Pavel Grabalov

Researcher

Department of Urban and Regional Planning

I am a researcher at SITRAP (Center for Integrated and Transdisciplinary Teaching in Planning) and I investigate how learning occurs in professional practice within spatial planning. I examine how practitioners learn in the workplace, how their competence develops both in higher education and in their jobs, and the role of work-integrated learning in the curriculum and professional identity of students. The purpose of this is to contribute to the development of didactic recommendations and to strengthen the integration between education and practice. I have also worked on topics such as public space planning and design, cemetery planning, urban agriculture, and circular economy. I have strong competence in qualitative methods, work interdisciplinarily, and am interested in the relationship between research and policy development. I hold a PhD from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and a master's degree in urban studies from Malmö University.

Areas of Work
- Urban studies
- Urban Planning
- Planning education
- Public space
- Cemetery research
- Comparative studies
Publications
List of publications from my research. (Cristin)
Scientific peer-reviewed journal papers:
Grabalov P. 2022. Invisible public spaces: The role of cemeteries in urban planning and development in Moscow. Journal of Urban Affairs. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2022.2147434
Grabalov, P. and Nordh, H. 2021. The future of urban cemeteries as public spaces: Insights from Oslo and Copenhagen. Planning Theory & Practice, 23(1), pp. 81–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649357.2021.1993973 (the "most downloaded" article at Planning Theory & Practice in 2023)
Grabalov, P. and Nordh, H. 2020. “Philosophical park”: Cemeteries in the Scandinavian urban context. Sociální studia / Social Studies, 17(1), pp. 33–54. https://doi.org/10.5817/SOC2020-1-33
Grabalov, P. 2018. Public life among the dead: Jogging in Malmö cemeteries. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 33, pp. 75–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2018.01.027
Book chapter:
Murphy, M. A. and Grabalov, P. 2024. Cultivating publicness through urban agriculture: Learning from Aarhus and Rotterdam. In: Sirowy, B., Ruggeri, D. (eds) Urban agriculture in public space. GeoJournal Library, vol 132. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41550-0_4
Book review:
Marino, D. M. and Grabalov, P. 2021. Review of the book Companion to Public Space, edited by Vikas Mehta & Danilo Palazzo. Landscape Research, 46(2), 295–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2021.1872828
Conference and seminar presentations (in 2024):
Grabalov, P. (2024, November 25). Learning in spatial planning: SITRAPs project of research on practice. Research seminar at the Centre for Practical Knowledge, Nord University, Bodø, Norway. [in Norwegian]
Grabalov, P. and Bjordal, S. N. (2024, November 27–28). How and what do planners learn? Investigating employee learning in the Norwegian consultancies. Symposium "Matters of Urban Expertise: Who develops the city of the future?", KTH, Stockholm, Sweden.
Grabalov, P. and Bjordal, S. N. (2024, July 9–12). Knowledge transfer among practitioners: Investigating in-house training in the Norwegian planning industry. Congress of the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP), Sciences Po, Paris, France.
Popular scientific dissemination (selection):
Romanova K. and Grabalov, P. 2024. How to properly picnic in a cemetery? Podcast "berlin bones". https://open.spotify.com/episode/0JFbYQa3PXuEapcyxhQPHu
Grabalov, P. 2023. Multifunksjonelle gravplasser. Fagbladet Gravplassen. https://www.fagbladet-gravplassen.no/artikler/multifunksjonelle-gravplasser
Grabalov, P. 2022. Urbane kirkegårders framtid. Arkitektur N, 5, 76–81.
Cogorno, I. R. 2022. "– Vi må tørre å snakke om Oslos gravlunder". Interview. Avisa Oslo. https://www.ao.no/5-128-251713
Skjelvik, S. 2022. Gravlunder kan bli fremtidens parker: – Brukes allerede til mye annet. NRK. https://www.nrk.no/nordland/urbane-gravlunder-kan-bli-folkeparker-_-ny-by-i-bodo-planlegger-med-gronn-korridor-i-gravlund-1.16056297
Teaching
Previous teaching experience:
- responsible for the course LAA313 Fysiske omgivelser – bruk og opplevelser (Physical Environments – Use and Experiences);
- assistant in teaching EDS355 Climate Change and Development;
- guest lecturer for the courses LAA307 Planlegging av gravplasser (Planning of Cemeteries) at NMBU and LK0198 Kyrkogårdsförvaltning (Administration of Cemeteries) at SLU;
- supervisor of master theses at the programme in Folkehelsevitenskap (Public Health Science).