Contemporary Urban Research Articles

Investigating Cancer Inequalities in Urbanizing Texas with Plausible Reasoning

This article contributes to geographical methodology by presenting an epistemology of plausible reasoning (PR) as a complement to realist and reflexive frameworks for science. I introduce PR’s theory of evidence, after Harold Jeffreys and George Pólya, and then extrapolate principles for nonexperimental study designs. This article leverages these principles to structure an investigation into the causes of a racial disparity in the colorectal cancer (CRC) burden in the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan areas. Centered on a series of empirical questions pertaining to racial ghettoization, contemporary urbanization, and cancer inequalities, the study uncovers important geographic and social changes in the CRC burden in the study areas between 1999 and 2019. These include the emergence of a substantial class-related inequality in CRC incidence, the rise of aggregate racial disparities in CRC incidence outside of historically ghettoized areas, and an overall intensification of spatial CRC inequality. Drawing on fundamental cause theory and critical urban studies, I propose that these changes are a product of the uneven spread of new preventive technologies (screening colonoscopy) amid extensive and polarizing urbanization processes that are reshaping these regions. The study highlights the value of incorporating concern for dynamic macrostructures and political economy into analyses of spatial health data, and illustrates how PR can contribute to such work.

Urbanisasi sebagai Pendorong Inovasi di Sektor Ekonomi Digital

Urbanization is a significant social phenomenon in developing countries, including Indonesia, characterized by the movement of populations from rural areas to cities. This process not only alters demographic structures but also brings social, economic, and environmental impacts. Urbanization can be defined as the transformation of homogeneous areas into heterogeneous ones, influenced by various factors, including migration and infrastructure development. This article also explores the relationship between urbanization and digital economic growth, which plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. In the digital era, digital marketing has become an essential tool for entrepreneurs to reach broader markets and enhance competitiveness. Through historical and contextual analysis, this article highlights the evolution of urbanization in Indonesia, from the era of kingdoms to colonial influences, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced in managing contemporary urbanization. This research aims to provide insights into the importance of adaptive and sustainable strategies in addressing the dynamics of ongoing urbanization

Insights from Smart City Initiatives for Urban Sustainability and Contemporary Urbanism

Urbanization growth poses various challenges, such as congestion, pollution, and resource consumption, prompting city planners and governments to adopt smart systems to manage these issues more efficiently. Despite widespread adoption, there is no consensus on the defining attributes of smart cities, particularly regarding their role in urban sustainability and contemporary urbanism. This paper provides a literature review to understand the implications of smart city initiatives for sustainable urban planning, focusing on practices in Singapore, Helsinki, Barcelona, and Medellin. Based on 71 publications surveyed from Scopus and Web of Science, this paper evaluates smart, sustainable initiatives undertaken in these four cities across six smart domains: mobility, governance, environment, people, living, and economy. This review shows that most studies focus on Barcelona and Singapore, particularly in the domains of smart environment and governance. Despite differing urban contexts, the notion of “smart” is closely tied to using information and communication technologies to drive urban operations. This analysis identifies a lack of assessment studies on the benefits of smart cities in terms of urban sustainability and a lack of holistic approaches to address the complex challenges cities face in achieving sustainable development.

The Superego of the City: Integrating Psychoanalytic Theory with Sustainable Urbanization in the Age of Industry 4.0

This article introduces the concept of the "superego of the city" by drawing on Freudian psychoanalytic theory to explore the ethical and moral dimensions of contemporary urbanization. As cities undergo rapid transformation driven by metropolization, digitalization, and environmental challenges, traditional urban analysis frameworks have become increasingly inadequate. The "superego of the city" provides a theoretical framework for understanding how urban spaces preserve cultural identity, foster social cohesion, and promote environmental sustainability amid these ongoing changes. By applying this concept to smart city initiatives—specifically in the realm of healthcare waste management—this study demonstrates how the integration of Circular Economy (CE) principles with Industry 4.0 technologies can align technological advancements with the ethical imperatives embodied in the city's collective consciousness.

