Cities Talk Annual Lecture: Comparative & Community-Based Research in Urban Politics

In the Initiative on Cities’ first annual cities lecture, Professor Jennifer Robinson (University College London) explored both the historical value and current potential for synergies between comparative analysis and engaged community research, drawing on examples from Johannesburg and London for what can be conducive to useful and impactful research for academics, communities being researched, and practitioners.

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Multiplied Displacement: Governance, Profit, and Solidarity in Urban Migration Regimes in the U.S. and Germany

In our first Boston Urban Salon speaker event, Dr. René Kreichauf (Brussels Centre for Urban Studies) analyzed how forms of displacement overlap and reproduce each other through displaced migrants in New York City and Berlin. Focusing on urban governance structures and their purposes, this presentation revealed the economic logic of displacement: urban actors profiting from displacing migrants, racialization processes employed to produce displacement, and forms of solidarity and engagement in support of the displaced populations.

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State of the City Debrief with City Councilor Gabriela “Gigi” Coletta

Executive Director Stacy Fox and Boston City Councilor Gabriela (Gigi) Coletta debriefed BU Ph.D. students in the BU URBAN (Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health) program on Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s 2024 State of the City speech and how their research can be impactful and informative to policymaking and public service.

Encouraging and Implementing Transit-Oriented Development

Scott Bosworth, the Director of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) at the MBTA, and John Rosenthal, an experienced local developer, shared their perspectives on how we can encourage and promote more TOD projects in urban areas.

National League of Cities Menino Fellowship Showcase & Info Session

An Pham (CAS ‘24), the 2022-2023 IOC Menino Fellow, presented his NLC research on how city fines/fees can criminalize poverty and deepen racial inequality, how cities try to fix them, and the conflicting ideas behind reform efforts. An shared how he was able to pursue his research through the fellowship in D.C., the D.C. Study Abroad Program, and how to apply for the NLC Menino Fellowship.

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Research on Tap: The Global Housing Crisis

The Initiative on Cities and Boston University Office of Research co-hosted a Research on Tap presentation titled “The Global Housing Crisis: Lessons on Displacement, Affordability, and Homelessness.” Twelve BU researchers from various disciplines delivered four-minute “lightning talks,” highlighting their research on housing insecurity, urban inequality, and gentrification.

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Zoning for Change: Insights from the MBTA Communities Act Implementation

In response to the Boston region’s escalating housing crisis, Massachusetts passed the MBTA Communities Act in 2021 to mandate zoning reforms for Boston’s surrounding cities and towns. Moderated by Professor Katherine Levine Einstein, this panel featured public officials and housing advocates to discuss policy development, opposition, and implementation of the MBTA Communities Act in rapid transit communities. This event also included the release of the MetroBridge program’s brief on student research on the implementation of the MBTA Communities Act.

MBTA Communities Act Brief

2023 Menino Survey Launch

The 2023 Menino Survey found that mayors believe that lack of public knowledge about the IRA’s provisions is a key obstacle to the widespread uptake of climate-friendly technologies. Local permitting processes also pose a potent obstacle to adopting these technologies and building new infrastructure projects. Following the survey briefing co-hosted by the Initiative on Cities and The Rockefeller Foundation, a panel of leading mayors and experts provided insight on ways local governments are taking advantage of IRA funds to move toward carbon-free, climate-resilient cities and some of the challenges in doing so.

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Exploring Data & Cities

Moderated by Vijay Fisch (CDS ’26), this panel featured city and state-level officials working at the nexus of data analysis, data governance, and urban policy. The discussion centered around the challenges and opportunities of implementing data-focused strategies in government.

Listen and Read About Vijay's Takeaways

10 Year Anniversary

The IOC’s 10 Year Anniversary celebration featured highlights from a decade of supporting urban research and providing students avenues to connect and excel as leaders. Initiative on Cities staff previewed future goals and initiatives, including our new Urban-H research agenda.

Photos from the Celebration

The Nocturnal City

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ICYMI (Fall 2023): Boston City Council At-Large Candidate Forum

In November, the Boston voters elected the City’s legislative body members. This event, co-hosted by the IOC and BU College Democrats, brought the candidates for the four At-Large seats to BU for a debate-style forum. Candidates answered questions on issues related to the city and specific questions on what students care most about. Following the debate, candidates were welcomed to a meet and greet where students asked further questions, and candidates recruited student volunteers. Ruthzee Louijeune, Julia Mejia, Erin Murphy, and Henry Santana were all in attendance.