I am an urban sociologist studying cities, ideas, and their dialectic relations. In my research, I examine what it means for a messy and complex entity like a city to adopt transformative ideas, and how these ideas have become ‘must-haves’ for cities. In a world rife with environmental, political, and economic crises, cities are not only where these wicked problems are most concentrated but are also viewed as the epicenters of their solutions. I investigate the development of such solutions and their evolution as they are implemented across different urban settings.