Simone Ranocchiari

Simone Ranocchiari is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the GEDT Institute of the University of Geneva, where he conducts research on urban commons and self-managed spaces. In addition to his research activities, he teaches in the Master's program in Territorial Development, a joint program between the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO).

Ranocchiari earned his PhD in Geography from the University of Lausanne under the supervision of Christophe Mager, with a thesis focusing on urban commons in Rome. His academic journey began with an interdisciplinary background spanning architecture, sociology, and geography, culminating in a Master's degree in 2016 on the topic "From the self-management of a space to the self-government of the city: a study of mobilization. Decide Roma, decide la città."

Dr. Ranocchiari's research centers on urban studies and cultural geography, with particular focus on urban planning, social movements, biographical approaches, and the right to the city. His work employs innovative methodologies that combine spatial analysis with biographical approaches to understand how activists engage with and transform urban spaces. He examines the role of self-managed places in promoting human sustainability and alternative forms of urban governance through detailed analysis of activist careers and spatial experiences.

His scholarly output reveals a consistent geographical focus on Italian cities, particularly Rome, where he has conducted extensive fieldwork on self-managed spaces. Ranocchiari's comparative work also extends to Bologna and Naples, analyzing different models of urban common management. His publications demonstrate a methodological evolution from examining specific case studies to developing broader theoretical frameworks about urban commons and human sustainability.

Dr. Ranocchiari has supervised at least one Master's student, Faissel Ellahia, whose 2025 thesis focused on "Urban regeneration of industrial wastelands: The case of the city of Safi in Morocco." His teaching in the joint Master's program reflects his commitment to knowledge transfer and the development of practical skills in territorial development among students.