Wagner-Ahlfs, Christian, Busse, Maria, Egermann, Markus, de Graaf, Kai, Glaser, Marion ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8910-900X, Kempa, Daniela, Korzhenevych, Artem, Schwermer, Heike, von Thenen, Miriam and Wolff, Claudia (2026) Real-world laboratories in Urban, Rural, and Marine contexts. Urban Transformations, 8 (1). p. 23. DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/s42854-026-00109-w.

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Abstract

Real-world laboratories (RwLs) have emerged as a scientifically grounded, sustainability-oriented, transdisciplinary approach to support transformative change through the co-production of knowledge via engagement and experimentation. While originally rooted in urban settings, real-world laboratories have increasingly been developed in rural and marine areas. Urban, rural, and marine areas have unique contextual characteristics that remain insufficiently addressed in both research and practice. This paper offers a first comparative view on real-world laboratories in urban, rural, and marine settings by using four different epistemological and ontological perspectives in spatial science: bio-physical, social-constructivist, geographic, and social-materialistic. We highlight key differences and investigate the implications of identified differences for transformative governance.

Document Type:	Article
Programme Area:	PA5
Research affiliation:	Social-Ecological Systems Analysis
Refereed:	Yes
Document Access:	Open access
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1186/s42854-026-00109-w
ISSN:	2524-8162
Date Deposited:	18 Sep 2026 12:50
Last Modified:	18 Sep 2026 12:50
URI:	https://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/6281

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