Contesting the Anticipated Infrastructural City: A Grounded Analysis of Silk Road Urbanization in the Multipurpose Port Terminal in Chancay, Peru

A new private port and logistics complex is under construction in the city of Chancay, located north of Lima, Peru, as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) promising to change life in the city while expanding a Sino-centric globalized economy and Peru’s reach within it. Through a series of interviews conducted between 2020 and 2022 and document analysis, we seek to offer a grounded theorization of how the BRI, as an exemplar of infrastructure-led urbanization, interweaves with broader sociospatial and socionatural transformations, affecting the present and future of the places where it materializes. By using the concept of the infrastructural city we show how the combination of port and logistics infrastructures with spatial interventions in periurban space is guiding contemporary urbanization, resulting in the formation of a new, amorphous city that has as its defining characteristic the domination of infrastructure over urban life, eradicating prior functions and marginalizing local grievances to facilitate the creation of a privatized enclave for international trade. Our analysis provides insights into the intricate and multifaceted geographies of emerging Chinese-sponsored infrastructural strategies, the hopes and struggles that contextually shape them, and the potentially distinctive and contested urban features of the anticipated infrastructural cities yet to come.

Correlations between Anthropometric Indices and Hypertension in Adults: Emerging Trends in a Contemporary Urban Setting

Anthropometric indices are influenced by nutrition, genetics, lifestyle, age, and ethnicity thus assessing these indices is a cheap tool to predict risk factors that affect blood pressure. There is no consensus on the anthropometric index that best predicts adults’ blood pressure. This research aimed to determine the relationships between anthropometric indices (weight, height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HP), neck circumference (NC), chest circumference (CC), subscapular fold (SSF), triceps fold (TF), body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-height ratio (WHtR), subscapular-triceps ratio (STR), and blood pressure; and to determine the best predictor(s) of hypertension among these indices. This cross-sectional study was carried out in Enugu City, South-East Nigeria, and involved 355 adults, aged between 20-75 years. The comparison of the indices was done using the Student’s t-test. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to relate the indices with blood pressure, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) was used to determine the cut-off points of the indices to identify the best predictor(s) of hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension was 38.0%. All the anthropometric indices except height, NC, and STR were significantly higher in hypertensive participants than in the non-hypertensive participants. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) showed that all the indices except height, NC, and STR have weak linear positive relationships with blood pressure (r=0.1127-0.375) at p<0.001. The ROCs showed that WC was the best predictor with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.692, a cut-off point of 96.50cm, and a PPV of 57%. However, with an AUC <0.7, all the indices were weak predictors of hypertension. Hypertension correlated positively with increased age. Although anthropometric indices are weak predictors of hypertension, WC is the best index in predicting hypertension. Due to the inconsistent effects of WC on sensitivity, specificity, and PPV, WC is still a weak predictor of hypertension. However, the predictive power of WC could be augmented by age if the participants were above 45 years. At age >45 years, the participants had 5 times the chance of developing hypertension regardless of gender.

Contemporary Urban Challenges for The Preservation of Values Associated with Settlements in Andalusian Mountainous Areas: The Case of Castaño Del Robledo in the Sierra De Huelva, Spain

The landscapes linked to settlements such as Castaño del Robledo are one of the main elements of heritage interest in the complex and diverse Sierra de Huelva, a border territory between Spain and Portugal in the northwest of Andalusia. They reflect the physical and functional integration between the houses and the environment, where roads, historical infrastructure networks, walls and small buildings are intertwined with the cultivation areas, the embodiment of a very elaborate peasant culture. The aim of this work is to advance in the ways of approaching the knowledge of the singular values and fragility of these landscapes, with the main contribution of integrating a transversal view in their urban-heritage reading. The study starts with a first phase of analysis and diagnosis of the physical environmental support, the territory and the landscapes, and a second phase of evaluation to identify the challenges they currently face.

