Edwar Calderon
School of Planning
Queen's University Belfast
Queen's University Belfast
Edwar's interdisciplinary research spans urban-rural development, human geography, architecture, and education in geographies of conflict, with a specific interest in the (re)production of space, spatial justice, and urban transformations in marginal contexts. Since 2008, he has been working on community participatory research-based projects. From 2016 his research interest has focused on sociospatial transformations in vulnerable communities in Colombia.
His most recent research “Urban morphology of displacement in Medellin” focused on the socio-spatial analysis of displacement-resettlement process of victims of the armed conflict in Colombia. For this, he led a research project combining quantitative and qualitative research methods that investigates ways to improve housing policies for displaced communities who live in marginal settlements. He participated in an advisory committee to revise the current public policy regarding housing solutions for Internal Displaced Populations (IDPs) in the region of Antioquia, and in an advocacy forum to the Congress of the Republic of Colombia for the modification of Law 1448 of 2011 which measures care, assistance, and comprehensive reparation to the victims of the internal armed conflict in the country.
Edwar also explores and combines different research methods to tackle societal challenges such as peacebuilding and environmental degradation. In a previous postdoctoral research project at the School of Geosciences at the University of Edinburgh, working on spatial justice and inequalities in marginalized neighbourhoods in the Colombian Pacific region, he designed and led a multisectoral participatory workshop that initiated a peace agreement between local government and the young gangs in Quibdó in 2017. Part of his collaborative work with vulnerable young people using art-based and music participatory methods has been featured in the media (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/may/21/colombia-discovers-the-art-of-keeping-young-people-off-the-streets)
Research Profiles
Publications
Book Chapter
- Calderón, E., et al (2019) ‘An Explanatory or Mystifying Concept? The Use Value of Gentrification Theory’ in Producing and Contesting Urban Marginality: Lessons for and from Mexico. pp. 19-42. Editors Dr. Julie Cupples and Dr. Tom Slater. Editorial Rowan and Littlefield International.
Peer-review Journal Articles
- Calderón, E. (2021) ‘Marginal cities in conflict: emerging geographies of spatial accumulation’. International Development Planning Review Journal. Volume 44(3) 265-288.
https://doi.org/10.3828/idpr.2021.14 - Calderón, E., Eslava, A., and Mejia, S. (2020) “Informality in Medellín through the Lens of Governance”. Territorios Journal Vol. (43), 1-25pp.
https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/territorios/a.8286 - Garcia, S., Smith, H., and Calderon, E. (2018) 'Contemporary Tendencies in Latin American Urban Planning: The Case of the Planes Parciales in Medellín.' International Planning Studies Journal. Vol. 23 (4), 355-375.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13563475.2018.1500276 - Calderon, E. (2017) ‘The endurance of the modernist planning paradigm: The Functional City in contemporary planning in Medellín, Colombia.’ Journal of Architecture and Urbanism. Volume 41(3): 227–245.
https://doi.org/10.3846/20297955.2017.1355280 - Calderon, E (2013). ‘Daylighting an Urban Creek: A Latin American Utopia? The case of La Playa Urban Ecological Corridor. Medellín, Colombia.’ Edinburgh Architecture Research Journal (EAR), Vol. 33, 91-105.
https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/ear-journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/3710/2013/05/91-1064.pdf
Reports, policy briefs and other outputs
- Calderon, E., Martinez, L. (2023) “Bibliotecas para pacificar la ciudad” Policy Briefing. Datos en Breve. Published September, 2023 by Observatory of Public Policy (POLIS), University ICESI (Colombia)
https://www.icesi.edu.co/polis/images/2023/publicaciones/db/pdf/polis-db67-bibliotecas.pdf - Calderon, E. (2022) “Gentrification in geographies of conflict” Policy Briefing. PEAK Urban Project. Published July, 2022 by PEAK Urban, Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS), University of Oxford
https://www.peak-urban.org/publications/gentrification-geographies-conflict - Calderon, E. (2022) “Socio-spatial integration of internally displaced people within the host society” Novel Insights (policy briefing). PEAK Urban Project. Published July 2022 by PEAK Urban, Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS), University of Oxford
https://www.peak-urban.org/publications/sociospatial-integration-internally-displaced-people-idps-within-host-society (published in English and Spanish) - Calderon, E. (2021) “Promoting social entrepreneurship through participatory arts and music with marginalised young people in times of pandemic in Colombia” Research briefing. Changing the Story project. Published August 26, 2021
https://changingthestory.leeds.ac.uk/2021/07/20/the-power-of-music-for-connecting-young-people-globally/ - Calderon, E. (2021) “The power of music for connecting young people globally” Research blog. Changing the Story project. Published July 20, 2021
https://changingthestory.leeds.ac.uk/2021/07/20/the-power-of-music-for-connecting-young-people-globally/ - Calderon, E. (2021) “Regular or irregular”: the dichotomy of migrants rights in Colombia. Research Blog PEAK Urban project. Published July 16, 2021
https://www.peak-urban.org/blog/regular-or-irregular-dichotomy-migrants-rights-colombia - Calderon, E. (2021) “Reform in Colombia” in CityScapes N. 10. Published July 2, 2021
https://cityscapesmagazine.com/articles/reform-in-colombia - Calderon, E. (2021) “From villain to hero: how Colombia’s treatment of migrants is shifting”. Research Blog PEAK Urban project. Published March 24, 2021 (peer reviewed blog)
https://www.peak-urban.org/blog/villain-hero-how-colombias-treatment-migrants-shifting - Kustatscher, M., Calderón, E., Evanko, T., Gomez, J., Tisdall, K. (2020) ¿Cuál es la verdad? De-constructing collective memories and imagining alternative futures with young people in Chocó (Project briefing 1)
https://changingthestory.leeds.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/110/2020/12/Cual-es-la-verdad_Briefing-1_Final_English.pdf - Calderon, E. (2019) “Solving a community’s problem: the dilemma between quantitative and qualitative research methods”. Blog PEAK Urban project. (peer reviewed blog)
https://www.peak-urban.org/blog/solving-communitys-problem-dilemma-between-quantitative-and-qualitative-research-methods - Calderon, E. (2018) ‘Extractive economies and its impact in the urban spatial production in the Colombian Pacific’
Multilingual peer-review article at https://dialogochino.net/en/extractive-industries/11193-extractive-economies-and-their-impact-in-colombias-pacific/
Also published at OpenDemocracy at https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/democraciaabierta/foreign-investment-is-heading-to-colombia-s-pacific/ (peer reviewed blog) - Williams, R., Baca, E., Chavez, R., et al. (2008) Silver City MainStreet Arts and Cultural District Resource Team Assessment. New Mexico MainStreet Program. Economic Development Department Silver City, NM. U.S.A.
http://nmmainstreet.org/resources/2014/A&CD_Report-Silver_City.pdf (governmental report)