Dr. Constance Carr

Constance Carr

Research scientist

Fakultät oder Zentrum Fakultät für Geisteswissenschaften, Erziehungswissenschaften und Sozialwissenschaften
Department Fachbereich Geographie und Raumplanung
Postadresse Université du Luxembourg
Maison des Sciences Humaines
11, Porte des Sciences
L-4366 Esch-sur-Alzette
Büroadresse MSH, E02 15-010
E-Mail
Telefon (+352) 46 66 44 5511

Dr., Senior Research Scientist, Level-2

  • Since 2022, Principal Investigator, Gendered dimensions of digital urban development (GEN-DIGIURB)
  • Since 2021, Principal Investigator, Digital Urban Development - How large digital corporations shape the field of urban governance (DIGI-GOV)
  • Since 2020, Invited Faculty at the Paris Institute of Political Studies
  • Since 2019, Visiting Scholar, CITY Institute, York University, Toronto
  • 2018-2020, Co-Principal Investigator, Digital Urbanism and the Challenge of Urban Governance (DIG_URBGOV)
  • Ph.D. 2010, Institute of Social Sciences, Stadt- und Regional-Soziologie, Humboldt Universität, Berlin
  • M.E.S. 1999, Faculty of Environmental Studies (now called Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change), York University, Toronto

Research Interests

As an urban geographer in the social sciences, my aim is to explore the broad questions of how spaces and flows constitute contemporary (sub)urban processes. I am interested in urban governance, policy, small states, and the dilemmas with urbanisation and growth pressure. I am particularly fixated on the contradictions of market-led sustainable development practices with respect to infrastructure, digitalisation and corporatization of cities.
I lead a research team exploring (i) the role of large digital corporations (LDCs) in digital urban development, (ii) how the presence of LDCs in urban planning practice challenge pre-existing modes urban governance, and (iii) how LDC-led urban development constitutes a new relational geography of digital cities. These are the key objectives of an FNR-funded research project entitled, "Digital Urban Development — How large digital corporations shape the field of urban governance (DIGI-GOV)," and of which I am PI.
I was also recently chief organiser of Small State, Big Transitions - The 30th Annual Conference of the International Network of Urban Research and Action, in Luxembourg . Organized in cooperation with the ETH, D-ARCH, the conference took place for June 25-29, 2022, with a great line-up of fabulous speakers.(see inuraluxembourg.blogspot.com)
I am co-founder and co-editor (with Markus Hesse) of Urbanization Unbound (http://urbanunbound.blogspot.com).

Research Stays

Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, USA, Netherlands

Editorial Functions

  • Co-editor, Bulletin of the International Network of Urban Research and Action, 2022
  • Editorial Board Member, Palgrave Book Series on Environmental Sustainability
  • Guest Edited for Local Environment
  • Guest Edited for  Planning Theory & Practice, Interface
  • Co-editor of Urbanization Unbound (urbanunbound.blogspot.com)
  • Co-editor isdrs.org/topic-6b-urban-and-rural-developmen/
  • Chapter Editor, Berlin, The Contested Metropolis (2004)

Publications in

  • Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space
  • Journal of Maps
  • Planning Theory & Practice
  • Urban Planning
  • Journal of Transport Geography
  • Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space
  • Regional Studies
  • Raumforschung und Raumordnung
  • disP – The Planning Review
  • Raumplanung
  • International Journal of Urban and Regional Research
  • Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies
  • Journal of Economic and Social Geography
  • Thirdspace: A Journal of Feminist Theory and Culture

Awards

  • Winner of Regional Studies Association’s e-Zine’s Best Paper Award, 2021.

Memberships

  • International Network of Urban Research and Action (INURA), Board Member
  • Luxembourgish Geographical Society, Founding Member
  • Smart City Cluster, CITY Institute, York University
  • Invited Guest of the H2020 Energy-SHIFTS Transport and Mobility Working Group
  • Association of American Geographers (AAG), COVID-19 Rapid Response
  • American Association of Geographers (AAG)
  • Spaces & Flows Research Network
  • Regional Studies Association (RSA)
  • International Geographical Union / Urban Commission
  • International Sustainable Development Research Society Conference (ISDRS), Cities and Communities Group

Referee

  • Nature, Scientific Reports
  • Nature, Springer Manuals
  • International Journal of Urban and Regional Research
  • Urban Studies
  • Globalizations
  • Local Environment
  • Interface: Journal for and about Social Movements
  • European Planning Studies
  • Journal of Economic and Social Geography Journal of Economic and Social Geography
  • Palgrave and MacMillan Publishing
  • Israeli Science Foundation
  • Environment Development and Sustainability
  • International Sustainable Development Research Society Conference
  • European Science Foundation College of Expert Reviewers
  • IGU Urban commission
  • Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space
  • Regions and Cohesions

Courses 2019-2022

  • Paris Institute of Political Studies: Introduction to Urban Studies
  • DGEO:  Integrated Spatial Planning and Case Studies; Master Planning & Urban Governance; Master Thesis Workshop; Formation Continue en Aménagement du Territoire;

Post-Graduate Supervision

  • Dr. Olga Kryvets, Research Scientist, “Gendered dimensions of digital urban development - resilience and critical reconstruction in Ukraine” (GEN-DIGIURB)
  • Karinne Madron, doctoral thesis, "The multiscalar spatial fixes of urban development led by large digital corporations"
  • Annick Leick, doctoral thesis, (2016) “„Kleines Land, Große Projekte. Diskurse, Praktiken und soziale Welten im Entscheidungs- und Planungsprozess der Großvorhaben Belval und Kirchberg in Luxemburg,” University of Luxembourg
  • Jan Tobias-Doerr, master thesis, (2014) “From Agenda21 to sustainable subpolitics,” University of Luxembourg

Invited Talks

  • over 70 presentations at international venues such as the Universities of Bielefeld, Cologne, Greenland, Delft, Freiburg, St. Gallen, Luxembourg, York University (Toronto), Humboldt University in Berlin, and the ETH Zurich, as well as conferences such as the Deutsche Kongress für Geographie, Arbeitskreis Stadtzukünft, Royal Geographical Society, Centre International de Recherche dur l’Environnement et le Développement (CIRED), the American Association of Geographers, BIVEC-GIBET Transport Research Days, the Regional Studies Association, International Conference on Interpretive Policy Analysis (IPA) and not least, the International Network of Urban Research and Action (INURA)

Media

  • International: BBC Radio World Service; BBC Capital; Bloomberg CityLab, Tagesspiegel, Al Jazeera, Inside Story; SRF 10vor10; Dagens Nyheter; TomScottGo; NRC Handelsblad; Gazet van Antwepen; The Conversation, UK
  • Luxembourg: Forum – für Politik, Gesellschaft und Kultur; Tageblatt; Luxemburger Wort; Radio 100,7; Le Quotidien; Brennpunkt, RTL
  • Urban Political Podcast

Key projects

  • PI, Gendered dimensions of digital urban development (GEN-DIGIURB), FNR
  • PI, Digital Urban Development - How large digital corporations shape the field of urban governance (DIGI-GOV), FNR
  • Co-PI, Digital Urbanism and the Challenge of Urban Governance (DIG_URBGOV), ERASMUS+
  • Manager, Governance for sustainable spatial development – a comparative study of Luxembourg and Switzerland, 2013-2015 (SUSTAIN_GOV), FNR
  • Manager, Sustainable Spatial Development, 2010-2013 (SUSTAINLUX), FNR

Further Current Activities

  • Lead organizer of the 30th Annual Conference of the INURA, (inuraluxembourg.blogspot.com)
  • Co-organizer with Hesse, Schulz, Becker of DGEO and the German Academy for Spatial Research and Planning’s (Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung, ARL) Summer School, “Smart Cities and Beyond"

Languages 

  • English (1st language)
  • German (Oberstufe)
  • French (B1.2)
  • Luxembourgish (B2)

Blog
urbanunbound.blogspot.com

Twitter
@urban_unbound

ORCID: 0000-0003-1491-536X

Last updated on: Donnerstag, den 28. Juli 2022

  • Currently, Invited Faculty at the Paris Institute of Political Studies
  • 2019-present: Visiting Scholar, CITY Institute, York University, Toronto
  • 2015-present: Senior researcher, University of Luxembourg, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning
  • 2014 Visiting Researcher (Prof. C. Schmid) ETH  Department of Architecture, Zurich
  • 2010-2013: post-doctoral researcher, SUSTAINLUX, University of Luxembourg, Geography and Spatial Planning Research Centre. Funded by the Fonds National de la Recherche, CORE
  • 2010: Doctor of Sociology, Department of Urban and Regional Sociology, Humboldt University, Berlin 
  • 2009-2010: New Metropolitan Mainstream (Ruhr Area), Common Project of INURA
  • 2009: Scientific Assistant to Dr. Marit Rosol of Department of Human Geography, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main 
  • 2003: EureX Fellowship to the European Seminar on Urban Transformation, Poverty, Spatial Segregation and Social Exclusion. UrbEUROPE.
  • 1999: Master of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto
  • 1997-1998: Graduate Assistant to Professors David Bell and Roger Keil, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto.
  • 1997-1997: Graduate Assistant to Professors Gene Desfor and Roger Keil, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto.