The impact of indigenous architectural practices on modern urban housing in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study explores the integration of indigenous architectural practices into modern urban housing in Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing the potential of these practices to address the region’s pressing housing challenges while preserving cultural heritage. The purpose of the study is to examine how traditional building methods, which are deeply rooted in the cultural and environmental context of the region, can be adapted and enhanced through technological innovations to meet the demands of contemporary urbanization. Through a comprehensive review of literature and analysis of case studies, this research provides insights into the sustainability, economic viability, and social benefits of incorporating indigenous architecture into modern urban development. The findings reveal that indigenous architectural practices, characterized by the use of locally sourced materials and climate-responsive designs, offer significant advantages in terms of environmental sustainability and social cohesion. The study highlights the potential for these practices to reduce the carbon footprint of urban housing and to create living environments that are more aligned with the cultural and social needs of urban residents. Additionally, the integration of modern construction technologies, such as stabilized earth blocks and renewable energy systems, was found to enhance the durability, efficiency, and scalability of traditional designs. In conclusion, the study underscores the importance of indigenous architecture in shaping sustainable and culturally relevant urban housing in Sub-Saharan Africa. It recommends that urban development policies prioritize the inclusion of these practices, supported by research and innovation that respect and enhance traditional methods. This approach will enable the region to address its housing challenges while preserving its rich cultural heritage, ultimately contributing to the creation of resilient and vibrant urban communities.

How Socio-Economic and Cultural Factors Shape Privacy in Ibadan's Public Housing Estates

This study investigates the socio-economic and cultural characteristics of residents in selected public housing estates in Ibadan, focusing on the privacy regulatory mechanisms they adopt. By employing a mixed-methods approach, the research involved administering questionnaires to 565 household heads and conducting in-depth interviews with eight key informants from neighbourhood associations. The findings indicate a significant majority (92.00%) of respondents have adopted privacy regulating mechanisms, with personal space and territorial behaviour being the most common. ANOVA results reveal a significant relationship between these mechanisms and the residents' socio-economic and cultural characteristics. Qualitative insights from key informants' interviews provided a nuanced understanding of residents' privacy needs, highlighting emotional and behavioural cues, as well as verbal and non-verbal data. The study concludes that privacy regulation in public housing varies across different estates and is influenced by nine socio-economic and cultural factors, offering guidance for sustainable housing design that considers contemporary urbanization's socio-economic impacts. These findings can inform architects and policymakers in creating housing designs that respect privacy and enhance the quality of life for residents.

Mapping sense of place as a measurable urban identity: Using street view images and machine learning to identify building façade materials

Sense of place, as an intangible perception, is widely recognized as an urban identity and of great value in both cross-cultural studies and contemporary urbanism. Building façade material can effectively capture sense of place due to its combination of physical and social attributes. Nevertheless, there are no widely implementable and high-resolution approaches to identify façade materials on a large scale. As a response, this study proposes a method using street view images (SVIs) and a set of deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to identify building façade materials. Specifically, a large cross-cultural training set was built to promote generalizability. Buildings within SVIs were divided into high-resolution rectangular images and classified using a well-trained Residual Network-50 (ResNet-50) model. Sense of place and its spatial patterns were then depicted by measuring façade material and analytical indicators including diversity and continuity. Eight cities worldwide with distinctive urban identities were examined. The findings revealed that compared to Asian cities, New York City, Chicago, and London are similar, while Paris and Tokyo are more distinctive. While challenges persist in comprehensively measuring the sense of place, the analysis of façade materials offers an insightful indicator that can assist in enhancing urban identity for contemporary urbanism. This study not only promotes the fine development of urban science through the empowerment of intelligent algorithms but also introduces a new perspective on exploring unmeasurable qualities based on the objective physical environment.

Un’urbanistica relazionale

The failure of contemporary Urbanism to cope with Climate Collapse has to do with its own approach to reality, which moves between imagination and the materialisation of human landscapes. As an answer to this weakness, two major Urbanism trends are, on the one hand, the exasperation of a hyper-technological and geo-engineering attitude and, on the other, the reframing of the nature and city relation. A paradigm shift that confronts climate emergency on a both planetary and territorial level. The traces of nature-city paradigm shift are at least three, recounted in the essay through some cases and research: the end of production and the emergence of a pluriversal “industrial nature”; the ecological turn and the urgency of “greening” strategies for cities; the failure of the traditional idea of “nature” and the need to reformulate the territorial project. What emerges is the possibility of a Relational Urbanism, in which the focus is mainly on the ways in which human and non-human actors interact, and not only on the ancestral debate on human rights and social control. Far from being a green utopia, the relational dimension of the project imposes itself as a collective intellectual risk and a necessary ethical commitment.

