Description

"Refugee Camps: Exploring Urban Planning's Potential to Challenge the Managerial Humanitarian Order"

Matthias Drilling is the Head of the Research Unit for Social Planning and Urban Development at the School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland. He studied Geography and Economics in Fribourg (GER) and Accra (Ghana) and later completed his studies in Spatial Planning at ETH Zurich. His doctoral thesis focused on the moral philosophical approach of Amartya Sen and its application to place-making processes in urban spaces. Grounded on qualitative methods and lifeword analysis he has been alongside his academic work actively involved in practice, serving as the Director of a Swiss-Philippine human rights organization and as an advisor to national and international foundations and funding institutions. Currently, he combines the themes of urban development and life chances, particularly examining the impact of materialised structures and planning ideals on refugees and people living in extreme poverty.