ABSTRACTS

Call for Abstracts

IMPORTANT DATES

Call for abstracts opens: 24 March 2026

Registration opens: 24 March 2026

Deadline for submission of abstracts: 31 May 2026

Acceptance notification: early July 2026

Deadline for Registrations: 31 August 2026

Taylor & Francis and the University of Western Cape, South Africa invite you to submit abstracts for symposium, individual paper and poster presentations at a landmark conference to celebrate the achievements of the International Journal of Inclusive Education and to consider directions for the future in an increasingly volatile and fragile world.

Marking 35 years since the first publication of the International Journal of Inclusive Education, the University of the Western Cape South Africa is hosting a conference Rethinking (Inclusive) Education for Challenging Times. In the beginning, it was necessary to explain the journal’s purpose.  Today, inclusive education is a part of our everyday vocabulary.  Indeed, as an academic field, it has rapidly grown to be an established field of research, professional learning, development politics, community advocacy and educational organization and practice.  This is generally taken as a sign of success. In many respects, it is.  This international gathering will invite us to pause to think further.  As the world is threatening self-destruction, when animus towards those seeking refuge from war and poverty is fanned by hateful populist sentiment, where exclusion from schooling is growing rather than diminishing globally, it is reasonable that we reconsider the foundations and practices of inclusive education.  Is inclusive education a force for radical change to meet disturbing social changes?  Is it a Trojan horse promoting habituated thinking and practices of exclusion?  Have we been co-opted into new forms of exclusion buried within the rhetorical flourishes of policy pronouncements and leadership doublespeak?  Can we celebrate “standards” when more than 250 million children being out of school is standard?  Do established schooling structures, practices and cultures deliver an education for new times?

We will call for abstracts addressing three broad themes:

Rethinking Inclusive Education in Difficult Times

Inclusive Education is variously defined and described.  IJIE applies a broad focus to inclusion that extends beyond the reductive rebranding of special and supplementary education for students described as having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.  Echoing the United Nations’ call, Education for All, we are dedicated to apprehending and explaining the shifting nature of educational exclusion as it presents itself to different population cohorts in rapidly changing and precarious times.  As the gap between privilege and poverty increases, as legislatures and rendered irrelevant by the politics of populism and despotism, and more people are displaced by illegal conflict, climate degradation, and intolerant asylum and immigration we must ask what kind of education is required for these times?  What kind of education is required to meet these challenges and how might that be designed, negotiated and delivered?

The Political Economy of Identity, Exclusion & Inclusion

We observe that while the discourse of inclusion has saturated education globally and at all levels, schooling is more fragmented than ever and exclusion of students from school increases.  There are strong drivers for this:

  • Fiscal modelling of education based upon medical and psychological diagnoses.
  • Inherent economic interests.
  • Narrowly defined criteria for curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.
  • Reluctance to challenge the basic assumptions of education.
  • Increasing intolerance of diversity.
  • Proliferation of information sources and networks with limited authenticity checks.
  • Political, cultural, gender, religious and identity affiliations and oppressions.
  • Environmental degradation.
  • Conflict and population displacement.
  • The demise of belief in democratic ideals and practice.

Rethinking Pedagogy, Curriculum, Organisation and Culture for Inclusive Education

What might an education capable of facing the challenges of our times and including all look like?  Is schooling as we have known it to be jettisoned?  Does incremental policy making address exclusion and promote inclusion?  What kinds of knowledge, skills and dispositions are required to address the problems we have created for future generations?  What might education look like to address the issues we have identified?

Abstract Submissions

We invite you to submit abstracts for symposium, individual paper, and poster presentations by 31 May 2026.
A panel of editors from the International Journal of Inclusive Education will consider the proposals and communicate their decision to you at the beginning of July.

Following acceptance of a successful abstract, you will need to register in order to be placed on the conference programme.

Abstract guidelines

For symposiums

  • 90 minutes symposiums can constitute 3-5 presenters. The Lead presenter should submit an overall abstract on behalf of all presenters, outlining the focus of the symposium and the title of each paper.
  • Font: Times New Roman – Title bold, font 14, Content font 12, not bold
  • Maximum of 5 references

For individual paper presentations

  • Maximum number of words: 300
  • Font: Times New Roman – Title bold, font 14, Content font 12, not bold
  • Maximum of 5 references

Individual paper presentations will be allocated 20 minutes plus 10 minutes for questions and answers.

For posters

  • Maximum number of words: 300
  • Font: Times New Roman – Title bold, font 14, Content font 12, not bold
  • Maximum of 5 references

Posters should be size A0, portrait orientation.
Presenters are responsible for the production and transport of posters.
Poster presenters need to be registered and attend the conference for posters to be displayed.

Submit an Abstract

XL Millennium has been appointed as conference organisers for Rethinking (Inclusive) Education for Challenging Times conference. Communication regarding the symposium may come directly from the company.

Contact us

conference2026@iec-inclusive-education.com

© Rethinking (Inclusive) Education for Challenging Times​ 2026