Projects per year
Personal profile
Research summary
Merlin Gillard is a PhD researcher at LISER and at VUB (Cosmopolis) since 2021. He works on the LiFT project "From Low Fares to No Fares: An Analysis of Economic, Operational, Socio-Spatial and Political Dynamics of Fare-Free Public Transport". The aim of the project is to analyse the policy of abolishing fares in public transport (PT) systems, otherwise known as Fare-Free Public Transport (FFPT), including in terms of impacts on travel behaviour and accessibility of PT. In the framework of this project, Merlin will study the governance of FFPT, as well as whether FFPT make PT a more public service and space. Notably, he is particularly interested in how FFPT impacts security practices, policing and surveillance on PT.
After a bachelor in Geography at Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Merlin completed his master’s degree in Urban Studies at ULB & Vrije Universiteit Brussels in 2019. His master thesis focused on the impacts of antiterrorist measures on the policing of events in public space in Brussels. Before joining LISER, Merlin worked for a non-profit organisation focusing on the urban design of public spaces in Brussels in terms of accessibility for people with disabilities.
Education/Academic qualification
Social and economic geography, Master, Urban Studies, Université Libre de Bruxelles
2017 → 2019
Social and economic geography, Bachelor, Geographic sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles
2014 → 2017
External positions
PhD Candidate, Cosmopolis, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Projects
- 1 Active
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LiFT: From Low fares to no fares: an analysis of economic, operational, socio-spatial and political dynamics of fare-Free public Transport
Van Acker, V. (PI), Boussauw, K. (CoI) & Gillard, M. (CoI)
Fonds National de la Recherche Luxembourg
1/01/21 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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Controlling and policing public transport in Cuba: Workers’, passengers’ and State’s practices and the roles of fares
Gillard, M., 14 Jun 2024.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract
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Managing and watching public transport spaces when fare policies change: Workers’ practices in Luxembourg and Cuba in the private sector
Gillard, M., 29 May 2024.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract
File23 Downloads (Pure) -
Labouring public transport in Santiago de Cuba: a report from the field
Kębłowski, W., Maciejewska, M. & Gillard, M., 19 Jan 2023.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
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Missed opportunity or herald of change? The sudden rise of fare-free public transportation in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic
Kębłowski, W., Goldberg, D., Gillard, M. & Maciejewska, M., 5 Sept 2023, Bruxelles: Vrije Universiteit Brussel. 125 p.Research output: Book/Report › Other report
Open Access -
The production and discourses of fare-free public transport in Luxembourg
Gillard, M., 1 Jun 2023.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract