Everyday Urban Governance: Varvara’s PhD Insights on Bucharest’s City Development

Her research examined how urban development in Eastern Europe exposes the realities of state governance in practice. Focusing on Bucharest, Varvara demonstrated that “instead of being a unified system, the state emerges through informal interactions, overlapping mandates, and day-to-day negotiations among officials, politicians, private and societal actors.” By studying ‘innovative’ planning solutions, associational networks, and interactions between people and institutions, her work shows that contemporary urban governance in Romania is shaped by ambiguity, competing rationalities, and practices that echo, but do not simply repeat, the socialist past.

One of the most compelling findings of Varvara’s research is how the everyday practices of planners and officials shape the city. “Instead of simply following formal procedures, people constantly adapted to shifting rules, institutional overlaps, and practical constraints,” she explains. Her insights reveal that governing a city is as much about negotiation and problem-solving in daily practice as it is about formal urban plans, a perspective that offers a fresh understanding of how cities in transition are managed.

Reflecting on her PhD journey at UCL Geography, Varvara highlights the importance of community and collaboration. “Some of the moments I remember most are just talking things through with others, supervisors, colleagues, and friends. Those conversations, and all the people in this community, made the whole experience extremely meaningful and rewarding,” she says. These interactions were central to her experience and supported her through the challenges of doctoral research.

When asked for advice for current or future Geography PhD students, Varvara encourages enjoying both the research and the people around you. “Enjoy the ordinary days, and the people around you, these will be the most memorable moments of the PhD,” she reflects.

Varvara’s research offers a unique lens on urban planning, governance, and state power formations in Eastern European cities. We’re delighted to be celebrating achievement and the contribution she’s made to our understanding of how cities are governed in practice, and the small-scale interactions that shape urban development.