Shakirah Hudani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina, with an affiliation in the Department of African, African American, & Diaspora Studies. She holds a PhD in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley. Her work centers on African urbanism, post-conflict urban change, and spatial politics in East Africa. Key research focuses include Rwanda's post-genocide urban reconstruction, Nairobi's peripheral development, and Luanda's oil-driven transformations. Her research examines how urban spaces reflect and reshape social dynamics, particularly around memory, identity, and governance. Recent projects analyze commemoration practices in Rwanda, land disputes in Nairobi, and carceral architectures. She critiques master planning processes and explores grassroots urban agency in marginalized communities. Publications span urban studies, critical geography, and postcolonial theory, with a focus on decolonizing urban narratives. Her work bridges academic analysis with practical urban policy debates, emphasizing equity and participatory planning in transitional societies.
Dr. Mahvish Shami is an Assistant Professor at the Department of International Development, London School of Economics and Political Science. She serves as Programme Co-Director of Development Management and holds visiting research affiliations with Johns Hopkins University and Oxford University. Her academic background includes a PhD from LSE, post-doctoral fellowship at Copenhagen University, and a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship. Her research examines how unequal power relations—particularly clientelism—impact poverty outcomes. She investigates alternative solutions beyond redistributive policies, focusing on bargaining power dynamics that affect public goods provision, collective action under hierarchical structures, and interventions improving formal justice access for marginalized groups. Current projects analyze urban clientelism in Lahore slums using unique household data, contrasting rural-urban network variations. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on clientelism's intersection with development challenges, evolving from market exposure studies to sophisticated analyses of justice barriers and urban brokerage systems. Recent work (2022-2024) shows intensified examination of institutional constraints in justice access and urban poverty targeting. Awards: Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship
Dr. Christian Morgner is a Senior Lecturer in Cultural and Creative Industries at the Sheffield University Management School. He holds a PhD and MA, with expertise in complexity studies, relational sociology, and cultural networks. His research focuses on: Global cultural processes and innovation Diversity and inclusivity in creative industries Network analysis in urban informal settlements Dementia care through arts interventions Media events and translation dynamics Recent publications analyze cultural transformations in Santiago de Chile, relational creativity in Olympic ceremonies, and digital heritage politics in China. He has secured grants including the Rutherford Fellowship and Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science funding. Scientific awards include: Rutherford Fellowship Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Research Fellowship He supervises PhD students and teaches modules on critical theories in cultural and creative industries, marketing, and branding.
Irene Molina is a Professor of Human Geography at Uppsala University, affiliated with both the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research (IBF). Her academic work focuses on the intersection of urban space, power relations, and social inequality, with particular emphasis on racialization, gender, and class dynamics in the Swedish context and beyond. Professor Molina's educational background spans institutions in both Chile and Sweden: PhD in Human Geography, Uppsala University (1997) with dissertation "Stadens rasifiering. Etnisk boendesegregation i folkhemmet." (Racialization of the City. Ethnic Residential Segregation in the Swedish Folkhem) Licenciate of Philosophy, Catholic University of Chile, Santiago (1986) with thesis "El Programa de Erradication de Campamentos en la Región Metropolitana de Santiago (1979-1984): Implicancias Socioeconómicas y Espaciales." Associate Professor title from Uppsala University (2002) Professor title in Human Geography with focus on settlement and built environment from Uppsala University (2011) Molina's research explores the city as a site of social power relations, with specific focus on racialization and discrimination processes, as well as class, gender and intersectional dynamics. Her work critically examines how urban space is produced through relations of power, particularly how racial hierarchies are constructed and maintained through housing policies, urban planning, and everyday practices. She has made significant contributions to understanding ethnic residential segregation in Sweden, the racialization of suburbs, and the intersection of gender and space in urban environments. Her approach combines critical geography with feminist and postcolonial perspectives to challenge dominant narratives about integration, segregation, and urban development. Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on housing justice, with increasing attention to intersectional approaches that connect housing struggles with broader social justice movements. Molina's work bridges theoretical innovation with practical engagement, often collaborating with housing activists and organizations fighting for the right to housing. Her research spans multiple scales, from local Swedish contexts to comparative studies with South America, revealing global patterns of urban inequality while remaining attentive to specific historical and cultural contexts. Throughout her career, Professor Molina has been actively involved in research collaborations addressing housing discrimination, urban segregation, and gender equality in the built environment. She has contributed to numerous reports on housing policy and discrimination, serving as an expert on issues of ethnic discrimination in housing markets. Her work has influenced both academic discourse and policy discussions on urban development and social justice in Sweden.
Alessandra Renzi is an Associate Professor in Communication Studies at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. She serves as Graduate Diploma Director in Communication Studies and actively supervises graduate students in Media Studies (MA) and Communication (PhD) programs. Research Focus: Social Movements, Data Justice, Surveillance, Algorithmic Governance, Housing Rights Key Grants: SSHRC Insight Grant on platform economy gentrification, Applied AI Institute funding for PropTech auditing Teaching: Courses on media research methods, discourses of dissent, communication technologies, and alternative media practices Her recent publications examine platformization in Southeast Asia and gentrification in Montreal's Parc Extension neighborhood. She combines ethnography and research-creation methods in her work on technopolitical struggles. Collaborations: Parc Extension Anti-Eviction Mapping Project, Digital Divides Project Media Engagements: CBC, Le Devoir, The Conversation, Boston Globe media appearances
Christina Ergas serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where her work bridges environmental sociology with critical examinations of social equity. Her research investigates how power structures govern access to environmental resources and exposure to ecological hazards, with emphasis on gender, race, and globalization dynamics. Education Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Oregon (2013) Research Focus Ergas's scholarship centers on environmental justice frameworks, analyzing how social hierarchies shape ecological outcomes across urban-rural divides and global contexts. Her approach integrates materialist theory with quantitative methodologies to dissect intersections between gender equality, carbon intensity, and sustainable community development. Key contributions include theorizing 'radical sustainability' through urban ecovillages and exposing how racialized transportation systems perpetuate environmental inequality. Publication Trajectory Her 12 most recent publications (2010-2023) reveal consistent methodological rigor in cross-national and panel analyses, with escalating focus on gender-environment linkages. Early work examined urban density and forest cover changes, while recent studies pioneer sociological plant studies and dissect countervailing effects of gender equality on carbon emissions. A recurring theme is the tension between economic growth paradigms and ecological sustainability. Scientific Recognition Research Highlight in Nature Climate Change (2012) for cross-national analysis of women's status and CO2 emissions Academic Contributions While specific grant details and current advisees aren't documented in source materials, Ergas demonstrates significant scholarly leadership through Oxford University Press publications and editorial contributions to climate solution anthologies. Her work actively shapes discourse on gender-climate justice intersections within sociological and environmental policy communities.
Dr. Fredah Mwiti is an Associate Professor in Marketing at the University of Sussex Business School’s Department of Strategy and Marketing. She holds a PhD in Consumer Behaviour from Lancaster University. Her research focuses on consumer behavior in developing countries, particularly addressing poverty, gender inequality, and sustainable development goals (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 12). She employs ethnographic methods and intersectionality frameworks to study coping strategies among marginalized communities and innovations like frugal solutions and digital entrepreneurship. Education: PhD in Consumer Behaviour, Lancaster University, UK Research Interests: Fredah examines poverty, gender equality, and SDGs through lenses like community-based organizations (e.g., ‘Chamas’ in Nairobi slums) and mobile money innovations (e.g., M-Pesa). Her work bridges consumer behavior with macro-level factors like ethnicity, race, and sociohistorical contexts. Recent projects explore digital entrepreneurship among youth in developing nations. Publications: Her notable works include studies on microfinance corruption, community strategies against poverty, and hybrid exchanges in subsistence economies. She has contributed to journals like European Journal of Operational Research and International Marketing Review . Languages: Fluent in English and Swahili.
Professor Sophie Schramm leads the International Planning Studies (IPS) department at the Faculty of Spatial Planning, Technical University of Dortmund, while directing the international Master's program SPRING. Her research focuses on heterogeneous infrastructures, spatial planning, and housing dynamics in cities of the Global South. She completed her PhD in 2014 at TU Darmstadt with the dissertation 'City in Flow – Hanoi's Wastewater Disposal in the Light of Spatial and Social Transformations', followed by leadership of a junior research group at Kassel University and an assistant professorship at Utrecht University. Education PhD in Urban and Regional Planning, TU Darmstadt (2014) Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning, HCU Hamburg (2003-2008) B.Sc. in Urban and Regional Planning, TU Hamburg-Harburg (2001-2003) Research Focus Professor Schramm’s work examines the interplay between infrastructure, urban planning, and housing in rapidly growing cities. Current projects include ICOLMA (BMBF-funded, since 2022), Urban Waterscapes and the Pandemic (DFG-funded, since 2021), and Animals and Spatial Planning (since 2021). Her publications reveal critical perspectives on water supply, sanitation, and energy access across Hanoi, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Accra. Scientific Awards DFG Graduate School Scholarship 'Topology of Technology' (2011-2012) DAAD Master's Thesis Abroad Scholarship (2007) Irene Vorwerk Stiftung Outstanding B.Sc. Degree Prize (2005) Teaching and Supervision For academic year 2024/25, she teaches courses including 'Planning Theories and Models' (M.Sc. SPRING), 'Regenerating Cities and Infrastructures' (M.Sc. Spatial Planning), and 'Craft of Doing Research' (PhD Colloquium). She welcomes thesis supervision on topics like infrastructure megaprojects, insurgent planning, and coproduction of urban services.