Last updated on: 29 Jun 2020

powered by
orbilu.uni.lu


Scientific Periodicals – Complete Issue

Full Text
See detailRescaling Sustainability
Carr, Constance; Affolderbach, Julia

in Local Environment (2014), 19(6), 567-713

Full Text
See detailRescaling sustainability? Local opportunities and scalar contradictions
Carr, Constance; Affolderbach, Julia

in Local Environment (2014), 19(6), 567-571

Haut de page

Articles published in scientific periodicals

Full Text
See detailINURA reflects on Luxembourg - Results of a feedback session with INURA
Madron, Karinne Lynda; Carr, Constance

in INURA Bulletin (2023), 33

Full Text
See detailFour reasons why data centers matter, five implications of their social spatial distribution, one graphic to visualize them
Bast, Desmond; Carr, Constance; Madron, Karinne Lynda; Syrus, Ahmad

in Environment and Planning A (2022)

Full Text
See detailMapping the clouds: The matter of data centres
Carr, Constance; Bast, Desmond; Madron, Karinne Lynda; Syrus, Ahmad

in Journal of Maps (2022)

Full Text
See detailTechnocratic urban development: Large digital corporations as power brokers of the digital age
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus

in Planning Theory and Practice (2022)

Full Text
See detailWhen Alphabet Inc. plans Toronto's waterfront: New post-political modes of urban governance
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus

in Urban Planning (2020), 5(1), 69-83

Full Text
See detailSidewalk Labs closed down – whither Google’s smart city?
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus

in Regions - E-Magazine (2020), (7),

Full Text
See detailIntegrative planning of post-suburban growth in the Glatt Valley (Switzerland)
Carr, Constance; Mcdonough, Evan

in Raumforschung und Raumordnung (2018), 76(2), 109-122

Full Text
See detailExamining Regional Competitiveness and the Pressures of Rapid Growth: An interpretive institutionalist account of policy responses in three city regions
Krueger, James Robert; Gibbs, David; Carr, Constance

in Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space (2018)

Full Text
See detailBlending Scales of Governance: Land Use Policies and Practices in the Small State of Luxembourg
Affolderbach, Julia; Carr, Constance

in Regional Studies (2016), 50(6), 944-955

Full Text
See detailThe power of sustainable development
Carr, Constance

in Regions Magazine (2015), 300(4), 11-13

Full Text
See detailRaising Sustainability
Carr, Constance; Becker, Tom; Evrard, Estelle; Nienaber, Birte; Roos, Ursula; Mcdonough, Evan; Hesse, Markus; Krueger, Rob

in Planning Theory and Practice (2015)

Full Text
See detailIntegration als konzeptioneller Baustein und Widerspruch der nachhaltigen Raumplanung
Carr, Constance; Mcdonough, Evan; Telaar, Rainer

in Raumplanung (2015), 182

Full Text
See detailDiscourse Yes, Implementation Maybe: an Immobility and Paralysis of Sustainable Development Policy
Carr, Constance

in European Planning Studies (2014), 22(9), 1824-1840

Full Text
See detailImmigration, Rights and Culture: Three Approaches to the Urban
Carr, Constance

in Topia : Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies (2005), 13(Spring), 153-160

Haut de page

Short communications published in scientific periodicals

Full Text
See detail“Report on the Third workshop of the RSAN ‘Ecological Regional Development’
Affolderbach, Julia; Carr, Constance; Lintz, Gerd

in Regions Magazine (2013), 289(1), 27-28

Haut de page

Contributions to collective works

See detailVertical (sub)urbanization in Zurich’s northeast: The Valley along the Glatt as both a metaphor and mediating structural element
Carr, Constance; McDonough, Evan

in Aguiar, Luis; Senese, Donna; French, Diana (Eds.) The Elgar Companion to Valleys: Social, Economic and Cultural Perspectives (2023)

Full Text
See detailBackground on Urban and Regional Planning
Carr, Constance

in Brinkmann, R. (Ed.) . In: Brinkmann R. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Global Sustainability (2021)

See detailIntroducing Luxembourg: Ephemeral Sustainabilities
Carr, Constance

in Krueger, Rob; Freytag, Tim; Mössner, Samuel (Eds.) Adventures in Sustainable Urbanism (2019)

