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Research Title
Planning Deviations, Institutional Persistence, and Efforts to Regulate Urban Development in Bucharest
- More about Varvara
Education
- PhD in Human Geography, University College London. Working title: “Planning Deviations, Institutional Persistence, and Efforts to Regulate Urban Development in Bucharest” (2021-ongoing)
- MSc in Urbanisation and Development, London School of Economics and Political sciences. Final dissertation: “Mining-Induced Displacement and Resettlement (MIDR): From technical notions to the socioeconomic impacts on affected communities in Northern Greece” (2017 - 2018)
- Diploma Degree in Architecture (BArch and MArch), Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece. Diploma Research Thesis: “The social and spatial impact of the Power Public Corporation (PPC) in Greece. The cost of lignite mining activities on local settlements and communities.” Diploma Design Thesis: “Regional and urban development strategies as a response to climate challenges: Designing for eco-touristic development in mining-affected areas.” (2011 - 2017)
- Teaching
I've been involved in the following teaching:
- UCL Human Geography Summer School. “The multiplicity of urban: Understanding the cities, we inhabit.” (2023)
- Global Urbanism: Theory and Politics (URBL0001) - Global Urbanism MASc, UCL Urban Laboratory, Bartlett
- East London Lab (URBL0003) - Global Urbanism MASc, UCL Urban Laboratory, Bartlett
- Publications
Conferences-Presentations
- Urban Affairs Association International Conference 2024, New York
- Socially Just Planning Doctoral Network Seminar Series, The Bartlett, UCL, Presentation: Urban planning and development processes in Eastern Europe, February 2024
- Guest Lecturer, RECOURSE seminar 2024 - Department of Socio-Economic Geography, University of Gdansk, January 2024
- Guest lecturer in Global Urbanism: Theory and Politics module, Urban Lab, The Bartlett, UCL, December 2023.
- RSA Winter Conference 2023, London – Paper Presentation: Karipidou, V. ‘State Effects and Political Contestations: Understanding Urban Planning and Development Processes in Eastern Europe's Decentralized Governance’. Presented in RSA Winter Conference 2023, London, 9 Nov. – 10 Nov. 2023.
- PhD upgrade conference 2023, UCL Dept. of Geography, London – Conference Chairing: Chairing the first session of the PhD Upgrade Conference organised by the Dept. of Geography along with Hamish Gibbs, UCL, London, 11 Oct. 2023.
- RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2023, London - Session Convenor: 'Governing the urban age: Transcalar power relations, state effects and the institutionalisation of public authority'.
- RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2023, London – Paper Presentation: Karipidou, V. 'Planning Deviations, Institutional Persistence, and Efforts to Regulate Urban Development in Bucharest, Romania'. Presented in RGS-IBG 2023, London, 30 Aug. – 1 Sep. 2023.
- Cities After Transition – 10th International Urban Geographies of Post-Communist States Conference 2023, Riga- Session Convenor: ‘Emerging processes of place-making: The production of space and the multiplicity of actors involved in cities after the transition.’
- ‘A state in process: Negotiated state practices in urban development and social movements’ Seminar – UCL Geography, June 2022 – Research Presentation
- Workshop for Making Africa Urban: Revisiting the Negotiated State – UCL, May 2023: ‘State-effects and Urban Planning’ – Presentation
- ‘The negotiated state’ Panel Discussion – UCL, February 2023: ‘The emergence of state effects and negotiated state practices in the context of Eastern Europe’ – Presentation.
- Research Interests
Having Bucharest as a case study, the research aims to explore the functioning and politics of urban development processes in Eastern Europe after democratisation, by closely linking the emergence of a new state formation with the evolution of planning processes. It will do so by identifying the actually existing associational networks that shape planning procedures, rather than focusing solely on the formal planning institutions and mechanisms regulating planning.
These associational networks shape planning in two parallel ways: through motivating planning deviations and through the multiple political, legal, and administrative processes that intersect with the legal planning framework. The study is mainly engaged with issues around the nature of the state, power, and the networked character of planning practice through exploring the materiality of their interaction and the spatial effects produced.
- Research Grants Prizes and Awards
- Next Economy Trust Fellowship (2024)
- Frank Carter Travel Award for research in Eastern Europe (2023)
