What we do
The Planning, Law, and Property Rights (PLPR) research group investigates the foundational role of planning, law, and property rights in shaping spatial development processes.
Our work is theoretically grounded in legal and institutional perspectives, emphasising how regulatory frameworks and property regimes influence land use, urban form, and territorial governance.
The group’s empirical focus spans Norway, the Nordic countries, and Europe, enabling comparative analyses of planning systems and property rights across diverse socio-political and legal contexts.
Activities
We organise six to eight events each year, typically during our teaching periods (autumn parallel and spring parallel). The events will take in various formats, and will all take place in-person. Our activities include:
- Visiting Talks: Events with selected guest speakers on their research on planning, law, and property rights in their country. Open to all and advertised through the Faculty of Landscape and Society.
- Reading Club: Joint reading and discussion of selected publications in our field, including re-reading classics and sharing discoveries of relevant new publications. These events will be promoted amongst active and associated members.
- Workshops: Interactive format to work on early drafts of research proposals for external research funding, articles or general research ideas. These events are restricted to active members and young scholars.
- Academy: Workshop with young scholars (Master students / PhD students). Includes presentations by the students, methodological inputs by the active and associated members and thematic exercises (e.g., on how to improve the research question). These events will be promoted amongst active and associated members.
- Explore: Exchange of experiences on scientific or non-scientific skills, e.g., the potential of using new methods or technologies for research (such as software, qualitative methods, etc.). These events will be promoted amongst active and associated members.
- PLPR Lunch: Informal lunches without a specific agenda.
- General Assembly: Taking place annually (at the end of the academic year), the success of the research group over the past academic year is reflected upon. Suggestions for improvement for the coming academic year are discussed. A preliminary programme for the upcoming academic year is worked out together. The leadership is elected.
Events (2025)
An interdisciplinary research group investigating the role of planning, law, and property rights in shaping spatial development.