Dr. Diane Davis

Biography

Diane Davis is the Charles Dyer Norton Professor of Regional Planning and Urbanism at Harvard's Graduate School of Design. She serves as the chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Design and directs the Mexican Cities Initiative at GSD. Her research interests include the relationship between urbanization and national development, urban governance, urban social movements, and informality, with a particular emphasis on Mexico. With a background in sociology, she has published several influential books such as 'Cities of Sovereignty: Identity Conflicts in the Urban Realm' and 'Discipline and Development: Middle Classes, Growth, and Governance in East Asia and Latin America.' Since joining Harvard in 2012, Davis has been deeply involved in various initiatives through her work with the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. She has also led projects addressing urban violence and resilience strategies. Her teaching focuses on urbanization and governance, emphasizing the intersection of social equity and design. Davis is a CIFAR Fellow and co-directs a project on 'Humanity’s Urban Future,' examining urban life in cities like Kolkata and Shanghai. She is also active in exploring systemic racism in pedagogy within architecture and design disciplines.

Research Interests