Maarten A. Hajer (1962) is distinguished professor of Urban Futures and director of the Urban Futures Studio at Utrecht University and Scientific Director of the university-wide strategic theme Pathways to Sustainability. Previously Dr Hajer was professor of Public Policy at the University of Amsterdam and Director-General of the PBL – Netherlands Environmental Asssessment Agency. Dr Hajer holds MA degrees in Political Science and in Urban and Regional Planning (both University of Amsterdam) and got his D.Phil. in Politics from Oxford University.
For the IRP, Dr Hajer chaired the working group on Food Systems and co-chairs the working group on Cities (together with Mark Swilling). He is the author of more than 15 scholarly books, including The Politics of Environmental Discourse (Oxford UP, 1995), In Search of New Public Domain – Analysis and Strategy (NAi Publishers, 2001, together with Arnold Reijndorp), Deliberative Policy Analysis (Cambridge UP, 2003, eds. with Hendrik Wagenaar), Strong Stories – How the Dutch Reinvent their Planning Practice (Nai/010, 2010, with Suzanne van ‘t Klooster & Jantine Grijzen), Authoritative Governance (Oxford UP, 2009) and Smart about Cities – Visualizing the Challenge of 21st Century Urbanism (NAi/010, 2014), a critique of the prevalent discourse of smart cities and a call to connect urbanism to the challenges of re-urbanization: the need to make green, socially inclusive cities. In 2020 he published Neighbourhoods for the Future – A Plea for a Social and Ecological Urbanism (Trancity/Valiz) which was reprinted in 2022. You can find his peer-reviewed articles via this link to his ORCID ID.
Selected Publications
Books
Forthcoming 2020. A world of Neighbourhoods: A Plea for a Social and Ecological Urbanism. Amsterdam: Trancity/Valiz.
Hajer, M.A., & Dassen, A.G.M. (Eds.), Smart about cities: Visualizing the challenge for 21st century urbanism (pp. 9- 43). Rotterdam: NAi010.
Journal Articles, Peer-reviewed
Hajer, M. A., & Versteeg, W. (2019). Imagining the post-fossil city: Why is it so difficult to think of new possible worlds? Territory, Politics & Governance, 7(2), 122-134. doi: 10.1080/21622671.2018.1510339
Hajer, M. A., & Pelzer, P. (2018). 2050—An energetic odyssey: Understanding ‘techniques of futuring’ in the transition towards renewable energy. Energy Research & Social Science, 44(10), 222-231. https/doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2018.01.013
Hajer, M. A., & Swilling, M.(2017). Governance of urban transitions: Towards sustainable resource efficient urban infrastructures. Environmental Research Letters, 12(12). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7d3a
Hajer, M.A., Nilsson, M., Raworth, K., Bakker, P.A.H.M., Berkhout, F.G.H, De Boer, Y., . . . Kok, M.T.J. (2015). Beyond cockpit-ism: Four insights to enhance the transformative potential of the sustainable development goals. Sustainability, 7(2), 1651-1660. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su7021651
Hajer, M.A. (2012). A media storm in the world risk society: Enacting scientific authority in the IPCC controversy (2009-2010). Critical Policy Studies, 6(4), 451–463. https://doi.org/10.1080/19460171.2012.730758
Loeber, A.M.C., Hajer M.A., & Levidow, L. (2011). Agro-food crises: institutional and discursive changes in the food scares era. Science as Culture, 20(2), 147-155. doi: 10.1080/09505431.2011.563567
Journal articles, non peer-reviewed
Potjer, S., & Hajer, M.A. (2017). Learning with cities, learning for cities: The golden opportunity of the urban agenda for the EU. Utrecht: Urban Futures Studio. https:// www.uu.nl /sites /default /files /essay-urbanfuturesstudio -12juli -web .pdf
Potjer, S., Hajer, M.A., & Pelzer, P. (2018). Learning to experiment: Realizing the potential of the urban agenda for the EU. Utrecht: Urban Futures Studio. https: //www. docdroid. net/99DbF6c /research -urbanfuturesstudio-web-def-1.pdf
Government Reports / Reports from Scientific Councils
Swilling, M., Hajer, M.A., Baynes, T.M., Bergesen, J.D., Labbé, F., Musango, J.K., . . .Tabory, S. (2018). The Weight of Cities: Resource requirements of future urbanization. International Resource Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme report. http://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/weight-cities
Ekins, P., Hughes, N., Bringezu, S., Arden-Clarke, C. Fischer-Kowalski, M., Graedel, T.E., . . . Westhoek, H.J. (2017). Resource Efficiency: Potential and Economic Implications. International Resource Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme report. https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/resource-efficiency
Westhoek, H.J., Ingram, J.S.I., Van Berkum, S., Milà i Canals, L., Lomax., J., Herrick, J.E.,& Hajer, M.A. (2014). A food system approach for the identification of opportunities to increase resource use efficiency. International Resource Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme report. https :// www .researchgate .net / publication /280924906_ A_food _system _approach _for _the_ identification _of_ opportunities _to _increase _resource _use_efficiency
View more Maarten Hajer's publications on Google Scholar
Contributed to the following reports
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The Weight of Cities
We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shift future urbanization on to a more environmentally sustainable and socially just path. The Weight of Cities suggests a new approach to focus on low-carbon, resource-efficient, inclusive cities.
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Decoupling 2
This report explores technological possibilities and opportunities for both developing and developed countries to accelerate decoupling and reap the environmental and economic benefits of increased resource productivity.
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Food Systems and Natural Resources
Food systems depend on natural resources. But population growth, and dietary changes due to growing wealth, are creating pressures on those resources. Transforming our food systems is required if we are to meet future demands.