Urban Radar

• Radar 7: URBAN POLITICS OF TRUTH AND WEALTH (+ AI data centres, +extreme heat and more)

  In this episode we are joined by Dr Katie Pruszynski and Professor Rowland Atkinson to explore how political and wealth elites are reshaping cities from New York to London and beyond. We dive into Zohran Mamdani's journey to becoming the Democratic Party's nominee for Mayor of New York City (25:10) and the pros and cons of increasing tax on the super-rich (47:26), through an urban political tour of truth and wealth.Also on our radar:The loss of pubs  & representations of young people's urban lifestylesAI data centres & their potential in low income neighbourhoodsThe past & future of pickpocketingUkrainian cities in reconstruction & resistanceThe urban impacts of extreme heat Celebrities & urban developmentGuests:Dr Katie Pruszynski is a PhD graduate in Political Psychology from the School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations at the University of Sheffield. She has written on Donald Trump's 'wedge lies' and the new American oligarchy.Professor Rowland Atkinson is Chair in Inclusive Societies in the School of Geography and Planning and co-lead of the Urban Institute's Urban Riches theme  at the University of Sheffield. One of his many publications is Alpha City: How London Was Captured by the Super-Rich. Read More:Ukrainians designing the futureUkraine's strategic neutralizationMind the Heat GapThe Northern AgendaHosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: [email protected] Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

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• Feature 6: CYBORG RIGHTS & THE CITY? A conversation on tech & urbanism with Simon Marvin & Allan McCay

  In this month's special feature, Tom and Beth are joined by Simon Marvin and Allan McCay to discuss how advances in neurotechnology - specifically Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) - are changing the way we think about urban infrastructures and human-technology relations in the city. We discuss:  How can we understand the complex and continuously changing relationship between cities and technology over the last few decades?What and where are the new frontiers of urban technology in light of neuro-technological advances, such as Brain Computer Interfaces?What are the legal and ethical implications for cities and residents of neurotechnological urbanism, and can science fiction prepare us for what’s to come? The feature is followed by a short reflection from Tom and Beth which also draws on an interdisciplinary workshop on Neurotechnically-enabled Urbanism which was hosted by the Urban Institute and the ESRC project 'Experimenting with robotics as a new urban infrastructure', led by Aidan While.  Guests:Dr Allan McCay is Co Director of The Sydney Institute of Criminology and an Academic Fellow at the University of Sydney Law School. His first coedited book is Free Will and the Law: New Perspectives (Routledge, 2019) and his second is Neurointerventions and the Law: Regulating Human Mental Capacity (Oxford University Press, 2020). Professor Simon Marvin is an internationally recognised academic with an excellent publication profile, with expertise in the changing relations between socio-technical networks and urban and regional restructuring.Read more:Elon Musk’s brain implant company offers an intriguing glimpse of an internet connecting human mindsVulcan (page 38)Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: [email protected] Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

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• Radar 6: HOUSING SAFETY, TRANS RIGHTS & THE CITY (+ Bunkers, AI protest & more)

  In this month’s episode, we are joined by Jenny Preece to dive into the issue of building safety in the context of the recent anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire (22:33). Next, we consider trans rights in the context of Pride month and the impact of the UK’s recent Supreme Court ruling (38:40).Also on our radar: Bunkers and new forms of subterranean exclusionUrban festivals Touristification and the commodification of citiesThe LA riots and urban stigmaAI propaganda and AI protestVape fires and the disposable vape banDr. Jenny Preece is a Lecturer in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on understanding housing choices and aspirations, particularly in changing contexts and with relevance to issues of constraint and exclusion. I am interested in people's lived experiences of home, and how people experience change, whether in the dwelling itself or the wider neighbourhood.SJ Cooper-Knock is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations and School of Law at the University of Sheffield. Their work focuses on the politics of urban life in South Africa, including everyday policing and punishment; being and belonging in the city; the politics of crisis; and concepts of urban justice.Read more:Artificial Intelligence–Based Aesthetics of Dissent in TurkeyPreece, J. (2025) Inhabiting unsettlement: Living through building safety remediation works in EnglandPreece, J. and J. Flint. (2024). Unhoming, Trauma and Waiting: The Post-Grenfell Building Safety Crisis in EnglandPeter Apps (2022) - Show me the Bodies: How we let Grenfell happen.Stuart Hodkinson (2019) - ‘Safe as houses: Private greed, political negligence and housing policy after Grenfell.’Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: [email protected] Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

