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Gendered experience of public space during childhood and adolescence, both in the global North and in the global South, creates asymmetries and inequalities between girls and boys in terms of levels of autonomy, opportunities for play and socialising, and sense of social safety. Young Architecture students, who grew up in a variety of settlements in Greece, were asked questions about the neighbourhood they lived in when they were 12 years old, an age that coincides with the end of middle childhood and the beginning of adolescence. The submissions included texts and/or maps, images, and free-hand drawings, describing everyday spaces and destinations, favourite journeys, places, and experiences. This paper focuses on the answers of girl students. The essays and visual boards (n = 50) reveal the matrix of different girlhoods, in conjunction to five different typologies of neighbourhoods: downtown districts, dense urban residential neighbourhoods, low-density urban residential areas, suburbs, and rural environments. Four main determinants, in terms of physical design, emerge as contributing to happy girlhoods: mixed uses on the ground floor, including commercial; traffic-calmed streets; availability of unprogrammed spaces close to home; and contact with nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Canada, Black, Indigenous and other youths of colour often have high aspirations, but many are not sure that they are attainable. Context can signal what is in or out of reach to youths, particularly environments that send repeated and proximal signals, like neighbourhoods. Notably, the Social Identity Approach suggests that in neighbourhoods with people like them doing well socioeconomically or being well represented in leadership, youths may see a place for people similar to them, which in turn could benefit how they view their identities and experience well‐being. In this exploratory research, Black, Indigenous and other youths of colour in Montréal (n = 179) were surveyed about their neighbourhood, social and future identities and well‐being. Regressions suggest that youths' neighbourhoods predict the extent to which they perceive that opportunities are accessible to people like them. Youths who reported more opportunities for people similar to them in their neighbourhood tended to report higher alignment between their racial/ethnic and ideal future identities and higher flourishing. The findings highlight the connection between neighbourhood factors—such as cues about whether similar people are welcomed, valued, and have access to opportunities—and the identities and well‐being of Black, Indigenous and other youths of colour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an intersectional analysis of LGBTQ definitions, experiences and perceptions of the 'gay-friendly' neighbourhood. It draws on interviews with a diverse group of LGBTQ people living in the London neighbourhood of Brixton to provide a situated interrogation of the ways that evaluations of place-based 'gay-un/friendliness' are made. The article argues that LGBTQ people's experiences of local places are frequently framed through cultural maps, which sustain and connect racialized and classed spatializations of sexual progress across multiple scales. Despite this tendency, however, other accounts – in particular those of long-term residents and queers of colour – provide contradictory evaluations of Brixton's 'gay-friendliness'. These trouble dominant assumptions about the conditions needed for LGBTQ flourishing and thereby suggest an expanded horizon for urban sexual politics. Examining the paradox of Brixton's designation as 'gay-unfriendly' even as it is a vibrant site of LGBTQ life, the article demonstrates the importance of an intersectional approach that attends to variations and specificities in the relationship between sexual politics, local places and LGBTQ experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization in the twenty-first century has experienced a significant slowdown, particularly in the Global North. However, population growth continues to escalate, with most of this increase occurring in the Global South. Most of that growth manifests in the urban environment as informal sett lements. These types of neighbourhoods deploy unique strategies to emerge and grow and can teach us much about the value of neighbourhoods as urban units in an uncertain future plagued by the challenges imposed by climate change, political polarization, and urban conflict. However, literature on neighbourhoods devotes litt le time to exploring these urban manifestations as areas of exploration and learning; instead, most of the scholarship focuses on ways to eradicate these places from our cities. As a result of this perspective, I argue that we have overlooked three important lessons that can be gleaned from informal sett lements: incrementality, sustainability, and self-reliance. These characteristics contribute to the resilience of the communities, making informal sett lements the predominant neighbourhoods of the twenty-first century. This paper examines global informal neighbourhood practices, unveiling unique community strategies. It reassesses neighbourhood value and offers insights into the urban changes necessary to tackle the next century's challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the connection between neighbourly relations and social cohesion. These concepts obviously overlap to a certain degree, but it is not clear how they are related. The crucial questions are if and how neighbourly relations can promote social cohesion. To answer this, a qualitative study based on interviews (n = 40) was conducted to examine neighbourly relations in two urban districts in Germany. Both districts are characterized by high levels of social segregation and cultural diversity but differ from each other in terms of the extent of resident turnover, the availability of local social service organizations, and their respective urban development profiles. The results show that there is a close connection between residents' perceptions of social cohesion and inclination for social participation in the neighbourhood. Local social service organizations and associations can play a critical role in facilitating the social encounters that create such perceptions. Basically, neighbourly