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ProfessorClaireFreeman-head

BA (Rhodes)
MA (Witw)
PhD (Leeds)
PGDipTP, PGDipEnvMan (C England)

Richardson Building, room 4C21
Office Hours: email to make an appointment
Tel +64 3 479 8785
Email claire.freeman@otago.ac.nz

Claire's professional experience

Inaugural Professorial Lecture

Claire's Inaugural Professorial Lecture is available as a podcast:

Planning biodiverse cities for all ages

Teaching

is mainly in the Master of Planning programme with teaching involvement in the following papers:

Claire also contributes to:

Research interests

These are in the general field of urban geography and environmental planning and development, notably:

  • Planning and development of the natural environment; biodiversity and conservation planning, open space planning.
  • Planning with children; children and young people's participation in planning and the environment and environmental education and
  • Sustainable settlements; focusing on community planning and planning for the natural urban environment

Recent Research Grants

Research Projects:

  1. How has urban change, as experienced over three generations, impacted children's lives across different cultural, societal and economic contexts?
  2. What are the drivers of these changes and how can gains in childhood experiences and wellbeing be protected and losses addressed, in culturally appropriate ways?
  3. What are the universals of childhood valued irrespective of time and space, and which are locationally and culturally distinct?
  4. What should the priorities be to shape positive places for children to live?
  5. How can we best inform social policy and urban planning that will support children's wellbeing?
  • Pre-schoolers as Competent Evaluators of their City
  • People Cities and Nature
  • Natural neighbourhoods for City Children
  • Planning and urban biodiversity for all ages
  • Pacific children and urban change

    • Authored Book - Research

    • Freeman, C. and Cook, A. 2019. Children and Planning, Concise Guides to Planning Series. Lund Humphries, UK

    Chapter in Book - Research

    • Freeman, C. 2020. Children and sustainable transport, In Curtis, C. (ed) Handbook of Sustainable Transport, Edward Elgar, UK
    • Freeman, C. and van Heezik, Y. 2018. Nature in Children's Environments: A Mixed Methods Study, in C. Davidson and M.Tolich, Social Science Research in New Zealand, Auckland University Press

    PhD supervision available

    My current research projects and areas where I would be keen to supervise PhD students are as follows:

    1. Urban nature connection
    • Urban greening strategies
    • Nature connection across the ages
    • Biodiversity planning and development
    1. Children young people and planning
    • Young children's conceptions of cities and city form
    • Planning urban areas with children and young people
    • Children's environments
    • Pacific children's changing lives
    1. Community development/planning for better urban areas

    If you are interested in any of the above or in a related field of urban planning and development, biodiversity planning or community planning and development please email me at cf@geography.otago.ac.nz.

    I am happy to supervise students who wish to do research in New Zealand, the Pacific or in the student's home country or country of interest. The University of Otago has generous PhD scholarships available to students with very good academic records.

    Current postgraduate supervision

    • Lizz Carrington: Determining the utility of play based exercise programmes in green and blue spaces for children with disabilities
    • Soran Mansournia: Attitudes, Challenges, and Opportunities concerning Informal Green Spaces (IGS) – Children interactions. Can IGS improve cities for kids?
    • Bruno Marques: Therapeutic landscapes and Indigenous knowledge: The role of culture, health and landscape
    • Sophie Fern: What is the effect of non-human charisma on conservation in New Zealand? (PhD co-supervisor)
    • Audrey Heyzer: Engaging people in biodiversity management: exploring the convergence of culture and nature (PhD co-supervisor)
    • Andreas Samus: Promoting Connection to Nature and Biodiversity in Urban Gardens ( PhD co-spupervisor)

