Theorizing peripheralisation and inclusion

Grounded in the theories of Henri Lefebvre, this research stream assert that the dialectics of center and periphery generate an ever-shifting web of urbanization processes. This philosophical and theoretical engagement with key concepts in urban studies today brings together postcolonial theory with the literature on planetary urbanization/urbanization processes. Johannesburg is a key site in this; we also investigate the formation of densities and peripheries more locally, in Vorarlberg. This is main thrust of USRG’s publications in peer-reviewed and scientific journals. In particular, Lindsay’s new collaborative project on peripheralization (currently being developed with partners at UZH/NADEL), builds on her doctoral and postdoctoral work - published in outlets like Antipode, Urban Studies, and Urban Geography - to link empirical research on urbanization processes with a more global, systemic perspective. It will show how peripheries are formed across multiple scales by following a selection of materials identified as key to the sustainable energy transition.