The event is jointly organized by:
ARL - Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association and the Department of Human Geography, Stockholm University
The ARL – Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association in cooperation with Stockholm University is inviting applications for the ARL International Summer School 2022 on “Exploring Spatial Justice in times of disruptions”, which will take place from Wed. 24 August to Sat. 27 August 2022 in Stockholm (arrival is scheduled for 23 August 2022). Doctoral students from all relevant disciplines are invited to apply. The summer school will be held in English. The deadline for applications is 14 March 2022.
THE ISSUE
The concept of spatial justice encapsulates a number of diverse theoretical, political and normative strands. It sheds light on the way resources are allocated across different types of localities and how spatial patterns influence, enhance or confine people in their opportunities. Inevitably, space plays a crucial role in the reproduction of structural inequality, since the space in which we live limits or enhances individual or group-based opportunities and capacities. Scholarly work points not only to the mechanisms, limitations and implications of redistributive efforts focused on spatial justice, but also to the extent to which related planning and development work is based upon fair, democratic, collaborative and transparent processes.
The concept of spatial justice also provokes a re-think of contemporary substantial challenges of territorial development, such as the growing disparities between prosperous cities and regions and those that assumedly do not matter (anymore), or access to different types of infrastructures and services of general interest. We live in times with a number of fundamental disruptions and huge transformations, triggered by the ongoing pandemic, the search for effective and just climate change responses and the ongoing fourth industrial revolution − to name just a few. This renders the importance of the quest for understanding the implications for spatial justice greater than ever. Hence, with this Summer School we want to offer a forum for early career researchers to discuss issues related to the notion of spatial justice.
POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
The ARL is organizing its International Summer School 2022 in cooperation with the Department of Human Geography at Stockholm University. Doctoral students will have the opportunity to discuss conceptual, methodological and empirical contributions that explore the notion of spatial justice and related perspectives. We invite – but do not limit – contributions from early career researchers who have a particular interest in:
- theoretical, normative or philosophical discourses around the notion of spatial justice;
- historical, postcolonial or political economy perspectives in relation to spatial justice;
- explorations into the procedural and/or distributive dimension of spatial justice; implications of technological advancements (e.g. AI, smart city, smart mobility, digitalization) on spatial justice;
- implications of the Covid-19 pandemic (or other types of global (natural) hazards) for spatial justice; empowerment of (disadvantaged) social groups to achieve justness in urban and regional planning;
- (un-intended) reproduction of social inequality through spatial planning; critical feminist perspectives on gender, ethnicity and class and how they impact spatial justice;
- the quest for spatial justice in relation to e.g. a) migration and demographic issues, b) the strive for equal living conditions and accessible and affordable services of general interest, c) growth and shrinkage of different types of territories and urban-rural relations;
- the implications of recent policy initiatives by the EU and its Member States e.g. in the light of a ‘Just and Green Europe’, the Just Transition Fund or different strands of Cohesion Policy; climate justice and territorial development.
