The Space Politics and Ecologies (SPE)
The Space Politics and Ecologies (SPE) research platform serves as a venue to discuss the material and discursive worlds that produce neighbourhoods, districts, cities and regions. SPE researchers combine ideas from the urban disciplines (planning, geography, and architecture) as well as the social sciences (particularly political science, sociology, anthropology, and economics) to examine the entanglements between humans and non-humans in both the Global North and South. They share a relational and critical perspective that aims to realise improved urban futures that are sustainable, liveable and resilient.
SPE researchers participate in regular lunchtime discussions to share ideas on theories and discourses, methods and practices, engagement and impact, projects and funding, academic career strategies, and related topics. Examples of recent SPE lunchtime discussions include:
Pernilla Hagbert, ‘Contestation and displacement in projects of sustainable urban development’
Jenny Lindblad, ‘How to find and formulate research questions’
Ola Persson, ‘Objectivity and teaching’
Karin Bradley, ‘How not to drown in managerial tasks when directing a large research program’
Maria Håkansson, ‘What we do when we do interviews’
Sherif Zakour, ‘Teaching from a critical perspective’
Malin Hansen, ‘Activist academics’
Kelsey Oldbury, ‘Traffic planning, mobility, and transport: academic approaches to transportation’
SPE also hosts lectures by visiting researchers. Examples of recent talks include:
Matthew Cook (Open University), ‘Standardising the smart city: toward a new citizenship regime?’
Nikhil Anand (University of Pennsylvania), ‘City of waters: uncertainty and the future urban’
SPE researchers also participate in other KTH platforms and groups including:
Centre for the Future of Places
SPE is coordinated by Andy Karvonen and Naomi Lipke. Please contact us if you would like more information about our activities or if you would like to participate.
