Alessandra Manganelli

Dr. Alessandra Manganelli is a Researcher in Urban and Regional Economics at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HCU Hamburg). Her work focuses on alternative food networks, hybrid governance models, and urban sustainability. She holds a PhD in Engineering Science (Architecture) from KU Leuven and a joint PhD in Sciences from VUB, supported by the FWO Research Foundation (Flanders). Her research explores socio-political dynamics in urban food systems and innovative governance approaches. Notable projects include examining large-scale construction projects as innovation drivers and investigating urban agriculture governance in Brussels and Toronto.

Education highlights include a MSc in Urban Planning (Politecnico di Milano, cum laude), a BSc in Urban and Regional Planning, and a BA in Philosophy (University of Bologna, cum laude). She also completed a postgraduate module in spatial development (KU Leuven) and a music diploma in piano (Conservatory of Siena).

Her research has been recognized through awards such as the FWO Stay Abroad Grant for her work at Ryerson University’s Centre for Studies in Food Security. Key themes include hybrid governance tensions, food policy co-learning, and resilience in urban food movements. She contributes to interdisciplinary projects addressing sustainability transitions and socio-ecological justice in cities like Turin, Barcelona, and Toronto.

Publications span journals like Local Environment and Land Use Policy, focusing on governance frameworks, urban agriculture, and socio-material tensions in climate experiments. Current work explores urban living laboratories and experimental policy approaches to future-making challenges.