Disrupting Design and Planning
Welcome to my blog page, where I will be sharing my research and insights on four key aspects of design and planning: spatial justice, intersectionality and decolonialism in design, feminism and the role of women in planning and design, and education.
I try to post new content regularly so that you may discover more about what occupies my mind. Thank you for joining me on this journey of exploration and discovery in the world of design and planning.
Envisioning Spatial Justice
By Caroline Newton 2025, published by JapSam Radical design, radical ethos: Reclaiming space for spatial justice In London, wooden benches at bus stops have been replaced with sleek “lean-on bars”. While a commercial catalogue might describe them as ergonomic, in practice, they tell an older person, an exhausted parent, or an unhoused neighbour: you may wait, but…
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When democracy falters… The dangerous precedent of cancelling protests and the crisis in higher education funding in the Netherlands.
The cancellation of the protest against cuts in higher education in the Netherlands is a deeply troubling development, raising profound questions about the state of democratic freedoms and the narratives surrounding public protest. The cancellation is problematic not only because of its immediate effect on stifling an essential democratic right, but also because of the…
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Walls That Speak: Unraveling the Messages of Urban Contestation
This blog post delves into ‘Imprints of Contestation’, the powerful art expressions within urban spaces that challenge systemic injustices. By exploring the dual nature of this art as a catalyst for change and its susceptibility to commodification, the post invites you to reflect on the transformative potential of urban creativity.
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Caroline Newton 