IPA2026OC GEELONG

We invite submissions of papers, panels, and short workshop proposals that foreground critical-interpretive scholarship and engage with questions of power, inequality, and sustainability across diverse policy settings and contexts. Submissions may address, but are not limited to:

• Critical theory and critical policy analysis, including feminist, postcolonial, and critical race approaches

• Power, discourse, and meaning-making in policy processes

• Narratives, values, and emotions in governance

• Democratic practices and participatory processes

• Expertise, knowledge, and boundary work

• Policy implementation as situated practice

• Inequality, justice, and sustainability

• Organisational cultures, routines, and informal practices

• Theoretical and methodological innovations in interpretive research

Submissions should include an abstract of 300–500 words outlining the paper’s focus, theoretical and methodological orientation and contribution, along with a short bio and your email address. 

Panel proposals are also welcome and should include a set of related paper abstracts. We also accept short workshop proposals that engage participants in interactive, practice-oriented, or methodological discussions aligned with the conference themes.

All submissions will be reviewed by the organising committee.