Since launching in March 2025, the Society for Social-Ecological Systems (SocSES) has grown into a vibrant global community. The inaugural thematic streams and their working groups have been hosting webinars and dialogues, presenting at conferences, building collaborations, sharing emerging research, and generating strong engagement across our website and social media platforms. Their activities have been central to building the Society, fostering intellectual exchange, cultivating inclusive networks, and advancing social-ecological systems scholarship and practice.
As SocSES continues to expand, we are now opening a second call for working group proposals. In this round, we encourage proposals from working groups that would introduce new directions not well represented within the existing thematic streams.
Each working group should consist of 5 to 10 SocSES members, two of them being co-leads of the group, and run for three years (2026-2028). Related working groups will be clustered into wider thematic streams, with the aim of around 2 to 3 working groups per theme. Working groups help drive the intellectual agenda of their theme, organise activities for stream members, and produce scientific or policy-practice outputs that advance their particular topic and contribute to the broader goals of the Society.
We welcome and strongly encourage diverse teams that span geographies, world regions, knowledge systems, career stages, and disciplinary backgrounds, with particular attention to representation from the Global South. SocSES is committed to supporting the working groups though the online Community Platform, and by co-funding an in-person working group meeting in August/September 2026.
Why convene a working group?
Working groups serve as the heartbeat of our Society, playing a vital role both during our initial phase and in our long-term development. Convening a working group offers an exciting opportunity to shape the SES research agenda, foster new collaborations, and advance cutting-edge thinking on critical sustainability challenges, while building a vibrant community of researchers and practitioners. The working group structure embedded within a larger thematic stream provides a platform to develop joint academic outputs while creating meaningful engagement opportunities for the broader membership through your proposed activities. This is an opportunity for researchers and practitioners, who want to take a leadership role in SES research and in SocSES, to build new communities of practice and bridge different approaches and perspectives.
Thematic working groups: enabling collaboration and learning on particular topics
We’re looking for working groups focused on themes not already well-covered within SocSES. These include, but are not limited to:
- biodiversity change, risks from nature, tipping points and regime shifts
- biodiversity and finance
- landscape ecology and connectivity
- agroecology, conservation and sustainable food systems
- SES theory development
- conflict, risk and security in SES
- global supply chains and telecoupling
- digital infrastructures, data governance and socio-technological systems
- planetary health and human well-being (including One Health)
- Indigenous, local and biocultural knowledge systems
Summary: Working group structure and activities
- Each working group consists of 5 to 10 SocSES members (of which two are co-leads). The proposal should specify who these members are (co-leads may choose to change some of their membership over time). We encourage diverse teams that bring together different career stages, disciplines, and perspectives from across the globe.
- The co-leads will be responsible for reporting on the group’s activities. The working group can, however, decide how they want to govern their activities.
- Working group members may participate in a maximum of two thematic working groups. Co-leads may lead only one working group at a time.
- Working group members will work collaboratively on cutting-edge SES research areas towards at least one journal article, other peer-reviewed publication, or policy-practice engagement process over the three years (2026-2028).
- Working groups will also be expected to host at least three activities per year for members of the Society who sign up to the thematic stream in which their working group is embedded. These activities can be different instances of the same activity (e.g. three webinars during the year). We encourage creativity, but activities should first and foremost be practical and interesting for the working group to run.
- The Society’s community coordinator will manage the SocSES Community Platform to support working group activities, such as webinars, virtual discussions, discussion fora and mailing lists. Please get in touch with us if you are unsure how SocSES would support your envisioned activities.
- Whilst most activities will be virtual, we will co-fund one working group meeting in August/September 2026 (TBC). We are unlikely to be able to provide full support, but are aiming to cover the meeting venue and food, and possibly accommodation.
Summary: What is expected of a SocSES working group?
- Scientific and practical outputs: Work towards at least one peer-reviewed publication or policy-practice process over the 3-year period.
- Activities: Organise at least three engagement activities per year for thematic stream members, such as a webinar, discussion or a training activity.
- Community: Maintain an active presence on the SocSES Community Platform by posting resources and discussion topics relevant to your working group’s theme.
Application process and timeline
- Friday, 6 February 2026 – Due date for proposals
- Friday, 20 February 2026 – Outcome of proposal selection communicated
- Thursday, 5 March 2026 – Introductory meeting for new working groups
The application requires a working group title, a 300-word summary of the working group’s focus, up to five keywords, a 250-word outline of planned academic outputs and timeline, a list of 3 to 5 proposed activities for the first year with brief descriptions (150 words each), the names and details of the two co-leads and the 3 to 8 other working group members (including their expertise and confirmation of participation) and short CVs (up to two pages) of each co-lead (in PDF format).
Proposals will be evaluated by members of the SocSES Transition Team.
For more information, or to share this call for proposals with others, see the brochure available here.
Complete the online application form here by Friday, 6 February 2026.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about this call, the application process, or the role of thematic streams and working groups, please don’t hesitate to reach out at info@socses.org.
We look forward to supporting you in your application and collaboration!