The Application of Art Therapy Methods in Alleviating Negative Emotions Among Contemporary Urban Youth

The Application of Art Therapy Methods in Alleviating Negative Emotions Among Contemporary Urban Youth

History and the present time, material and spiritual, modern and postmodern: socio-philosophical analysis of contemporary urbanism by the Kazan example

History and the present time, material and spiritual, modern and postmodern: socio-philosophical analysis of contemporary urbanism by the Kazan example

INNOVATIVE URBAN DEVELOPMENT: THE CONCEPT OF "SMART CITY" AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN THE U.S.

Along with the rapid development of information and communication technologies in the 21st century, implementation of innovative urban development practices and approaches has become a pivotal trend and direction of contemporary urbanization process. Smart cities are considered to be the main practical outcomes of innovative urban development. Meanwhile, the concepts of "smart city" and sustainability are mutually connected and determined: thus, the concept of "smart sustainable city" has emerged to characterize the use of smart and innovative urban technologies for achieving long-term and balanced urban development in socio-economic, institutional, cultural, and environmental aspects. Innovative urban development gets a particular significance for the U.S., taking into account the great share of country's urban population (above 80%), distribution of large and densely-settled urbanized areas across the country, as well as the uniqueness of the factor of urbanization in American lifestyle, economy, and social relations. The theoretical section of this paper is devoted to the study of aforementioned theoretical ideas and peculiarities of innovative urban development smart sustainable cities. It is followed by a practical section, where relevant cases of 5 American smart cities (New York City, San Francisco, Columbus, Austin and Chicago) were studied, compared and summarized.

Study on the spatial relationship between road network and the diversity of urban public facilities: the case of the central area of Changsha City

In the context of contemporary urbanization, the significance of diversifying urban public facilities has attracted significant attention. This study examines the relationship between road network and the diversity of urban public facilities in Changsha City. These factors are measured through the Shannon-Weiner Index and Space Syntax method. To provide greater specificity, the study employs Random Forest and Geographically Weighted Regression models to analyze the relationship between road networks and the diversity of urban public facilities. The results identify a nonlinear relationship between these variables. In addition, high accessibility exhibits a stronger association with diversity than accessibility alone, and this correlation is reflected in varying degrees of inconsistency across different study areas. Finally, the cartographic depiction of diversity clusters is overlaid on the road network, demonstrating a significant relationship between the configuration of the road network and diversity patterns. In conclusion, this research emphasizes the robust correlation between the roadway network and the diversity of urban public facilities. It prompts local governments to focus beyond mere equality, with a greater commitment to enhancing the quality of life for residents through diversity.

Comparative Assessment of Asartepe/Konya Hellenistic Period Settlement and Contemporary Urban Fabric

The village of Yeniceköy (Amblada), located in the Seydişehir/Konya provience, has a history dating back approximatelyten tousand years. It is estimated that the nearby city of Ververit has a history older than Çatalhöyük. The remains ofthe city wall, found to the east of Asartepe, are from the Hellenistic Period and indicate the presence of a large templein that era. Additionally, the wide plain to the west of Asartepe, referred to as the marketplace by the villagers, isbelieved to have been the city's agora during the Hellenistic period. Interaction between the ancient settlement andthe current one is observed, with many building materials from the ancient period being used in current buildings.Many of these materials contain decorative elements and embellishments from the Hellenistic period. Historicalresearch has been conducted on this region, which holds significant cultural depth, comparing the settlement fromancient times to the present day. Evaluations have been made considering the relationship between a Hellenisticperiod city and a modern city, with a focus on urban conservation.

Integration of RS and GIS in assessing flood risk: A Case Study on Istanbul - Esenyurt

Floods, exacerbated by escalating urbanization, pose significant threats to life and property globally. Over the past decade, the Esenyurt district in Istanbul has witnessed a series of floods, highlighting existing flood risks. Rapid population growth in this area and dense urbanization caused by intensive construction increase flood risks. Given these factors, the study focuses on examining the historical impact of urbanization on flood risks, considering spatial and temporal changes. Landsat-8 satellite data, specifically examining NDVI, NDBI, and BU, was employed to detect building imprints and reveal their historical backgrounds for temporal risk calculations. The analysis showed a sudden increase in urbanization rates in 2016, 2017, and 2021. In the flood risk calculations, 2014 data for a return period of 100 years were used and flood inundation depth, economic damages, affected population and depth-damage function were taken into consideration. The results indicate that from 2014 to 2022, increasing urbanization led to a 32.9% increase in the population affected by floods, a 22.3% rise in potential economic damage, and a 13.6% increase in total flood risk. The relationship between flood risks, contemporary urbanization, and its economic dimensions has been evaluated to reduce risks and achieve sustainable cities.

