Research - Urban Ecological Planning (Master's Programme)
Research
The Urban Ecological Planning team is engaged in a wide range of exciting research activities including international partnerships and projects, cross-institute research efforts and individual master’s and PhD projects. As a cross-sectoral program, touching aspects of architecture, human geography, international development, planning, sociology and beyond, we are continuously developing and expanding our reach and our impact. Research activities at UEP are divided into eight distinct but interlinked themes, with many activities overlapping several of the topics. A ninth overarching theme is the focus on South-North and South-South learning present in all the other aspects of our work.
Research topics
Research themes
Inclusive Governance
This research theme explores the involvement of various stakeholders in decision-making processes and the collaborative creation of policies and initiatives at the local level, aiming to promote participation, co-production, and co-creation in governance structures.
Examples of work
Koshy, M. (2022). “After the floods, he says he is an environmentalist”: Understanding blended roles and organizational boundaries in decision-making under uncertainty during unprecedented floods in Wayanad, India. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 1-16.
doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2022.836843
Gohari, Savis; Medalen, Tor; Aranya, Rolee (2019) Exploring the Impact of Complex Multi-Level Governance Structures on the Societal Contribution of Universities to Knowledge-Based Urban Development. Social Sciences
UTFORSK-NISA - Norway-India-South Africa transnational partnership for localising SDGs in urban development education and practice
Freire Stecchini, Cinthia (ongoing) “Social innovation in participatory processes and practices”. Main supervisor: Rolee Aranya
Gohari, Savis (2019) Governance in the planning and decision-making process: The co-location case of university campuses in Trondheim, Norway (2000-2013). Main supervisor: Rolee Aranya, co-supervisor: Tor Medalen
Chakrabarty, Antarin (2008) Communicative Planning and Democratic Decentralisation in India- Case of Kolkata City. Main supervisor: Hans Christie Bjønness
Kiahtipes, Nick A. (2021) “Rural Planning and Governance: A Case Study on the Utah Rural Coordinating Council”
Rishi, Gunika (2020) “Crafting livelihoods: Towards an inclusive urbanization in Jaipur”
Urban Informality
This theme focuses on the dynamics of informal urban settlements and the challenges faced by marginalized communities in accessing resources, such as housing and basic services. It examines power inequalities in governance and spatial fragmentation through an intersectionality lens.
Examples of work
Koshy, M., & Smith, D. (2023). Community resilience implications for institutional response under uncertainty: Cases of the floods in Wayanad, India and the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sustainable Development, 1–16.
doi.org/10.1002/sd.2678
Koshy, M. (2016). Territorial Spatial Strategies: A case for dispersal. City Observer. Vol 2, Issue 2, 10-23.
Ng´asi, Albogasto John Pangawawe (2019) A Quest for Continuity to Peace and Prosperity: Post-War Land and Property Claims and Disputes in Northern Uganda – The Case of the Acholi Group in Amuru Sub-County. Main supervisor: Hans Narve Skotte
Elias Yitbarek Alemayehu, 2008. Revisiting “Slums”, Revealing Responses. Urban upgrading in tenant-dominated inner-city settlements in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. PhD Thesis 2008:59 (NTNU), ISBN 978-82-471-7118-9, ISSN 1503-8181. Main supervisor: Bjørn Røe
Faizy, Atiqullah (2022) “Housing, Sense of Belonging and Introduction Program in Integrating Refugees into Norwegian Society - Case Study in Trondheim Region, Norway”
Planning for Uncertainty
Exploring conceptual, theoretical, and analytical inter-relations between planning, decision-making and governance under uncertainty. Ongoing research on planning under uncertainty draws on transdisciplinary perspectives from spatial planning, humanitarian response, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
Examples of work
Koshy, M., Aranya, R., & Refstie, H. (2022). Handling Compounded Uncertainty in Spatial Planning and Humanitarian Action in Unexpected Floods in Wayanad, Kerala: Towards a Contextualised Contingency Planning Approach. Planning Theory & Practice, 703-723.
doi.org/10.1080/14649357.2022.2143548
Smith, D. (2019). The relational attributes of marketplaces in post-earthquake Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Environment and Urbanization, 31(2), 497–516.
