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I recently transitioned from a software engineering background to pursue research in urban studies and urban theories. Despite positive feedback from my supervisor, it's clear that my approach is still heavily influenced by my technical background. I tend to focus on technical details, building solutions, and deterministic problem-solving. This was evident in my presentations and discussions, where I concentrated more on specifics rather than broader, critical discussions.

I'm seeking strategies to help shift my mindset from a technical focus to one that embraces the critical thinking and high-level discussions required in urban studies. How can I better engage with urban theories and adopt a more holistic view in my research?

Any advice on readings, methods, or practices that could facilitate this transition would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

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    A good engineer first asks the question "what is the problem?" then starts thinking about how to solve it. You need to pull back from focusing on 'solving' to thinking more broadly.
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Jul 9 at 12:59

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As a partial answer to your question, spend time with and among your test subjects. Experience the urban environments you seek to study. For example, if you're interested in the effects of parks on mental health, spend time in urban parks. Or, if you're interested in mass transit, spend time riding around on different forms of mass transit in an urban environment. Keep a journal of your observations, similar to a naturalist studying a forest.

For specific readings, ask your advisor what they have read.

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Well, the more you study the available literature and expose yourself to the right group of people, the more your research mindset would be aligned to the actual topics, the community is interested to learn.

To further trigger your brain cells, you can always participate in seminars, workshops, and conferences on urban studies to immerse yourself in current debates and methodologies. If you cannot travel to be part of such activities physically, you can at least watching some interesting talks available to TED, youtube, and so on.

As far as the suggestions are concerned, here are the some interesting books, you might want to borrow from your local library to deep dive into the subject.

  • The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
  • The Urban Revolution by Henri Lefebvre
  • Social Justice and the City by David Harvey
  • The Information City by Manuel Castells
  • ...
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  • Version 1 of this answer is AI-generated.
    – Nobody
    Commented Jul 19 at 6:48

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