Projects
Borders, Belonging and (B)othering: An Ethnographic Approach to Spatial Manifestations of Difference and Inequality KU Leuven
This doctoral thesis adresses the production of borders (bordering) that produce Flanders’ contemporary Other on the axis of migration and poverty. Through four ethnographic studies presented as journal articles, this research explores the underlying, interactive dynamics that produce this Other, their impact and how and by whom they can be negotiated. This sheds light on experiences and interactions on the micro-level of society, as well as ...
How do we live together in diversity? A place-based perspective on the role of contact and professionals in fostering intercultural relations KU Leuven
Rising levels of international migration have increased the importance of understanding how we positively live together in ethno-cultural diversity. Contact is often assumed to improve intercultural relations, both by scholars and policy makers. This belief is rooted in contact theory, which states that contact can lower prejudices. One important factor that is often overlooked herein is the influence of the place of contact. A gap that is ...
Involving Readers. Practices of Reading, Use, and Interaction in Early Modern Dutch Bibles (1522-1546) KU Leuven
In the words of the Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986): “The book is not a closed entity: it is a relation, an axis of innumerable relationships.” The book does not simply exist, but is created and shaped by the ongoing dialogue between makers and readers, text and context, time and space. This idea forms the backbone of this dissertation. In this study, I display the textual and material interactions between early ...
Observations and Modeling of the Solar wind Kinetics KU Leuven
Observations are crucial for expanding our knowledge of solar wind physics, but their impact can be dramatically enhanced if they are complemented by theoretical and numerical modelling built on the base of the plasma conditions encountered by satellites. The aim of this work is to produce numerical support for the interpretation, but also anticipation, of in situ measurements carried out in the inner heliosphere. Our focus is on the ...
Microbiota profiling of the house fly, Musca Domestica KU Leuven
We share our living spaces with a variety of insects – some of them can be nuisance pests, others can be beneficial, and some insects we do not even notice. These insects carry with them an abundance of microbes, that can be either beneficial (sometimes even crucial) or pathogenic for them, serve as a food source or be part of the transient microbiota. While insects can introduce valuable diversity to the niches they inhabit, they can also ...
Making (sense of) place. New participatory socio-spatial approaches for neighborhoods-in-flux KU Leuven
Participatory processes in neighborhood development aim to redivide power over how neighborhoods change. However, the way they are conceptualized and implemented poses challenges related to whose voice is included, hidden power dynamics and the risk of insurmountable tension and polarization. This dissertation aims to explore the potential of a relational and New Materialist place-based thinking to recast participatory processes for ...
Nitrogen fertilization in ornamental plant production based on in-season demands through proximal sensing and soil modelling KU Leuven
The ornamental plant production sector produces high quality products, but faces challenges in times of increasing environmental constraints.
Growth patterns and nitrogen uptake dynamics of five ornamental crops were determined during three growing seasons (2016-2018). This resulted in nitrogen uptake quantities sufficient for optimum plant quality.
Open field production of herbaceous and woody ornamentals is characterized by a ...
Critical Evaluation of the Role of Historical Landscape Conservation in Sustainable Regional Development: Case of the Royal Gardens of Rajnagar in Bundelkhand KU Leuven
India presently faces the onset of rapid development and change in every part of the country. Although the current GDP of 7.9% (Trading Economics 2016) shows positive trends, these indicators are often based on standards and indicators which focus very heavily on only the economic output of the country as per the Neo- Classical model of Economics (Czech 2010). The indicators tend to ignore the significance of the cultural, social and natural ...