International Research Project about Migrant Night Spaces Awarded €1m HERA Grant

The Bartlett School of Architecture’s Professor Ben Campkin is the UCL lead in a new international research project, which has recently been awarded a €1m grant from Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA) to study how night spaces are produced, imagined, experienced and narrated by migrant communities in eight European cities. The project will see collaboration across an international team of researchers, led by Dr Sara Brandellero (Leiden University).

‘Night spaces: migration, culture and IntegraTion in Europe’ (NITE) will deliver an ambitious programme of cultural events and activities, and close engagement with policy-makers. The aim is to positively influence policy approaches on night-time economies, helping to release the potential that night spaces offer in creating more inclusive cities. 
                           
NITE will formally commence on 20 – 22 May 2019 with a kick-off meeting generously supported by one of NITE’s Associate Partners, the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Institute for Advanced Study (HWK) in Delmenhorst, Germany.

Projects

UCL, led by Professor Ben Campkin

The UCL team will focus on how LGBTQ+ migrant communities have created public night spaces in London. This work will build on collaborations with Raze Collective, a charity supporting LGBTQI+ performers, and the London Night Czar.

Leuphana University (with Humboldt University), led by Professor Manuela Bojadzijev

This team will study migrant bike couriers at night within Berlin’s smart economy.

Aarhus University, led by Dr Derek Pardue

Aarhus University will lead comparative research on migrant youth and questions of belonging, surveillance and policing in Lisbon and Aarhus.

The University of Limerick, led by Dr Ailbhe Kenny

This team will study African migrants’ community music making in Cork and Galway. 

Leiden University, led by Dr Brandellero

Dr Brandellero will collaborate with Dr Kamila Krakowska and Prof Frans-Willem Korsten to research migrant night cultures in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Find out more

About HERA
HERA is a partnership between 26 Humanities Research Councils across Europe and the European Commission.

About Professor Ben Campkin
Ben Campkin is Professor of History and Theory of Architecture and Urbanism. He is Co-Director of the UCL Urban Laboratory and Academic Lead for UCL East for the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment. He has co-edited and co-authored several publications studying queer identity and experience. 

• Read more about the Urban Lab’s work on LGBTQI+ spaces

Image: Photography by JM Alkmim.