OUT OF BALANCE – Staro RīgaDownload Out of Balance, the light installation by Silviu Ciora that I curated for Staro Riga 2025, was presented at Miera Street 20/22 and explored the fragile balance between humans and the natural world. The installation featured two large illuminated metal sculptures whose scale and precision encouraged viewers to pause and reconsider human–non-human interdependencies. ThroughContinueContinue reading ““Out of Balance” at Staro Riga 2025”
Author Archives: vanhoben
The Palgrave Handbook on Nocturnal Cities (to be published in mid-2027).
Editors: Dr Jordi Nofre (NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal) and Dr Manuel García‑Ruiz (ISCTE/Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Portugal) 1. Introduction & Theoretical Framing The city at night has long evaded the analytical centrality granted to its daytime counterpart. Despite the profound transformations that unfold after dark— e.g., social, spatial, economic, cultural, environmental and affective, among others—the nocturnal dimension of urban life remains curiouslyContinueContinue reading “The Palgrave Handbook on Nocturnal Cities (to be published in mid-2027).”
New Special Issue – After Dark: Atmospheres, Temporalities, and Embodied Practices of Nighttime Tourism
“After Dark: Atmospheres, Temporalities, and Embodied Practices of Nighttime Tourism” in Tourism Geographies. Explore light festivals, queer nightlife, stargazing, affective atmospheres, and nighttime urbanism. Abstracts due November 15, 2025.
Youth, Nightlife, and Intersectional Data: Reflections from REJS 3.0
On May 29, 2025, I had the pleasure of participating—together with Jordi Nofre—in the IV Conference of the Youth and Society Studies Network (REJS 3.0), held under the inspiring title “Youth Intelligences for Social Change: Emerging Demands and Commitments.” Our joint presentation, titled “Propuesta de investigación cuantitativa interseccional sobre el valor social, cultural, comunitario y socioemocional delContinueContinue reading “Youth, Nightlife, and Intersectional Data: Reflections from REJS 3.0”
Transnational Longing in Neon: My Talk on Mi-e dor de tine at UNAM’s CISAN
On March 13th, 2025, I had the pleasure of speaking at the research seminar Estudios sobre la Noche / Night Studies / Études sur la Nuit, hosted by the Centro de Investigaciones sobre América del Norte (CISAN) at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The event was part of a collaborative initiative with the Institut de Géoarchitecture (UBO), the InstitutContinueContinue reading “Transnational Longing in Neon: My Talk on Mi-e dor de tine at UNAM’s CISAN”
New Article Published: When the Night Cools Down – Touristification and Authenticity in Lisbon’s Cais do Sodré
A new article has been published in Estudios Turísticos, co-authored with Guilherme Teixeira Costa and Jordi Nofre: “Cuando se enfría la noche: Sobre la turistificación del antiguo barrio rojo de Cais do Sodré y la autenticidad de la vida nocturna de Lisboa.” The article presents a critical ethnographic study (2020–2024) on the spatial, social, symbolic, and heritage impacts ofContinueContinue reading “New Article Published: When the Night Cools Down – Touristification and Authenticity in Lisbon’s Cais do Sodré”
Spectacularized Nocturnality: Presenting at Club Health Ghent
On May 14, 2025, I had the pleasure of presenting a talk at the 13th Club Health International Conference on Nightlife, Substance Use and Related Health Issues, held in the vibrant city of Ghent, Belgium. My contribution took place during the opening plenary session and was titled “Spectacularized Nocturnality: The Eventification and Touristification of the Night through Culture-Led MassiveContinueContinue reading “Spectacularized Nocturnality: Presenting at Club Health Ghent”
Light Festivals and Proximity Tourism: Rethinking the Impact of Nighttime Cultural Events in Portugal
On May 4, 2025, I had the honour and great pleasure of delivering a talk titled “Tangible and Intangible Impacts of Nocturnal Cultural Events: The Role of Light Festivals in Proximity Tourism in Portugal”, as part of the Cities and Creativity seminar series hosted by the Universidade do Algarve in Faro. The session provided an opportunity to share reflections on theContinueContinue reading “Light Festivals and Proximity Tourism: Rethinking the Impact of Nighttime Cultural Events in Portugal”
Our Research Project Featured in Moroccan Press: Studying the Night to Understand the City
This week, Assahraa Al Maghribiya dedicated a half-page article to our research project on the nocturnal life of Casablanca. Titled “Professors and academics study the night of Casablanca to understand urban social transformations”, the article outlines our motivations, methodologies, and the broader significance of our work. It highlights how the project focuses on nighttime urban experiences, exploring howContinueContinue reading “Our Research Project Featured in Moroccan Press: Studying the Night to Understand the City”
Teaching and Research in Casablanca: A Week of Night Studies at Université Hassan II
From April 7 to April 14, 2025, I had the privilege of serving as a Visiting Professor at the Université Hassan II de Casablanca, invited by the Laboratoire de recherche LADSIS at the Faculté des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines Ben M’Sik. This academic stay was both enriching and collaborative, combining pedagogical activities with field-basedContinueContinue reading “Teaching and Research in Casablanca: A Week of Night Studies at Université Hassan II”
Manuel Garcia-Ruiz 