Urban planning and housing
My research within the scope of this research direction is currently primarily focused on two projects. The first project explores the limits and possibilities of what I tentatively designate as “moderately heterodox” initiatives spearheaded by cities and municipalities to challenge the hegemonic dominance of market-oriented approaches to urban planning and development.
The second project is concerned with the proliferating trend of cities seeking to foster the development of low-carbon or carbon neutral neighborhoods. The project draws on theorizations of the emerging “climate urbanism” to explore how projects along these lines place new demands on the planning process and the urban planning profession.
Previously, I have contributed to the development of a , on the basis of a study of the how and to what extent the renovations in recent years of rental housing constructed as part of Sweden’s extensive Million Homes Program have displaced tenants in these neighborhoods. I have also done some work on .
Transportation and mobility
My second research direction focuses on the political economy of transportation infrastructures, particularly public transportation.
In my , which explored the deeply racialized struggles over public transportation in Atlanta (Georgia, USA), I sought to shed new light on how political and economic processes on different scales intersect to shape the planning and development of these important infrastructures, particularly with regards to their capacity to provide urban residents access to basic mobility options.
I have recently initiated research on the marketization of public transportation in Sweden and the long-term implications of these reforms for both the planning, financing, and development of these infrastructures as well as the working conditions of those who operate them. A chapter which contributes an initial exploration of these issues is forthcoming in an edited volume due to be published in 2025.