Following three successful conferences between 1997 and 2002,  
the Fourth International Conference of Critical Geography  
will be held in Mexico City, Mexico, 8-13 January 2005.  The  
aim of the conference is to stimulate debate among critical  
geographers from around the world and to promote the 
development of critical geography.  
 
 

Conference format

There will be time allocated for discussion and debate by  
reducing the duration for formal paper presentations.  In  
addition, following much debate during the Bekescsaba  
Conference of 2002, there will be more support for speakers  
and listeners whose native languages are not those officially  
chosen for the conference. To meet these requests we have  
developed a new format for the Fourth Conference. 
 
 
The conference will feature the following nine themes:

 
 
We might probably include more. Each theme will involve one  
or two convenors.  Most sessions will be panel debates,  
roundtable discussions, workshops and other participatory  
activities.  If written papers are presented they should be  
short (no more than four-five pages), written in plain, clear  
Spanish, English, or French, and circulated in advance.   
Formal spoken presentations will be limited to 5-10 minutes.   
Papers focusing on isolated case studies will not be accepted  
in the conference so as to favour the development of a wider  
analysis of subjects relevant to the above themes. At the  
same time, other forms of participation, such as photo  
exhibits emphasising critical topics, will be given  
opportunity for presentation.  It will also be possible to  
table a paper (that is, to present a paper in written form  
only, without a spoken presentation).  The organisers will  
provide written confirmation of participation, if required.  
 
The official conference languages will be Spanish, English,  
and French. Presenters are expected to speak slowly and  
clearly, since not everyone will have fluency in those  
languages.  Efforts to present papers in Spanish will be  
highly appreciated.  For some of the main panels and events,  
depending on available funds, simultaneous translations will  
be provided in order to solve the language problems that have  
frustrated some participants in the past.  We beseech all  
multilingual participants to volunteer in the task of  
translating, especially if they are fluent in Chinese,  
Japanese, and/or Korean. 
 
 
Deadline for submitting abstracts 
 
Final date for submission of  the 10th of May, 2004. 
A separate deadline will be subsequently announced  
regarding the submission of final paper versions. 2nd call  
will include mails of  theme coordinators in order to send  
them the abstracts. The 2nd call for papers will be issued by  
the end of march 2004.  
  
 
Conference information and fees 
 
The registration for the conference will occur on Saturday  
evening, the 8th of January 2005.  A field trip will be conducted  
to the shantytowns near Mexico City on the 9th of January.   
The conference will open with a Welcoming Reception and  
Keynote Address on the evening of Sunday, the 9th of January 2005  
and will close after dinner on Thursday, the 13th of January 2005.   
There will also be other opportunities to participate in  
field trips during the week of the conference.  Field trips  
and special translation apparatus will incur additional fees  
beyond the registration fee. 
 
 
Conference venue and accommodations 
 
The conference is hosted by Universidad Autonoma  
Metropolitana-Xochimilco and Universidad Nacional Autonoma de  
Mexico in Downtown Mexico City.  
 
Residential accommodation will be provided at nearby hotels  
and youth hostels.  Meals and coffee breaks will be included  
as part of registration costs, except breakfast.  Due to the  
high demand for lodging generated by tourism, it is  
imperative that participants indicate their preference for a  
youth hostel accommodation no later than  the 10th of May, 2004.   
Otherwise the organisers will not be able to guarantee the  
provision of hostel lodging for those participants. 
 
Those preferring hotel option will be expected to reserve  
rooms on their own, with a registration fee reduction  
negotiated in advance.  The organisers will only help in  
obtaining special rates for the conference participants, but  
each of them will have to make their own reservations. 
 
For More Information and Registration 
 
Contact: Branca R. Ramirez  at blama@cableonline.com.mx