Gordon  Douglas

[thinking and writing about urban culture, space, identity, and design]

 

 

Contact:

gdouglas [at] uchicago.edu

 

 

 

 

Gordon Douglas is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Chicago, freelance writer, researcher, and adjunct lecturer, avid cyclist and photographer, amateur graphic designer, and full-time neighborhood enthusiast.  He is also currently surving as Project and Research Manager for the U.S. Pavilion at the 2012 Venice International Architecture Biennale. Gordon's work centers on issues of local cultural identity, urban development, and people's interactions with their physical surroundings. 

His dissertation concerns individuals who creatively alter the use or meaning of the built environment through unauthorized "DIY urban design" contributions. Additional recent studies have focused on the impact of local cultural expectations on the urban development process, and the role mass transit design can play in promoting community identity.  Gordon's research seeks to inform how (and for whom) our cities are organized, designed and understood, as well as contribute to the discourse on urban political economy and critical social theory. He sometimes writes about his work and other thoughts and projects concerning urban space and culture on twitter and on his blog.

Gordon holds Masters degrees in Sociology from the University of Chicago, in Global Media from the London School of Economics, and in Global Communication from the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication. He holds a Bachelors degree in International Relations from USC. Gordon was born in London, England and raised in Davis, California.  He currently divides his time between New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.