Isabella Rega is a Professor in Digital Media for Social Change at Bournemouth University's Faculty of Media and Communication. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences (Università della Svizzera Italiana) and an Executive Master in Intercultural Communication. Her research focuses on leveraging digital technologies to empower marginalized communities in the Global South, including refugee education, media activism, and cultural heritage preservation. She co-chairs INEE's Distance Education Working Group and has led over 30 international projects funded by institutions like the UK Arts and Humanities Council and the European Commission, totaling over €4 million in grants. Education: PhD in Communication Sciences (Università della Svizzera Italiana, 2010); Executive Master in Intercultural Communication (Università della Svizzera Italiana). Research emphasizes participatory methods to understand technological appropriation and social change. Current projects include digital storytelling for heritage reflection and education access in refugee contexts. She served as Global Research Director at Jesuit Worldwide Learning (2019–2023), focusing on higher education impact on marginalized groups. Professional Roles: Advisory board member of the Journal of Media Literacy Education; Board member of IDIA and CIRN. Grants: Includes 'Digital Arts and Refugee Engagement' (AHRC), 'Local Heritage and Sustainability' (AHRC), and 'eVoices: Redressing Marginality' (AHRC). External roles include examiner positions at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of the Witwatersrand, and University of Cape Town. Her work bridges academia and practice through collaborations with NGOs like Associazione seed (co-founded in 2006) and consultancies for UK government bodies. Key themes include ICT4Education, post-truth information literacy, and decolonial approaches to media activism. Her research spans 20+ years, resulting in over 70 publications and edited volumes, including South-to-South Communication: Media Activism and Artivism in the Global South (Routledge, 2023). Labs/Teams: Leads research on digital media's role in social justice through Bournemouth University's Media School. Collaborates with international networks like the ICT4D Collective at Royal Holloway and IPID for graduate research.
Jacob Rasmussen is an Associate Professor at Roskilde University’s Department of Social Sciences and Business, affiliated with the International Development Research Group and Socio-Economic Research Centre. His research focuses on urban politics, youth, violence, and vigilantism in African contexts, with extensive fieldwork in Nairobi and Johannesburg. He engages in policy debates with institutions like the Danish Embassy, UNODC, and UK Foreign Office, and serves on boards of PlanBørnefonden (children’s rights NGO) and FAU (Danish Development Researchers’ Association). Formerly Head of Studies for International Development Studies, he contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty reduction and sustainable cities. Active in interdisciplinary projects, he leads initiatives like the EU-funded 'Smart Cities and Urban Citizenship' (€2.6M grant) and collaborates on Kenya’s SWASH wastewater project. His work bridges academia and policy, addressing urbanization challenges, youth marginalization, and development ethics. Recent activities include organizing the ECAS conference and presenting on African urban politics. Research Interests: Urban governance, transnational migrant networks, youth movements, and security in Africa Grants: €2.6M from Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond for 'Smart Cities' Projects: 13 ongoing/finished projects on development, urbanization, and governance Media engagements highlight his role as a commentator on African politics and development, including analyses of Ghana’s foreign policy and Kenya’s electoral dynamics. His work integrates ethnographic rigor with policy relevance, fostering dialogue between academic and development sectors.
Dr. Meera Karunananthan is an Assistant Professor at Carleton University in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies . Her work bridges critical geography , feminist theory , and grassroots movement knowledge to examine hydro-social conflicts in global South cities. Research Focus: Racialized, class-based, and gendered impacts of urban water privatization and financialization. Methodology: Influenced by BIPOC feminist analyses of racial capitalism and intersectional oppression. Key Themes: Market-driven climate solutions, power asymmetries in water governance, and legal advocacy for water as a human right. Publications highlight critiques of neoliberalism in water policy, transnational justice campaigns, and decolonial feminist approaches. Her work spans academic journals , media commentary , and policy reports for organizations like the Blue Planet Project .
Federico Costa is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases at the Yale School of Public Health, where he conducts research on eco-epidemiological drivers of zoonotic diseases in urban environments. His work focuses on understanding transmission dynamics of diseases like leptospirosis and Zika virus, particularly in vulnerable urban communities in Brazil. Education: PhD from Centro de Pesquisas Goncalo Moniz-FIOCRUZ (2010) MSc from Universidad Nacional de San Martin (2006) Dr. Costa's research examines disease determinants for urban leptospirosis, the natural history of urban leptospirosis, eco-epidemiology of urban environments, optimal control strategies for rodent-borne zoonoses, and burden of diseases estimation. His work integrates field and laboratory data to understand how ecological and sociological factors affect human and animal infection likelihood in urban settings. His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on urban zoonotic disease dynamics, particularly in informal settlements. The research shows strong emphasis on rodent-borne diseases (especially leptospirosis), vector-borne diseases, and the intersection of environmental factors with public health outcomes. His work frequently employs interdisciplinary approaches combining epidemiology, ecology, and social sciences to address complex public health challenges in resource-limited settings. Dr. Costa's research program demonstrates significant international collaboration, particularly with Brazilian institutions, and addresses critical gaps in understanding disease transmission in marginalized urban communities. His work has important implications for developing effective public health interventions in informal settlements worldwide.