Housing Policy, Urbanization, and the Production of Homelessness in Greenland

Visible homelessness is on the rise in Nuuk, Greenland. Since the early 2000s, the number of people staying at the municipal shelter, accessing support programs, and registering as homeless in the community has, by a qualitative estimate grown. Attention has also been given to the growing number of Greenlanders living homeless in Danish cities. However, the literature on Greenlandic homelessness remains sparse, and very little literature conceptualizes homelessness in Greenland within its specific geographical, cultural, or social context. To better understand the emergence of visible homelessness, this article explores the social dimensions of homelessness and asks how homelessness can be understood within the dynamics of urbanization in Greenland. Drawing on four years of participant observation in Nuuk with homelessness outreach organizations, and 20 in-depth interviews with both service providers and men and women experiencing homelessness, and four lived experience focus groups, we find that the emergence of homelessness in Greenland is part and parcel of a trajectory of welfare colonialism, resettlement, and contemporary urbanization. We highlight four specific policy issues: 1) an existing housing stock in Nuuk inappropriate for diverse needs; 2) urbanization in the absence of a national housing or homelessness strategy; 3) a lack of integrated supports and reliance on the non-profit sector; 4) and an increasingly punitive approach to managing the limited housing supply. Stepping back, we argue that the emergence of visible northern homelessness is an important lens through which to understand the dynamics of northern urbanization, social marginalization and exclusion, and the continuation of colonial relations in the era of self-governance.

The Absurdity of the Ordinary: The Fragile Affinity Between Imagination and Materiality in the Finnish Urban Periphery

This anthropological study focuses on spatially ordered dimensions of sociocultural life in Kontula, a suburban housing estate located at the urban margins of Helsinki, Finland. With a notorious reputation since its construction in the 1960s, it has come to represent the numerous ills of contemporary urbanity, from poverty and substance abuse to failed immigration policies. Its urban transformation is explored as the entanglement of imagination and materiality, a make-believe space that privileges neither the social constructionist nor the purely materialist perspective. I study the everyday life of its inhabitants as recurring and routinized episodes, occasionally interrupted by events that disturb its embodied flow and force inhabitants to reflect upon their spatially situated practices. I argue that the everyday encounters in rapidly transforming Kontula are simultaneously experienced as absurd and ordinary, and constitute the ordering principles of its affective geography.

Environmental Change in Coastal Region of West Bengal: A District Level Study

The 21st century experiences a rapid pace of urbanization in the world and especially in the developing countries like- India. More than half of the world's population lives in cities and towns that symbolize the unprecedented growth of urbanization. This very urbanization is coupled with social, economic, spatial and environmental impacts and challenges. Though higher rate of urbanization seems to be positive sign for economic development and overall prosperity of the regions. Contemporary urbanization in developing regions means inadequate basic infrastructural amenities, substandard housing, overcrowding, depletion of green spaces, inadequate transport facilities, and non-compliance with building bye-laws and planning regulations. This leads to multiple and serious environmental problems in the form of pollution, deforestation, wet land destruction, erosion and flooding, urban sprawl, slums and squatter settlements, and aesthetic degradation which all have adverse impacts on human's well-being. Similar kinds of impacts are visible not only in the interior parts of the country but also in the coastal zones where urban places are facing multiple challenges and ecological crisis as well. The present study focuses on the development and environment in the coastal region (including districts East Medinipur and South 24-Parganas) of West Bengal, a state with 31.87 percent level of urbanization as per Census of India 2011. Since this study is in preliminary phase, there has been made an attempt to provide an overview on the quality of life and environmental conditions in the coastal region. Present study is based on secondary source of data and information, and tries to address the following objectives: a) to examine the urbanization- environment relationships and its consequences in the coastal areas, and b) to identify and explore the emerging issue areas and concerns in the coastal region of the state.