See detailSustainability in small states: Luxembourg as a post-suburban space under growth pressure in need of a cross-national sustainability
Carr, Constance

in Brinkmann, Robert; Garren, Sandra J. (Eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of Sustainability: Case Studies and Practical Solutions (2018)

See detailSymbolic Planning Politics in a Region of Ongoing Decline. The Restructuring Model of IBA Emscher Park (1989-1999)
Müller, Sebastian; Carr, Constance

in Porter, L.; Shaw, K. (Eds.) Whose Urban Renaissance? An international comparison of urban regeneration policies (2009)

See detailAlternative Urban Publics: Between Repression and Emancipation
Allahwala, Ahmed; Carr, Constance

in Paloscia, R. (Ed.) The Contested Metropolis: Six Cities at the Beginning of the 21st Century (2003)

See detailBerlin: Reunified but not in one Piece
Carr, Constance

in Paloscia, R. (Ed.) The Contested Metropolis: Six Cities at the Beginning of the 21st Century (2003)

See detailBerlin: from MetropoLUST to MetroLOST
Carr, Constance; Lehrer, Ute

in Paloscia, R. (Ed.) The Contested Metropolis: Six Cities at the Beginning of the 21st Century (2003)

Haut de page

Scientific congresses, symposiums and conference proceedings – Papers published in a book

See detailFree Transit in Luxembourg: A case of post-political urban governance through policy mobility
Hesse, Markus; Carr, Constance

in Witlox, Frank (Ed.) Moving Towards More Sustainable Mobility and Transport through Smart Systems - Proceedings of the BIVEC-GIBET Transport Research Days 2019 (2019)

Full Text
See detailPowerful sustainable development master - signifiers in urban planning discourses (abstract)
Carr, Constance

in de Melo, JJ; Disterheft, A; Caeiro, S; Santos, RF; Ramos, TB (Eds.) Proceedings of the 22nd Annual International Sustainable Development Research Society Conference: Rethinking Sustainability Models and Practices (2016)

See detailIntegration vs. fragmentaion: spatial governance for land and mobility (extended abstract)
Hesse, Markus; Carr, Constance

in Hesse, Markus; Caruso, Geoffrey; Gerber, Philippe; Viti, Francesco (Eds.) Proceedings of the BIVEC-GIBET Transport Research Days 2013 (2013, May)

Haut de page

E-Prints/Working papers – already available on another site

Haut de page

Book Reviews

Full Text
See detailReview "Inside Smart Cities – Place, Politics and Urban Innovation"
Carr, Constance

in disP : The Planning Review (2019)

Full Text
See detailReview of “Knowledge Economy and the City by Ali Madanipour”
Carr, Constance

in Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie = Journal of Economic & Social Geography (2013), 104(1), 120-122

Full Text
See detailReview “Nations of Flesh and Blood by Jackie Hogan”
Carr, Constance

in International Journal of Urban and Regional Research (2011), 35(1), 217-218

Full Text
See detailGender, Race, and National Identity: Lasting Categories of an Urbanized Planet
Carr, Constance

in Thirdspace: a Journal of Feminist Theory & Culture (2010), 9(2), 254

Haut de page

Contributions to encyclopaedias, dictionaries, …

See detailSustainability
Carr, Constance

in Morris, A. (Ed.) Encylopedia of Energy (2011)

See detailDensity
Carr, Constance

in Robbins, P.; Cohen, N.; Golson, J. G. (Eds.) Green Cities: An A-to-Z Guide (2010)

See detailDivided Cities
Carr, Constance

in Hutchinson, R. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Urban Studies (2009)

See detailMulticultural Cities
Carr, Constance

in Hutchinson, R. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Urban Studies (2009)

Haut de page

Scientific congresses, symposiums and conference proceedings – Unpublished conferences

See detailQuilting around the master-signifier of sustainable development
Carr, Constance

Scientific Conference (2015, October)

See detailThe embodied patchworks of sustainability master-signifiers
Carr, Constance

Scientific Conference (2015, July)

See detailSustainability – The travelling empty-master-signifier
Carr, Constance

Scientific Conference (2015, April)

See detailBefunde und Interpretationen
Carr, Constance

Scientific Conference (2015)

Full Text
See detailWhither sustainability? Governance and regional integration in the Glatt Valley
Carr, Constance; Mcdonough, Evan

Scientific Conference (2014, July 11)

Full Text
See detailPotenziellen und Gefahren der IBA als Planungsinstrument
Carr, Constance

Scientific Conference (2014)

See detailSustainability – The travelling paradoxical master-signifier
Carr, Constance

Scientific Conference (2014)

