Research
This Master’s specialisation is closely connected to the Institute for Management Research (IMR), the research institute of the Nijmegen School of Management. IMR conducts state-of-the-art research into complex governance and management issues, seeking not only to understand the underlying causes of these problems but also to develop innovative solutions.
Our researchers
I try to unpack the social complexities of the urban domain in contemporary societies.
- Nationality
- Dutch
Rianne van Melik is an Associate Professor in Urban Geography.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Rianne van Melik and as associate professor in urban geography, I try to unpack the social complexities of the urban domain in contemporary societies. I teach the master course Urban & Cultural Geography, take my students to Berlin in the Field Course and supervise theses on a diverse range of topics, often focused on public spaces such as markets, libraries and community gardens. In the Bachelor's, I teach the course 'Visies op de stad'.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field?
As the majority of the world’s population currently resides in settlements described as urban, cities have become the vibrant and dynamic focal points of our society. I find these diverse agglomerations of people, companies and organisations fascinating. What makes them work? I like that this field is so around us: you only have to step outside and look with intention to notice contemporary urban challenges such as inequality, difference, creativity but also conflicts.
What are you currently doing your own research on?
Positioned at the intersection of everyday urbanism, spatial justice and the production of space, my research particularly focuses on the mechanisms and processes that often remain hidden, but are key to understanding some of the major societal challenges of our age: who has a say in the way cities work, how is public space produced, and who has access to it? I answer these questions by focusing on people’s everyday practices that contribute to the production of urban spaces such as open-air markets, public libraries and public toilets. In my view, these are important socio-cultural infrastructures that contribute to the everyday life in cities, but that are often threatened due to austerity pressures. I mostly conduct qualitative research, including in-depth interviewing and participant observation. As a committed action-researcher, I find it crucially important to actively contribute to the places I study, both as volunteer and as researcher, through participatory research methods and close collaboration and knowledge exchange with societal stakeholders such as housing corporations, trade unions and library organisations.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
I always tell my students to choose a study or research topic close to their heart; something they are frustrated about or intrigued by, or something they want to personally contribute to and learn more about. Job prospects or future salary come second, although they are also generally very good for our students.
What is the best part of working with students?
In the Master's programme, we assume that students are very well able to explore new issues and research themes themselves, and that they do not need lecturers to tell them what is ‘true’. On the contrary, at this stage of the curriculum, I think that students learn most, if they do and experience it themselves. Therefore, I consider myself a tutor rather than lecturer. My teaching is characterised by high levels of student involvement and autonomy, preferably also outside the classroom. The best part of teaching is to jointly explore urban phenomena together with students, for example during fieldtrips to Rotterdam and Berlin. During such fieldtrips, I do not walk through the city with the students and explain to them how the theory fits into practice, but the other way around: they are responsible to tour me and the other students around, or have to do research themselves. I also enjoy collaborative writing with students; I stimulate them to also publish their research and try to familiarise them with the art of academic writing.
I love hearing what students are most concerned with and integrating these concerns into my teaching.
- Nationality
- French-Lebanese
- Programme
- Pre-Master's Human Geography
Jean Makhlouta is a Postdoctoral Researcher Human Geography.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Jean Makhlouta, and I hold a PhD in Urban and Social Geography from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher at Radboud University, where I teach sessions in the Geographies of Capitalism and Crisis course and supervise Bachelor's and Master's theses.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field?
What makes this field particularly compelling is its attention to space as a privileged site for examining how power relations are organised, negotiated, and sometimes challenged through everyday practices. It offers a powerful framework for understanding how inequalities in access to cities and urban resources are produced and experienced on a daily basis.
What are you currently doing your own research on?
My research focuses on the Middle East, with a strong empirical grounding in Beirut. After studying queer mobilities and processes of space-making, I am currently researching the moral and emotional geographies of debt since the 2019 Lebanese economic crisis, and how these dynamics are reshaping social relations and the city’s urban fabric.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
I would encourage students to choose a field that genuinely helps them make sense of the world around them. Studying something that resonates with your everyday observations, concerns, or questions will make the work both more engaging and more sustainable over time.
What is the best part of working with students?
I love hearing what students are most concerned with and integrating these concerns into my teaching. Guiding them as they refine their questions, strengthen their analytical skills, and grow into more confident and critical thinkers is the best part of working with them.
Hot Spots
In this Master’s programme, you’ll collaborate with IMR’s “Hot Spots” — multidisciplinary research groups led by top scholars. Each Hot Spot tackles urgent governance and management challenges, blending scientific excellence with societal relevance, offering students a unique hands-on research experience.
In today’s rapidly evolving world, diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) are at the forefront of scholarly and societal discussions. At the Institute for Management Research, we are well positioned to examine and provide guidance on the political and managerial responsibilities surrounding DEI. Our work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on gender equality and reducing inequalities.
RUNOMI is an interfaculty network of more than 100 scholars working at Radboud University Nijmegen who believe in the major societal contribution of interdisciplinary scientific collaboration on issues concerning migrant inclusion. Members collaborate with internal and external partners in research, teaching and societal impact activities.
Research projects
When you do your Master's thesis, you can contribute to one of our ongoing research projects. Get in touch with the project leader of the project you're interested in. See some of our projects below.
