Evaluation document, KoF11 Part A: Strategic aspects on research ...

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Uppsala University 1<strong>KoF11</strong><strong>Evaluation</strong> <strong>document</strong>, <strong>KoF11</strong><strong>Part</strong> A: <strong>Strategic</strong> <strong>aspects</strong> on researchDepartment of Social and Economic Geography(Kulturgeografiska institutionen)A1.i) Give a summary of the current research activities. State primary missions and goals aswell defined as possible.ii) List actions that would improve the quality of the department’s research, andobstacles that hinder improvement.iii) Describe interdisciplinary activities and networks, giving information on jointpublications and funding, and provide statements on the suitability of the presentorganizational placement within Uppsala University.A1 (i) Summary of the current research activities.Research is characterized by considerable thematic, methodological and theoretical breadth.Since the last evaluation we have reorganized our research around four central themes. Ourmission is to give form to areas where we have demonstrable thematic specialization but alsoto construct broad group themes designed to avoid sub-disciplinary segmentation and rivalryin order to encourage new conversations and research directions. All academic staff contributeto at least one of these research themes, and several of these are promoted by regular researchmeetings and seminars.Within and between these four thematic pillars our academic staff are characterized byconsiderable methodological and theoretical pluralism. Statistical analyses and spatialmodelling co-exist with in-depth case studies based on qualitative approaches. It is thisenriching and eclectic mix that we believe gives strength to our research culture and supportsboth thematic specialisation and constant renewal.Theme 1: Culture, Creativity and EconomyThis group theme brings together work on: the geographic foundations of creativity; and thedynamics of the cultural and creative industries. Members of this theme are focused on themultiple geographies that underpin creativity and in two socio-spatial processes that underpinall types of cultural innovation and creativity: individual learning and knowledge creation; theassembly of individual knowledge in projects, firms and cultural artefacts and landscapes. Forboth the role of proximity is supposed to be crucial.Extensive work has been done on cultural and creative industries: on rapidlyexpanding inter-related and inter-dependent industries such as design, music, computergames, film and television, new media, fashion, visual arts and advertising. Creative andcultural industries are treated using commercial, industrial and geographical perspectives andattention is paid to the role of individuals as well as the districts and milieus where creativeindividuals and firms seem to thrive.2011-02-28 Department of Social and Economic Geography v 1.0
Uppsala University 2<strong>KoF11</strong>Theme 2: Innovation, Industry and Regions in ChangeThis theme gathers those interested in how innovation and institutional change co-evolve withprocesses of industrial and local, urban and regional transformation and change. Projects havefocused on: life science/biotech; tourism and food production; high-end consumer goods;regional change from a gender perspective; finance’s role in urban and regional crisis andadjustment.One strand highlights processes of spatial clustering. Empirical studies investigateinter-firm relations of various sorts (business transactions, joint development projects, labourmobility) and entrepreneurship within and across cluster boundaries. Also involvesdeveloping conceptual and theoretical frameworks for understanding processes of spatialclustering and localised learning.Another strand focuses upon interfaces between universities, regions and firms. Thiswork looks at scientific research, knowledge spillover, commercialization and academicentrepreneurship. Related to this is an active engagement with policy.Theme 3: Planning, Space and SustainabilityEmploying different geographical approaches and time perspectives this theme addressesissues related to physical and spatial planning. Research focuses on: the changing ideologicalunderpinnings of planning and their spatial articulation; the ways in which planning strategiesconflict with or incorporate the changing social and economic structures of society; and therelationship between planning and environmental change. The focus is often multi-scalar, i.e.attention is paid to the relationship between processes operating at local and global scales, andhow they impinge on issues of planning and sustainability in the social, economic andenvironmental spheres. Recognizing the temporality of spatial processes and the dynamicinterface between human and physical systems, we are interested in the relationship betweengeographical change and stability, and planning.Within this overall framework, research falls into three main areas:• Urban and rural housing research.• Resource management and planning.• Varieties of urban space and place usage.Theme 4: Mobility, Space and IdentityA prevalent characteristic of modern society is mobility, ranging from everyday movementsin local environments, to commuting in urban regions, to long-term urban-rural interactions,and to historical and contemporary migration on the global scale. Against this background,research focuses on the individual and collective sense of belonging in changing life worlds.Research addresses the significance of space, place and landscape in processes of identityformation, at various geographical scales. Notions of home and identity are examined, with anexplicit interest in the institutions and practices underpinning local, regional and nationalbelonging.Within this overall framework, research falls into three main areas:• Notions of home and identity in a globalized world.• Rural identities and geographies.• Contested geographies of national identity.2011-02-28 Department of Social and Economic Geography v 1.0
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