How Sustainable Is Our Urban Social-Sustainability Theory?

Liora Bigon () and Edna Langenthal
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Liora Bigon: Multidisciplinary Studies School, HIT—Holon Institute of Technology, Holon 5810201, Israel
Edna Langenthal: School of Architecture, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-7

Abstract: This short opinion article critically comments on some current mainstream trends, characteristics, and biases in urban social sustainability research literature. Through identifying some gaps regarding geography, sub-topics, and study approaches, and through considering “off-the-map” southern urban realities, it calls for the need to refocus and reshape some of the basic notions and presumptions that currently stand behind urban social sustainability theory, concepts, and policy design. Enhancing our sensitivity to truly global urban conditions, argue the authors, would result in less expected and generic (Eurocentric) approaches regarding urban social sustainability and would contribute to its more meaningful and comprehensive understanding. A bias towards qualitative, place-based, and context-sensitive analysis is a necessary step in rendering urban social sustainability truly global as well as in the making of more place-intelligent and place-responsive planning interventions.

Keywords: social sustainability theory and critique; urban social sustainability; global south; sub-Saharan Africa cities; social sustainability indicators (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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