Dr Cobus van Rooyen’s Post

https://lnkd.in/gVENdMm7 Great work here by Shermon Cruz, as a chapter in his phd dissertation. This article examines the complex relationships between rivers and human societies, touching on historical, cultural, symbolic, and spiritual aspects. It contrasts modernist science and indigenous worldviews using Causal Layered Analysis to explore and anticipate the essence and function of rivers in future cities. As the first series of a trilogy on river epistemologies, ontologies and urban futures, it emphasizes the rivers’ dual nature of sustenance and destruction, their roles in shaping cultural identities, and their impacts on urban development futures. This paper seeks to explore the intricate connections between rivers and the evolution of urban spaces, offering a reflective narrative on their influence throughout history, their present significance, and their potential future purpose. Through a blend of diverse perspectives, this piece aims to highlight the profound relationship between rivers and urban existence, underscoring their enduring influence across time and space.

🚨 NEW PAPER OUT 🔔 Silva, D.G. & Ward, K. (2024). Urban Policy Mobilities: Recent Debates and Future Research Agendas. Geographical Review [online first] https://lnkd.in/d5vF4V-B In this paper, Kevin Ward and I discuss the interdisciplinary approach of urban policy mobilities. We provide a balanced overview of both persistent and still-nascent theoretical and empirical issues structuring the approach. Taking stock of these features and drawing intellectual contributions from within and beyond the social sciences, the paper concludes by arguing for four possible future research pathways for urban policy mobilities. 1️⃣ Revisiting the scalar politics of policy mobilities 2️⃣ Introducing the place of law in policy mobilities 3️⃣ Experimenting with policy futures in policy mobilities 4️⃣ Unveiling the role of the "digital" in policy mobilities #urban #academic #phd #research #policymobilities #theory #urbantheory

I am excited to proudly announce that our recent paper, "Happiness in Urban Environments: What We Know and Don’t Know Yet, " co-authored with my hero professor Ruut Veenhoven, has been published in the esteemed "Journal of #Housing and the #BuiltEnvironment”! In this paper, We took stock of the available research findings, using the World Database of Happiness; 445 findings are considered, from 20 nations over the years 1975–2022. We considered 3 aspects of the urban environment, 1) objectively assessed characteristics, 2) subjective perception of urban characteristics and 3) satisfaction with urban characteristics. Our goal was to know What urban conditions are most/least related to the happiness of inhabitants, and How universal are these correlates? I am incredibly grateful to Professor Ruut Veenhoven for his guidance and support and for making this dream come true. during my time as an #associated #researcher in urban studies at the Office of the World #Database of #Happiness in EHERO (Erasmus Happiness Economics Research Organisation), I had the privilege of learning from Professor Veenhoven both academically and personally. I invite everyone to read , and share our paper and join us in discussing the findings. You can find the paper here: https://lnkd.in/eVU2NPFK #happiness #postdoc #urbanstudies #builtenvironment #datascience #urbanhappiness #happycity

I am thrilled to announce yet another recognition from Elsevier for my recent paper review for the prestigious Journal of Urban Management (JUM). JUM is an internationally renowned journal that addresses the critical issues of urban planning and development, and it is classified as a Q1 journal in both the Clarivate and Scopus databases. This acknowledgment is a testament to the impact and quality of my contributions in the field of Urban Studies. I remain grateful for this honor and eagerly anticipate further opportunities to contribute to the advancement of urban research. #UrbanManagement #Elsevier #JournalRecognition #JUM #JournalOfUrbanManagement #UrbanStudies

Wonderful example of what can be done with the World Database of #Happiness. There is one notable subject missing that keeps many people occupied these days: cost of living / housing costs. There is some data on housing, income and satisfaction with one's living standard, but future research into those issues could be very interesting.

