“Where is Urban Politics?” Is a hybrid seminar series hosted by the University of Groningen. The series is organised by Marian Counihan (UCG) and Christian Lamker (Spatial Sciences), with input from Elen Trell, Marlieke Wilders and Ryan Wittingslow. We are hosted by the Transitions and Social Justice group at the Agricola School for Sustainable Development and funded by the YAG-SER Interdisciplinary Projects Incentive fund.
The question animating the series is intended both as an empirical inquiry into emerging and seemingly increasing conflicts, inequalities, contestations and polarisations within the urbanising world, and as a rhetorical question suggesting that urban politics is underactive, or at least under-recognised, against techno-managerial approaches, expert solutions, exclusionary coalitions and post-political governance regimes (e.g. Beveridge and Koch 2023, Celikates, 2016, 2019, Nicholls & Vermeulen, 2012, Sachs Olsen & van Hulst, 2023, Sierhuis, Bertolini & van Winden 2023).
We aim to facilitate cross-disciplinary exchange between empirical studies and conceptual and normative inquiries into the political significance and potential of the urban. The project is thus set up as a conversation between scholars from various disciplines, in particular spatial planning, geography, urban studies, philosophy, political theory, sociology and cultural studies, bringing together empirical and conceptual-normative work addressing the political life of cities and its relevance at this critical juncture.
In the series we invite both established and emerging researchers working on the topic from the above range of disciplines, to share and exchange research insights unpacking and addressing their understanding of the question: Where is Urban Politics?