DPU awarded USF Seminar Series Award for ground breaking project on urban knowledge

Dr Paroj Banerjee of The Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU) at UCL has received the prestigious USF Seminar Series Award for her project, Epistemes of non-dominant inhabitation: a seminar series for early-career and under-represented scholars to decentre urban knowledge.

This seminar series is designed to spotlight the invaluable contributions of early-career and underrepresented scholars working at the frontiers of urban studies. The initiative seeks to move beyond conventional notions of city dwelling by delving into the varied, everyday experiences of urban residents. With a purpose to challenge and expand mainstream understandings of urban inhabitation, it highlights research that interrogates “normal” ways of living in cities by showcasing alternative perspectives and practices. It does so by bringing together voices traditionally marginalized in urban discourse to reshape the field’s understanding of how cities are inhabited and experienced.

The Principal Investigator of the project is Dr Paroj Banerjee of DPU and is co-investigated by Ishita Chatterjee (O. P. Jindal Global University, India), and Dr Raffael Beier (TU Dortmund University, Germany). The project is hosted at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL, and will engage with mentors such as Ritajyoti Bandyopadhyay (IISER Mohali, India).

Dr Paroj Banerjee said: “Absolutely honoured to have received this award. Looking forward to working with Ishita Chatterjee and Raffael Beier on the politics of knowledge production and urban inhabitation. Thrilled for The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL to host it and for incredible mentors like Ritajyoti Bandyopadhyay to be a part of it. By centering underrepresented voices and questioning dominant narratives of urban life, the series aspires to reshape how scholars and practitioners approach the politics of city dwelling and the production of urban knowledge.”