18 April 2024

Daniel Keech is a human geographer who usually conducts his research at the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI), a part of University of Gloucestershire, in south-west England. He will spend the next few weeks in Norrköping as a visiting researcher to the Centre for Local Government Studies, (CKS), at Linköping University (LiU).

A man standing on a bridge crossing Motala Ström
Marie-Louise Elebring

During his stay, Daniel Keech will also collaborate closely with the Department of Thematic Studies (TEMA) at LiU. We asked or guest and colleague some questions:

What is your field of research?

 – I'm a human geographer and I started out working on urban and local food issues. This included how urban food networks and small-scale production are organised and the cultural practices with which urban food provisioning is associated.

– I have also worked on assessments of the sustainability of global and local food chains, and the value-added opportunities for marketing regional food in cities.

– More recently, I have been applying experimental methodologies - such as Living Labs - to explore links between rural and urban areas; and the changing role of local government in 'place-making'. This is one of the things that brought me in touch with CKS and TEMA in the first place. I also work on governance of nature-based solutions in flood risk management, and the role of creative practices (i.e. art) in understanding cultural landscapes affected by climate change.

What brings you to Norrköping and CKS?

– I am here for a two week visiting scholarship and for this I sincerely thank Sara Gustavsson, (researcher at Environmental Technology and Management) and Brita Hermelin (researcher at  CKS), who made it possible. Expanding the relationship between CCRI and LiU is part of our institute's strategic plan and my visit builds on two earlier visits by CKS and TEMA colleagues to our university.

What will you be doing during your time here?

– Brita Hermelin and I have been doing some comparative Anglo-Swedish research and will be carrying out some field work in Mjölby. We are also collaborating on writing a paper with Åsa Svenfeldt at CKS, with whom we are also exploring opportunities to fund an extension of our research collaboration.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A man standing on a bridge crossing Motala Ström
Marie-Louise Elebring
 –  After only two days here, I want to say how very much at home I've been made to feel and how smooth Christine Erlandsson's (coordinator at CKS) arrangements have been on my behalf. I've enjoyed a warm welcome and am grateful for colleagues at CKS and TEMA for their hospitality, insights and collegiality. It's a pleasure and a privilege to be here.

 

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