Joe Pierce
I am an urban geographer based in Worcester, Mass.
I seek to understand how place-making shapes cities.
How I frame my research
I explore questions about how people experience cities, and how those perceptions and experiences shape urban development. In particular, I am focused on three major topical areas: land tenure in U.S. cities; political negotiation regarding siting; and the relationship between urban governance and sustainable practices.
Theoretically, I endeavor to situate my work between place theory and network theory. I tend toward questions about how people experience boundaries, and how they construct places socially and physically; I am interested in the "temporary permanences" (Harvey) or "temporary constellations" (Massey) of the places we make.
Further detail is available: