Learning from the South

Learning from the South:
Cultural Landscapes and Transnational Dialogues on Urbanization in Transition

The Habitat Research Center International PhD Seminar Learning from the South explores how various global urban and cultural landscapes address socio-ecological transitions.
By South, this seminar refers to diverse regions historically impacted by colonial legacies and uneven economic development, such as South America, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean, recognizing the term's contested nature and complexity. The transnational and interdisciplinary character of the seminar encourages participants to challenge existing paradigms and incorporate diverse perspectives, thereby enriching the discourse surrounding cultural landscapes and urbanization transitions.
Cultural landscapes can be defined as "the combined works of nature and humanity" (UNESCO, 1992), and embody the imprint of regional practices, cultures, and traditions in architecture, urban planning, and social structures. By acknowledging the relational nature of these environments, designers are reminded that every technical choice is also an ethical and political act - one that shapes not only spatial configurations but also the ways in which we relate to one another and to the Earth.
Focusing on historical and contemporary urban challenges, this exploration centers on the notion of radical interdependencies (Escobar, 2017), recognizing how indigenous and local practices offer alternative ways of perceiving and shaping cultural landscapes. These landscapes are not merely physical environments but dynamic, co-produced spaces where human agency and ecological systems are deeply intertwined.

As global territories undergo rapid urbanization, investigating the interconnections of humans and climate within these landscapes emerges as critically important. By emphasizing cultural landscapes, the course aims to discuss how the built environment can translate indigenous and innovative actions to address the socio-ecological transition.

PhD Students from EPFL and abroad Doctoral Schools in different disciplines are welcome, including urban design, architecture, landscape studies, geography, and the humanities. Students are expected to engage with diverse theories, methodologies, and experiences related to cultural landscapes.
Focusing on how different urban and cultural landscapes deal with the socio-ecological transition globally, the seminar will engage the current PhD research on both planetary and regional practices. It will also offer EPFL and international PhD students different methodological and theoretical perspectives on the Urbanization in Transition through a series of lectures by keynote speakers.
Discussions will encompass contemporary urban and metropolitan challenges, the role of grassroots movements and bottom-up initiatives in reclaiming urban spaces, and strategies for reconnecting communities with nature.

Call for Participation
Admission
The 15 doctoral students attending the Seminar will be selected on the basis of the Abstract of their paper. Abstracts (300 words maximum) should be submitted via email by May 2nd, 2025, to anna.dealmeidasantos@epfl.ch.
The Scientific Committee, considering the relevance of the proposed topics and the quality of the abstract, will select 10-15 contributions.

Each abstract should include the following information:
- font Georgia, 10pt - otherwise as noted): - full name; affiliation; email address; thesis supervisor; date of thesis defense; working title of dissertation and main bibliographic references (up to 5 using Harvard reference system, 10pt).
Working papers (3000 words maximum) must reach the same address by June 30, 2025 (midnight). The papers are expected to present a coherent piece of research or a dissertation chapter and to address methodological and theoretical approaches.

Important dates:
2nd May: deadline to submit your abstract
10th May: notification of acceptation
10-11 June: International Seminar at EPFL

Venue:
PhD students within the European region are required to attend the conference in person at the EPFL venue in Lausanne, Switzerland. PhD students from other regions are also welcome to participate, with the option to join the event online. Please specify in your email whether you plan to attend the conference in person at EPFL or participate virtually.

The conference organizers will cover the cost of meals for the two days of the event.

However, students are responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses.

Invited lecturers : Satish Kumar, Achille Mbembe (tbc)