    Recent postgraduate supervision

    • Alice Falloon: Young adults and biodiversity (MPlan supervisor)
    • Dorothy Foliaki: Strategic environmental assessment in the Pacific (MA)
    • Evans, 2020. MPlan. Medium density housing developments
    • Olivia Neame: Happy cities (MPlan)
    • Chris Pearse Smith: Urban public spaces (MPlan)
    • Matt Simpson: Green Building (MPlan)
    • Ekrina Iose: Religion and planning in Samoa (MPlan)
    • A. Ward: Adolescent mobility heath (PhD: co-supervisor)
    • Taimaz Lariman: Safety and belonging in Urban Development (PhD primary supervisor)
    • Nadia Tenouri: Gender and conservation (PhD co-supervisor)
    • Sarah White: Disability access on campus (MPlan)
    • Mayce Ballantyne: Green space provision in rest homes (MPlan)
    • Thejas Jagganth: Interactive art in public space (MPlan)
    • Olivia Steven: Green corridors in Dunedin (MPlan)
    • Sarah White: Disability access on campus (MPlan)
    • Mayce Ballantyne: Green space provision in rest homes (MPlan)
    • Thejas Jagganath: Interactive Art in public space (MPlan)
    • Olivia Steven: Green corridors in Dunedin (MPlan)
    • G. Mardones: Protected areas and local communities in temperate rainforests of Chile (PhD 2016: primary supervisor)
    • Gillian Elliot: Web based 'virtually mediated', interactive, 'user generated' experiences of nature for young people (PhD 2016: primary supervisor)
    • A. Palliser: Tourism destination management and information exchange (PhD 2015: co-supervisor [examined and minor amendments in process]
    • Katie James: Sustainable Urban Settlements: Governance Challenges (PhD 2014: co-supervisor)
    • Roanne Quashie Harry: Child poverty in the Caribbean (PhD 2008: co-supervisor)
    • A. Palliser: 2006: Tourism destination management and information exchange (PhD 2006: co-supervisor)
    • Mandy Tocher: Biodiversity Maintenance and Protection under RMA Section 6 (c) (MPlan 2016: primary supervisor)
    • Alice Murphy: Planning for the night sky in urban New Zealand (MPlan 2016: primary supervisor)
    • Bronte Linkhorn: Small scale green spaces (MPlan 2014: primary supervisor)
    • Bridget Spence: Public transport in rebuilding post-quake Christchurch (MPlan 2014: primary supervisor)
    • Ethan Archer: Shared streets: the Adelaide experience (MPlan 2014: primary supervisor)
    • Thomas Faherty: Transportation and the Auckland spatial plan (MPlan 2013)
    • Kathryn Wasley: Pre-disaster planning in Japan (MPlan 2013)
    • Katrina Gray: Outdoor space in medium density housing (MPlan 2013)
    • Mai Tamimi: Planning and development in Palestine (PhD 2013: primary supervisor)
    • Jaydine Keenan: Freedom camping (MPlan 2012)
    • H. Farthing: Urban growth management in Tauranga (MPlan 2012)

