers of migration (e.g., economic shifts, climate stress, policy incentives), its multidimensional impacts on sending and receiving communities, and the agency of migrants themselves.
Submission Types and Deliverables:
· Abstract: 250-300 words, plus 3-5 keywords. Deadline: 31 May 2026.
o Abstracts must clearly state the paper’s research questions, theoretical framework, methodology, key findings, and core argument. Include a brief bio (maximum 50 words) for each author, noting affiliation and contact information.
o Please submit your abstract to crtcssea@126.com. The conference organizers will conduct an initial screening for relevance to the conference theme and streams, and a decision will be sent by the 2nd week of June 2026.
· Full Paper: 9000-word full paper (prepared in both anonymous and non-anonymous versions) in PDF and MS Word formats. Deadline: 01 July 2026.
o Please submit your full paper to crtcssea@126.com. A decision regarding acceptance for presentation and logistical information will be sent by the 2nd week of July 2026. Evaluation criteria include the paper’s originality, methodological rigor, significance to the field, and overall clarity. Qualified papers will undergo a peer-review process, and reviewer feedback will be provided to the authors.
· PowerPoint: 10-15 slide PowerPoint file for a presentation not exceeding 15 minutes. Deadline: 11 September 2026.
NOTE: Submitted papers must not have been previously published or be under consideration for publication in a journal.
Formatting and Content Rules:
· The full paper must not exceed 9000 words (including the reference list). Papers exceeding this limit will be returned for revision before final consideration for inclusion in the conference program.
· Please follow the Journal of Rural Studies citation style and referencing guidelines throughout the manuscript.
Publication and Rights:
· High-quality papers presented at the conference may be considered for inclusion in a Special Issue in the Journal of Rural Studies.
· Papers requiring further development may be published in the Working Paper Series on the CIDGA website. This contributes to ongoing discourse on rural transformation and allows authors to refine their work for future publication.
Conference Accessibility and Ethics:
· There is no conference registration or submission fee.
· The conference organizers will cover the following costs for invited participants: round-trip international airfare; accommodation; local transportation during the conference; and conference meals. Participants are responsible for visa expenses, personal travel insurance, and transportation to and from their departure airport.
· Any use of AI or similar tools in the manuscript writing process must be fully disclosed in the methods section.
Contact Information:
· For further questions or clarifications, please contact: Organizers at crtcssea@126.com
