Call for Contribution: Co-Producing an Agenda for a Social Psychology of Prefigurative Politics

9-11 September 2026, Klagenfurt, Austria
Application deadline: 18 January 2026

From protest camps to utopian cities and states, from tool libraries to global economic solidarity networks, from spontaneous solidarity in the wake of repression to established political countercultures: Prefiguration is an integral part of political life across the globe. It is defined as the collective practice of utopian social and political relations in the here and now, which can be boiled down to the motto of not asking, just doing.

In this meeting we bring together social psychologists researching prefigurative politics with social psychologists from related fields (e.g., collective action) who are interested in learning more or engaging with it, along with activists involved in prefigurative organizing. The main aim of this meeting is to encourage integration of prefigurative politics and social psychological research of societal transformation.

Prefiguration opens up important questions for social psychology: how such practices emerge during collective struggle; how they endure — or fail to endure — within ongoing organizing efforts; and how participation shapes people’s capacities, relationships, and sense of what is possible. Our aim is to collaboratively explore how social psychology might better engage with prefigurative forms of organizing and to draw up priorities for future research.

This meeting is meant both for researchers who have done some work on prefiguration already, and those who are interested in the concept and would like to learn more or engage with it. To foster cross-fertilization and discussion, we want to also include formats beyond research presentations (the exact structure and the program will be co-created with selected participants), so feel free to think about any contribution to or gain you can imagine from such a meeting.

To apply for this meeting, please fill out the following form, which focuses on the reasons behind your interest in this meeting, research, practice or experience you would like to contribute, and what you hope to take home from participation: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0RiIxZ4gQrfHfSfk1WA9NYZlJYmQJW6WJdNGG3kUJOvI5lA/viewform?usp=header

Selection criteria include the fit between motivations and meeting aims, expected gain from participation, geographical diversity, and representation across levels of academia (prioritizing early-career researchers). More information on the organizing approach and meeting aims can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nsof2JCbXY1YUtiBf-GowHR2oGcwEe_Q/view?usp=drive_link

The meeting will be held on 9-11 September 2026 at University of Klagenfurt (Austria). There is no participation fee.
Support for travel and accommodation costs can be provided to participants with low or insufficient funding.

Timeline for application and registration:
Application deadline: 18 January 2026
Decision letters: 15 February 2026
Registration deadline: 1 April 2026

Contact the team via prefigpol@gmail.com.
Organizers: Frank Eckerle, Tijana Karić, David Clarke, Mete Sefa Uysal, Edward Clarke, Helen Landmann