doi.org/10.1177/0956247819865701
Koshy, Mrudhula (ongoing) Uncertainty as the New Normal: Towards a Contextualised Contingency Planning Approach During Unprecedented Flooding in Wayanad, India. Main supervisor: Rolee Aranya, co-supervisor: Hilde Refstie
Skotte, Hans Narve (2004) Tents in Concrete: What Internationally Funded Housing Does to Support Recovery in Areas Affected by War; The Case of Bosnia-Herzegovinia. Main supervisor: Sven Erik Svendsen, co-supervisor: Ragnhild Lund
Jigyasu, Rohit (2002) Reducing Disaster Vulnerability through Local Knowledge and Capacity. The Case of Earthquake Prone Rural Communities in India and Nepal. Main supervisor: Hans Christie Bjønness, co-supervisors: Nalini Thakur, Tore Haavaldsen
Surya, Robin (2021) “Towards Social Inclusion: Landscape Identity Assessment in Nature-based Solutions Project”
Abdulwehab Jilo, Beketa (2022) “The Fate of Riverine Communities in a Decentralized Flood Governance The case of Sharpsburg Borough, PA, USA”
Just Urban Transition
This theme explores the social changes required for equitable and intentional urban transitions. It examines alternative planning approaches, including data-driven methods and political and social ecology perspectives, drawing lessons from frugal systems and intentional communities.
Examples of work
Sliwa, M., Aranya, R., & Refstie, H. (2018). Urban Ecological Planning: Principles, value positions and application in practice. In Proceedings of 54th ISOCARP Congress Bodø, Norway, October 1-5, 2018. Cool planning: changing climate & our urban future. ISOCARP.
Shrestha, P., & Aranya, R. (2015). Claiming invited and invented spaces: Contingencies for insurgent planning practices. International Planning Studies, 20(4), 424-443.
doi.org/10.1080/13563475.2015.1028909
SAMAJ – Transdisciplinary Education for a Sustainable Society
2019 - 2020, UrbIN – Internship project with the UN Habitat, New York and Delhi, Project Leader. Main partner institution: UN Habitat, Nairobi, Funded by the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (DIKU) – InternAbroad program
2017 - 2022, Urban Sustainability – Sustainability initiatives in Norway and USA, Project Leader. Main partner institution: Chatham University, Pittsburgh, USA Funded by the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (DIKU) – North America program
2017 - 2022, SSCRI – Smart Sustainable City Regions in India, Project Leader. Main partner institution: School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi Funded by the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (DIKU) – UTFORSK program
Tarafdar, Ayon Kumar (2010) Bridging the Dichotomy: Exploring Linkages between Urban Environmental Challenges and Local Development Practices in the Neighbourhoods of Kolkata, India. Main supervisor: Hans Christie Bjønness
Rupa Datta (2005) Space of Duality. Sustainability issues in urbanising villages of Delhi, India. Main supervisor: Hans Christie Bjønness, co-supervisor: Linn Mo
Podoski, Laura Flóra (2021) “The road to a third housing sector with affordable rental housing and participation”
Inclusive Places
This research theme focuses on creating and preserving inclusive and democratic spaces as a key element of human settlements. It examines the role and value of public spaces, energy landscapes, area-based planning, the trends leading to their transformation, questions of access and inclusivity and urban safety, among others, aiming to foster inclusive, open, resilient, climate friendly, and healthy cities that cater to the needs of diverse communities.
Examples of work
Gotsch, Peter; Andersson, Cecilia, Chong, José; Roji, Ayanda (2015): Exploring the three prongs of Legislation/ Governance, Planning/ Design, and Finance/ Economy towards safe and prosperous parks and public spaces. Three cases from Johannesburg (South Africa). Paper presented and published at the 3rd Future of Places Conference. June 28th to July 1st, 2015. Stockholm.
Gotsch, Peter; Katsaura, Obvious, Ugur, Lauren, Kasang Nicholas (2014). An Urban Approach to Safety and Integrated Urban Development in South Africa: Knowledge and Policy Review. [‘IUDF Urban Safety Chapter’. Policy paper fully peer-reviewed by four independent reviewers], Pretoria.
