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”
Author Archives: vanhoben
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”
Night Research and Ethics in Practice: A Masterclass at INAU, Rabat
On April 8, 2025, I was honoured to lead a masterclass on qualitative methods and ethical challenges in the study of the urban night, held at the amphitheatre of the Institut National d’Aménagement et d’Urbanisme (INAU) in Rabat, Morocco. Titled “Explorer la nuit urbaine: méthodes qualitatives et enjeux éthiques,” this session was organized in collaboration with the research laboratory LAPSIS.ContinueContinue reading “Night Research and Ethics in Practice: A Masterclass at INAU, Rabat”
Exploring the Urban Night in Casablanca: A Conference on Night Sociology
On April 7, 2025, I was invited to deliver a conference titled “Sociologie de la nuit: interactions, politiques publiques, culture et transformation urbaine” at Université Hassan II de Casablanca. The event was hosted by the Laboratoire de Recherche LADSIS and the Master in Social Institutions Dynamics (DIS). In my talk, I shared insights from recent research into how the urbanContinueContinue reading “Exploring the Urban Night in Casablanca: A Conference on Night Sociology”
The Night as a Space of Experience: Light, Migration, and Nostalgia
I’m happy to share that my work on Mi-e dor de tine has been featured in Gaceta UNAM. This luminous installation—created in Romania and later reactivated in other cities—has served as the foundation for my reflection on how light becomes a carrier of transnational emotions. In this case, the phrase Mi-e dor de tine (“I miss you” or more poetically,ContinueContinue reading “The Night as a Space of Experience: Light, Migration, and Nostalgia”
Manuel Garcia-Ruiz 