relationships are influenced by the local conditions, especially by the extent of fluctuation but also by neighbourly behaviour, which promotes social cohesion at the neighbourhood level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a city like Naples, the concept of neighbourhood is continuously negotiated and redefined through everyday practices of urban interaction and through the existence of multiple forms of social capital that animate daily life. In the historic centre of the city the negotiation of the neighbourhoods is influenced by the coexistence and close proximity of different social groups, which compels us to think about the significance of the 'agency of place' and how social difference defines the neighbourhood itself. The diverse housing situations and economic activities shape the characteristics of these central neighbourhoods that, crucially, are not captured in formal, administrative definitions of the city's districts. Through the case of the Condominio Sociale di via S. Nicola a Nilo, a city council housing policy to build a socially inclusive block of flats, this article discusses how the coexistence of various inhabitants, social networks, and spatial relationships represent a fundamental feature of the concept of neighbourhood in Naples. In doing so, the article points to the importance of the 'agency of place' and the maintenance of social heterogeneity as key to inclusive urban policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of NEU Journal of Faculty of Architecture (NEU-MFD) / YDÜ Mimarlık Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of NEU Journal of Faculty of Architecture (NEU-MFD) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Neighbourhood plays an increasingly prominent role in the provision of elder care in light of population ageing. Many governments worldwide have committed to improving neighbourhoods to promote ageing in place. This article investigates the association between neighbourhood social conditions and depression among the elderly Hong Kong population ages 60 and older with a focus on neighbourhood elderly services, a modifiable factor with policy implications. Using two waves of data from the Hong Kong Panel Study of Social Dynamics (HKPSSD), the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression estimation reveals that neighbourhood centres aiming to encourage social interaction among the elderly are significantly related to reduced symptoms of depression. The beneficial effects of such facilities are greater among older individuals living in low socioeconomic (SES) neighbourhoods. These results suggest that neighbourhood-based services are effective in enhancing healthy ageing in an ultra-dense Chinese metropolis, and policies should put priority to address social service and facility issues in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to develop a house price forecasting model to investigate the impact of neighbourhood effect on property value. Design/methodology/approach: Multi-level modelling (MLM) method is used to develop the house price forecasting models. The neighbourhood effects, that is, socio-economic conditions that exist in various locations, are included in this study. Data from the local government area in Greater Sydney, Australia, has been collected to test the developed model. Findings: Results show that the multi-level models can account for the neighbourhood effects and provide accurate forecasting results. Research limitations/implications: It is believed that the impacts on specific households may be different because of the price differences in various geographic areas. The "neighbourhood" is an important consideration in housing purchase decisions. Practical implications: While increasing housing supply provisions to match the housing demand, governments may consider improving the quality of neighbourhood conditions such as transportation, surrounding environment and public space security. Originality/value: The demand and supply of housing in different locations have not behaved uniformly over time, that is, they demonstrate spatial heterogeneity. The use of MLM extends the standard hedonic model to incorporate physical characteristics and socio-economic variables to estimate dwelling prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Latin American & Caribbean Anthropology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Against the background of high levels of energy and resource demand in the residential sector, this paper investigates one potential way of making housing more sufficient: sharing at the neighbourhood level. Evidence from French and German case studies of ‘collaborative housing’ and ‘developer-driven neighbourhood sharing’ is used to identify two types of popular sharing practices: community-oriented and convenience-oriented. The first group of sharing practices is underpinned by creating, maintaining and experiencing social ties with neighbours. The second group of practices is guided by getting day-to-day tasks done smoothly and efficiently. To support the establishment of such sharing practices, some social and organisational measures are suggested. Thus, convenience-oriented sharing practices may be promoted by infrastructures and associated services that optimise the availability of sharing facilities and minimise temporal stretches and consumption work involved in practice performances. Community-oriented sharing practices may benefit from infrastructural arrangements that enable chance encounters, privilege community spaces over private areas and create welcoming spatial atmospheres. Practice relevance Together with other alternative housing models such as tiny houses, micro-apartments or modular flats, neighbourhood sharing presents an innovation that has the potential to redefine the understanding of what the home is for. Which daily activities will be located within the home in the future, and which ones might be ‘externalised’, for instance, by making use of shared resources? This study provides valuable insights. By analysing three exemplary neighbourhoods in France and Germany, it identifies two popular kinds of sharing practices: convenience-oriented and community-oriented. New ideas are presented for how housing actors, in particular, housing companies, may support such sharing practices by suitable infrastructures and services.

