Martijn Koster

Martijn Koster is an Associate Professor in the Sociology of Development and Change at Wageningen University & Research. His research focuses on urban informality, clientelism in Brazil, and the formal-informal dichotomy. Koster has published widely on topics such as participatory governance, slum politics, and neoliberal urban development. He actively contributes to interdisciplinary projects, including the 'POPULAR' initiative exploring Latin American urban peripheries. Koster organizes academic workshops and serves as a promotor for PhD candidates researching urban spaces, politics, and sustainability. His work bridges ethnographic methods with critical social theory, emphasizing marginalized communities' agency in global contexts.

Recent research highlights include examining zombie programs in participatory governance and the political potential of urban informality in the Global North. Koster’s projects emphasize sustainable urban development and peri-urban water regimes. He frequently lectures on urban sociology and ethics in ethnographic research. Media engagements include discussions on post-pandemic development and state-citizen dynamics in urban Latin America.