Martina Löw
Encyclopedia
Martina Löw is a German sociologist.
, specialising in space-related social analysis, urban and regional sociology
, women’s and gender studies
. She had previously held the positions of privatdocent and associate professor at the Martin Luther University of Halle/Saale
after working in the Institute of Social Research in Frankfurt am Main and as visiting and substitute professor at the Technical Universities of Berlin
and Darmstadt. In 2000 she was awarded the Christian Wolff Prize for her work to date, especially her habilitation thesis on the concept of space.
, which understands the origination of space as a social phenomenon that depends of societal developments. Löw understands space as a relational ordering of social goods and living beings that is generated by the synthesis and placing of these elements. Such a processual concept of space contrasts with the view that has hitherto prevailed in sociology of space as a rigid backdrop to social processes. On this basis, Löw is conducting empirical research into how spatial constructions change in and through electronic networks. Other focuses of research are “space, power, and social differentiation” and ethnographic urban studies.
In the field of urban research
, a range of studies in the topic areas "public security" and "theatre and city" have been carried out. An empirical study on the interactional web of space and gender that examines prostitution in Frankfurt am Main complements the topic area. Among her latest research ventures is the analysis of the intrinsic logic of cities. The intrinsic logic of cities refers to a complex ensemble of knowledge stocks and forms of expression which interrelate internally, are based on rule-governed, routinized and resource-stabilised forms of action and which condense cities into provinces of meaning.
Vita
Since January 2002, Löw has been professor for sociology at the Darmstadt University of TechnologyDarmstadt University of Technology
The Technische Universität Darmstadt, abbreviated TU Darmstadt, is a university in the city of Darmstadt, Germany...
, specialising in space-related social analysis, urban and regional sociology
Urban sociology
Urban sociology is the sociological study of social life and human interaction in metropolitan areas. It is a normative discipline of sociology seeking to study the structures, processes, changes and problems of an urban area and by doing so providing inputs for planning and policy making. Like...
, women’s and gender studies
Gender studies
Gender studies is a field of interdisciplinary study which analyses race, ethnicity, sexuality and location.Gender study has many different forms. One view exposed by the philosopher Simone de Beauvoir said: "One is not born a woman, one becomes one"...
. She had previously held the positions of privatdocent and associate professor at the Martin Luther University of Halle/Saale
University of Halle-Wittenberg
The Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg , also referred to as MLU, is a public, research-oriented university in the cities of Halle and Wittenberg within Saxony-Anhalt, Germany...
after working in the Institute of Social Research in Frankfurt am Main and as visiting and substitute professor at the Technical Universities of Berlin
Technical University of Berlin
The Technische Universität Berlin is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. Translating the name into English is discouraged by the university, however paraphrasing as Berlin Institute of Technology is recommended by the university if necessary .The TU Berlin was founded...
and Darmstadt. In 2000 she was awarded the Christian Wolff Prize for her work to date, especially her habilitation thesis on the concept of space.
Works
In 2001, Löw published a Sociology of spaceSociology of space
The sociology of space is a sub-discipline of sociology that is concerned with the spatiality of society. It examines the constitution of spaces through action, as well as the dependence of action on spatial structures.- History of the sociology of space :...
, which understands the origination of space as a social phenomenon that depends of societal developments. Löw understands space as a relational ordering of social goods and living beings that is generated by the synthesis and placing of these elements. Such a processual concept of space contrasts with the view that has hitherto prevailed in sociology of space as a rigid backdrop to social processes. On this basis, Löw is conducting empirical research into how spatial constructions change in and through electronic networks. Other focuses of research are “space, power, and social differentiation” and ethnographic urban studies.
In the field of urban research
Urban sociology
Urban sociology is the sociological study of social life and human interaction in metropolitan areas. It is a normative discipline of sociology seeking to study the structures, processes, changes and problems of an urban area and by doing so providing inputs for planning and policy making. Like...
, a range of studies in the topic areas "public security" and "theatre and city" have been carried out. An empirical study on the interactional web of space and gender that examines prostitution in Frankfurt am Main complements the topic area. Among her latest research ventures is the analysis of the intrinsic logic of cities. The intrinsic logic of cities refers to a complex ensemble of knowledge stocks and forms of expression which interrelate internally, are based on rule-governed, routinized and resource-stabilised forms of action and which condense cities into provinces of meaning.
Books and articles
- Löw, Martina (2007), Raumsoziologie. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Taschenbuch Wissenschaft, 4th Edition.
- Löw, Martina; Steets, Silke; Stoetzer, Sergej (2007), Einführung in die Stadt- und Raumsoziologie. Opladen: Barbara Budrich.
- Löw, Martina (2008), "The Constitution of Space: The Structuration of Spaces Through the Simultaneity of Effects and Perception", in: European Journal of Social Theory, 1, 11.