Thanks for taking an interesting in critical realism.
The idea, or ‘position’, that we are all critical realists, grew out of the understanding that urban research is inevitably concerned with the complex structures and rules of organisations, of society and their interaction with the physical built environment. In this ‘position’ there is an objective reality of urbanism that can be understood in part by observation, by structured research, by learnt experiences and reflective practice. But also, from the same ‘position’ we know our observations are influenced by multiple biases, limited by our choice of methods, restricted by our perceptions. We will always have an imperfect view of urbanism that will always need to be tested and improved.
This is an initial hosting site for a planned series of applied research and experimental urbanism projects. Check out the work in progress via the logo links ...
You can access a growing list of open-access publications on experimental urbanism below ...
Oswell, D., Varna, G. (2024) "Chain reactions: can experimental urbanism provide the formula for productive, place-based, change?". Town Planning Review 95(4) 435-447.
Varna, G., Oswell, D. (2023) "Building the Buzz in Blakelaw: Re-Igniting the Public Realm of Britain’s Peripheral Urban Estates in the New Normal" pp 57-68 in; Lissandrello, E., Sørensen, J,. Olesen, K., Steffansen, R.N. (Eds). The ‘New Normal’ in Planning, Governance and Participation: Transforming Urban Governance in a Post-pandemic World (Springer International, Berlin).
Varna, G., Oswell, D. (2021) "Towards a stronger quality-of-place agenda in the ‘new normal’". Town Planning Review 92(1) 107-114.