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• Feature 5: POWERING THE NORTH - A conversation with Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram

  In this first stand-alone feature, Tom and Beth introduce an uncut conversation with Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram - the Mayors of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region in the North of England, recorded at Sheffield's Festival of Debate.The conversation was chaired by Beth at the Octagon Theatre, and focussed on Andy and Steve's 10-point plan for a fairer, more equal Britain, set out in their book Head North: A Rallying Cry for a More Equal Britain (2024). In the discussion, they reveal how their time spent as MPs in Westminster convinced them that devolution is the answer to a fairer future and a balancing of power and resources.The feature starts at 5:22 and is followed by a short analysis from Tom and Beth reflecting on whether the German model of federalism does hold the answers to addressing regional inequalities in England, the differences between de-concentration, decentralisation and devolution, and the wider role of the 'Global North' in addressing world-wide inequalities. Speakers:Andy Burnham was elected Mayor of Greater Manchester in May 2017, and was re-elected for a second term in May 2021 to chair the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Prior to this, Andy was MP for Leigh from 2001. In Government, Andy has held Ministerial positions at the Home Office, Department of Health and the Treasury. In 2008 he became Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, where he met Steve. Steve Rotheram was elected metro-mayor of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in May 2017 and was re-elected in May 2024. Steve held the ceremonial title of Lord Mayor of Liverpool during the city’s European Capital of Culture year. He then served as Labour MP for Liverpool Walton from 2010 to 2017, where he led campaigns for justice for the Hillsborough families.Credits:Thanks to Festival of Debate for hosting the conversation and to festival organisers, Opus Independents, for the opportunity.Hosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: [email protected] Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

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• Radar 5: POWER & THE POPE (+ Gaza urbicide, gambling cities & more)

  In this month’s Radar, we dive into the issue of community power - the energy kind! - with Dr Jayne Carrick (22:28), before discussing how a new pope (or an AI confession box!) will alter relations between religion, faith and the city with Dr Krzysztof Nawratek (35:26). On our urban radar (02:41) we also consider: The UK government’s Immigration White Paper and the ‘local impacts’ of international student recruitmentRace and space in Trump’s welcoming of white South African ‘refugees’Urbicide in Gaza and its historical antecedentsGambling and its urban discontents The urban impacts of deconcentrating central government departments outside London GuestsJayne Carrick is a researcher in the South Yorkshire Sustainability Centre, and School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations. Her work is intended to improve efforts to engage public stakeholders in environmental and climate change policy making.Krzysztof Nawratek is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Landscape, and UI Associate. His Future Faith(s) project looks at religions, spaces & innovations in the city, building on work in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.Key referencesTechnocapitalism w/Sami Moisio & Ugo Rossi, host Remi Edwards (SPERI podcast)Beirut Urban LabRoger Southall (Conversation)Rob Davies (Guardian)Views from the CentreHosts: Tom Goodfellow is Professor of Urban Studies and International Development in the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His research focuses on the political economy of urban development and change in Africa, particularly the politics of urban land and transportation, conflicts around infrastructure and housing, and urban institutional change. Beth Perry is Professor of Urban Epistemics and Director of the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the relationships between urban expertise, governance and justice, underpinned by a commitment to co-producing collective intelligence across multiple scales to address complex urban challenges. She has worked in cities in Africa, Europe and the UK. If you want to know more about the research featured in this podcast, follow Sheffield Urbanism on LinkedIn, or bluesky, Instagram or visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/urban-institute Email feedback to: [email protected] Thanks to the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Sheffield for funding this podcast and the Creative Media Suite for recording facilities.

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