Urban Governance

This special issue explores the concept of "place-based just transitions" and its implications for both research and practice. Energy and environmental transitions are understood as complex and multi-dimensional processes, embedded in material, social, spatial, and political factors. It is crucial to consider how transition processes affect cities and regions differently, including distribution of costs and benefits, acknowledging the diversity of actors and interests at play, and the relations with environmental, spatial, and social justice. A place-based perspective is particularly relevant, as initial conditions vary greatly across territories and the mechanisms triggered by transition policies can differ significantly can lead to different outcomes. Given this context, several questions arise: what approaches enable just transitions in policies and practices? How can social and energy justice be operationalised? And how it can be spatialised and adapted to existing systems and infrastructures? And crucially, to what extent do local dynamics shape the social and political outcomes of transitions? This special issue of the European Journal of Spatial Development addresses these questions by shedding light on the spatial and socio-political dimensions of transitions in Southern Europe (including Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, among others), namely a region that remains underexplored in international research, despite its wealth of socially rooted practices, hybrid governance models, and complex institutional geographies.

oreen Massey’s essay “Places and their pasts” published 1995 highly influenced geographic thought on places by foregrounding the co-production of local histories and global processes, establishing a foundational framework for understanding places as contested, relational, and temporally layered. This anthology brings together the experimental research projects emerging from a 2025 master seminar at the Technical University of Berlin, each of which re engages Massey’s conceptual thoughts. By deploying small scale spatial interventions in Berlin’s contested sites—Görlitzer Park, the new Tacheles, and Holzmarkt—the projects reveal how local histories intertwine with places, producing dynamic, contested meanings of urban space. The volume demonstrates the methodological promise of “small experiments” for testing and extending Massey’s theory. Ultimately, it offers contemporary planning a nuanced, practice oriented perspective on how places can be understood, contested, and reshaped through iterative, participatory research.

This chapter discusses how Angola has become one of Africa’s most urbanised countries: how war-fuelled migration started the process, and how factors such as resource extraction and climate change exacerbated it. Since independence, changing government policies have attempted to redirect and manage the urbanisation process, with both successes and failures. The chapter explores how the long-promised decentralisation could positively contribute to a more economically sustainable housing and how local governance reforms may be the best route to manage Angola’s growing cities.

This article explores the critical role of women in rural development and local governance, highlighting their contributions, challenges, and transformative impact. With increasing representation in decision-making structures, women are reshaping grassroots democracy and advancing inclusive development.

This study aims to move the issue of municipal governance in Turkey beyond being
merely a technical administrative problem and to treat it as a sociopolitical laboratory.
Municipalities are, after all, a mirror of society; they are the institutions that most clearly
reflect a society's democratic maturity, its respect for the rule of law, and its vision for the
future. Regrettably, throughout Turkey's modernization journey, our municipalities have
often deviated from this ideal picture, becoming a visible arena for political rivalry, rent-
seeking, and corruption.
This article critically analyzes how the centralist legacy inherited from the Ottoman
Empire, combined with the rapid urbanization and populist politics of the Republican era,
led to the current structural crisis. It examines how problems such as zoning practices
turning into a source of corruption, oversight mechanisms remaining under the shadow
of political power, and local democracy functioning as a symbolic institution have not only
distorted the physical fabric of our cities but also profoundly eroded our society's sense
of justice and trust.
However, this study does not merely stop at diagnosing the situation. On the contrary, it
offers hope and a vision to counteract this grim reality. The fundamental thesis of this
article is that municipal governance in Turkey can be transformed from a "source of social
decay" into a "cradle of democracy." To achieve this, the model we propose is based on
the principles of international standards of legal autonomy, participatory and transparent
electoral mechanisms, independent oversight boards, and, most importantly, smart and
sustainable urban architectural principles.

Local governments have formed city networks bridging borders and geopolitical differences since the 1990s to face the climate emergency. This review shows what has been achieved in three decades of climate action, and indicates the importance of improving inclusiveness, recognition, and reach of these city networks going forward. Peer review information: Nature Cities thanks Bruno Asdourian, Kian Goh, and Marielle Papin for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

Stort tack till vår handledare Jon Williamsson som ständigt varit tillgänglig samt bidragit med kunskap och värdefulla synpunkter. Vidare vill vi tacka vår seminariegrupp som hjälpt oss ifrågasätta och driva uppsatsen framåt. Slutligen vill vi rikta ett stort tack samtliga respondenter som tagit sig tiden att delta i vår uppsats och bidragit till fördjupad kunskap inom ämnet.

Senores y municipios: El juicio de residencia senorial en Navarra y el control del poder local 1 . LOS JUICIOS DE RESIDENCIA EN NAVARRA, Y SU APLICACION EN LOS PUEBLOS DE SENORIO La utilizaci6n del mecanismo inspector de los juicios de residencia -en palabras de Benjamin Gonzalez Alonso-se fue asentando en Castilla desde el reinado de Alfonso XI, llegando a su plena vigencia en la Corona de Castilla durance la epoca moderna. Su empleo no se extendi6 a los lugares de senorio hasta mediado el siglo xvl, y se asent6 en el dltimo tercio del siglo' . Este articulo expone una parse de los resultados de mi tesis doctoral Esrructura y di-n4mica del regimen senonal durance la Edad Moderna: los senorfos navarros (1450-1850), dirigida por el catedratico don Valentin V6zquez de Prada. El tribunal que le concedi6 la maxima calificaci6n (junio de 1995) estuvo formado por don Agustin Gonzalez Enciso, presidents, don Rafael Torres, secretario, don Angel Rodriguez Sanchez, don J. Ignacio Fortea Perez y don Jes6s Longares Alonso, vocales. Desde aqui Ics agradezco sus amables y acertadas sugerencias. Para esta investigaci6n he contado con el apoyo de una beca de formaci6n de personal investigador del Gobierno de Navarra, de una beca para tesis doctorates del Fondo de Formaci6n