Gotsch, Peter (Ed.) (2013): Private Urbanisation– The City as a Zoo. Journal for Planning and Building in a Global Context 4/2011 – 2012. Frankfurt and Berlin
Gotsch, Peter, Peterek, Michael (2012): Public Space; Trialog 109 - Research journal on planning and building in developing countries; Frankfurt a.M.
SPAS - Shared Spaces for Innovation
PEARLS - Promoting a community of knowledge and practice on urban rivers
IDEAN Project - Principles for sustainable and resilient neighbourhoods
Smith, David (2020) Marketplaces as critical urban infrastructure: Relational attributes and disaster resilience from the perspectives of traders and customers in post-earthquake Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Main supervisor: Rolee Aranya
Nooraddin, Hoshiar 1996, ´Al-fina’: a study of "in between" spaces along streets as an urban design concept in Islamic cities of the Middle East with a case study in Cairo. Dr.ing avhandling 1996:38, ISBN 82-7119-924-2. Main supervisor: Bjørn Røe, co-supervisor: Hans Christie Bjønness
Sokolaj, Ursula (2021) “Inclusion and placemaking based participation. The case of Klostergata 56”
Socio-spatial Dynamics
This theme explores the multidimensional aspects of urban dynamics, such as poverty, gender, intersectionality, aging, children, migrants, and livelihoods. It aims to understand the complex interactions between social and spatial factors within urban contexts.
Examples of work
Dutton, J., Tomaselli, C., Koshy, M., Agnello, K., Johnston-Zimmerman, K., Morphet, C., & Horwood, K. (2021). Feminist Planning and Urbanism: Understanding the Past for an Inclusive Future. In The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Futures (pp. 1-19). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Dutton, J., Koshy, M., Tomaselli, C. (2022). We need to talk about aging: the importance of gender for inclusive city building practices. Feminist Perspectives. King’s College London.
Andersson, Cecilie (2012) Migrant Positioning: In Transforming Urban Ambience Urban Villages and the City, Guangzhou, China. Main supervisor: Hans Christie Bjønness, co-supervisor: Lisbet Sauarlia
Wubshet Berhanu, 2002. Urban Policies and the Formation of Social and Spatial Patterns in Ethiopia. The case of Housing Areas in Addis Ababa. Dr.ing avhandling 2002:68, ISBN 82-471-5466-8, ISSN 0809-108X. Main supervisor: Bjørn Røe
Hay, Hamish Donald Ashbourne (2021) “Beyond Gender: Intersectionality as a lens for understanding water security amongst refugees in Northern Uganda”
Innovation for Learning
This research theme explores innovative approaches to learning within the context of urban planning. It focuses on experiential and project-driven learning, conceptualizing knowledge, case study-based learning, and lifelong learning, promoting continuous professional development in the field.
Examples of work
Sharma, Riny; Sliwa, Marcin Wojciech; Stecchini, Cinthia Freire; Aranya, Rolee (2021): Fieldwork in my Backyard: Experiences with Threshold Learning based on Distributed Fieldworks in Project-based Courses
Autumn Course in Data-Driven Co-Creation
Urban Evaluation
This theme revolves around evaluating the medium- and long-term impacts of urban projects plans and policies. It involves monitoring urban changes, understanding both intended and unintended effects of plans, and learning from evaluation processes to improve future urban development strategies.
Examples of work
Gotsch, Peter; Shehayeb Dina (2018): Evaluation of UN-Habitat’s City Planning and Design Strategy 2012 - 2016 (6/2018). UN-Habitat. Nairobi
Gotsch, Peter et al (2015): “Support to the Urban Policy and Integrated Urban Development Framework" – Dialogue between South Africa and the European Union.
Under development: Lessons from better practices of community driven projects on urban rivers.
South-North and South-South Learning
At UEP we firmly believe in the necessity to share knowledge freely worldwide, not only focusing on “what the Global North can bring to the Global South”, but specifically focusing on the lessons learned from the Global South and the potential of South-South knowledge transfers.
Examples of work
UTFORSK-NISA - Norway-India-South Africa transnational partnership for localising SDGs in urban development education and practice
Moraga, Marcela (2023) “Shared Spaces and Mobilities for sustainable cities from the lens of Social Practice Theory. The cases of Santiago and Oslo Metropolitan Regions”