Толстяк Элиен

Elien Stouten is a doctoral researcher (FWO fellow) at KU Leuven’s Centre for Sociological Research (CeSO) as part of the Idiosyncratic Inventors Collective. She has a background in sociology (MSc at KU Leuven) and urban studies (Erasmus Mundus MSc - 4cities).

Her doctoral research explores alternative urban mobilities from an experiential rather than a technical planning perspective through the lens of social justice, involving varied citizen experiences of moving in and through Brussels and Copenhagen. Using an innovative speculative co-design methodology, her research aims to advance current debates in mobility planning and design, disrupting what 'sustainable mobility' means and could entail for the emergence of ecologically and socially sustainable mobilities futures.

Her master's thesis research in sociology is a qualitative process evaluation study of a youth participatory action research, untangling the potential sociocultural and symbolic barriers to voluntary participation. Her master's thesis research in urban studies explores the relationalities and representations emerging through guided walking tours on homelessness and addiction in presumably 'liveable' cities of Vienna (Austria), Copenhagen (Denmark) and The Hague (The Netherlands), as seen through the analytical lens of 'existential authenticity'.

Other research interests include: qualitative evaluation, arts-based methods, walking methodologies, tourism studies, ethics, sociological theories, philosophy.