Urban vibrancy reflected through the intensity of human activity, social engagement, and spatial diversity is essential to
the success of mixed-use developments, particularly in Egypt’s rapidly expanding new urban communities. Despite their
intended roles as dynamic urban nodes, many of these projects struggle to achieve vibrancy due to socio-spatial frag-
mentation, accessibility challenges, and limited inclusivity. This study introduces a novel Urban Vibrancy Index (UVI),
developed through a data-driven methodology combining statistical modeling and computational tools, to quantitatively
assess vibrancy across 21 mixed-use projects representing four generations of new cities within Greater Cairo. The meth-
odology integrates 840 structured survey responses (630 visitors and 210 employees) with on-site observational audits.
Seventeen vibrancy-related variables were analyzed and grouped into four key dimensions: foundational conditions (31%),
social dynamics (27%), spatial accessibility (25%), and economic diversity (17%). Factor analysis was conducted using
SPSS to ensure statistical validity (KMO
=
0.846), while Python was employed for data processing, normalization, and
automated scoring, ensuring replicability and consistency of the UVI computation. The index was empirically applied to
Arkan Plaza, yielding a UVI score of 0.777 on a 0–1 scale, positioning it as a “Good” performer. While strong in policy
alignment (4.6/5), intensity (4.09), and proximity to amenities (4.3), limitations in social interaction (3.23) and inclusivity
(3.38) constrained further improvement. The UVI model offers urban planners a practical, replicable tool to benchmark
and enhance vibrancy performance in urban mixed-use contexts, supported by a computationally transparent and data-rich
evaluation process.

Deliberative democracy is often seen as a necessary complement to electoral democracy yet its ability to ensure the inclusive representation of female voices, especially in rural areas of the Global South, remains limited. This paper casts light on the Indian Mahila Sabhas, understudied female-only deliberation platforms, introduced in the world's largest democratic system. It addresses the gap where empirical solutions to women's involvement are often overlooked in favour of theoretical discussions in scholarship on deliberative democracy. As seen in the case study of Mahila Sabhas, females are often compelled to form femaleonly forums to ensure that gender-responsive policies are being catered towards. However, it calls for further research into comparative femaleonly frameworks and into their practical implementation in deliberative democracies highlighting both its benefits as well as limitations.

13 programas, 45% del total 9 programas, 31% del total 3 programas, 10% del total Fuente: Elaboración propia. Dentro de los 29 programas estudiados, 25 de ellos (86% del total) representan uno de los tres tipos descritos. Con el fin de llegar a los objetivos del presente trabajo, se ha realizado un análisis comparativo de tres casos de implementación de la Iniciativa Comunitaria URBAN en España, escogiendo un caso concreto de cada tipo. La selección final de los Programas URBAN-MADRID, URBAN-TOLEDO y URBAN-LANGREO ha sido realizada según dos criterios técnicos: • un programa por cada categoría del tamaño de la ciudad (Cuadro 4), • disponibilidad y acceso a las fuentes de investigación.

13 programas, 45% del total 9 programas, 31% del total 3 programas, 10% del total Fuente: Elaboración propia. Dentro de los 29 programas estudiados, 25 de ellos (86% del total) representan uno de los tres tipos descritos. Con el fin de llegar a los objetivos del presente trabajo, se ha realizado un análisis comparativo de tres casos de implementación de la Iniciativa Comunitaria URBAN en España, escogiendo un caso concreto de cada tipo. La selección final de los Programas URBAN-MADRID, URBAN-TOLEDO y URBAN-LANGREO ha sido realizada según dos criterios técnicos: • un programa por cada categoría del tamaño de la ciudad (Cuadro 4), • disponibilidad y acceso a las fuentes de investigación.

The chaotic implementation of lockdown measures in Shanghai in the spring of 2022 generated widespread feelings of anxiety, frustration, and despair among residents from different rungs of socioeconomic strata. This article archives and analyzes personal narratives mostly by educated middle-class urbanites to understand how they made sense of their being during the lockdown and probes the social conditions structuring these feelings and the subsequent pall of silence. It argues that the Shanghai lockdown is not an exceptional event but a crystalizing moment of a generalized condition of alienation under state capitalism that has been gradually taking hold on Chinese society. Nor can the loss of control over one's world under the extreme conditions of lockdown be solely attributed to coercion and manipulation by external forces. By employing alienation as an interpretive scheme, this article reveals the complex and often subtle ways in which people became both victims and perpetrators of their alienated condition.

Open public space (OPS) shapes and defines cities. These spaces support public service provision and facilitate public life by providing opportunities for activities and interactions. As a common good shared among inhabitants, decision-makers, and landowners, OPS creates a stage where they can perform their non-private lives on a daily basis. The outcomes of negotiations and compromises between different actors impact social welfare. In many cities in the Global South, longstanding urban governance practices lead to segregation, inequality, and injustice. Scholars debate about what constitutes good urban governance practices. However, the majority of studies are contextualized in the Global North and fall short in addressing aspects such as informality. This research aims to contribute to the debate and understanding of the role and involvement of citizens in securing, managing, and developing OPS. Using a case study of an ordinary street in the neighborhood of Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt, this study explores the relationship between OPS and urban governance. Field observations were conducted and systematized using a thematic analysis approach. Semistructured interviews with different actors complemented the qualitative analysis and addressed information gaps. The primary findings show that, despite the absence of a formal mechanism to participate in the decision-making process, the users of OPS make many decisions on a dayto-day basis that, to a certain extent, define the urban environment. The research highlights the different strategies, interests, and resources that users employ to interact with others in an arena permeated by conflicts, contestations, and collaborations. The discussion section addresses the potential and challenges for alternatives regarding popular participation in managing and planning cities of the Global South. Finally, the research draws guidelines to align the findings with the urban governance agenda.

