RESEARCH TEAMS:
• Latin America Through Its Cities
Project leader:
Prof. doctor honoris causa Mirosława Czerny
• Understanding the Known, Seeing the Unknown – How Does Geography Explain the World?
Project leaders:
Prof. Bożena Kicińska,
Prof. Tomasz Wites
Team: Anna Dudek, PhD
Prof. Maciej Dąbski,
Katarzyna Greń, PhD
Geography investigates not only how the world looks but also what makes certain areas more vulnerable to environmental, social, and planning risks. The urbanisation of risk in Latin America and geographic education in Polish schools are two parallel narratives explaining how space affects the quality of life —and how knowledge can help us understand it better.
In Latin American cities such as Arequipa, Lima, Bogotá, or Quito, urban space is an arena of dynamic transformations, often occurring amidst inadequate planning and increasing threats. Research in this area focuses on phenomena such as fragmentation, social segregation, and residential developments located in high-risk areas, including dry riverbeds, landslide-prone slopes, or at the foot of volcanoes. The example of the Selva Alegre district in Arequipa shows how structural deficiencies and housing pressures lead to settlements in dangerous locations—even despite residents’ awareness of the risks. Such urbanisation—forced, informal, and inadequately regulated—presents not only infrastructural challenges but also social ones. On the other hand, geography can also play educational and community-building roles, aiding understanding of both local and global challenges. This was the goal of the project “Understanding the Known, Seeing the Unknown – How Does Geography Explain the World?”, conducted by a team from our faculty between 2021 and 2023. Under the MEiN programme “Science for Society”, we organised lectures, workshops, and summary meetings aimed at developing spatial awareness among young people from 22 secondary schools. Students analysed the social and environmental issues in their surroundings and discussed global phenomena such as climate change and land-use transformations. As a result, the students developed their own proposals for actions, including improving urban space quality, enhancing safety, and implementing blue-green infrastructure. A common denominator for both the research and educational perspectives is the conviction that space is not merely the backdrop of events, but rather a structure actively shaping living conditions. Geography provides the tools for a deeper understanding and wiser management of this structure.
Upper graphics:
↑ Rain garden near the building of High School No. 1 in Opoczno (photo: M. Papis, teacher at High School No. 1).
Lower graphics:
↑ FROM THE LEFT. 1
Quito. A consolidated neighbourhood, formerly marginal, in the southern part of the city. Source: Czerny M. 2025. Cities at the Crossroads. Metropolisation and Fragmentation in Latin America, WUW (photo: M. Czerny). Pereira. Upscale apartment buildings of the upper-middle class constructed in protected areas. Developers effectively circumvent regulations. This is an example of urban extractivism. Source: Czerny M. 2025.
Cities at the Crossroads. Metropolisation and Fragmentation in Latin America, WUW (photo: M. Czerny).
Buenos Aires. Puerto Madero, one of the most modern and elegant districts in South America, occupying revitalised former port areas. Source: Czerny M. 2025.
Cities at the Crossroads. Metropolisation and Fragmentation in Latin America, WUW (photo: M. Czerny).
Arequipa. Poor urban housing located on the slopes of Misti volcano. Source: Czerny M. 2025.
Cities at the Crossroads. Metropolisation and Fragmentation in Latin America, WUW (photo: M. Czerny).
Arequipa. Poor urban housing located on the slopes of Misti volcano. Source: Czerny M. 2025.
Cities at the Crossroads. Metropolisation and Fragmentation in Latin America, WUW (photo: M. Czerny).
RESEARCH LOCATION: South America / Europe (PERU / COLOMBIA / ECUADOR / POLAND)