Dr. Rivke Jaffe

Biography

Rivke Jaffe is a Professor of Urban Geography at the University of Amsterdam, where she specializes in the intersections of urban political geography, focusing particularly on urban inequalities rooted in power dynamics, social differentiation, and the effects of colonial histories on contemporary urban life. She leads the Urban Geographies program group at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research and is co-director of the university's research priority area on Global Digital Cultures. Jaffe's work integrates geography, anthropology, and cultural studies to explore urban problems such as poverty and crime and their connections to environmental degradation. Currently, she is the principal investigator on research projects funded by the European Research Council, including a study titled ANIMAPOLIS, which examines how interactions between humans and animals shape urban inequalities. Jaffe's notable projects have included investigations into the cultural significance of popular media in the context of urban spaces and the impacts of digital technologies on illicit economies. Her research often utilizes qualitative comparative methods, focusing on cities such as Amsterdam and Rio de Janeiro, and addresses the complexities surrounding public health, security, and the role of non-human entities in urban governance.

Research Interests

Experience