dr. AM (Alexandra) Rijke

I am a lecturer at the Cultural Geography group, predominately involved in the Bachelor Landschapsarchitectuur en Planning. In my courses I focus on using critical social theory to assess (urban) design and planning. Examples are lectures on the occurrence of sexism and racism in the use and design of urban spaces, critical assessments of the use of maps and concepts such as ‘landscape’ and 'heritage', border fortifications and the occurrence of different regimes of mobilities in specific places. In my teaching, I try to stimulate students to think independently, critically and reflectively. I do this through the introduction of ideas of several critical theorists, but also through the use of interactive teaching methods.

In my research I analyse the daily geographies of militarized/walled borders, focusing on the Middle East and the Balkans.