    Publications

    Samus, A., Freeman, C., Dickinson, K. J. M., & van Heezik, Y. (2023). An examination of the factors influencing engagement in gardening practices that support biodiversity using the theory of planned behavior. Biological Conservation, 286, 110252. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110252
    Journal - Research Article
    Freeman, C., Latai Niusulu, A., Ergler, C., Schaaf, M., Taua'a, T. S., & Tanielu, H. (2023). Pacific Island children: The use of maps in helping better understand children's lives. Asia Pacific Viewpoint. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/apv.12379
    Journal - Research Article
    van Heezik, Y., Barratt, B. I. P., Burns, B. R., Clarkson, B. D., Cutting, B. T., Ewans, R., Freeman, C., … Seddon, P. J. (2023). A rapid assessment technique for evaluating biodiversity to support accreditation of residential properties. Landscape & Urban Planning, 232, 104682. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104682
    Journal - Research Article
    Freeman, C., Latai Niusulu, A., Schaaf, M., Taua'a, T. S., Tanielu, H., Ergler, C., & Kivalu, M. (2022). Kinship and belonging: Pacific children’s perspectives on the diaspora. Childhood, 29(4), 612-627. doi: 10.1177/09075682221121681
    Journal - Research Article
    Samus, A., Freeman, C., Van Heezik, Y., Krumme, K., & Dickinson, K. J. M. (2022). How do urban green spaces increase well-being? The role of perceived wildness and nature connectedness. Journal of Environmental Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101850
    Journal - Research Article
    Freeman, C., & Cook, A. (2019). Children and planning: Concise guide to planning. London, UK: Lund Humphries, 176p.
    Authored Book - Research
    Freeman, C., & van Heezik, Y. (2018). Children, nature and cities: Rethinking the connections. Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 318p.
    Authored Book - Research
    Freeman, C., & Tranter, P. (2011). Children and their urban environment: Changing worlds. London: Earthscan, 265p.
    Authored Book - Research
    Freeman, C., Cheyne, C., Ding, P., Ellery, N., & Williams, J. (2005). The impact of rising property prices on coastal settlement communities. Dunedin, New Zealand: Department of Geography, University of Otago, 74p.
    Authored Book - Research
    Freeman, C., Henderson, P., & Kettle, J. (1999). Planning with Children for Better Communities: The Challenge to Professionals. Bristol UK: Policy Press, 164p.
    Authored Book - Research
    Freeman, C., Tranter, P., & Skelton, T. (Eds.). (2017). Risk, protection, provision and policy. Singapore: Springer Science+Business Media, 441p. doi: 10.1007/978-981-287-035-3
    Edited Book - Research
    Higgins, N., & Freeman, C. (Eds.). (2013). Childhoods: Growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand. Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press, 325p.
    Edited Book - Research
    Thompson-Fawcett, M., & Freeman, C. (Eds.). (2006). Living together: Towards inclusive communities. Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press, 272p.
    Edited Book - Research
    Freeman, C., & Thompson-Fawcett, M. M. (Eds.). (2003). Living space: Towards sustainable settlements in New Zealand. Dunedin: University of Otago Press, 240p.
    Edited Book - Research
    Ergler, C. R., & Freeman, C. (2020). Children, maps, and mapping. In A. Kobayashi (Ed.), International encyclopedia of human geography. (2nd ed.) (pp. 155-165). Oxford, UK: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-08-102295-5.10522-0
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C., & van Heezik, Y. (2018). Nature in children's environments: A mixed methods study. In M. Tolich & C. Davidson (Eds.), Social science research in New Zealand: An introduction. (pp. 339-352). Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C. (2017). Cities that encourage happiness. In C. R. Ergler, R. Kearns & K. Witten (Eds.), Children's health and wellbeing in urban environments. (pp. 84-97). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C., Gollop, M., & Nairn, K. (2016). Disasters, displacement, and disruption: Children and young people's experience of spatial change following disasters. In N. Ansell, N. Klocker & T. Skelton (Eds.), Geographies of global issues: Change and threat. (Online ed.) (pp. 1-25). Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-4585-95-8_11-1
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C., & Tranter, P. (2015). Children's geographies. In J. D. Wright (Ed.), International encyclopedia of the social & behavioral sciences. (2nd ed.) (pp. 491-497). Oxford, UK: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.72019-8
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C. (2013). The changing environmental worlds of Aotearoa New Zealand children. In N. Higgins & C. Freeman (Eds.), Childhoods: Growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 59-76). Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C., & Higgins, N. (2013). Introduction: Children in Aotearoa New Zealand: An overview. In N. Higgins & C. Freeman (Eds.), Childhoods: Growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 13-28). Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Higgins, N., & Freeman, C. (2013). Conclusion: Where are we going? In N. Higgins & C. Freeman (Eds.), Childhoods: Growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 274-280). Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C. (2011). The biogeography of built environments. In A. C. Millington, M. A. Blumer & U. Schickhoff (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of biogeography. (pp. 357-372). London: SAGE.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C. (2006). Colliding worlds: Planning with children and young people for better cities. In B. Gleeson & N. Sipe (Eds.), Creating child friendly cities: Reinstating kids in the city. (pp. 69-85). Oxon, UK: Routledge.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C. (2006). Creating welcoming communities for children and young people. In M. Thompson-Fawcett & C. Freeman (Eds.), Living together: Towards inclusive communities in New Zealand. (pp. 93-108). Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C. (2006). Introduction: Developing inclusive communities. In M. Thompson-Fawcett & C. Freeman (Eds.), Living together: Towards inclusive communities in New Zealand. (pp. 15-26). Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Thompson-Fawcett, M. M., & Freeman, C. (2003). Achieving sustainable settlements for everyone. In C. Freeman & M. Thompson-Fawcett (Eds.), Living space: Towards sustainable settlements in New Zealand. (pp. 221-226). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago Press.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C. (1999). Children's participation in environmental decision making. In S. Buckingham-Hatfield & S. Percy (Eds.), Constructing Local Environmental Agendas: People Places and Participation. (pp. 68-80). London: Routledge.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Millard, A., & Freeman, C. (1998). The development of a simple geographic information system for use in urban landscape analysis and decision making. In J. Breuste, H. Feldmann & O. Uhlmann (Eds.), Urban Ecology. (pp. 683-688). Berlin: Springer Verlag.
    Chapter in Book - Research
    Freeman, C., & Tranter, P. (2017). Volume 12: Editorial: Risk, protection, provision and policy in geographies of children and young people. In C. Freeman, P. Tranter & T. Skelton (Eds.), Risk, protection, provision and policy. (pp. ix-xvii). Singapore: Springer Science+Business Media.
    Chapter in Book - Other
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