“Public Communication for Sustainable Cities: Citizens, Institutions, and the Ecological Crisis”

Call for Papers – Special Issue: “Public Communication for Sustainable Cities: Citizens, Institutions, and the Ecological Crisis”

Journal: Corporate Communications: An International Journal
Publisher: Emerald Publishing
Submission deadline: 31 May 2026

Overview

Cities serve as the vital arenas for ecological transformation. While global and national policies set the framework, it is within municipalities, local authorities, and community initiatives that these transitions are negotiated and implemented. This special issue positions strategic communication as a central enabler of urban sustainability, focusing on how institutions can move beyond technical solutions to foster inclusive, participatory, and communicative governance. The editors seek to bridge the gap between research and practice by exploring how storytelling, data visualization, and dialogue can facilitate meaningful climate action and resilient urban development.

Key Research Themes

• Strategic Municipal Communication: The role of communication professionals in driving climate action and navigating public sector transitions.

• Participatory Governance: Strategies for citizen engagement, dialogue, and stakeholder communication in local sustainability initiatives.

• Narratives & Storytelling: The use of climate storytelling, participatory narratives, and visual communication (e.g., climate dashboards) to mobilize community action.

• Resilience & Inclusion: Communication practices that strengthen transparency, fairness, and a sense of belonging in regenerative cities.

• Multi-level Cooperation: Messaging strategies for cross-sector partnerships (e.g., municipalities and SMEs) and navigating multi-level governance frameworks.

• Comparative Perspectives: Urban/rural sustainability narratives and lessons from diverse international contexts, including the Global South and Global North.

Submission Details

• Submission window: Open now – 31 May 2026.

• Submission portal: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ccij

• Article Type: Select the special issue title from the dropdown menu during the submission process.

Guest Editors

• Dr. Adalberto Arrigoni, Leeds Beckett University, UK (a.arrigoni@leedsbeckett.ac.uk)

• Dr. Wim J.L. Elving, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands (w.j.l.elving@pl.hanze.nl)

• Dr. Catrin Johansson, Mid Sweden University, Sweden (Catrin.Johansson@miun.se)

• Dr. Ileana Zeler, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain (Ileana.zeler@uab.cat)

Why This Issue Matters

Much of the existing sustainability communication research focuses on corporate reporting or high-level climate advocacy. This issue focuses on the "local turn," highlighting the communicative infrastructure of cities where citizens negotiate change daily. By providing actionable models and transferable insights, this collection aims to equip municipal teams and civil society organizations with the capacities required for transformative ecological governance.

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