The university within, of and for the city: reflections on the entanglement of academic practice and the local

Historically, universities have become defining elements in many (European) cities. Cities such as Oxford or Berkeley are publicly known because they are home to globally renowned academic institutions, which are considered ‘brands’ of the city. In this reflexive essay, I approach the university-city entanglement beyond the apparent role of academic institutions as economic and marketing factors for cities. Particularly, I reflect on the normative and scientific-practical implications of doing research ‘within’ a certain local. How may this positionality affect research practice, when academic work is conceived as property of the local? How can researchers reflexively engage with the local and maybe even contribute to solving local and global challenges? Rather than providing conclusive answers to these questions, this piece aims to stir up a debate among local government and governance scholars. I conclude that the ‘local’ of academic practice deserves far more attention as a category of reflexive research.