Carolyn Prouse is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Planning at Queen's University's Faculty of Arts and Science. She also holds a cross-appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Gender Studies. As a white settler living on Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe territory, she identifies as an anticolonial urbanist and feminist economic geographer. Dr. Prouse's educational background includes a PhD (2017) in Geography from the University of British Columbia, an MA (2011) in Kinesiology and Health Studies from Queen's University, and a BA/BPHE (2008) from Queen's University. Prior to her current position, she was an SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto. Her scholarly work focuses on urban economic development, building relationships between global and anti/decolonial urbanism, critical development studies, health sociology, and critical race feminist geographies. Dr. Prouse investigates how diverse urban communities are marginalized by economic and bioeconomic markets, and how people transform themselves and their communities through grass-roots and social reproductive practices. Her current research spans three main areas: Precarious Intimacies of Biosurveillance - examining how new data reservoirs of wastewater and blood are being consolidated by biotech and pharmaceutical companies Slum Upgrading in the Global South - focusing on how low-income communities in the Global South are being "integrated" through infrastructural projects Social Reproductive Geographies of Human Milk Markets - investigating emerging economies and infrastructures of human milk exchange Dr. Prouse has received notable recognition for her work, including: Department of Geography and Planning's Julian Szeicz Award for Excellence in Teaching (2018/19 and 2021/22) SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018) She actively supervises MA and PhD students working on topics related to global/decolonial urbanism, social reproduction, and critical race feminist geographies. Her current students' projects include Black diaspora in Canadian cities, digital food communities, the history of animals in cities, and reproductive rights in Argentina. Dr. Prouse has secured funding from the Urban Studies Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for her research projects. Dr. Prouse is a co-founder and co-principal investigator of the Global Economies and Everyday Lives (GEELs) Lab at Queen's University, which brings together scholars interested in social reproduction, racial capitalism, cities, diaspora, and social transformation in spaces of the Global South. The GEELs Lab provides a collaborative environment for sharing ideas, discussing texts, reviewing work, and organizing events.
Beau Beza is an Associate Professor in Planning at Deakin University's School of Architecture and Built Environment within the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment. He serves in multiple leadership roles including Higher Degrees Research Coordinator, Deputy Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning, and Acting Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning for the Faculty. His educational background includes a PhD from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Master of Urban Planning from University of Melbourne, and Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from University of California. He is a Registered Landscape Architect with the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects. Beza's research focuses on the social production of space, using this knowledge to develop appropriate site solutions through meaningful knowledge exchanges with communities, academics and students. His work combines aesthetic transactions and evidence-based decision making, with emphasis on cross-disciplinary design addressing current built environment issues. He leads the globally significant Growing Up In Cities III project across 15 countries examining adolescent perceptions of urban space. His publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly output with a strong focus on urban space, informal settlements, placemaking, and cross-cultural urban studies, often featuring international collaborations particularly with Colombia, Mexico, and Nepal. The research shows progression from local case studies to global comparative frameworks. Beza has secured significant research funding totaling over $1.7 million from 2010-2020, including a major $1.4 million ACIAR grant for agricultural extension in conflict areas of Mindanao, Philippines. His projects often involve community co-production, particularly in Nepal and Colombia. He supervises numerous PhD students across diverse topics including biophilic design, left-behind children's living spaces, teenage third places, wetland resilience, and indigenous knowledge systems. His teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate units focusing on urban dynamics, design studios, and international study tours. Beza is actively involved with the Mediated Intelligence in Design (MInD) Lab and the HOME research hub at Deakin University, and serves on multiple professional committees including as Chair of the National Education Committee for the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects.
Dr. Genevieve Reid is Assistant Professor of Geography in the Department of Global & Sociocultural Studies at Florida International University. Her research examines geospatial technologies through critical, feminist, and Indigenous frameworks. Research investigates geospatial ontologies, participatory GIS, Indigenous data sovereignty, and spatial stigma. She collaborates with Eastern Cree communities in Northern Quebec on land documentation, cultural preservation, and legal advocacy through community-based mapping. Publications critically analyze how mapping technologies reproduce power dynamics, proposing decolonial alternatives for spatial knowledge representation. Her work connects technical geospatial research with Indigenous self-determination movements. Dr. Reid teaches cartography, GIS applications, critical GIScience, and spatial research methods. She trains students in ethical geospatial practice and community-engaged research methodologies.
