Claudia Murray

Claudia is a Lecturer in Development and Sustainable Construction at the Department of Real Estate and Planning, Henley Business School, University of Reading. Her scholarly work occupies a distinctive position at the intersection of urban development, sustainability, and regional studies, with a particular focus on the complex dynamics shaping Latin America and the Caribbean.

Her research portfolio demonstrates a deep commitment to understanding urban and rural development processes within the unique cultural and political landscape of Latin America and the Caribbean. Her interdisciplinary approach seamlessly weaves together historical perspectives with contemporary analysis, contributing valuable insights to broader academic discourse on urban and peri-urban transformations across the Global South. This temporal breadth enables her to contextualise current development challenges within longer-term historical trajectories, providing a nuanced understanding of how past decisions continue to influence present-day urban realities.

Central to her research agenda is an examination of the evolving socio-political relationships between vulnerable communities and their natural environment, particularly regarding land use and resource management. Her work addresses critical contemporary challenges, including housing provision and sustainability, land allocation and planning processes, the role of informality in urban resilience, and the complex interplay between inequality and community well-being. These research themes reflect pressing global concerns while maintaining a specific focus on the regional particularities that shape development outcomes in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Methodologically, Claudia brings considerable expertise in policy analysis, institutionalism, and path dependency theory to her research endeavours. Her analytical framework recognises how institutional structures and historical precedents shape contemporary development trajectories, providing essential context for understanding why certain policy interventions succeed or fail. This theoretical grounding is complemented by robust empirical research capabilities, with particular strength in qualitative methodologies including comprehensive surveys, in-depth interviews, and participatory research methods that prioritise end-user perspectives and community voices.

Claudia’s methodological innovation extends to her work with complex systematic reviews, where she has demonstrated leadership in coordinating large, interdisciplinary research teams. This experience has positioned her at the forefront of developing new solutions for systematising mixed methods research, addressing a significant gap in contemporary research methodology.

Beyond her individual research contributions, Claudia plays an important institutional leadership role as co-chair of the Reading Latin America and Caribbean Network at the University of Reading. This position reflects her commitment to fostering academic collaboration and building research capacity focused on the region. Through this network, she facilitates scholarly exchange, promotes interdisciplinary dialogue, and creates opportunities for researchers to engage with regional development challenges from multiple perspectives.

She is actively seeking to expand her research community by recruiting doctoral students with interests in urban issues across Latin America and the Caribbean, whether they are from the region or drawn to its study from elsewhere. This commitment to nurturing the next generation of scholars ensures continuity of rigorous research attention to the region's development challenges, while fostering fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to longstanding issues.

Qualifications

• PhD Geography/Architecture, King's College London, 2007
• MSc Real Estate Investment & Appraisal, Henley Business School, University of Reading, 2012
• MA Cultural Studies, King's College London, 2002
• Diploma in Architecture & Planning, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1994

Affiliations/Boards

• Associate Fellow at the Institute of Latin American Studies, School of Advanced Studies, University of London
• Fellow of the Academy of Urbanism (AoU) -Latin American Convenor
• World Habitat Awards -UN Habitat - Advisory Board Member
• Research Associate Walker Institute for Climate System Research