“I’m absolutely delighted with this support,” Siobhán Airey, Assistant Professor at Erasmus School of Law, says about the European research grant she received for a Scientific Mission within the EU COST Action network SHIFT. “It enables me to work closely with prestigious researchers at the independent Centre for Spatial Justice (MAD) in Istanbul on participatory and place-centered approaches to the governance of justice-focused development.”
Walking as innovative teaching and research
At the heart of this project is a unique – and quite literally moving – research method: Walking. Airey uses Walking as a form of engaged research on law and governance and as a teaching tool within her public law master’s course. This approach enables students and researchers to study law and governance in the context of a specific location, making the complexity of overlapping legal and governance regimes and policy gaps more visible and tangible.
“To me, walking is a powerful way to immerse ourselves in the legal reality that I teach or research.” Airey explains. “I use a method I call Layering Law on Location. Being physically present in a place helps us engage with applicable legal and governance frameworks in a more immediate and tangible way, and understand why some might be more significant than others for different actors”
But walking also creates space for empathetic and reflexive learning. One can - quite literally – imagine walking in someone else’s shoes to understand how they experience a problem and law’s role in contributing to or resolving it. But Airey also uses walking as a metaphor to encourage student to reflect on their own relationship with law and the legal system, and to wider society – and how it differs from others’ experience.
Reflections on Good Practices Guide
In Istanbul, Airey will work with MAD on developing a Reflections on Good Practices Guide for using Walking as a method for transformative research and teaching. Aimed at both researchers and educators, the guide will combine methodologies, ethical considerations, and practical tools. A webinar will also be organised, sharing hands-on experiences from researchers and educators working in a range of contexts that engage with law and governance using walking.
“We don’t just want to share our knowledge but also learn from others. How is Walking used in different legal and social settings? What works well, and what doesn’t? Through this exchange, we hope to create a useful, ethically sound guide.”
Rooted in Rotterdam yet internationally linked
This international collaboration deepens and expands one dimension of Airey’s current research on the law and governance of climate adaptation, and its financing, in particular – how to centre the needs of communities and locations at the heart of climate adaptation decision-making. “We’re now in an era of deep political, financial and governance challenges from climate change and other societal challenges. Law and institutions are key to addressing these, and we explore how communities and particular places release the promise of justice inherent in both.”
When asked whether she thinks Rotterdam and Istanbul face similar challenges, Airey responds reflectively. “Our discussions with MAD researchers so far show that both cities face unique and shared challenges related to climate justice, equitable development and urban governance. I’m really looking forward to exploring this further.”
- Assistant professor
- More information
Click here to go to the website of SHiFT.
For further information, please contact Siobhán at airey@law.eur.nl
