Curriculum Vitae

Maren Larsen is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Social Anthropology and in the Urban Studies department at the University of Basel. Prior to joining the Institute, Maren worked as a Research Associate for the Institute for International Urban Development (I2UD) in Cambridge, MA, where she maintains a Research Affiliate status. She has also held consultant positions with the OECD and the UNESCO-based International Association of Universities in Paris, France.

She holds a B.A. with honors in the liberal arts from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with majors in International Studies and Political Science and a certificate in African Studies. She graduated summa cum laude from Sciences Po Paris in 2013 with an M.Sc. from the “Governing the Large Metropolis” program.

Focus in Research

Maren’s PhD research focuses on the making of urbanity and dynamics of urbanization in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Her project falls under the larger project Making the City: Agency, Urbanity, and Urbanisation in Ordinary Cities funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Her PhD is supervised by architect Manuel Herz and Prof. Till Förster.

Regional Focus

Francophone Africa, the Middle East, South-eastern Europe

Selected Publications

Larsen, Maren; Demir, Elma; Horvat, Maja. 2016. “Humanitarian responses by local actors: Lessons learned from managing the transit of migrants and refugees through Croatia.” International Institute for Environment and Development.

Driscoll, John; Shutina, Dritan; Larsen, Maren; Ciro, Aida. 2015. “Marginalized Groups in ICT-enabled Governance.” Chapter in E-Governance and Urban Policy Design in Developing Countries. UN-Habitat and FUPOL. Serageldin, Mona; Vigier, François; Larsen, Maren. 2014. “Urban Migration Trends in the Middle East and North Africa Region and the Challenge of Conflict-Induced Displacement.” Background Paper for the 2015 World Migration Report. International Organization of Migration. Larsen, Maren. 2012. “Xool nu bu baax: Hip-hop, Youth Movements and Change in Senegal.” Chapter in Changing Cities: Climate, Youth, and Land Markets in Urban Areas. USAID. Wilson Center. Cities Alliance. The World Bank. International Housing Coalition. August 2012.