As nature increasingly belongs in city policies, shared chicken coops constitute an interesting prism to learn about care in the city and experiment with it. Indeed, these spaces lie at the crossroads of different forms of proximity (geographical, organised and even virtual) and contribute to the development of neighbourly relations and care towards both human and non-human living creatures.

This article seeks to grasp the current dynamic of the European Union’s enlargement policy as shaped by the exogenous shock of the Russian full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. It argues that external pressures matter as windows of opportunity, but the precise nature of the EU’s response to this geopolitical push is shaped by internal factors. Building on a recent work by Frank Schimmelfennig (2021), it further argues that the new enlargement dynamic can be usefully illuminated by the concept of bordering. More concretely, this research highlights external de-bordering and re-bordering strategies pursued by the relevant political actors within the EU, as they purposefully seek to use the geopolitical window of opportunity to transform existing bordering constellations in line with their preferences. Empirically, this article sheds light on Europe’s border-based games while drawing an analytical line between de-bordering and re-bordering strategies. The analysis reveals the limits of de-bordering, even under geopolitical and security emergency, but also underlines opportunities for agency.

The paper discusses the role of private planning consultants as intermediary-actors and their implications in relation to planning theory and practice. To do so, the paper focuses on niche consultants involved in servicing neighbourhood scale plan-making in England, clarifying that they hold crucial agency in local planning processes and adding to the understanding of consultancy roles and co-production dynamics in planning. The paper draws together the literature on private sector consultancy and on intermediaries, along with theoretical work highlighting the diversification of planning, the rise of the collaborative turn and the effect of regulation on creating niche markets in planning expertise. The conclusions drawn help clarify the 'action on others' that planning consultants, as intermediary-actors, have in collaborative governance and planning in and beyond neighbourhood planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nesting success tends to increase with age in birds, in part because older birds select more concealed nest sites based on experience and/or an assessment of prevailing predation risk. In general, greater plant diversity is associated with more biodiversity and more vegetation cover. Here, we ask if older Darwin's finch males nest in areas with greater vegetation cover and if these nest sites also have greater avian species diversity assessed using song. We compared patterns in Darwin's Small Tree Finch (Camarhynchus parvulus) and Darwin's Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) as males build the nest in both systems. We measured vegetation cover, nesting height, and con- vs. heterospecific songs per minute at 55 nests (22 C. parvulus, 33 G. fuliginosa). As expected, in both species, older males built nests in areas with more vegetation cover and these nests had less predation. A novel finding is that nests of older males also had more heterospecific singing neighbors. Future research could test whether older males outcompete younger males for access to preferred nest sites that are more concealed and sustain a greater local biodiversity. The findings also raise questions about the ontogenetic and fitness consequences of different acoustical experiences for developing nestlings inside the nest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it has been shown that identification with a neighbourhood community can support intergroup relations within the community by providing resources to cope with intergroup contact, previous research has not investigated how the perceived diversity of the neighbourhood identity influences this process. This study extends research on neighbourhood identification by focusing on a specific group (mothers of small children), examining how and when identification with other mothers living in the same neighbourhood is related to intergroup contact with local outgroup mothers. We examined this in a survey study, for which we collected data from both Finnish majority and immigrant mothers at public maternal and child healthcare centres (N = 733). Our study showed that identification with the neighbourhood mother community was positively associated with intergroup contact, partly via perceived social support from other neighbourhood mothers for both Finnish majority and immigrant mothers. Our study additionally revealed that the perceived proportion of outgroup mothers in the local mother community moderated the relationship between identification and intergroup contact for both groups. Our findings highlight the significance of considering perceived diversity for determining when identification will support intergroup contact. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a class of regression models with cumulative logistic functions that are chiefly designed to analyse spatially dependent ordinal data. In contrast to previous works, the proposed model requires neither the sites to be regularly spaced nor the assumption of an underlying continuous variable. It belongs to a more general class of Markov random field models, and can be considered an extension of the ordinal regression model with the proportional odds link function. Our proposed model allows practitioners to interpret the model parameters using odds ratios. Apart from the theoretical developments, this work also highlights the practical aspects of model fitting, including parameterisation, selection of neighbourhood, and calculation of standard errors. Simulation studies with regularly and irregularly spaced sites were conducted. Modelling strategies including pseudo-likelihood methods were found to be useful in both settings. The proposed model and the non-spatial counterpart were applied to the daily air quality index measured in the United Kingdom. The results indicate the presence of spatial effects and the incorporation of spatial effects led to better model performance in terms of various goodness-of-fit measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is there consensus among criminologists about the meaning of informal social control? Some prominent criminologists say no. We conduct a concept consensus review of all articles using the term in the top 10 journals in criminology from 2010 to 2020 to test their dissensus assertion. We found 597 articles that mention informal social control. Of the 228 articles where the term was important to the study, only 41 attempt to define the concept. We assessed each conceptual definition using four definitional elements: subject, action, object, and reason. One or more elements were missing from most conceptual definitions. Combining the mode of the most specified elements, informal social control may mean "residents intervening with youth/children to reduce crime." But dissensus is more common than consensus; authors differ on who applied controls, what those controls were, who was controlled, or the reasons for the control. This raises questions about how to proceed with the study of informal social control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a diverse spectrum of neighbour relations as depicted in recent Polish women's literature. Representations of neighbourhood in family sagas, herstorical and autoethnographic narratives, neo-post-settlement novels and pathographies are discussed (novels by Joanna Bator, Dominika Buczak, Agnieszka Kuchmister, Dorota Kotas, Aleksandra Zielińska). The article also address the problem of neighbourhood in a post-anthropocentric perspective, transcending interpersonal relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of this article is the non-obviousness of the holiday neighbourhood of Polish visitors and German hosts in Sopot in the first decades of the 20th century, especially in the interwar period. Admittedly, this was a temporary neighbourhood, but its context was obviously the historical neighbourhood of the two nations. The crucial question, then, is: what is the result of the particular intermingling of these two communities? The answer to it must take into account the history of twentieth-century Sopot. Stanisław Dygat's writings - selected novels, short stories and columns - serve as a literary illustration of the phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a microhistorical analysis of neighbourly relations in Lviv in the interwar period, especially in its second decade, placed in a broader cultural, social and political context. Archival research helps demonstrate the interference between the sphere of national communities and that of local communities, and between public discourses and narratives reflecting and shaping interpersonal relations, such as neighbourly conversations, gossip and intrigues. Accounts created by Lviv's neighbourhoods representing different nationalities - Polish and Ukrainian - for example their denunciations, testimonies and accusations, shed light on the tension between the physical (territorial) proximity of neighbours and their socio-psychological distance, or rather politically motivated hostility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines care as a contested bio‐political arena defining the daily lives of live‐in domestic care migrants in Hong Kong. It asks what roles migration infrastructures and mundane city landscapes play in mediating associated everyday care dynamics. Empirically, it examines two sets of care‐related infrastructures in the city that intimately mediate the population's everyday experience of care. The paper first examines the ways the regulatory infrastructures of the city state, whose operational logics are aligned with the production of 'permanent temporariness' and disposability, systematically deny migrants' access to institutional care for themselves. Second, the papers examine the ways care migrants improvise with the city's situational urban geographies and their human bodies as infrastructure resources during regular work‐bound urban outings to elaborate provisional, localised and informal care infrastructures. While not without challenges, these improvised informal care infrastructures essentially allow the migrant care‐labor population to live with their institu‐tionalised precarity. Overall, the paper makes three contributions. First, it reconceptualises live‐in domestic care migrants as urban actors capable of both navigating and crafting their own care infrastructures in the city, even during workdays. Second, it foregrounds 'care' as an urban and socio‐technical construct in relation to both bio‐political control and interpersonal coping. Third, it employs the ideas of precarity, provisionality and robustness to unpack the bio‐political systems that shape migrants' experiences of care. The findings are based on an analysis of the city's migration regulations and the actual urban work‐life stories of a small group of live‐in domestic care migrants based on participants' personal diaries and interviews with the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainty pervades real life and supposes a challenge for all industrial processes as it makes it difficult to predict the outcome of otherwise risk-free activities. In particular, time deviation from projected objectives is one of the main sources of economic losses in manufacturing, not only for the delay in production but also for the energy consumed by the equipment during the additional unexpected time they have to work to complete their labour. In this work we deal with uncertainty in the flexible job shop, one of the foremost scheduling problems due to its practical applications. We show the importance of a good model to avoid introducing unwanted imprecision and producing artificially pessimistic solutions. In our model, the total energy is decomposed into the energy required by resources when they are actively processing an operation and the energy consumed by these resources simply for being switched on. We propose a set of metrics and carry out an extensive experimental analysis that compares our proposal with the more straightforward alternative that directly translates the deterministic model. We also define a local search neighbourhood and prove that it can reach an optimal solution starting from any other solution. Results show the superiority of the new model and the good performance of the new neighbourhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established that urban form can encourage or hinder daily walking activity. Consequently, urban form has a direct impact on both spatial accessibility and the ability of achieving daily physical activity recommendations. However, the relationship between urban form and walking patterns may present relevant differences among different population subgroups, for instance in terms of gender. In order to analyse how the relationship between urban form and daily walking time might be modulated by gender, the present study aims to explore walking patterns of men and women living in different neighbourhood types in Barcelona Metropolitan Region (Spain). For this purpose, the study uses data extracted from a smartphone tracking app among a rather specific population group: young adults who commute daily to the same destination. The findings show that compact urban forms promote gender equality. The study especially sheds light on the disadvantaged position of young women living in small towns and suburbs, who walk much less than other women and any men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between belonging to a disadvantaged socio-economic status or social class and health outcomes has been consistently documented during recent decades. However, a meta-analysis quantifying the association between belonging to a lower social class and the risk of dementia has yet to be performed. In the present work, we sought to summarise the results of prospective, longitudinal studies on this topic. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective, longitudinal studies measuring the association between indicators of social class and the risk of all-cause/Alzheimer's dementia. The search was conducted in four databases (Medline, Embase, Web of Science and PsychInfo). Inclusion criteria for this systematic review and meta-analysis were: (a) longitudinal prospective study, (b) aged ⩾60 years at baseline, (c) issued from the general population, (d) no dementia at baseline and (e) mention of social class as exposure. Exclusion criteria were: (a) study of rare dementia types (e.g. frontotemporal dementia), (b) abstract-only papers and (c) articles without full text available. The Newcastle–Ottawa scale was used to assess the risk of bias in individual studies. We calculated the overall pooled relative risk of dementia for different social class indicators, both crude and adjusted for sex, age and the year of the cohort start. Results: Out of 4548 screened abstracts, 15 were included in the final analysis (76,561 participants, mean follow-up 6.7 years (2.4–25 years), mean age at baseline 75.1 years (70.6–82.1 years), mean percentage of women 58%). Social class was operationalised as levels of education, occupational class, income level, neighbourhood disadvantage and wealth. Education (relative risk (RR)=2.48; confidence interval (CI) 1.71–3.59) and occupational class (RR=2.09; CI 1.18–3.69) but not income (RR=1.28; CI 0.81–2.04) were significantly associated with the risk of dementia in the adjusted model. Some of the limitations of this study are the inclusion of studies predominantly conducted in high-income countries and the exclusion of social mobility in our analysis. Conclusions: We conclude that there is a significant association between belonging to a social class and the risk of dementia, with education and occupation being the most relevant indicators of social class regarding this risk. Studying the relationship between belonging to a disadvantaged social class and dementia risk might be a fruitful path to diminishing the incidence of dementia over time. However, a narrow operationalisation of social class that only includes education, occupation and income may reduce the potential for such studies to inform social policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a well-planned and well-designed neighbourhood might seem essential for the social life and satisfaction of the residents of a neighbourhood, there is a limited amount of research that examines the influence of features of urban design on perceived social attributes. This article, based on comparative on-site assessments and survey research carried out in Angell Town (London) and Greater Leys (Oxford), UK, deliberately selected according to their contrasting types of planning/design, aims to investigate whether the situational, morphological, spatial, and aesthetic features of urban environment impact on neighbourhood attachment, satisfaction, and quality of life. Overall, the evidence from this study shows that perceived social attributes and quality of life are strongly linked to urban design and physical environment characteristics, as well as perceived physical attributes of the neighbourhood. The respondents of Angell Town, a consciously designed development, were found to have a stronger sense of community, more profound sense of the neighbourhood as home, stronger agreement on the friendliness of their neighbourhood, stronger attachment to their neighbourhood, more satisfaction with their neighbourhood, and richer perception of quality of life in their neighbourhood, compared to respondents of Greater Leys, a typical development based on planning that ignores urban design principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Los Remedios, 2021 MAX prize winner for Best New Author, embarks on a journey through personal memories, making use of autofiction in a comic key, not without moments of profound sensitivity. This article analyses the sociological foundations justifying such necessity for self-knowledge—widely extended in contemporary playwriting—as well as the philosophical and literary references of which the author makes use. Likewise, it determines the structures forming his identity genesis, such as family, neighbourhood or school, and how he establishes the art of theatre, together with friendship, as his anchorage to the complex world around him.

Conviviality can briefly be defined as togetherness among strangers despite their differences. While most of the research on conviviality focuses on (inter-)cultural differences, this article argues that considering other kinds of differences (e.g., socio-economic status, gender, age, stage of the life course, etc.) may increase our understanding of conviviality. In addition, to help us measure the convivial use of public space, the article looks at participation in “optional activities” (e.g., enjoying the sun, playing), which contribute to a convivial atmosphere by encouraging people to be co-present, thus offering the potential for “thicker sociability.” Based on fieldwork consisting of behavioural mapping (n = 1,448) and an intercept survey (n = 1,474), this study explores key factors that increase the likelihood of people using three small public squares in Zurich, Switzerland, in a convivial way. A logistic regression model based on survey data shows that, even when controlling for individual factors, the squares and their affordances contribute substantially to convivial use, e.g., by providing ample seating. The model furthermore suggests that gender, people’s relationship to the neighbourhood, their occupation, and the time of day, are more significant factors in shaping convivial use of the squares than the cultural background, socio-economic status, age, or having children.

Abstract Background Growing evidence indicates associations between neighbourhood-related factors such as pollution, social isolation and physical inactivity, and cognition, that is, our ability to think clearly, learn and remember. The evidence raises the possibility of neighbourhood intervention playing a role in protecting population cognitive health. However, there is little understanding of these associations among the public and policy-makers, what they mean and how they might be acted on. In this study we explored perceptions of the public and policy-makers about influences of neighbourhood factors on brain functioning, and how they should inform policy. Methods Qualitative methods were used in three phases; the study ran in parallel with a quantitative study looking at neighbourhood influences on cognition. In phase one, focus groups were conducted with middle-aged (40–69) members of the public to inform statistical modelling. In phase two, similar focus groups were held in four case study areas chosen based on the modelling results. In phase three, interviews with people in public health and policy roles were conducted, including people in the case study sites. Results Participants described effects on their cognition from community, culture and social interactions, access to green spaces and nature, upkeep and safety of the area, and pollution, traffic and noise. Solutions included better local consultation and involvement in policy and planning, support for community interactions and active and public transport, and education on cognition. There was little awareness, but much interest, from local policy-makers and implementers, about links between cognition and place. Barriers to implementation included lack of: effective engagement with local communities, local funding and joined-up health and neighbourhood policy. Conclusions People can perceive impacts of neighbourhoods on brain functioning and suggest ways local areas can be improved to support cognitive health. There is support for the idea of population-level interventions to support cognitive health.

People responsible for shaping the future of cities often seek valuable tools to assist in their decision-making processes. Using objective, quantified, and analysed data proves highly beneficial when determining where to focus interventions at the city level. Various urban indexes have been established to measure different aspects of urban life, ranging from sustainability to liveability. These indexes encompass multiple dimensions of a city, including mobility and walkability, among others. The age-friendly cities initiative developed indicators for assessing the age-friendliness of cities. Some researchers further refined these indicators to focus on urban planning competencies. Building on this foundation, this article aims to present an Age-Friendly Neighbourhood Index (AFNI) validated by a panel of experts using the Delphi method. This index can serve as a valuable tool for urban planners when they need to prioritise interventions to enhance age-friendliness at neighbourhood scale. The article also outlines the necessary data and measurement techniques for these indicators. The AFNI has been applied to a real case study in the city of Santander (Spain). This application assesses the age-friendliness of various neighbourhoods in Santander, demonstrating the challenges in acquiring sub-local quality data and emphasising the need for data-driven urban management.

Urban planning education must address the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP) to comprehend the critical impact of urban density on sustainable city development. Quantitative studies using administrative area units face indefinite aggregate level biases. This paper introduces an efficient block-searching method to calculate property densities around residences of various boundary scales and empirically examines their relationship with housing prices in Auckland, New Zealand. Results reveal negative associations between housing prices and densities within neighbourhoods, emphasising the limitations of administrative boundaries. These findings underscore the necessity for planning education to navigate MAUP’s complexities in shaping urban development policies.

Nowadays, the methodology aiming to achieve carbon neutrality and net zero energy on a large scale is known. Despite this, few specialists are mastering this technology globally. What new scenarios. applied at the neighbourhood scale. generate a significant reduction in the rate of CO2 emissions and energy demand? In addition, a lack of massive, regular, and consistent data on carbon emissions and energy consumption has made it significantly difficult to understand the origins of climate change at the building and neighbourhood scales. This work has, as its main goal, the assessment of different strategies that facilitate reduction in the concentration of CO2 and lower energy demands at the district level. The life cycle assessment of a new district has been carried out over 100 years during the four stages of the life cycle of the neighbourhood (construction, operation, demolition and end of life). The results showed that up to 93% of greenhouse gas (GHG) was produced during the operational stage. The energy demand due to transport and waste management represented 60% of the total energy demand of the district during the operational stage. There is still a possibility to maintain air temperature growth around 1.5 °C in the next decade by means of the following: Global warming + 100% of heavy renovation of all buildings + 100% of electric car − renewable energy. This strategy would facilitate a reduction of over 92% of the CO2 produced at the district level.

Abstract Aims Prior research indicates that neighbourhood disadvantage increases dementia risk. There is, however, inconclusive evidence on the relationship between nativity and cognitive impairment. To our knowledge, our study is the first to analyse how nativity and neighbourhood interact to influence dementia risk. Methods Ten years of prospective cohort data (2011–2020) were retrieved from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a nationally representative sample of 5,362 U.S. older adults aged 65+. Cox regression analysed time to dementia diagnosis using nativity status (foreign- or native-born) and composite scores for neighbourhood physical disorder (litter, graffiti and vacancies) and social cohesion (know, help and trust each other), after applying sampling weights and imputing missing data. Results In a weighted sample representing 26.9 million older adults, about 9.5% (n = 2.5 million) identified as foreign-born and 24.4% (n = 6.5 million) had an incident dementia diagnosis. Average baseline neighbourhood physical disorder was 0.19 (range 0–9), and baseline social cohesion was 4.28 (range 0–6). Baseline neighbourhood physical disorder was significantly higher among foreign-born (mean = 0.28) compared to native-born (mean = 0.18) older adults (t = −2.4, p = .02). Baseline neighbourhood social cohesion was significantly lower for foreign-born (mean = 3.57) compared to native-born (mean = 4.33) older adults (t = 5.5, p < .001). After adjusting for sociodemographic, health and neighbourhood variables, foreign-born older adults had a 51% significantly higher dementia risk (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.19–1.90, p < .01). There were no significant interactions for nativity with neighbourhood physical disorder or social cohesion. Conclusions Our findings suggest that foreign-born older adults have higher neighbourhood physical disorder and lower social cohesion compared to native-born older adults. Despite the higher dementia risk, we observed for foreign-born older adults, and this relationship was not moderated by either neighbourhood physical disorder or social cohesion. Further research is needed to understand what factors are contributing to elevated dementia risk among foreign-born older adults.

While deep energy renovations of buildings have been implemented for over a decade, the pace and volume of building upgrades are still insufficient to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Therefore, it is urgent to adopt technological and management innovations to significantly improve renovation performance. A significant portion of Europe's building stock was constructed after World War II using industrial methods, often in concentrated districts. It is reasonable to consider mass-renovating these dwellings that require urgent structural and energy performance upgrades. This paper aims to assess the extent to which EU member states are planning to implement mass-renovations and identify the main barriers to initiating and mainstreaming mass-renovation approaches. We conducted a content analysis of EU member states' long-term renovation strategies (n = 29) and used in-depth interviews (n = 16) with representatives of the renovation supply side in Estonia. Our findings reveal that the recent iteration of national long-term renovation strategies demonstrates a weak approach to mass-renovations. Only the regions of Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium have provided specific action plans. While one third of states have mentioned the theoretical benefits of mass-renovations, most countries have not addressed this approach at all. The interviews revealed that maintaining consistent demand, involving large new builders, and adopting offsite prefabrication of renovation components are key factors for initiating or mainstreaming mass-renovations. First, we propose that EU member states include mass-renovation goals and action plans in the next version of strategic documents that determine the financing of energy efficiency. Second, central governments should empower local governments with the necessary skills and resources to lead district-based renovation adoption. Third, we suggest that countries make significant investments in industrializing current resource-consuming onsite renovation practices to transition towards off-site prefab serial renovation.

Neighbourhood characteristics can facilitate or hinder the development of social ties, thereby influencing the loneliness of those who live in them. Most research to date has focused upon how either older adults (65+) or youth (under 19 years old) view and experience their neighbourhood, paying little attention to young adults (aged 16–24). Young adults are the loneliest age-group within the UK and other Western countries. Their loneliness is associated with living in deprived communities (e.g., areas experiencing social-economic inequalities), feeling a strong sense of disconnection from their neighbourhoods and having little trust in others within these spaces. Therefore, this study utilises social representations theory to explore how young adults (18–24 years old) from London's four most deprived boroughs view and experience their neighbourhood using a systematic, qualitative methodology. In particular, the concept of dialogical antimonies, known as themata are used. A purposive sample of forty-eight participants was asked to write and/or draw where they felt loneliest and where they felt most socially connected in their neighbourhoods. These associations were then explored via an open-ended, exploratory interview. This revealed that the experience of neighbourhood was structured around four themata: 1) having no one to talk to/being disconnected from others vs. being with family or friends, 2) feeling bored/having nothing to do vs. having shared interests, goals or activities, 3) being in an unfamiliar environment vs. seeing familiar faces/having a sense of community, 4) busy vs. peaceful environment. On this basis, suggestions and implications for the design of wellbeing-enhancing neighbourhoods are discussed.

In the western world, the ageing population is becoming more ethnically diverse. Research has shown the importance of physical and social neighbourhood resources for the well-being realisation of older adults. However, the relative importance of neighbourhood resources for the well-being realisation of older Surinamese adults remains unknown. We conducted a Q-methodology study in April–July 2022 to capture the variety of viewpoints of older adults (age ≥ 65 years) with Surinamese backgrounds in the Netherlands on neighbourhood age-friendliness and well-being realisation. A purposive sample of 33 participants ranked 38 neighbourhood-related opinion statements according to their importance for their well-being and explained their rankings during follow-up interviews. By-person factor analysis of the data was conducted to identify common patterns in the statement rankings. Three distinct viewpoints in which various aspects were considered to be important were extracted: 1) a safe neighbourhood in which to stay socially active, 2) a supportive neighbourhood in which to stay independent and 3) a well-maintained neighbourhood with involved residents. These results suggest that not all older Surinamese adults in the Netherlands find the same neighbourhood resources to be important for the realisation of well-being.

This article examines how neighbourhood communality emerges and is restricted by a range of conditions, a topic that has received increasing attention in current research yet remains unresolved. The concept of communality provides a lens through which to examine how a variety of intersectional factors related to the informants’ social status affect the perceptions of the sense of community in the study’s focus neighbourhoods in Vaasa, Finland, where interview materials were gathered. The analysis scrutinizes the ways in which local institutions, the environment and residents interact with the three types of narration gestalts – inclusion, recollection and segregation – construing the idea of communality in the studied neighbourhoods. The study combines actor-network theory with intersectionality to gain insight into how and where people come together and interact. It became clear that the target neighbourhoods and people who live there are marginalized and seen as ‘others’ because of their socioeconomic status and other demographics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU has long positioned itself as a peace project, seeking to transcend the traditional restrictions of geopolitics and realpolitik in order to engage in values- and norms-based social reform and local governance. However, with the onset of the Arab Spring and the Ukraine crisis, the neighborhood region has become a "ring of fire", and the EU's idea and practice of neighborhood strategy have taken a significant turn. This paper mainly adopts a policy text and case study approach. Through the analysis of the EU's neigh-bourhood policy texts and practices, this paper argues that the EU's strategic narrative on the neighborhood has shifted from a normative orientation to a security orientation, and is guided by geopolitical thinking, presenting a hierarchical order of geopolitical model, adopting a differentiated strategy for the neighborhood, and pursuing its own geostrategic interests more aggressively. Overall, the change in the EU's neigh‐borhood governance philosophy and practice has reduced the relevance of its norm-based association, while the practice of exclusionary competition is not only detrimental to the neighbor‐ hood's economic and social development, but also undermines EU's overall credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]