What Makes a Compact City? Differences Between Urban Research in the Global North and the Global South

Authors

  • Jaan-Henrik Kain Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
  • Jenny Stenberg Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
  • Marco Adelfio Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
  • Michael Oloko Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Kenya
  • Liane Thuvander Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
  • Patrik Zapata University of Gothenburg, Sweden
  • María José Zapata Campos University of Gothenburg, Sweden,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v24i4.8581

Keywords:

compact city, urban qualities, taxonomy, Global South, Global North

Abstract

Compact cities are promoted in policy as a response to current societal challenges, but it is unclear or ambiguous what qualities or benefits a compact city is supposed to deliver. The concept of the compact city is widely debated in the research literature, and there are numerous arguments both for and against compact cities. However, many studies or reviews tend to apply a delimited approach, discussing a confined number of qualities or basing the assessment on fairly narrow empirical material. Research is also carried out from within a number of separate disciplines or “discourses”. This paper aims to provide a clearer and more consolidated understanding of the wide spectrum of qualities that make up the compact city in support of better planning, governance and management of cities in the Global South. The objective is to present a review of current articles discussing the compact city in order to capture similarities and differences in the academic discourse between Global North and Global South contexts, and to outline a comprehensive compact city taxonomy. This is achieved by answering three questions: (1) What types of urban qualities are discussed in scientific articles studying urban compactness? (2) (How) do articles focusing on Global North and Global South contexts differ when it comes to exploring compact city qualities? and (3) Do the findings indicate areas of research withing the broader scope of urban compactness where research should be initiated or strengthened? The analysis is based on literature searches in the Scopus database for 2012-2015 using the search term “compact city”. A quantitative assessment was carried out, sifting out what terms are used to label purported (or debated) qualities of compact cities. Papers are sorted into different categories according to geoeconomic context (i.e. Global North, BRICS, Global South). The outcome is an extended taxonomy of compact city qualities, including twelve categories. Weaknesses in compact city research aimed at cities in the Global South were identified, linked in particular to nature, health, environmental issues, quality of life, sociocultural aspects, justice and economy, as well as a significant lack of compact city research linked to urban adaptability and resilience.

The analysis is based on literature searches in the Scopus database for 2012-2015, using the search term “compact city”. A quantitative assessment was carried out, sifting out what terms are used to label purported (or debated) qualities of compact cities. Papers are sorted into different categories according to geoeconomic context (i.e., Global North, BRICS, Global South). The outcome is an extended taxonomy of compact city qualities, including twelve categories. Weaknesses in compact city research aimed at cities in the Global South were identified, especially linked to nature, health, environment issues, quality of life, sociocultural aspects, justice and economy, as well as a significant lack of compact city research linked to urban adaptability and resilience.

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Author Biographies

Jaan-Henrik Kain, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Jaan-Henrik Kain is Professor in Urban Transformation at the Departments of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. His research focus is on multi- stakeholder planning/design processes in Global South and North contexts. Focus is on e.g. urban transformation beyond sustainability, urban services provision and urban bio-based circular economy.

Jenny Stenberg, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Jenny Stenberg is Professor in Citizen Participation in Urban Planning at the Departments of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Chalmers. She focuses on social aspects of sustainable development, specifically citizen participation in design, planning and renovation. Her research is carried out in stigmatized and multicultural areas in Sweden, and in Europe, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Marco Adelfio, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Marco Adelfio is an Urban Planner with a PhD in Geography and Associate Professor in Applied Urbanism at the Departments of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Chalmers. He focuses on the role of local context in the configuration of the built environment and on multi-stakeholder processes contributing to socially sustainable urban/suburban development through mixing qualitative and quantitative methods and use of GIS.

Michael Oloko, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Kenya

Michael Oloko is a Senior Lecturer and researcher at the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Energy Technology at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in Kenya. His current research interest is on environmental engineering, integrated water resources management, renewable energy, urban agriculture and solid waste management in urban areas, with an overall focus on access/provision of basic services.

Liane Thuvander, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Liane Thuvander is Associate Professor in Sustainable Building at the Departments of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Chalmers. Her research focus is on visualization of social and environmental aspects, development and application of methodologies for spatial value mapping such as participatory mapping and dialogue tools, and implementation of knowledge in practice.

Patrik Zapata, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Patrik Zapata is a Professor at the School of Public Administration, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. His research interests concern the management of cities, sustainable organizing, waste management, labour market integration and language in organizations.

María José Zapata Campos, University of Gothenburg, Sweden,

María José Zapata Campos is Associate Professor at the Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Economics and Law, at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Her research focuses on grassroots for sustainability, at the intersection between civil society and local governments.

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Published

2020-12-15

How to Cite

Kain, J.-H., Stenberg, J., Adelfio, M., Oloko, M., Thuvander, L., Zapata, P., & Zapata Campos, M. J. (2020). What Makes a Compact City? Differences Between Urban Research in the Global North and the Global South. Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, 24(4), 25–49. https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v24i4.8581

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Original Articles

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