The 2027 IGU-CSRS Colloquium invites scholars from around the world to come together in Niğde, Türkiye, to share research, exchange ideas, and explore the future of rural sustainability.

Under the theme “Sustaining Rural Systems: Heritage, Mobility, and the Politics of Place-making,” the colloquium will examine how rural communities respond to migration, demographic change, tourism development, heritage preservation, and environmental pressures. It will explore how these interconnected processes shape rural livelihoods and landscapes, and how communities participate in sustaining and transforming the places they call home.

The main themes encompass heritage governance and local livelihoods; tourism and local autonomy; rural mobilities and demographic restructuring; women’s agency and social enterprise; and resource governance and agricultural resilience. Through academic presentations and discussions, participants will connect international perspectives with local experiences and identify opportunities for future research and collaboration.

A three-day field study, from 14 to 16 July, will take these discussions into the rural landscapes of Niğde, Konya, Karaman, and Cappadocia (Nevşehir). Participants will explore heritage, displacement, agroindustry, and women-led social enterprise in Niğde; reflect on past settlements and present environmental challenges through Çatalhöyük and sinkhole landscapes in Konya and Karaman; and examine nature-based tourism and the creative local economy in Cappadocia.

By bringing academic exchange and field-based learning together, the colloquium offers a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding of rural sustainability, build international connections, and engage with the cultural and environmental diversity of Central Anatolia.

We warmly invite you to join us for five days of discovery, discussion, and collaboration. Do not miss this opportunity to contribute to the conversation on sustainable rural futures.

We look forward to welcoming you to Niğde, Türkiye, in July 2027!