PhD Matjaž Uršič
no.: 22511

Urban sociology, East Asian urban development, Cultural and creative urban regeneration, Smart cities, Cultural geography, Cultural consumption, Revitalization of cities, Spatial planning, Sociology of Sustainable Development, Social Ecology, Sociology of Sport, Sociology of migration

Matjaz Ursic, Ph.D, is an Associate Professor and Senior Research Associate at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences. He is a member of the Centre for Spatial Sociology. His research interests focus on the processes of socio-cultural transformation of cities and contemporary urban phenomena in the circumstances of globalisation. Important research interests also include society development, cultural geography, analysis of (sub)cultures, urban migration and spatial systems with particular reference to transformations due to processes of suburbanisation, deurbanisation and reurbanisation. He teaches at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Architecture, Biotechnical Faculty, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering (University of Ljubljana) and Faculty of Design (University of Primorska). Working experience include research and lecturing on various international institutes and universities (Tokyo Metropolitan University, University of Seoul, Kwangwoon University, Soongsil University, National Cheng Kung University, Kyungpook National University). He is recipient of research grants from The Japan Foundation (2009), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (2014), The Korea Foundation (2012) etc. As a researcher he participates or took part in various research-developmental projects with city municipalities and institutions that deal with revitalisation schemes and the changing role of city centres (e.g. project “Urban Education Live” - Smart Urban Futures - ENSUF, JPI Urban Europe, ERA-NET, Horizon 2020 (H2020); project GETM3 - Global Entrepreneurial Talent Management 3 part of MSCA-RISE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE, H2020); project Analysing the implementation of eco-city paradigm in Northeast Asia and Europe - A comparative study of cases from Korea, Slovenia, China and Sweden. NRF Joint Research Program. Soongsil University/University of Ljubljana; project “SECOND CHANCE – From Industrial Use to Creative Impulse” (Program co-financed by ERDF – Central Europe); project “SOSTENUTO – Thinking Culture as a Factor of Economic and Social Innovation” (co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance. MED – Europe in the Mediterranean); project: “REurban Mobil - Mobilising Reurbanisation on Condition of Demo- graphic Change” (part of 5th EU Framework program - Supported by the European Commission); project: “Civitas Elan (City – Vitality – Sustainability)” – part of the “7th EU Framework program: “Mobilising citizens for vital cities”); project: “Eco-Silver House (EE- Highrise) – Energy Efficient Demo Multi-residential High Rise Building”, 7th Framework program of EU (7FP)), etc. He is part of editorial boards in scientific journals like “Urban Challenge”, ”European Quarterly of Political Attitudes and Mentalities” and is the author of a number of publications from the field of urban sociology. Major publications include: “Creativity in Tokyo – Revitalizing a Mature City” (Palgrave Macmillan, Springer 2020); “Comparing urban renewal in Barcelona and Seoul: urban management in conditions of competition among global cities” (Asia Europe Journal – Springer, 2012); “The role of traditional marketplaces in the post-industrial city – A comparative analysis of influences of urban renewal in Korea and Europe” (Trinity College Dublin, Trauben Turin, 2013); “Subcultures as a Factor of Urban Regeneration – Managing Cultural Diversity in the city Center of Ljubljana” (Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag, Berlin, 2009); The Problem of “Expert Interpretative Vacuum” in Media Discourses – Discourse Analysis of Texts on Ljubljana Urbanism (Frank & Timme, Berlin, 2008); Urban Consumption Spaces (University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, 2003, monography); Anti-urbanism as a Way of Life (University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, 2007).