This article addresses the political constraints generated in urban mobility governance by the implementation of the Uber platform. We analyzed
the case of Bogotá, Colombia, due to the tension involved in the creation of regulation. The case was explored based on the analysis of documents
such as decrees, laws, bills, court decisions, and official reports. The results confirm the operating method used by the company in other countries to generate contentious compliance with regulatory models. However, the transportation governance established in Bogotá through the regulation of public transportation in the integrated system contributed to the escalation of legal confrontation until the prohibition of the company’s operations

By examining three policy-oriented research projects funded by the European Union (RAMSES, RESIN, SMR) the paper critically discusses operationalisation efforts of urban resilience as they are designed and produced at the interface between science and policy. By analysing the documents and conducting interviews with the projects' coordinators and participants, three main research questions were addressed concerning how urban resilience is defined across the projects and the actors involved, the role of the tools produced by them in their difficult task to reconcile wider applicability and local specificity and finally how stakeholder engagement and co-creation were framed and implemented. Based on the evidence collected, the authors argue that conceptualisations of urban resilience within operationalisation efforts being produced at the science policy-interface are still quite plural and open, that such openness is largely confirmed by the flexibility of the tools produced by the projects and that while becoming increasingly relevant stakeholder engagement and co-creation strategy are yet to be fully framed and theorised. Finally, they present further research pathways aimed at strengthening our knowledge of operationalisation efforts, the role of practitioners and of urban resilience implementation in discreet scientific and political environments.

Social housing has been experiencing a global trend toward residualization, primarily targeting vulnerable groups through non-market methods. Meanwhile, it is undergoing a parallel trend of financialization, where it is increasingly treated as a financial asset for trading and speculation. In contrast, social rented housing in China is transitioning to a mass model and embracing financialization, exemplified by the government's proactive promotion of the Affordable Rental Housing (ARH) program and the introduction of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) for social housing investment. However, the combination of seemingly non-profit social housing with profit-driven REITs remains an understudied phenomenon. This paper addresses this gap by drawing on theories of overaccumulation and state entrepreneurialism. We explore the rationales driving the promotion of ARH (-REITs) and investigate the state's role in facilitating this process. We argue that China's development and financialization of ARH is increasingly adopted as a national strategy to mitigate the overaccumulation crisis in the homeownership sector through a 'spatial fix' wherein capital circulates within the secondary circuit rather than switches between circuits of capital. This strategy involves establishing legal frameworks and institutions to make ARH profitable, stimulating demand by expanding target groups to include middle-to high-income "talents" with additional benefits, stimulating supply by reducing costs and political directives, and promoting financial innovation and credit enhancement. We conclude with concerns about the potential long-term 'crisis-magnifying' effects of this spatial fix and its implications for vulnerable households.

The financing of different types of infrastructure has become a core issue in Africa, considering its high urbanization rates. An acute shortage of water infrastructure in Zimbabwe is one of the primary causes of water scarcity in most cities and towns. This chapter explores the innovative financing mechanisms and technological advancements that can help ease urban water shortages. The study found that the limited participation of the private sector in urban water supply inhibits private financing in water infrastructure. Central and local government institutions dominate the water supply sector and operate on a cost-recovery basis. Some cities have embarked on a drive to reduce the water purification cost to create extra water supply funds. The strategy involves synergies between municipalities and local firms working towards replacing imported chemicals with locally produced water purification chemicals. Similar synergies are recommended, especially in finding sustainable financing mechanisms that can improve investments in water infrastructure. Meanwhile, urban households should consider using low-cost household purification techniques, including boiling water, aqua tablets and water filters that have become common in Africa's low-income communities. These household purification methods can guarantee the consumption of clean and safe water.

This chapter explores the political economy and ecology of urban water governance in Zimbabwe. Specifically, the chapter questions the motives and interests of the governance decisions made in managing urban water resources through the political economy and ecology lens. While acknowledging the governance initiatives adopted by the postcolonial government in water governance, for example, the Water Act and the ZINWA Act, the chapter highlights the vested political and economic interests of the decision-makers at the time. Likewise, the dynamics of urban water distribution in Zimbabwe are still greatly influenced by political inequity, which is tarnished by the heavy politicization of water bodies, despite the adoption of these important pieces of law after 1998. Additionally, an often-neglected dimension in urban water governance is the political ecology that brings into perspective the varying interests associated with environmental contests and conflicts that influence how water resources are allocated and shared among urban areas. While climate change has had an impact on urban water resources, the governance of urban water systems has also exacerbated the water woes, hence the term failed state. Understanding politics, economics, and ecology is crucial for this chapter because Zimbabwe's current state of obsolete water infrastructure negatively influences the supply of high-quality water services to the public in urban areas. The chapter suggests that to make sustainable political, economic, and ecological functionalities necessary, there is an urgent need to provide and suggest solutions to resolve these urban water governance difficulties. This chapter contributes to the body of knowledge on the need to develop a better political economy and ecological approach to urban water governance dynamics, which have a strong effect on human livelihoods.

This chapter critically examines the urban water governance landscape in Zimbabwe through the lens of institutionalism. It explores the complex interplay between institutional structures, rules, norms, and routines that shape the management and distribution of water resources in urban settings. The analysis highlights significant challenges such as water scarcity, infrastructural inadequacies, governance failures exacerbated by political and economic instability, and the emergence of water mafias. Despite Zimbabwe's abundant natural water sources, urban areas such as Harare and Bulawayo grapple with recurring water crises due to inadequate investment in infrastructure and inefficient governance frameworks. To address these issues, the chapter proposes the establishment of adaptive, transparent, and inclusive institutions capable of engaging in cross-scalar governance and partnerships. These institutions should be designed to adapt to changing conditions such as population growth, climate variability, and technological advancements, ensuring continuous learning and policy adaptation. They must also facilitate broad stakeholder engagement, including marginalized and vulnerable communities, to ensure that governance frameworks are equitable and comprehensive. The chapter discusses the roles of key institutions, including governmental bodies, local communities, NGOs, the private sector, and academic institutions, and addresses the detrimental impact of water mafias, which manipulate water access for economic and political gain. These institutions can improve sustainability and access to clean water in Zimbabwe's urban centers by promoting hydrocitizenship and innovations such as smart water management systems. The chapter offers insights into how strengthened institutional frameworks could enhance the management and sustainability of water resources in Zimbabwe's urban areas, providing a roadmap for reforming water governance systems to improve sustainability and access to clean water.

This chapter examines the legislation and policy framework guiding urban water governance in postcolonial Zimbabwe. The analysis is enabled by a desktop review of key policies and acts of parliament that regulate and guide the governance of the urban water system in Zimbabwe. The ideologies informing the respective legislation and policies are examined to understand the motivation and expected outcomes, focusing on citizens' rights to adequate water and what it means. The chapter is framed in the context of distributive justice and articulates how the policies and legislation relate to human needs and social justice. The findings from the analysis show that the policies address multiple issues related to water governance in urban areas, including poor implementation of good policies, lack of transparency and accountability associated with water governance, and politicization of water governance, much to the detriment of effective water distribution. The continued neglect of the water sector greatly compromises water delivery and shows the distributional inequalities and injustices imposed on people living in poverty who fail to access quality and potable water.

Intermediary urban spaces, such as temporary uses, occupations of vacant land and informal appropriations, are becoming increasingly relevant in contemporary urban development across European cities. These spaces often emerge in response to economic shifts and planning uncertainties. They act as flexible, adaptive nodes within the urban fabric and carry the potential to foster social innovation. At the same time, their activation imposes questions of public security. On one hand, they may support safety by encouraging informal monitoring and creating social presence. On the other, their temporary status, ambiguous governance and informality can pose specific challenges for policing, safety and control. In this way, intermediary spaces are both shaped by and shaping broader dynamics of urban security. Despite their growing presence, the security dimensions of intermediary spaces remain underexplored. Much of the existing literature on urban security focuses either on formal public spaces or informal settlements, which leaves a conceptual and empirical gap when it comes to these hybrid, transitional environments.

This review draws together debates from urban studies, planning and security research to clarify how intermediary spaces relate to questions of urban security. It explores four core themes: the conceptualization and governance of intermediary spaces; their characteristics based on temporality and institutionalization; theoretical perspectives on urban security and the forms of security governance—both formal and informal—that operate within them.

Findings show that intermediary spaces are defined by fluidity and temporality and often exist between formal and informal systems of governance. They may open up opportunities for community-based safety and informal regulation but also give rise to contested practices of control and securing. Security in these settings is shaped through hybrid arrangements involving local actors, municipal authorities and private stakeholders. These dynamics are closely tied to questions of spatial justice, inclusion and public discourse which raises concerns about how security interventions reflect and reshape power relations in the city.

By outlining these dimensions, the review sets the stage for future empirical work. It suggests that comparative approaches, methodological openness and attention to emerging technologies may offer valuable insights into how intermediary urbanism interacts with and potentially reshapes the politics of urban security.

This report synthesizes current practitioner knowledge on urban safety in transitional or interim urban spaces—sites often characterized by temporary use, fragmented governance and regulatory ambiguity. Developed as part of the research project Safeguarding Urban Interim Spaces (2025–2027), the report examines how institutions across global, national and local levels define, govern and implement safety in flexible urban settings. It focuses on actors and frameworks most relevant to European and Swiss contexts, including supranational organizations (UN-Habitat, OSCE, EFUS), national networks (DEFUS, FFSU, SACN, NNSC, SSV), and innovation platforms (IcARUS, REFILL, ZORA, C40).

The review reveals a fragmented yet evolving field. Institutions vary in how they define urban safety—from crime prevention and surveillance to broader frameworks of spatial justice, resilience and co-production. While some offer structured tools (e.g. safety audits, risk profiling), others operate through pilot projects or advisory frameworks. Notably, only a limited number of institutions explicitly address transitional urban conditions. Where they do, tools are often indirect—emphasizing stakeholder engage-ment, participatory governance or informal oversight rather than direct re-gulation.

Across all levels, a normative body of practitioner knowledge is emerging—promoting values like inclusion, adaptability and shared responsibility. Yet major gaps remain. Implementation depends heavily on local champions and funding cycles. Evaluation is inconsistent and responsibilities in tempo-rary contexts are rarely formalized. Legal uncertainty and institutional silos continue to limit adoption in dynamic urban areas.

The report concludes that safeguarding safety in interim spaces requires clearer role allocation, robust tools and long-term integration into planning systems. It provides an empirical foundation for cities seeking to govern safety under conditions of spatial fluidity and regulatory fragmentation.

Dieser Bericht bündelt aktuelles Praxiswissen zur urbanen Sicherheit in zwischengenutzten städtischen Räumen. Im Rahmen des Forschungsprojekts Safeguarding Urban Interim Spaces (2025–2027) wurden zentrale Veröffentlichungen themenspezialisierter Organisationen analysiert und systematisch ausgewertet. Zwischennutzungen stellen besondere Anforderungen an Sicherheitskonzepte, da sie von temporärer Verwendung, unklaren Zuständigkeiten und regulatorischen Unschärfen gekennzeichnet werden. Untersucht wurde daher, wie Institutionen auf globaler, nationaler und lokaler Ebene Sicherheit in solchen Räumen definieren, gestalten und umsetzen.

Im Fokus stehen Akteure, die für den europäischen und schweizerischen Kontext relevant sind: supranationale Organisationen (z. B. UN-Habitat, O-SZE, EFUS), nationale Netzwerke (u. a. DEFUS, FFSU, SACN, NNSC, SSV) sowie innovationsorientierte Plattformen (z. B. IcARUS, REFILL, ZORA, C40). Die Analyse zeigt ein fragmentiertes, aber dynamisch wachsendes Feld. Sicherheitsverständnisse reichen von kriminalpräventiven und überwachungsbasierten Konzepten bis hin zu breiteren Ansätzen, die Resilienz, Teilhabe und Gestaltung integrieren. Während manche Akteure operative Werkzeuge wie Sicherheitsaudits oder Risikoprofile anbieten, arbeiten andere mit Pilotprojekten, Beratung oder informellen Verfahren.

Nur wenige Organisationen adressieren Zwischennutzungen explizit – meist indirekt über zivilgesellschaftliche Beteiligung, informelle Steuerung oder partizipative Planung. Spezifisch zugeschnittene Sicherheitskonzepte für temporäre Stadträume fehlen bislang oft. Dennoch zeichnet sich eine Tendenz ab: Sicherheit wird zunehmend im Sinne von Inklusion, Anpassungs-fähigkeit und geteilter Verantwortung verstanden, also weniger als technische Kontrolle, sondern als gesellschaftlicher Aushandlungsprozess.

Zugleich bestehen deutliche Umsetzungsdefizite. Empfehlungen variieren stark in Tiefe und Verbindlichkeit, ihre Wirkung wird selten systematisch evaluiert. Lokale Abhängigkeiten, rechtliche Unsicherheiten und institutionelle Silos erschweren eine übertragbare Anwendung.

Der Bericht schliesst mit dem Befund, dass Sicherheit in und um Zwischen-nutzungen klarere Rollenzuweisungen, verlässliche Instrumente und eine stärkere institutionelle Verankerung erfordert. Er liefert eine fundierte Orientierung für Fachpersonen, die sicherheitsbezogene Strategien in temporären urbanen Kontexten entwickeln oder anwenden möchten.

Zwischengenutzte, unbebaute oder informell angeeignete Flächen gewinnen in europäischen Städten zunehmend an Bedeutung. Solche Räume entstehen häufig als Reaktion auf wirtschaftliche Veränderungen oder planerische Unsicherheiten. Sie bieten viel Potenzial für soziale Innovation und städtische Belebung, können aber auch Fragen zur öffentlichen Sicherheit aufwerfen: Einerseits tragen sie zur sozialen Aktivierung bei, was die Sicherheit fördern kann. Andererseits erschweren ihr provisorischer Charakter, unklare Zuständigkeiten, informelle Strukturen und schwer antizipierbare Eigendynamiken die Planung und Implementierung von einheitlichen Sicherheitskonzepten. Im Kontext von Sicherheitsfragen stellen Zwischennutzungen daher ein Spannungsfeld dar: Sie sind sowohl Ausdruck als auch Mitgestalterinnen aktueller sicherheitspolitischer Entwicklungen im städtischen Raum. Dieses Spannungsfeld ist trotz der wachsenden Relevanz von Zwischennutzungen bisher kaum erforscht. Der bestehende Forschungsstand konzentriert sich vorrangig auf klar geregelte, formal strukturierte öffentliche Räume oder auf informelle Siedlungen – Übergangsformen wie die hier behandelten bleiben weitgehend unberücksichtigt.

Im Fokus der vorliegenden Literaturbesprechung stehen vier Themenfelder, die zusammen eine strukturierte Betrachtung des Themas ermöglichen. Erstens wird untersucht, wie Zwischen-nutzungen in der wissenschaftlichen Literatur definiert werden und welche Formen der planerischen Steuerung – etwa durch Behörden, Eigentümer oder zivilgesellschaftliche Akteure – dabei eine Rolle spielen. Zweitens richtet sich der Blick auf verschiedene räumliche Definitionen von Zwischennutzungen, die danach unterscheiden, wie stark sie formaler Kontrolle unterliegen und in welchem Mass sie in längerfristige Planungen eingebunden sind. Der Aspekt der Temporalität ist hierbei zentral. Drittens, werden theoretische Perspektiven auf das Thema der städtischen Sicherheit erläutert, die aufzeigen können, wie Sicherheit im städtischen Raum gedacht, verhandelt und gestaltet wird. Und viertens analysiert die Übersicht konkrete Sicherheitspraktiken – sowohl formelle Instrumente wie Überwachung oder bauliche Eingriffe als auch informelle Ansätze wie soziale Kontrolle, Selbstorganisation oder nachbarschaftliche Aushandlungsprozesse.

Die Aufarbeitung des akademischen Wissensstands zeigt dabei, dass Sicherheit in diesen Räumen nicht allein durch staatliche Kontrolle, sondern durch ein Zusammenspiel verschiedener Akteure entsteht. Diese reichen von lokalen Initiativen über Verwaltungen bis hin zu privaten Eigentümern. Dabei geht es nicht nur um praktische Zuständigkeiten, sondern auch um Grundsatz-fragen: Wer trägt Verantwortung? Wer hat Mitspracherecht? Und wessen Sicherheit steht im Mittelpunkt? Solche Aushandlungen sind eng mit Fragen sozialer Teilhabe, öffentlicher Wahrnehmung und räumlicher Gerechtigkeit verknüpft. Die vorliegende Literatur-besprechung präsentiert den aktuellen Wissensstand aus Forschungsperspektive und bildet eine Grundlage für die weiterführende Forschung. Sie zeigt, dass insbesondere vergleichende Ansätze, methodische Offenheit und die Einbeziehung neuer Technologien dazu beitragen können, Zwischennutzungen im sicherheitspolitischen Kontext besser zu erfassen. Darin liegt Potenzial für neue Impulse einer sozial gerechten und praxisnahen Sicherheitsplanung.

Purpose: This study investigates the integration of smart city strategies and livability principles to develop sustainable residential districts that address the challenges of urbanization, such as environmental degradation, insufficient infrastructure, and declining social cohesion. Methodology: The research employs a mixed-method approach comprising theoretical analysis, empirical case study evaluations (e.g., Songdo, Masdar City, Msheireb Downtown Doha), and expert surveys. It identifies critical indicators of livability and sustainability, focusing on district-level smart city strategies. Findings: Through a comparative analysis of smart city projects at both city-wide and district scales, the study reveals that transitioning from city-wide smart initiatives to medium-sized residential districts enhances social sustainability and quality of life. It prioritizes factors such as healthcare, green mobility, public safety, and community engagement, while also addressing the shortcomings of existing "ghost city" phenomena. The findings provide a comprehensive approach to evaluating and directing the creation of smart and livable districts. This approach is a comprehensive integration of the indicators for both smart and livable districts, to be a base for creating a smart livable system for urban planners, policymakers, and stakeholders to implement smart district strategies that promote inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and livability. The findings provide stakeholders, legislators, and urban planners practical recommendations for putting smart district policies that support liveability, inclusivity, and environmental sustainability into practice. In order to create sustainable and well-rounded urban settings, these findings highlight the significance of implementing a comprehensive strategy that incorporates both intelligent infrastructure and liveability outcomes. The framework provides a comprehensive approach to evaluating and directing the creation of smart and livable districts. Novelty: This research bridges the gap between technology-driven smart cities and human-centered urban planning by introducing a holistic framework for creating socially vibrant, ecologically sound, and technologically advanced residential districts.

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

After the City of Detroit underwent financial takeover and filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history in 2013, the city’s emergency manager encouraged mass water shutoffs as a way of making the city’s water utility a more attractive asset for sale—and for privatization—by ridding the water department of its association with bad debt. The sale never took place, but the water shutoff, too, became the largest ever in American history, with over 141,000 homes subjected to water disconnections over a period of over six years. The governor of the State of Michigan ordered that the shutoffs be temporarily suspended for the duration of the COVID-19 health emergency in March 2020 and that water be restored to homes that had been disconnected from water services.

Human and civil rights activists and health officials have long sought the end of the shutoff campaign for several reasons: It disproportionately impacts Black people, subjects residents to subhuman living conditions and serious health risks, and remains ineffective at redressing the underlying problems that prompted the shutoff in the first place. For attorneys and activists advocating on behalf of Detroiters, pleading violations of civil and human rights laws, however, has proven unavailing in the courts, as well as at the seats of local or state government; even condemnations from the United Nations did not convince the City of Detroit or the State of Michigan to put a permanent end to the water shutoffs, their lack of success and high human cost notwithstanding.

This Essay articulates a radical theory of contract to clarify the relationships between the people of Detroit and the local, state, and federal governmental bodies exercising jurisdiction over them and to explain why the shutoffs persist. A racial contract exists amongst Michigan’s white body politic, which seeks the exploitation of Black people and resources—including Detroit’s water. Performance of the contract requires the dehumanization and exclusion of Black Detroiters in order to establish and maintain a rent-seeking order in which Black people effectively subsidize the delivery of water and sewage services to white suburbanites who view Black governance and Black proprietorship as a breach of the social order for which the suburbanites bargained. The City of Detroit has been able to rely on anti-Black narratives and beliefs to create the mirage of a contractual relationship with Detroit residents that Detroiters have breached; in reality, however, because of the racial contract, Black people lack the capacity to enter into bargained-for agreements with their local government; rather, the City of Detroit and the regional water authority have contracted amongst themselves, treating Black people’s use of water as an externality resolved through taxation.

Davis (1994) described a barrier as a sandy island developed from a broadened barrier beach that is above high tide and parallel to the shore. Barrier system has dunes, vegetated zones, and swampy terrains that extend lagoon wards from the beach. They occupy 13% of the world‟s coastlines (Sikora and Kjerfve 1985) and are found along every continent including the Antarctica. The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) of 1982 delineate a coastal barrier as all related aquatic habitats, including the adjacent swampland, marshes, estuaries, inlets and near shore waters, although these natural features have an inverse relationship with few manmade structures or activities which do not drastically encumber geomorphic and ecological processes. A coastal barrier can either be developed or undeveloped; this is related to the density of development and availability of infrastructure on the land above mean high tide. (CBRA, 1982). Lagos is located at the Western tip of the coastline of Nigeria. ...

Human life depends on forests, which are essential natural resources, especially for the communities that live there and nearby. Numerous plant and animal species act as a haven for biodiversity by providing resources like non timber forest products, herbs, and other resources for clothing and shelter; this abundant biodiversity makes ecosystems more resilient and sustains livelihoods. Joint Forest Management (JFM) contributes significantly to forest protection and community welfare by engaging the local people in safeguarding and managing the forest resources. Joint Forest Management (JFM) in Meghalaya is an important model of community based forest management that incorporates traditional ecological wisdom and state-initiated conservation programs. Forests play a critical role in maintaining livelihoods, cultural heritage, and biodiversity, particularly among indigenous groups. This paper examines the operation and impacts of Joint Forest Management (JFM) in Nongwah village, East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. Drawing from field observations and village narratives, it examines roles and duties undertaken by community agents, impacts of community-managed afforestation, and socio-economic benefits derived from infrastructure development linked to JFM. With this research, the literature is enriched with recording the interface of customary and formal institutions of forest governance. In the process, it addresses an essential lacuna in the forest policy literature in northeast India.

El projecte Acollides Comunitàries s’inscriu en el marc de les polítiques públiques de proximitat i acció comunitària de l’Ajuntament de Barcelona. Neix amb la voluntat de repensar la manera com els equipaments, serveis i/o entitats s’obren a la ciutadania, no només com a prestadors de serveis, sinó com a espais capaços de generar vincles i participació col·lectiva. En un context urbà on la diversitat, les
desigualtats i la soledat creixen, aquest projecte aposta per fomentar una ciutat més cohesionada, on les relacions entre les persones siguin part essencial de les respostes als reptes socials actuals.
Des d’aquesta mirada, acollir amb perspectiva comunitària no és simplement rebre algú, sinó convidar activament a participar, a formar part d’un projecte compartit, i a contribuir en la construcció d’una comunitat més oberta i inclusiva. Així ho expressa la Guia per construir Comunitats Acollidores (2025), que entén l’acollida com un procés relacional, sostingut en el temps, que permet establir vincles significatius entre persones, col·lectius i el territori.

L’aprovació de la Llei 11/2022, del 29 de desembre, de millorament urbà, ambiental i social dels barris i les viles pretén donar un nou impuls a les polítiques de millora de barris i viles vulnerables de Catalunya, tot
seguint la línia encetada per la Llei de Barris de 2004, el desplegament de la qual es va veure interromput per les polítiques d’austeritat aplicades durant la crisi de la Gran Recessió. La nova Llei de Barris, en aquest
sentit, no només aspira a reiniciar les polítiques que es van desplegar sota la llei anterior, sinó tambéadaptar-les a un nou context. Dues de les grans innovacions que conté la nova llei, en aquest sentit, són la
importància que concedeix a les mesures d’adaptació dels barris i viles al canvi climàtic i l’aposta per l’acció sociocomunitària com un dels àmbits prioritaris d’actuació. Davant de la perspectiva de desplegament de la nova llei, el Departament de Drets Socials i Inclusió de la Generalitat de Catalunya ha decidit engegar el programa Barris amb Futur, que sota el lideratge de la Direcció General d’Acció Cívica iComunitària (DGACC), i amb la participació d’una vintena de municipis d’arreu del país, ha volgut posar en marxa un seguit de projectes pilot i desenvolupar el marc analític, conceptual, operatiu i d’avaluació de la dimensió sociocomunitària de la nova llei de barris. El programa Barris amb Futur es desplega a través d’un conveni de col·laboració entre el Departament de Drets Socials i Inclusió, l’Institut de Govern i Polítiques Públiques (IGOP) de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona i l’Institut Metròpoli. L'informe que
teniu a les vostres mans explica el procés de treball que s’ha seguit i els seus principals resultats.

La guia que teniu a les vostres mans respon a dos objectius principals: primer, argumentar la importància de la intervenció sociocomunitària en el marc de les
polítiques públiques de transformació de barris desafavorits; segon, oferir un seguit de conceptes, principis i eines pràctiques que permetin dissenyar, posar en pràctica i avaluar les accions comunitàries en el marc d’aquest tipus de polítiques.El creixement de les desigualtats socials i la cronificació de les situacions de pobresa i exclusió social tenen un clar reflex territorial, agreujant les dinàmiques de declivi
social i residencial en els barris, les viles i els municipis més desafavorits. Per això, ens calen polítiques públiques orientades a combatre els efectes de la segregació, promovent les oportunitats socials i millorant les condicions de vida on es concentren
les situacions de vulnerabilitat social i residencial. A Catalunya, aquest tipus de polítiques han rebut un fort impuls, primer, a través de la Llei 2/2004, del 4 de juny, de millora de barris, àrees urbanes i viles que requereixen una atenció especial, i més recentment, a través de la Llei 11/2022, del 29 de desembre, de millorament urbà, ambiental i social dels barris i les viles, pendent de desenvolupament. En totes aquestes polítiques es reconeix la importància d’una mirada comunitària tant
en el disseny com en el desplegament de les intervencions. La Llei de 2022 esmenta en aquest sentit la possibilitat de partenariats público-comunitaris entre ens locals amb associacions, cooperatives, organitzacions del tercer sector, o moviments socials
per tal de facilitar la co-creació comunitària de polítiques públiques. A l’hora, la pròpia llei identifica com un eix prioritari de intervenció, a més de les transformacions físiques i les accions de transició ecològica, la pròpia acció comunitària. La nova llei, però, encara ha de concretar el seu desplegament a través de les convocatòries anuals, i el
pes de les intervencions sociocomunitàries encara ha de ser determinat.
En el marc del programa pilot Barris amb Futur, impulsat al 2024 per la DireccióGeneral d’Acció Cívica i Comunitària (DGACC) del Departament de Drets Socials i Inclusió de la Generalitat de Catalunya, s’han realitzat un seguit d’estudis, formacions i de tallers amb una vintena de municipis que han expressat el seu interès i el seu compromís amb la intervenció sociocomunitària com a estratègia de transformació de
barris. Aquest document recull bona part dels resultats d’aquest procés, en el que, a més a més dels esmentats Ajuntaments i la DGACC, hi han participat l’Institut de Govern i Polítiques Públiques de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona i l’Institut Metròpoli.

The Smart Cities Mission in India was launched on 25 June 2015 to develop 100 'smart cities'. Harnessing technology to improve the quality of life of people in such cities is the core idea of the mission. This urban governance mechanism has inherent implications for citizenship as a membership right assuming those having membership of such cities enjoying a host of citizenship rights for example access to basic services at the cost of those excluded. In this context, the paper attempts to explore the Smart Cities Mission in India, emerging scholarship on smart cities and citizenship, and the notion of citizenship as membership rights for delineating the implication of the mission on citizenship rights of the deprived sections.

This paper explores regenerative building production as an approach that goes beyond minimising environmental harm to actively generating net-positive socio-ecological impacts. Grounding the discussion in sustainability transitions theory, we highlight how construction significantly contributes to global carbon emissions and waste. Using the phenomena construction methodology, a conceptual framework is proposed to integrate regenerative design principles with sociotechnical perspectives, framing the shift to regeneration as a transitional phenomenon and revealing how multilevel interactions among stakeholders, policies, and niche innovations can drive adoption. Practical steps for clients, designers, contractors, policymakers, and communities include revised procurement models, ecological design solutions, and policy incentives that support deeper collaboration and accountability. The paper underscores that achieving a regenerative transition requires shifting incentives, fostering collaboration, and effecting systemic change across the sector.