Haut de page

Scientific congresses, symposiums and conference proceedings – Posters

See detailNew Metropolitan Mainstream: RhineRuhr
Carr, Constance

Poster (2010, June)

Haut de page

Scientific presentations in Universities or research centres

See detailChallenges of (post) war reconstruction in Kyiv
Carr, Constance; Kryvets, Olga

Presentation (2023)

See detailFrom protest to imagining reconstruction and urban futures
Kryvets, Olga; Carr, Constance

Presentation (2023)

See detailUrban development led by large digital corporations
Carr, Constance

Presentation (2021)

See detailSmart cities and risk: When digital urban development gets political
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus

Presentation (2019)

Full Text
See detailSome notes on smart cities and the corporatization of urban governance
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus

Presentation (2019)

See detailMy research in seven minutes
Carr, Constance

Presentation (2018)

See detailMarket Rulers: Interpretive institutionalism and market-based sustainability
Carr, Constance; Gibbs, David; Krueger, Robert

Presentation (2013, April)

See detailTransforming Under Growth Pressure: Grassroots Sprawl or Top Down and Smart
Carr, Constance; Affolderbach, Julia

Presentation (2012, July)

See detailMobilizing Sustainability, Fixing Competitiveness: An examination of policy mobility Lux-embourg
Carr, Constance; Krueger, Robert; Hesse, Markus; Schulz, Christian

Presentation (2011, November)

See detailExamining Sustainable Spatial Development in Luxembourg
Carr, Constance; Krueger, Robert

Presentation (2011, May)

See detailIntroducing SUSTAINLUX
Carr, Constance

Presentation (2010, July)

See detailCity Tour, Urban Transformation of Luxembourg
Becker, Tom; Carr, Constance

Presentation (2010, June)

See detailSustainable Spatial Development in Luxembourg
Carr, Constance

Presentation (2010, June)

See detailFordism Alive at Sea: Crossing the Atlantic
Carr, Constance

Presentation (2002, June)

See detailHistory of Lawrence Neighbourhood Development
Carr, Constance; Milgrom, Richard

Presentation (1998, June)

Haut de page

Expert Reports

Haut de page

Reports – Other

Full Text
See detailINURA as a village - urban research and action in urgent times
Carr, Constance; Madron, Karinne Lynda

Report (2023)

Full Text
See detailImagining post-war reconstruction fro resilience Kyiv with INURA
Kryvets, Olga; Carr, Constance

Report (2023)

Full Text
See detailThere is no one human scale - Reflections on urban development practice in Luxembourg
Carr, Constance; Lutz, Rebecca; Schutz, Kevin

Report (2018)

Full Text
See detailReport of Stakeholder Workshop
Carr, Constance

Report (2013)

Full Text
See detailImplications of Results
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus

Report (2013)

Full Text
See detailNachhaltige Raumentwicklung in Luxemburg (SUSTAINLUX): Kurzfassung
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus; Schulz, Christian

Report (2010)

Full Text
See detailSustainable Spatial Development in Luxembourg
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus; Schulz, Christian

Report (2010)

Full Text
See detailSustainable Spatial Development in Luxembourg (SUSTAINLUX): Summary
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus; Schulz, Christian

Report (2010)

Haut de page

Doctoral Theses

See detailSocial Spatial Difference Delimiting Borders in Berlin
Carr, Constance

Doctoral thesis (2010)

Haut de page

Articles for the General Public

Full Text
See detailReflecting on research and activism in times of uncertainty and crisis: The 30th Anniversary conference of INURA in Luxembourg
Madron, Karinne Lynda; Kryvets, Olga; Nicotra, Elide; Reiter, Chris; Syrus, Ahmad Syrus; Carr, Constance

Article for general public (2022)

Full Text
See detail"Keine Schwarzseher" Forscher der Universität Luxemburg unterstützen Jugendliche von "Fridays for Future"
Carr, Constance; König, Ariane; Reckinger, Rachel; Schulz, Christian; Siebentritt, Susanne; Teferle, Felix Norman

Article for general public (2019)

Full Text
See detailLuxembourg’s free public transport sounds great, but it won’t help people get from A to B
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus

Article for general public (2019)

See detailLuxembourg’s free public transport sounds great. It isn't
Carr, Constance

Article for general public (2019)

See detailSmart Cities: Selbstzweck oder zum Wohl der Städte?
Carr, Constance

Article for general public (2019)

Full Text
See detailSmart Cities, ‚big politics‘ und die Privatisierung der urbanen Governance
Carr, Constance; Hesse, Markus

Article for general public (2019)

Haut de page