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Mirjam Büdenbender

Mirjam Büdenbender is a doctoral candidate at KU Leuven. Her research is part of the ERC funded project on the ‘Real Estate/Financial Complex’, which investigates the linkages between real estate markets and financial practices in contemporary capitalist societies. Mirjam studies the case of Russia and Poland. In so doing, she explicitly addresses the relationship between real estate and modern financial practices as well as their differential construction in post-Soviet societies.

As part of this project, Mirjam spends several periods of field research in her respective case countries. In Moscow she works as a research intern at the Institute for Urban Economics. Her fieldwork includes interviewing academics and professionals in real estate and related sector, analysing newspapers, government and industry documents, and accessing locally produced secondary material.

Previously Mirjam completed a BA (First Class Honours) in International Relations and Development Studies at the University of Sussex (2011) and a Master (Distinction) in Political Economy at the University of Manchester (2012).

In her previous degrees Mirjam studied the political economy of finance and the financialisation of everyday life through the lenses of housing markets. Her bachelor dissertation investigated the financialisation of the residential housing market in post-Apartheid South Africa. Her master’s thesis explored the historical origins and subsequent failure of the housing market as a growth and welfare model in the UK.

Mirjam speaks German (native language), English (full professional proficiency), Russian (professional proficiency) and French (basic). She has training in NVivo, SPSS and elite interviewing.

The geopolitics of real estate: how Russia learned the political value of property

Apr 05, 2016 13:30 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics Real Estate

Over the past three decades, real estate has gained a new significance on the world stage. Many states have relaxed laws to open up national property markets to international buyers. This has not only intensified...

Economy

US Launches New Trade Investigation Into Vietnam Over Intellectual Property Concerns

The United States has initiated a new trade investigation into Vietnams handling of intellectual property (IP) rights, a move that could eventually lead to additional tariffs on Vietnamese imports. The investigation,...

US Dollar Slips as Markets Weigh Potential US-Iran Peace Deal and Oil Price Outlook

The U.S. dollar weakened slightly on Friday as investor confidence improved following comments from President Donald Trump regarding a possible peace agreement between the United States and Iran. The prospect of easing...

Oil Prices Fall as Markets Await U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Decision

Oil prices moved lower on Friday as investors closely monitored developments surrounding a potential U.S.-Iran peace agreement. Market sentiment weakened after U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would meet with...

Wall Street Reaches New Record Highs as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Markets

U.S. stock markets closed at record highs on Friday as investors reacted positively to reports suggesting that the United States and Iran may be close to extending a ceasefire agreement and easing restrictions on shipping...

Asian Currencies Steady as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Extension Hopes Weigh on Dollar

Asian currencies traded in a narrow range on Friday while the U.S. dollar remained largely unchanged, as investors assessed reports suggesting the United States and Iran are close to extending their ceasefire agreement....

Politics

Trump Signs Executive Order to Expand Access to Federal Lands in the U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday aimed at removing restrictions that limit access to federal lands across the United States, according to a statement from the White House. The move is part of...

UN Blacklists Israel and Russia Over Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Claims

The United Nations has added Israel and Russia to its official blacklist of parties suspected of committing conflict-related sexual violence, a decision that has sparked strong international reactions and intensified...

Netanyahu Gaza Expansion Plan Sparks Hamas Condemnation and International Concern

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus announcement that Israel plans to expand its area of control in Gaza has drawn strong criticism from Hamas, European governments, and residents of the Palestinian territory. The...

Russia Prepares New Large-Scale Attack on Ukraine, Zelenskiy Warns

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned that Russia is preparing a major new attack on Ukraine, citing intelligence reports that indicate plans for a large-scale military strike. The announcement comes as...

Kentucky School District Secures $27 Million in Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Settlements

A Kentucky school district has secured nearly $27 million in settlements from major social media companies over allegations that their platforms contributed to a growing student mental health crisis. The financial details,...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

Technology

MongoDB Q1 FY2027 Earnings Beat Expectations, Raises Full-Year Outlook

MongoDB (NASDAQ: MDB) delivered stronger-than-expected first-quarter fiscal 2027 results, fueled by growing demand for its database platform among enterprises and organizations developing artificial intelligence...

SpaceX IPO Could Become Largest in History with $1.8 Trillion Valuation Target

Elon Musks SpaceX is reportedly moving forward with plans for a historic initial public offering (IPO), targeting a valuation of at least $1.8 trillion. According to a Bloomberg News report citing sources familiar with the...

Autodesk Beats Q1 Estimates, Acquires MaintainX for $3.6 Billion

Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) reported stronger-than-expected financial results for its fiscal first quarter and announced a major $3.6 billion acquisition of MaintainX, a move that strengthens its position in AI-powered...

US Quantum Stocks Surge After $2 Billion Government Investment

The U.S. Department of Commerce has sparked major excitement across the technology and financial sectors after announcing plans to invest $2 billion into quantum computing and advanced hardware companies through the CHIPS...

Dell Raises 2027 Revenue Forecast as AI Server Demand Drives Record Quarterly Results

Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) delivered stronger-than-expected fiscal Q1 2027 results on Thursday, fueled by surging demand for its AI-optimized servers. Following the earnings report, Dells Class C shares soared nearly...