News
Dr. Li Wan joins SPUR as a Visiting Professor
Dr. Li Wan joins SPUR as a Visiting Professor from January to April 2026, collaborating with Dr. David Kaufmann on a comparative study on Urban Densification and Transport Decarbonization.
New Policy Briefs on Housing Politics: Michael Wicki on Urban Densification
The Progressive Politics Research Network (PPRNet) has published a new collection of policy briefs addressing how progressive actors can overcome political barriers to affordable housing and build broad coalitions across income classes and generations. The briefs bring together leading experts from across Europe and draw on cutting-edge empirical research, including large-scale surveys, experiments, and comparative policy analysis.
New Publication on Rethinking Acceptance of Housing Densification
Malte Wehr, together with Michael Wicki, Stefan Witter, and David Kaufmann, published a new article in the Journal of Public Policy. Called “Beyond NIMBY-ism: rethinking acceptance of housing densification in a direct democratic renters society”, the paper examines how residents perceive and respond to urban housing densification.
“We need to make smarter use of existing infrastructure, rather than constantly expanding it”
How do spatial planners handle AI, regulation, biodiversity and housing shortages? In this interview, the program managers of the continuing education programme MAS in Spatial Development at ETH Zurich show why good planning begins with people.
New Publication in Urban Affairs Review: Reimagining Public Participation in Urban Development
A recent article by Katrin Hofer in Urban Affairs Review explores how residents of Bramfischerville, an underprivileged area in Johannesburg, South Africa, understand public participation in urban development. The study reveals that for many community members, participation is less about influencing policy and more about gaining recognition and fostering relationships. These locally grounded perspectives challenge dominant theories of participation as a state-led process.