The Centre of Mobilities & Urban Studies (C-MUS) is a trans-disciplinary research collaboration between mobility researchers from the Humanities Faculty, Social Science Faculty and Engineering, Science and Medicine Faculty at Aalborg University.
04.04.2023 at 12.00 PM - 13.00 PM
In this Brown Bag seminar, I aim to present the PhD project on Dark Design in its entirety. The project is based on the fact that vulnerable and homeless people experience being pushed around in the public space by design. Their experience is the starting point for my research. In the seminar, the following are introduced and presented: 1) the project's research field, purpose, and approach 2) the project's methodology and theoretical framework, 3) my analyzes and findings, 4) my reflections for the dialogue ahead, and 5) ideas for the further dialogue-creating work about Dark Design.
12.05.2023 at 09.00 AM - 12.00 PM
This interdisciplinary seminar provides a forum to discuss the role, effects, and future implications of body sensing in urban and rural areas. The intention is to share recent research and present theorizations and methodologies within fields working with sensory geographies of people on-the-move. Special attention will be given to users with sensory detriments (how does deaf subjects experience and navigate the world? What role does technology play in mediating this relationship? How does neuro-divergent citizens navigate urban environments?). Through these discussions we will visit notions such as ‘cities of difference’, ‘mobility justice’ and ‘inclusive city design’. With diversity and inclusion in mind, the session explores the potential fertile research overlaps between CMUS/SitMoB, TCS (AAU) and the MRFN (UK) on body sensing and mobilities thinking, by engaging in discussions about body normativity, universal design, mapping and tracking technologies, multisensorial perception, power, and social exclusion in mobility contexts.
30.05.2023 at 12.00 PM - 13.00 PM
This presentation is about the relationship between mobility, injustice, and design. The presentation explores the relationship between the mobilities being curbed by design decisions and their material conditions. It asks about how choices of materials, design of spaces, and implementation of technologies affords or hinders mobilities. Hence it connects to the emerging research agenda of ‘mobility justice’ (Sheller 2018), ‘design justice’ (Costanza-Chock 2020), and ‘design ethics’ (Wakkary 2021). It engages the designed and ‘made’ human habitats of mobilities with critical questions related to; who counts as passengers? Who has the right to move? Who has access? Who are prevented from moving, and where? All with the intent to show how informed design choices are shaping the material conditions of human’s life in diverse areas such as homeless street-sleepers, physically disabled and cognitively impaired people, and ageing citizens.
06.06.2023 at 12.00 PM - 13.00 PM
The presentation focuses on the creation of the common national airline for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) in 1946 and its historical development as a mobility company. Internationally, SAS represents a special mobile story where three independent nations come together to create a Scandinavian state-owned flag carrier across the existing national contexts. SAS was historically not only the national flag carrier, but internationally it became promoter of independent Scandinavia culture that relates to a particular geographical area with its own cultural identity. The presentation focuses especially on the period from the infancy of aviation until the introduction of the jet engine around 1960. Thematically, it is placed within the history of mobilities, especially with a focus on the history of aeromobilities.