TU Berlin, 30 September / 2 October 2025
DFG reference GZ: GU 1042/6-1
The conference
The AESOP Planning/Conflict thematic group conference titled Contested urban policy: breeding concrete utopias was held in Berlin between 30 September and 2 October 2025 at the Institute of Urban and Regional Planning, Building A. Information on the call and on the program is attached and is also available online at: https://www.tu.berlin/en/planningtheory/research-publications
The conference was initiated, conceived and organized at TU Berlin by Enrico Gualini and supported by a scientific committee composed of:
- Francesco Campagnari, EHESS Paris
- Enrico Gualini, Technische Universität Berlin
- Verena Lenna, Vrije Universiteit Brussels
- Alessandra Manganelli, Universitat de Barcelona
- Miguel A. Martinez, Uppsala Universitet
- Stijn Oosterlynk, Universiteit Antwerpen
- Carolina Pacchi, Politecnico di Milano
- Nanke Verloo, Universiteit van Amsterdam
The conference was based on an open call for papers widely publicized through academic and non-academic channels, resulting in 75 proposal submissions. Of these, 60 were accepted for inclusion in the program. Ultimately, the conference was attended by 65 registered participants, backed by a local team of four.
The conference program ultimately included 48 papers, organized in 8 parallel sessions, with members of the scientific committee serving as discussants/moderators. The program also included two keynote
speeches by Miguel A. Martinez (Uppsala Universitet) and Nanke Verloo (Universiteit van Amsterdam) as well as a final round table session with the participation of the members of the scientific committee.
Two post-conference activities were organized :
- on September 30, a field trip and visit to the cooperative development Haus der Statistik in Berlin-Mitte and panel discussion titled Contested urban policy: What spaces for concrete utopias? Critical reflections from the Berlin experience moderated by Enrico Gualini with the participation of Konrad Braun (ZKB eG, Haus der Statistik), Rebecca Wall (Urbane Praxis e.V.) and Enrico Schönberg (ZusammenStelle Rathausblock);
- on October 1, a field trip and visit to the community center ZK/U - Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik in Berlin-Moabit, moderated by Stefan Koderisch (ZK/U).
