The Feminist Park Podcast – Un/Seen Spaces: Designing for Liberation!

Man or bear? How gender affects experiences of natural environments with varying levels of vegetation density and different danger threats" by Bornioli & Gatersleben (2025) provides crucial empirical evidence about gendered experiences of safety in natural settings. The authors, Anna Bornioli and Birgitta Gatersleben, conducted three experiments with adults from Southeast England, inspired by...

An often-overlooked necessity, public toilets reveal much about a city's inclusivity. This episode traces their complex historical development and outlines key concerns identified in scientific literature. We highlight the profound social, economic, and functional importance of these public spaces, often a barometer of urban equity. Episode 14 of The Feminist Park Podcast is here. We're flushing o...

This powerful episode delves into the profound experiences of women in cities, examining how gender shapes urban insecurities and perpetuates social inequality in urban areas. Drawing on rich empirical findings, we illustrate varying experiences of fear, safety, and the essential 'rights to the city' that women claim and deserve. Relates to The Feminist Park Project: Provides foundational context...

This episode takes a spin on urban mobility, detailing a qualitative study designed to understand factors contributing to potential bike riders' behaviors and, specifically, how to increase women's participation in cycling. We delve into behavior change analysis to identify key levers for a more equitable two-wheeled city. Relates to The Feminist Park Project: Encourages consideration of active tr...

Have you ever considered how deeply gender shapes your commute? This episode explores the often-overlooked link between transport and the urban environment, illustrating how urban mobility experiences can fundamentally differ for women and men. We highlight why historical analyses of "gendering the city" have too often overlooked the critical role of transport. Relates to The Feminist Park Project...

This episode dives into cutting-edge research on how urban design influences feelings of safety, particularly for women and gender-diverse individuals. We unpack a systematic review of literature, exploring gender differences in safety perception, the generalisability of findings, and key policy implications for creating truly secure public spaces. Directly informs the practical design principles...

This episode argues for an engaged anthropological approach to public space, showing how it can powerfully uncover hidden systems of exclusion that often remain invisible through other methodologies. We delve into the concept of space as a critical theoretical construct, highlighting its profound role in shaping and reflecting diversity. Relates to The Feminist Park Project: Provides a methodologi...

This episode offers a comprehensive overview of urban studies, covering diverse theoretical and disciplinary perspectives on cities. We explore cities as complex environments, dynamic economies, and intricate polities, highlighting the multifaceted nature of urban phenomena from various academic lenses. Source for Podcast Episode: Book/Paper: Handbook of Urban Studies Author: Ronan Paddison (edito...

 Join us as we explore the captivating intersection of feminism and utopianism, drawing on rich historical and theoretical perspectives on American feminist thought. This episode delves into the concept of ideal societies as envisioned through a feminist lens, challenging existing norms and imagining radical futures. The Feminist Park Project: Connects the practical design of the Feminist Park to...

"Lefebvre’s foundational work on the social production of space adds that “space is never empty: it always embodies a meaning” (1991:154) [...] space is never transparent but, rather, must be queried through an analysis of spatial representations, spatial practices, and spaces of representation[...] " This episode champions an engaged anthropology approach to public space, demonstrating how a spat...

This episode provides an introduction to significant research fields within feminist critique of capitalism. We explore profound topics such as capitalism as a system of domination and the subordination of life, alongside crucial discussions on care work, social work, and the intersection of ecofeminism with economic structures. The Feminist Park Project: Offers a broader theoretical lens, positio...

This episode brings together a collection of fresh, creative student papers offering insightful feminist analyses of various urban spaces. From suburbs and streets to parks and shopping centers in the post-modern Canadian city, we gain new perspectives on the deeply gendered nature of our built environments. Inspires diverse ways of thinking about urban spaces and empowers listeners to apply a fem...

Based on a groundbreaking book, this episode explores how women navigate and claim space in cities often designed with male experiences predominantly in mind. We delve into profound themes of freedom, fear, and the intricate politics of gender embedded within our urban environments. Leslie Kern provides foundational insights from a leading voice in feminist urbanism, directly inspiring the Feminis...

How do urban green spaces impact mental well-being, and does gender play a role? This episode explores a systematic review investigating how gender and sex are addressed in the literature concerning urban greenness and its mental health benefits. We examine whether urban green spaces disproportionately impact the mental well-being of women and females compared to men and males. Provides crucial in...

In this insightful episode of The Feminist Park Podcast, Kwame and Leilani delve into the profound concept that "if you have to shout to be heard, you are heard as shouting," exposing the pervasive "male default" bias in a world not designed for women. Drawing from Caroline Criado Perez's "Invisible Women," they uncover how this inherent bias renders women's e...