What is the Ideal City?

Amsterdam is known as the ideal city for the 21st Century when measured by the standard of social justice, environmentalism, planning and design. We are sponsoring a conference in beautiful Amsterdam (October 11 to 14) and a scholarly book that will explore what is the ideal approach to housing, drug laws, transportation, prostitution, environmentalism, development, crime, brown fields, and urban design. Indeed, Amsterdam is a laboratory of innovation that provides a model for the rest of the world. But we also believe that other cities can also give us innovative, smart, bold and brash ideas as well. We welcome a range of policy ideas from around the world to help improve the human condition.

The conference, edited book, and journal wants to address what makes a city ideal? We already have papers outlining strategies for ending homelessness, car free cities, right to basic necessities of life, sexual freedom, sustainable cities, and the creation of good jobs. The conference is about places, policies, programs that we can point to from around the world not necessarily Amsterdam: http://www.hollandnow.org

Conference themes

Call for Proposals

Research Papers - Completed research papers in any of the topic areas listed above.

Abstracts - Abstracts of completed or proposed research in any of the topic areas listed above, or related areas. The abstract for proposed research should include the research objectives, proposed methodology, and a discussion of expected outcomes.

Professionals in the field - Research done by professionals in any of the topic areas listed above, or related areas.

Case Studies - Case studies in any of the topic areas listed above, or related areas.

Work-in-Progress Reports or Proposals for Future Research - Incomplete research or ideas for future research in order to generate discussion and feedback in any of the topic areas listed above, or related areas.

Reports on Issues Related to Teaching - Reports related to innovative instruction techniques or research related to teaching in any of the topic areas listed above, or related areas.

Email your abstract and/or paper, along with a title page, to jgilde02@sprynet.com. Decision of submissions will be acknowledged via email within 48 hours.

Audience

Planners, architects, elected officials, policy makers, environmentalists, along with college students and Professors concerned with what the "ideal city" should look like.

Why Amsterdam for a conference on the ideal City?

Amsterdam is known as the “Venice of the North.” Progressives have called Amsterdam an ideal city when measured by the standard of social justice. Holland has what many call a “radical,” “progressive,” “unique” and for some a “sinful” approach to housing, drug laws, transportation, prostitution, crime, brown fields, and urban design. The Netherlands has turned our American urban policy and planning programs upside down and found innovative ways to solve social problems. Many American visitors who come to Holland come away shocked, amazed, impressed and changed forever. Holland is controversial. Indeed, Amsterdam is a laboratory of innovation that provides a national model for the rest of the world. It’s a place where we can honor their successes and learn from their errors in urban policy and planning. Without a doubt, Holland is also the home of world class architecture that is envied around the world.

The conference website and further information can be found at: http://www.hollandnow.org/