Author: Anita De Franco

October 27, 2026. Time: 3 – 5 PM (CET)

Politecnico di Milano, Building 12. Via Edoardo Bonardi, 3, Milano MI. Department of Architecture and Urban Studies (DASTU).

Seminar 1: What is Wrong with the Dragon’s Teeth?
Coercion and Persuasion in Urban Design

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October 28, 2026. Time: 10 – 12 AM (CET)

Politecnico di Milano, Building 29 “Carta”. Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 26, Milano MI. Department of Architecture and Urban Studies (DASTU).

Seminar 2: Governing the Urban Habitat:
Le Corbusier, Kelsen, and the Politics of Metaphor

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Join us for two seminars exploring the intersections of urban design, political theory, and the governance of urban space.

Invited Speaker: Mate Paksy, Université Catholique de Lille

Organizers: Anita De Franco, Stefano Moroni

In collaboration with NEST Lab

Keywords: Coercion, Hans Kelsen, Le Corbusier, Metaphor, Persuasion, Philosophy, Planning, Political Theory, Politics, Urban Design, Urban Governance, Urban Planning, Urban Theory.

May 25, 2026. Time: 5 – 7 PM (CET)

Politecnico di Milano, CRAFT (Building 11B). Via Ampère, 20, 20133, Milan, Italy.

Open seminar

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Description

This seminar opens a series on neo-institutionalism and urban studies. With Malte Dold (NYU), it explores how agency, behaviour, and norms are shaped in urban space, viewing institutions as dynamic, spatial processes emerging through everyday practices and social interaction.

Presentations

What’s new in neo-institutionalism?
Anita De Franco, Politecnico di Milano

Beyond Biases: How Minds Learn, Innovate, and Coordinate in Complex Spaces
Malte Dold, New York University

Contact

anita.defranco@polimi.it

Photo credit: Karsten Winegeart © Unsplash