📣 Call for proposals – Which urban human-nature partnerships do you aim for? 🌍 🌳 🤝🏻 The Leibniz-Junior Research Group "URBNANCE – Urban human-nature resonance for sustainability transformation", together with Markus Egermann and Jessica Böhme, is seeking abstracts for chapters to be considered for inclusion in the book project 📗 Urban human-nature partnerships – From the Anthropocene to the Ecocene   The book aims to re-discover, re-think, and re-sense the soulfulness, intelligence, and relational value of nonhuman nature in cities, its peri-urban borders and urban land teleconnections.   The editorial team welcomes a range of theoretical, empirical and practical studies from all parts of the world (co-)authored by people with diverse backgrounds. Therefore, apart from academic contributions it explicitly invites innovative formats that explore human-nature partnerships beyond intellectual textual explorations, such as artistic, poetic, or performative. 📗🔓 The book will be published open access by Edward Elgar Publishing.   ⏳ Submission deadline: 1 September 2024 More information (PDF-file) 👉 https://lnkd.in/egPqjC4S Online form for the submission of brief chapter proposal 👉🏻 https://lnkd.in/erTFZPjR   #HumanNatureResonance #LivableFuture #SustainabilityTransition  

Come reimagine with us! “Rural Reimagined: A Grand Challenge for Appalachia” 2025 Appalachian Studies Association Conference Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, Tennessee March 20-22, 2025 Photographs by Sabrina Greene-Rusk. One-fourth of the counties that comprise Appalachia are classified as rural—neither part of nor adjacent to a metropolitan area. The 48th annual Appalachian Studies Association Conference will explore the theme “Rural Reimagined” by celebrating the creative uses of technology, science, and the arts with the greatest potential to transform life in and proximate to the region’s rural communities. #appstudies2025 #Ruralreimagined #appalachianstudies #appalachia #appalachian #appstudies #asa #Asainaction 

Come reimagine with us! “Rural Reimagined: A Grand Challenge for Appalachia” 2025 Appalachian Studies Association Conference Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, Tennessee March 20-22, 2025 Photographs by Sabrina Greene-Rusk. One-fourth of the counties that comprise Appalachia are classified as rural—neither part of nor adjacent to a metropolitan area. The 48th annual Appalachian Studies Association Conference will explore the theme “Rural Reimagined” by celebrating the creative uses of technology, science, and the arts with the greatest potential to transform life in and proximate to the region’s rural communities. #appstudies2025 #Ruralreimagined #appalachianstudies #appalachia #appalachian #appstudies #asa #Asainaction 

MOVING BOUNDARIES NORDIC X A few spots are available! The 4th Edition of Moving Boundaries: Human Sciences and the Future of Architecture, directed by Tatiana A.Berger, Architect, Professor and Consultant (ANFA Advisory Council Member) and Co-Chaired by Kurt Hunker, FAIA, Architect, Professor and ANFA President and by Katharina Wulff, Scientist and Professor, offers an intensive 12-day course in the interface between disciplines concerned with design of the built environment and scientific disciplines concerned with human perception and behavior. These include neuroscience, cognitive science, environmental psychology, ecology, sociology, architecture, lighting design and others. This course will teach practical tools and applications. Course topics include: multisensory perception and behavior, dynamic experience in space, architectural atmospheres and mood, daylight, emotional, material and haptic qualities of light and color, circadian rhythms, ecology and restorative environments. For the first time at MB, ecology, nature and study of light (and darkness) in environments, for human health and wellbeing, will be central. Check the brochure here: https://lnkd.in/didnnzGG  To sign up and in case of any questions please write to: movingboundaries2024@gmail.com https://lnkd.in/dtbKuiiP

Just published! (open access) https://lnkd.in/eWBTeUzZ Dirty research: a call towards decolonial urban knowledge production The conventional view of research emphasizes the systematic investigation to produce knowledge with an objective undertone, often emanating a sense of purity of the research process/methods. However, this piece calls for a reexamination of urban knowledge production, particularly its processual aspects and the implications of conducting it in relation to urban communities, where I suggest this purity is fictitious. The enquiry here arises from a decolonial critique of tokenistic engagement in urban research and an ontological critique of knowledge production as a good in itself. Instead, the concept of Dirty research presented here positions knowledge production as an embedded process within the creation of new worlds through entwining theory and action. I argue that the ways we conduct research—and the actions (or inactions) of researchers—are intricately connected to structural injustices, epistemic violence, and the perpetuation of coloniality. The proposed framework illustrates how urban research can be approached differently by adopting an ethos of reciprocity that 1) ensures parity in the knowledge produced, 2) fosters the co-production of research inquiries, and 3) cultivates empathetic allyship. By focusing on these interlinked processes, Dirty research conceptually challenges extractivist paradigms in urban knowledge production and charts pathways towards decolonial urban futures.