PRIVACY POLICY
PRIVACY POLICY

Εργαστήριο Κοινωνικών Μετασχηματισμών του Αστικού Χώρου – LaSTcity

Laboratory of Urban Social Transformations – LaSTcity
Established: 2025

The purpose of the Laboratory of Urban Social Transformations (LaSTcity) is the systematic study and analysis of the diverse processes of production of urban space, covering a wide range of socio-spatial and demographic phenomena across different geographical scales. LaSTcity builds upon the research tradition of the Institute of Urban and Rural Sociology of the National Centre for Social Research (1995–2012).

The main scientific objectives of LaSTcity are defined as follows:

  • Systematic monitoring of socio-spatial and demographic indicators, and the production of thematic maps.
  • Production of scientific publications in the fields of interest of the Laboratory.
  • Contributing to the educational activities of EKKE, either independently or in collaboration with universities and research institutes.
  • Participating in the submission of proposals for competitive research programs.
  • Disseminating scientific research and knowledge through policy briefs, press publications, and regular public events.
  • Supporting student internships in areas relevant to the Laboratory’s expertise.

Drawing on theoretical and methodological approaches from the scientific fields of urban geography, urban sociology, demography, and urban planning, LaSTcity’s research activity focuses particularly on topics such as: social inequalities, poverty and social segregation in cities; demographic transformations; the land and construction system; housing production and housing policies; land property issues; foreign and domestic investments in urban space; critical analysis of spatial policies and spatial governance; processes of urbanization and urban-rural relations; experiences and practices of everyday life in cities; the production and consumption of culture in urban space; urban social movements; the spatial dimensions of the climate crisis; and environmental and broader spatial justice.

Co-ordinator: Fereniki Vatavali, Applied Researcher B’ ISR, [email protected] 
Members:
Pavlos Baltas, Researcher B’ ISR, pbaltas-at-ekke.gr 
George Kandylis, Researcher B’ ISR, gkandyli-at-ekke.gr 
Michael Petrou, Researcher A’ ISR, mpetrou-at-ekke.gr
Nicos Souliotis, Researcher B’ ISR, nsouliotis-at-ekke.gr 
Stavros Nikiforos Spyrellis, Researcher B’ ISR, sspyrellis-at-ekke.gr 
Alexandra Theofili, Business Administration, atheofili-at-ekke.gr
Katerina Vezyrgianni, Applied Researcher B’ ISR, kvez-at-ekke.gr 

External Members:
Dimitris Emmanouil, Emeritus Researcher EKKE
Thomas Maloutas, Emeritus Professor Harokopio University of Athens and Emeritus Researcher EKKE

email: lastcity-at-ekke.gr 
website: https://lastcity.ekke.gr/

Research infrastructures

Publications

  • Maloutas, T., Spyrellis, S. N., & Vatavali, F. (2025). Unregulated Urban Regeneration in Athens: greening and Taxation of the Built Environment as Impending Levers of Increasing Inequalities. Land, 14(4), 777. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040777
  • Maloutas, T., Spyrellis, S.N., (2025), “Permanence and change in urban segregation. Segregation trends in different neighbourhoods of Athens 1991-2021”, European Urban and Regional Studies
  • Ubareviciene, R., van Ham, M., Tammaru, T., Basílio, L., Berzins, M., Credit, K., Silva, D., Harris, R., Kalm, K., Kauppinen, T., Krisjane, Z., Malheiros, J., Maloutas, T., Manley, D., Musterd, S., Nello, O., Nevanto, M., Novotný, L., Ouředníček, M., Porcel, S., Ribardière, A., Šimon, M., Smętkowski, M., Spyrellis, S., Strömgren, M., Van Gent, W., Wessel, T., (2025) A Comparative Study of Socio-Economic Segregation in European Capital City-Regions: From Segregation to Desegregation?, Urban Studies https://doi.org/10.1177/00420980251378028
  • Baltas, P. (2025). Methods in demography. In T. Iosifides (Ed.), Elgar concise encyclopaedia of research methods in the social sciences. Edward Elgar.
  • Ηatziprokopiou, P., Kandylis, G., Papatzani, E. Psallidaki, T. Varouxi, C., Vezyrgianni, K. (2025). Assisted return infrastructure between voluntariness and coercion. The case of AVRR in Greece. In Z. Şahin-Mencütek, S. Barthoma, S. and A. Önver Cetrez (eds) Coerced Returns: Politics, Infrastructures and Mobilities Edited Volume for IMISCOE Springer Series
  • Maloutas, T. & Spyrellis S.N. (2025), Occupational categories: changing social profiles and spatial patterns in the city, in Thomas Maloutas (ed), Athens: A Rapidly Changing Metropolis in the European South, Routledge, Oxon UK and New York NY, USA, p. 130
  • Petrou M., (2025). “Food insecurity and agricultural crisis. Investigating the dynamics for the relocalisation of agricultural production systems”. In, Susana Narotzky (eds.), Agricultural extractivism in the Mediterranean region: a socioecological view. Palgrave.
  • Vezyrgianni, K. (2025). Assisted return infrastructure between voluntariness and coercion. The case of AVRR in Greece. In Z. Şahin-Mencütek, S. Barthoma, S. and A. Önver Cetrez (eds) Coerced Returns: Politics, Infrastructures and Mobilities Edited Volume for IMISCOE Springer Series