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AboutEmployees
Pavel Grabalov

Pavel Grabalov

Post Doctor

  • Department of Urban and Regional Planning

I am a researcher at SITRAP (Centre for Integrated and Interdisciplinary Teaching in Planning), where I investigate how learning takes place in professional practice within spatial planning. My research focuses on how practitioners develop knowledge in working life, how their competence is expanded through higher education and professional experience, and the role that work-integrated learning plays in shaping both study programmes and students’ professional identity. The aim of my current research activities is to contribute to the development of pedagogical recommendations and to strengthen the link between education and practice.

In August 2026, I will begin a postdoctoral position affiliated with the Centre for Research-based Innovation earthresQue, where I will examine regulations and planning practices for sustainable soil and mass management. I have also worked on topics such as public space planning and design, cemetery planning, urban agriculture, and the circular economy. I have strong expertise in qualitative methods, work interdisciplinarily, and am interested in the relationship between research and policy development. In spring 2026, I also worked part-time at the Cemetery Agency in the City of Oslo, where I led the work on the cemetery white paper – a strategic plan for the development of cemeteries in Oslo.

I was previously managing editor of plaNext – Next Generation Planning and am a member of the editorial board of the journal Urban Planning. I am a member of the thematic group on planning education in the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP).

I have pedagogical qualifications, including a course in university and college pedagogy at Lovisenberg Diaconal University College (2025), as well as practical teaching experience ranging from course responsibility and lecturing to the supervision of master’s students. I hold a PhD from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and a master’s degree in Urban Studies from Malmö University in Sweden.

  • Areas of Work

    • Urban studies
    • Urban Planning
    • Planning education
    • Public space
    • Cemetery research
    • Comparative studies

  • Publications

    Academic profile and publications

    Scientific peer-reviewed journal papers:

    Uteng, T. P., Marino, D. M., Standal, A., and Grabalov, P. 2025. The future of resharing practices in Norwegian neighborhoods: Perspectives from residents and stakeholders. Sustainable Development. Online first. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70128

    Grabalov P. 2022. Invisible public spaces: The role of cemeteries in urban planning and development in Moscow. Journal of Urban Affairs. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2022.2147434

    Grabalov, P. and Nordh, H. 2021. The future of urban cemeteries as public spaces: Insights from Oslo and Copenhagen. Planning Theory & Practice, 23(1), pp. 81–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649357.2021.1993973 (the "most downloaded" article at Planning Theory & Practice in 2023)

    Grabalov, P. and Nordh, H. 2020. “Philosophical park”: Cemeteries in the Scandinavian urban context. Sociální studia / Social Studies, 17(1), pp. 33–54. https://doi.org/10.5817/SOC2020-1-33

    Grabalov, P. 2018. Public life among the dead: Jogging in Malmö cemeteries. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 33, pp. 75–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2018.01.027

    Book chapter:

    Murphy, M. A. and Grabalov, P. 2024. Cultivating publicness through urban agriculture: Learning from Aarhus and Rotterdam. In: Sirowy, B., Ruggeri, D. (eds) Urban agriculture in public space. GeoJournal Library, vol 132. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41550-0_4 (Norwegian version: Murphy M. A., & Grabalov P. (2025). Å dyrke offentlighet gjennom urbant landbruk: læring fra Århus og Rotterdam. I B. Sirowy og D. Ruggeri (Red.), Urbant landbruk i det offentlige rom: Livskvalitet, planlegging og design (Kap. 4, s. 97–146). Cappelen Damm Akademisk. https://doi.org/10.23865/cdf.228.ch4) 

    Book review:

    Marino, D. M. and Grabalov, P. 2021. Review of the book Companion to Public Space, edited by Vikas Mehta & Danilo Palazzo. Landscape Research, 46(2), 295–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2021.1872828

    Conference and seminar presentations (after 2024):

    Wiberg. S. and Grabalov, P. (2026, June 29 – July 3). Cultivating phronetic competence through reflective narratives: A pedagogical approach to lifelong learning in the Scandinavian built environment. World Planning Schools Congress 2026, Aalto University, Finland.

    Grabalov, P. (2025, August 21–23). Practice shock? Professional identity development among Norwegian spatial planners in the transition from education to work. International Conference on Educational and Life Transitions 2025, University of Dundee, the UK. [digital]

    Grabalov, P., Fuglseth, K. S. and Bjordal, S. N. (2025, July 7–11). Dare to speak up when something is wrong: Scope of action, roles and feelings in the reflective narratives of Norwegian planning practitioners. Congress of the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP), Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey.

    Standal, A., Børrud, E. and Grabalov, P. (2025, July 7–11). Design thinking and designing as collaborative competencies in planning education. Congress of the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP), Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey.

    Marino, D. M., Uteng, T. P., Standal, A. and Grabalov, P. (2025, July 7–11). The future of resharing practices in Norwegian neighborhoods: Perspectives from residents and stakeholders. Congress of the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP), Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey.

    Grabalov, P. (2024, November 25). Learning in spatial planning: SITRAPs project of research on practice. Research seminar at the Centre for Practical Knowledge, Nord University, Bodø, Norway. [in Norwegian]

    Grabalov, P. and Bjordal, S. N. (2024, November 27–28). How and what do planners learn? Investigating employee learning in the Norwegian consultancies. Symposium "Matters of Urban Expertise: Who develops the city of the future?", KTH, Stockholm, Sweden.

    Grabalov, P. and Bjordal, S. N. (2024, July 9–12). Knowledge transfer among practitioners: Investigating in-house training in the Norwegian planning industry. Congress of the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP), Sciences Po, Paris, France.

    Popular scientific dissemination (selection):

    Schøyen, A. 2025. Grav­plass­byråkratene har hårete mål. Morgenbladet. https://www.morgenbladet.no/kultur/gravplassbyrakratene-har-harete-mal/9881065

    Romanova K. and Grabalov, P. 2024. How to properly picnic in a cemetery? Podcast "berlin bones". https://open.spotify.com/episode/0JFbYQa3PXuEapcyxhQPHu

    Grabalov, P. 2023. Multifunksjonelle gravplasser. Fagbladet Gravplassen. https://www.fagbladet-gravplassen.no/artikler/multifunksjonelle-gravplasser

    Grabalov, P. 2022. Urbane kirkegårders framtid. Arkitektur N, 5, 76–81.

    Cogorno, I. R. 2022. "– Vi må tørre å snakke om Oslos gravlunder". Interview. Avisa Oslo. https://www.ao.no/5-128-251713

    Skjelvik, S. 2022. Gravlunder kan bli fremtidens parker: – Brukes allerede til mye annet. NRK. https://www.nrk.no/nordland/urbane-gravlunder-kan-bli-folkeparker-_-ny-by-i-bodo-planlegger-med-gronn-korridor-i-gravlund-1.16056297

  • Teaching

    Previous teaching experience: