Sustainable urban development research in the time of COVID-19: reflections from doctoral researchers

Chan, Deland, Howard, David, Klages, Clara, Lagadic, Marion, Papallas, Andreas, Ruiz Del Portal, Angela ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9662-3936 and Youngs, Julia 2024. Sustainable urban development research in the time of COVID-19: reflections from doctoral researchers. Journal of Geography in Higher Education 48 (2) , pp. 228-244. 10.1080/03098265.2023.2228540

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic influenced academia in many ways, impacting learners and teachers. This article is authored by six sustainable urban development doctoral researchers from various backgrounds and stages of their journey, and an academic advisor. The article is an outcome of remote collaboration through a substantial period during the pandemic. We offer self-reflective and collaborative accounts of how the pandemic affected doctoral research in a domain that requires in-depth connection with a physical field or site. We explore the impact of COVID-19 on the field through the themes of resonance and credibility, ethics and rapport, and the doctoral researchers’ academic experience with regard to physical disconnection and virtual connectivity. In lieu of a conclusion, the supervisor’s perspective offers insights into the future of the field and links the discussions in this article to wider debates in the literature on the role of the screen in delivering, presenting, and sharing research. The key takeaway is that the field and how we approach doctoral research and teaching have changed irrevocably. While we adjust to these new realities, it is important to look outwards as much as inwards to navigate the new complexities we now face.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Architecture
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis Group
ISSN:	0309-8265
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	21 January 2026
Date of Acceptance:	24 January 2023
Last Modified:	21 Jan 2026 10:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/184080

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