May 20-21, 2025
MMU Business School , Manchester, UK

Critical perspectives on career and career guidance (COCAG) – COST Action CA23112 – gathers scholars across Europe and beyond to explore how careers are changing in the contemporary world and consider what response is required from public policy and practice.
On May 20th and 21st, COCAG organises its launch conference for the whole network: Career Guidance Policies and Practices in Europe: Assessing the Strengths and Addressing the Gaps.

The launch event programme will include:

• A keynote from Professor Tristram Hooley, COCAG Chair
• Presentations from COCAG Working Group coordinators introducing the network main thematic strands
• Parallel sessions and workshops
• Other sessions to be determined.
• There will also be space and time for networking and social events.

A call for papers for the parallel session opened on February 4th and will close on March 7th.
The deadline for feedback on submissions is March 31st.

Call for papers on the topic of Critical Perspectives in Career and Career Guidance

Submit a paper proposal to the launch event (with scope to be developed into a book chapter)
One of the stated aims of COCAG is the creation of an edited book which captures the interests and work of the network and its members. This book will be led by volunteers on the Editorial team (membership not confirmed yet). We aim to submit a book proposal to a suitable publisher by the end of 2025. The book must be published before the end of the Action in 2028.
The launch event in May 2025 provides an ideal opportunity to develop content for the book and understand better what topics are of interest to network members.
The book will provide an overview of contemporary trends of relevance to the three main working groups. It will point to gaps in literature, policy and practice and outline potential future directions. There would be approximately 6 or 7 chapters per working group. Chapters can address theory, research, policy and practice.
As we hope the network will foster new collaborations, it’s possible that launch event papers may lead to new co-authoring teams as people find others with shared interests across and between nations in Europe and beyond.
The call for papers requires you to submit:

1. A short abstract (250-300 words) AND not more than three references.
2. Topic must be of relevance to the COST Action and can be empirical or conceptual.
3. Abstract to include background, aims, methods or approach, conclusion or contribution.

Following the main purpose of the COST Action, we are most interested in papers that adopt a ‘critical’ approach problematising existing ideas about career and career guidance. We anticipate diverse submissions that may reflect work at different stages (e.g., completed research or research that is only in the planning stage). Either way it is important your abstract conveys clearly the value of your paper to the COCAG audience.

The event organisers will select which abstracts are suitable for both shorter and longer contributions at the event (5 or 15 minutes). They will also be able to group submissions thematically.

Submit your abstract using the following link: https://forms.gle/zTK7ut6fmCkuFrhH7