L'étude s'intéresse à l'organisation et la gestion de marché urbain de Gambela dans ville de Kinshasa enfin de déterminer les contraintes majeures liées à cette structure marchande. Après l'analyse nous avons abouti à la conclusion suivante : depuis 2011 à 2016, le marché urbain de Gambela était géré par la belle-mère d'un notable de la ville province de Kinshasa surnommée « Maman Lopango », car une bonne partie des recettes récoltées à travers les taxes vont à des personnes privées qui se partagent sans qu'aucune amélioration majeure ne soit apportée son l'organisation et sa gestion du marché lui-même. Mais en période de 2017 à 2020, le marché Gambela a connu beaucoup de changements dans son organisation, mais la gestion de ce dernier est à revoir sur plusieurs plans notamment : organisationnel, administratifs, leadership, de la planification. La modernisation et le développement de ce marché exige implication sérieuse de l'hôtel de ville pour améliorer les conditions des marchands et éradiquer les obstacles liés au fonctionnement et à la gestion du marché.

India's urban transition has increasingly recognised the contribution of small towns, acknowledging them as pivotal to the future of the country's urbanisation. However, these towns are often marked by stark inequality and a higher proportion of poor residents compared to cities. Despite this, academic research has largely concentrated on metropolitan areas, leaving issues of the urban poor of small towns underexplored. This study takes Bolpur, a small town in West Bengal as a case to investigate a critical question: how do the urban poor in small towns demand development from the local state, and what strategies do they employ in their claims-making practices? To uncover the development pathways, qualitative ethnography was conducted for two slum colonies. By critically analysing the mechanism of neighbourhood governance, the study shows that the idea of 'state' is often invisible in everyday governance. Instead, democratic space and institution are largely captured by the ruling political party, which emerges as the dominant actor in the development process. Within this governing structure, the urban poor neither possess decision-making power over neighbourhood development, nor can they hold their elected local representatives accountable. Voting in local elections and participation in political rallies have become obligatory, trapping citizens in cycles of clientelism and populism. Consequently, in the discourse of development, the urban poor are rendered passive actors who rely on political leadership capable of negotiating with the ruling party on their behalf.

Within the realm of urban studies and spatial planning, the concept of self-organization receives increasing attention in understanding spatial transformations and related planning interventions (De Roo et al, 2012;. In exploring the potential of self-organization, various scholars however introduce diverging interpretations of the concept, consequentially leading to different understandings of what the concept can offer to planners. In the first part of the paper, we show that the different interpretations have their foundation in two distinct epistemic positions: One is a criticalrealist interpretation of complex adaptive systems , resulting in a planning focused on pattern recognition and formulating guiding conditions . The other includes a post-structuralist interpretation of emerging assemblages , leading to a planning focused on personal style and situational behavior . The potential synergies between the two epistemic positions has so far remained unexplored, while aspects of both perspectives simultaneously are at work in spatial transformations. Therefore, the second part of the paper explores their complementarity and discusses how to turn the two positions into consistency with one another -meaning how they can mutually reinforce each other without losing their individual epistemic strengths. Based on this exploration we suggest planners to act adaptively and differentiate in style in response to the situation at stake, among others by means of pattern recognition. On a conceptual level the paper shows how planning scholars can make sense of the diversity of ongoing processes of self-organization in the context of spatial transformations.

to be submitted for the Conference on Complex Systems, Beurs Van Berlage, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 19-22 September 2016 Abstract Within the realm of urban studies and spatial planning, the concept of self-organization receives increasing attention in understanding spatial transformations and related planning interventions (De Roo et al, 2012; Portugali, 2011). In exploring the potential of self-organization, various scholars however introduce diverging interpretations of the concept, consequentially leading to different understandings of what the concept can offer to planners. In the first part of the paper, we show that the different interpretations have their foundation in two distinct epistemic positions: One is a criticalrealist interpretation of complex adaptive systems (Byrne, 2005), resulting in a planning focused on pattern recognition and formulating guiding conditions (Portugali, 2011; Rauws, 2015). The other includes a post-structuralist interpretation of emerging asse...

Road transport is one of the most common means of transportation across the world. Bus transportation in Nigeria had witnessed many problems for the past decades considering the growing population with the attendant loss of lives and properties in most cities like Lagos in Nigeria. This paper focuses on the adequacy of services provided by Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Lagos State with respect to the extent to which it influences the socioeconomic conditions of bus commuters. It examines the effect of services rendered by BRT on cost reduction potential, income and safety. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 20 samples each from all respondents in all local government area in Lagos State to reach a total of three hundred and thirty (330) samples. The data collection instrument was the questionnaire which was validated. Data collected were analysed with the use of descriptive statistics such as means, percentages and standard deviation and inferential statistics such as regression and analysis of variance techniques. Findings showed that BRT services has reduced the cost of bus commuters and also increased safety and security thereby increasing the socioeconomic condition of Lagosians. The study recommends improvements in BRT services through the deployment of technology as it had been used in developed countries.

We also extend our gratitude to Jill McComish, of the Institute for Community Studies, for her organisation of the UK workshop and other logistical matters, and Ann Rudkin who edited the text. 3 City Pride was a regeneration initiative set up in 1993 with the aim of encouraging the authorities concerned to develop partnerships and draw up plans that would encourage a more strategic approach to regeneration. This is an ongoing project which includes the production of an economic development plan and the creation of Manchester Enterprises, an agency that promotes economic development/inward investment in the City Pride area.

Urban Development of a City in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria by Chinyere Emmanuel Igwe MBA, Rivers State University, 2009 BL, Nigeria Law School, Bwari-Abuja, 2007 LL.B, University of Calabar, 2006 B.Sc, University of Port Harcourt, 1997 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University August 2019 Abstract The issue of indiscriminate urban expansion is not uncommon in Africa. It has created haphazard, unplanned, and unapproved development that negatively affected urban planning for cities in the Niger Delta Region in Nigeria. Using Stone’s urban regime theory, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore from the perspective of developers, associations, and government agencies (referred to as stakeholders), the roots causes of indiscriminate urban development and their activities in the process in the Niger Delta Region. Data were collected through semi structured ...