PD Dr. Alexander Follmann
Institute of Geography
Lecturer and research fellow
Südbau, Raum 2.11
Otto-Fischer-Str. 4, 50674 Köln
E-mail: a.follmann[at]uni-koeln.de
Phone: +49-221-470-5785
Short Biography
10/2023 – present
Interim professorship for Urban and Regional Research at the Institute of Geography, University of Bonn
08/2023 – present
Visiting Fellow, Research Unit of Urban and Regional Research, Institute of Spatial Planning, TU Wien
10/2020 – present
Board member, Global South Studies Center (GSSC)
04/2023 – 09/2023
Interim professorship for Economic Geographies of the Future, Department for Geography, LMU Munich
11/2022 – 03/2023
Interim professorship for Development Geography, Institute of Geography, University of Bonn
09/2021 – 03/2022
Interim professorship for Human Geography: Urban and Regional Development, Institute of Geography, University of Cologne
2014 - present
Lecturer and research fellow, University of Cologne
2009 - 2015:
PhD studies, Institute of Geography, University of Cologne
2013 - 2014:
Lecturer, Institute of Geography, University of Cologne
2010 - 2011:
Lecturer, Institute of Geography, University of Cologne
2009 - 2010:
Visiting PhD-candidate School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi
2009 - 2009:
Scientific staff, Staff member Stadt- und Regionalplanung Dr. Jansen GmbH, Cologne (Urban and Regional Planning)
2003 - 2009:
Studies Geography (Diploma), Institute of Geography, University of Cologne
Research Interests
Urban and regional development, peri-urban dynamics, human-environment interaction, political ecology, land use change, agriculture/bioeconomy, smart cities/information and communication technology (ICT), urban green space, sustainability, participation
Past Research Projects
Urban and peri-urban agriculture under rapid urban growth – towards a spatiotemporal understanding of urban and peri-urban agriculture
Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) operates in an ambiguous relation to rapid urban growth: On the one hand, urban expansion and land use change constrain urban and peri-urban farmers’ access to land and other resources; on the other hand, population growth and changing food consumption patterns offer new market opportunities for UPA. Between these poles, we analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of market-oriented UPA and farmer´s responses to changing socio-spatial circumstances in two rapidly growing Kenyan cities: Nyeri and Nakuru. We use a mixed-methods approach combining geospatial analysis with quantitative and qualitative interviews, to better understand urban-growth related dynamics within UPA. In particular, we look for socio-economic and spatial factors to explain the juxtaposition of replacement, persistence, and intensification of UPA in the Global South.
We use a mixed-methods approach combining geospatial analysis of high-resolution satellite images (Rapid Eye) with quantitative farm survey data and qualitative interviews, to better understand urban-growth related dynamics within UPA.
Project Head: Professor Dr Peter Dannenberg & Dr Alexander Follmann
Investigators: Dr Alexander Follmann & Maximilian Willkomm (MSc)
International partners: Professor Dr Gilbert Nduru (Karatina University), Professor Dr George Owour (Egerton University)
Funding: Own funds, GSSC travel funds (2015-2021)