RESEARCH GROUP

Landscape, Planning and Society

Updated: January 2026

Related research topics

The subject group studies the landscape as an arena for sustainable and just societal transformation.

We combine landscape and planning studies, drawing primarily on theories and methods from the social sciences and the humanities. Particular emphasis is placed on qualitative, theory-driven research that contributes innovative and critical perspectives on contemporary societal development in general, and on the planning and governance of landscapes in particular.

The field spans both rural and urban landscapes, and ranges from the international to the local scale. Studies of landscape planning, landscape analysis, and the professional practices of landscape architects and planners are central.

In line with the interdisciplinary nature of the subject, research is mainly conducted at the intersections between established fields. Key interfaces include:

  • Landscape and planning theory, focusing on theoretical development and critical analysis.
  • Landscape and planning history, examining the interactions between landscape, planning, and other governance mechanisms in order to understand the conditions for societal transformation.
  • Landscape and urban development, comprising qualitative and spatial landscape studies at the intersection of planning and design.
  • Strategic planning and landscape policy, including policy-oriented studies at local, regional, national, and international levels.
  • Mobility studies and landscape, exploring the interface between mobility studies, landscape research, and planning for sustainable everyday life.
  • Critical theory and landscape planning, offering critical perspectives on planning, power, inclusion, and the right to landscape.