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Maruša Goluža, PhD
Research Associate

+386 1 4706 542

marusa.goluza@zrc-sazu.si


Identifiers:
ORCID SICRIS Scopus

Maruša Goluža graduated in geography. She continued her postgraduate education at the Faculty of civil and geodetic engineering (both University of Ljubljana), where she obtained her PhD in the field of spatial planning. In 2023, she received the ZRC SAZU Silver Award for her doctoral dissertation. Her research focuses on spatial planning, conflicts, regional development, and economic geography. She is also the chief editor for the field of regional development at the journal Acta geographica Slovenica and co-editor of the book series Regional Development. Since 2024, she has been a lecturer at Podiplomska šola ZRC SAZU. Since November 2025, she has headed the Department of Human Geography at the Anton Melik geographical institute.


Maruša Goluža is a Research Fellow at the Anton Melik Geographical Institute, ZRC SAZU. Her work focuses on spatial planning, economic geography, and regional development. Her research addresses governance, conflict, legitimacy, and justice in the transformation of urban and rural areas in response to climate-related and socio-economic change. She examines the role of actors and discourses in decision-making processes, as well as power relations and spatial justice, and often uses participatory approaches in her research.

She has published in leading international journals, including Regional Studies, Geoforum, and Urban Research & Practice, and has contributed to scholarly monographs published by major academic presses such as Springer. She led an international Interreg Alpine Space project on the sustainable transformation of mountain resorts and is involved in national and international research projects on industrial urban transformation, access to public transport and other basic services, and regional development. 

In her future research, she aims to develop approaches that improve understanding of just and sustainable transitions, particularly in the context of adaptation to climate and demographic change.
 

Teaching
  • ZRC Postgraduate School: Doctoral programme Environmental and Regional Studies (Regional Studies); courses: Spatial planning, Contemporary demographic processes, Participatory research and planning
Awards and recognitions
  • Distinction of the Association of the Geographical Societies of Slovenia, 2022
  • ZRC SAZU Silver Award for a top-level PhD, 2023
Professional memberships
  • Head of the Department of Human Geography
  • Member of the Editorial Board, Acta Geographica Slovenica
  • Member of the Editorial Board of the book series Regionalni razvoj
Section
Department of Human Geography
Links
SICRIS
ORCID