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Background: We aimed to estimate the prevalence of physical inactivity in all districts of Iran and the disparities between subgroups defined by various measures. Methods: Small area estimation method was employed to estimate the prevalence of physical inactivity in districts based on the remaining districts in which data on the level of physical inactivity were available. Various comparisons on the estimations were done based on socioeconomic, sex, and geographical stratifications to determine the disparities of physical inactivity among districts of Iran. Results: All districts of Iran had a higher prevalence of physical inactivity compared with the world average. The estimated prevalence of physical inactivity among all men in all districts was 46.8% (95% uncertainty interval, 45.9%–47.7%). The highest and lowest estimated disparity ratio of physical inactivity were 1.95 and 1.14 in males, and 2.25 and 1.09 in females, respectively. Females significantly had a higher prevalence of 63.5% (62.7%–64.3%). Among both sexes, the poor population and urban residents significantly had higher prevalence of physical inactivity than rich population and rural residents, respectively. Conclusions: The high prevalence of physical inactivity among Iranian adult population suggests the urgent need to adopt population-wide action plans and policies to handle this major public health problem and avert the probable burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the factors that influence poverty has been seen as one of the ways of identifying appropriate poverty alleviation strategies in cities. This has been done, in most cases, through the application of ordinary least squares (OLS), which assumes homogeneous influence without considering the spatial heterogeneity that may occur in this influence. This study aims to determine the spatial heterogeneity in the influence of public infrastructure, economic, environmental, and social factors on poverty, by carrying out comparison analysis using OLS and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) in ArcGIS Pro 3.0.1, with a view of proffering poverty alleviation strategies for each section of an urban area. A questionnaire in Geographic Open Data Kit (GeoODK) was administered to 366 urban residents across the twenty wards in the selected city in Nigeria. The results reveal that factors that influence income poverty are spatially varying in direction and weight across a city. Spatial heterogeneity of poverty’s determinants should be considered in the formulation and implementation of effective poverty alleviation policies and programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tries to investigate the question of whether the poverty ratio across Indian states is converging in the post-2000s. We addressed this question of spatial convergence of the poverty ratio using unconditional convergence over the period 2004–05 to 2018–19 for 18 major states of India, considering both rural and urban regions. We used the unit-level data of NSSO’s Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CES) for the 61st, 68th and PLFS 2018–19 rounds for the analysis. Besides, we try to assess the driving factors of poverty through a panel regression model. The results reveal that in the first period from 2004–05 to 2011–12, Indian states experienced a divergence in the overall poverty ratio and rural poverty. However, the second period, 2011–12 to 2018–19, witnessed no specific trend of convergence or divergence across states. Again, in the case of urban poverty, there is no particular pattern of poverty convergence or divergence during both periods. The study shows that the Gini coefficient, educational expenditure, household size, infant mortality, literacy rate, MPCE, primary-sector income and per capita power availability are the significant determinants of poverty in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Global South, the urban poor are heavily policed and bear the brunt of police violence. Evidence suggests that the urban poor also support punitive policing. Why do those individuals most affected by police violence also appear to support increased police presence in their neighborhoods? Combining extensive fieldwork with a public opinion survey in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, this paper develops a theory that the urban poor support punitive policing because it reduces other forms of violence they are routinely exposed to in public spaces. Our argument contrasts with the prevalent hypothesis that support for punitive policing amongst the urban poor originates in conservative views of security provision. Because Uruguay is a least likely case for this argument, our results are highly informative. The results demonstrate the deeply unequal distribution of the lived experience of authoritarian coercive practices in an otherwise democratic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the livelihood vulnerability of the urban poor households due to urban flood. The Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) and IPCC-LVI framework were applied for analysing the vulnerability of Mirpur Slum (MPS) and Rail-line Slum (RLS) in Dhaka city. The findings indicate that slum settlements with similar characteristics could have different levels of vulnerability due to their households' attributes and the characteristics of the surrounding neighbourhoods. This study provides insights of livelihood vulnerability of the urban poor which appeals for effective urban flood adaptation strategies through enhancing public health, water access and food security for the slum dwellers. The findings and recommendations derived from this study are likely applicable to other cities in Bangladesh and to other countries including global south with similar socio-economic profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a poststructuralist analysis of zoning practices and their implementation in the global South, critically analysing the development of two parallel housing processes arising as a consequence of zoning: informality and customary land use management systems in peri‐urban settlements. Using a Bourdieusian analysis, the article evaluates the tension between zoning and informality in which zoning furthers special interests and creates highly unequal power relations by commodifying space and marginalizing the urban poor. In response, pro‐poor forms of counter‐conduct such as inclusionary zoning and informality serve to alter the perspective of normative planning and create alternative spaces that generate agency for the urban poor. This raises questions regarding the nature of current zoning practices in terms of social justice and distributive ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enormous ensembles of energy resources have elevated Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) to a prominent position in the world energy scene as a leading region in forming a sustainable energy future. However, over half of the population in the region lives without electricity and less than 20% of the population has access to clean fuels. The excessive reliance on fossil fuels such as coal, kerosene, and solid biomass has implications for environmental outcomes in SSA. Nevertheless, the environmental impact of energy poverty from the SSA perspective remains an under‐explored terrain in the research landscape. In this context, to address the pressing challenges of energy poverty and environmental sustainability, this study aims to explore the threat energy poverty poses on the ecological footprints, focusing on “land‐use, carbon footprint, forestry resources, and fishing ground” across 35 SSA countries using disaggregated data covering the period 2000 and 2021. This study employs the novel Method of the Moments Quantile Regression following the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology model as the reference theoretical and analytical framework. The findings disclose heterogeneous effects of rural and urban energy poverty on ecological footprint items. When comparing the magnitudes, we found that rural energy poverty has a more detrimental impact on land‐use than urban energy poverty. Energy poverty is found to have no reliable power to explain the variation in carbon footprint and fishing ground. In the meantime, urban energy poverty exerts a positive effect on forestry resource sustainability. Surprisingly, population density is found to have a significant and desirable impact on land‐use. Based on the obtained results, numerous policy suggestions have been discussed along with some prospects for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing enthusiasm for collaborative planning and housing revitalization projects has instigated change in the institutional arena from government to multi-stakeholder domains for more democratic and sustainable outcomes. However, several projects, especially at the community level, failed to strengthen community power and voice, resulting in short-term community-driven activities. Amidst growing academic concerns over the efficacy of collaborative planning in housing revitalization projects and community empowerment, this paper presents two case studies from Indonesia – Laweyan (Surakarta) and Cibangkong (Bandung) – as counter-examples. The discussion is centred on the institutional capacity of urban poor communities, which has been historically perceived as weak and passive, to contribute ideas and initiatives in sustaining collaborative planning practices despite decreasing support from the government. The findings suggest that the relational resources, maintained through informal business networking within the poor community led by community leaders, are critical in reshaping their institutional capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban informality is one of the most hotly debated concepts in the fields of geography and urban studies. However, one narrative that has assumed hegemony and dominated conventional scholarship is the view that it is peculiar to the urban poor or subaltern group. In this paper, I contend that little to no empirical attention has been paid to an essential piece of the conceptual mosaic of informality. I reflect on housing informality by elites or upper-income urbanites and highlight its associated Janus-faced governance approach. I argue that the deliberate disregard and legitimization of elite informal developments pose crucial sustainability implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goma, the capital of the North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a transborder and conflict-affected city that is also chronically vulnerable to volcanic eruptions. Using the extended version of the Pressure and Release model, this study examines Goma's progressive vulnerability over the course of three volcanic disasters--the eruptions of Mount Nyiragongo in 1977, 2002, and 2021. We find that the rich natural resources and weak governance are the root causes of Goma's chronic vulnerability to volcanic eruptions. In the first phase (1977-2002), an influx of ethnic groups seeking land as well as conflicts between them and natives over the land and natural resources can be regarded as dynamic pressure, generating unsafe conditions. In the second phase (2002-2021), the conflict added a global dimension, with the influx of global businesses and humanitarian organizations increasing the population pressure. It caused a gentrifi- cation process, in which the urban poor were pushed out to the marginal area of the city, which resulted in significant damage from the 2021 eruption. We find that globalization produces two opposing forces in the increased vulnerability; it accelerated economic prosperity in the region, on the one hand, but also caused a rapid population increase and increased progression, on the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores awareness levels, the factors influencing awareness, and the impact of actual usages of fintech services on the acceleration of financial inclusion initiatives among the urban poor of the disadvantaged geographic segment of society. Data have been gathered from a sample of 100 individuals residing in urban slums in Uttarakhand, and analysis has been conducted utilizing the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The study finds that there is a moderate-to-low level of awareness except awareness of digital methods of payments, which is very high. Income and education are the prominent factors affecting awareness. Lastly, fintech is an effective lever that significantly accelerates the financial inclusion initiatives among urban slum dwellers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty remains a major challenge for the countries of the global south. Decent employment opportunity, a crucial determinant of poverty reduction, is increasingly becoming elusive for those countries regardless of a decent rate of economic growth. There is a growing separation of economic growth and employment growth under the aegis of neo-liberal economic policies. Economic growth, instead of becoming inclusive, turns out to be “jobless” or “job loss.” Failing to reverse this trend, “Active Labour Market Policies” (ALMPs) in the form of “Public Works Programmes” (PWPs) have emerged as a major strategy to reduce unemployment and poverty. Secondly, rural–urban migration is very much relied upon for the same. Raising agricultural productivity, a crucial question of “agrarian transition,” well evident and verified across the globe, is, however, becoming oblivion in the fight against poverty. In this context, based on a primary survey of 300 households in the poorest regions of India, this paper endeavors to investigate the relative strength of MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), rural–urban migration, and land productivity on poverty. The study suggests that an agrarian-centric intervention is more effective in dealing with poverty as compared to MGNREGA (ALMPs) and migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adults with difficulties finding affordable housing have increasingly been choosing to rent in the private sector and share housing with unknown individuals. Shared living arrangements allow these young single tenants to reduce their housing expenses while enjoying a shared lifestyle that encourages social interaction with a diverse group of housemates. However, physical proximity does not guarantee social proximity, as people may encounter undesirable housemates. Using a rich dataset of shared housing tenancies in Shanghai, China, this study examines how the characteristics of housemates influences tenants’ decision to terminate their shared housing tenancy before its expiration. Our results show that the similarity of housemates in age, gender, occupation, and birthplace reduces the probability of an early termination of the shared tenancy. The impact of housemate similarity measured in the four dimensions is further augmented by tenants’ bargaining power and individual characteristics. Since early tenancy termination increases the vacancy rate in shared housing, sharing with undesirable housemates incurs significant social costs. This study sheds light on how residents living in proximity can share urban space effectively to facilitate sustained shared housing tenancies and suggests the need for policy solutions that are tailored to the needs of shared housing renters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay delves into the intricate interplay between Shi‘a Islam, tribalism, and the Iraqi regime during the 1990s, with a specific focus on the influential figure of Muḥammad Ṣādiq al-Ṣadr. Al-Ṣadr epitomized a compelling case of second-tier scholars who successfully engaged segments of society overlooked by the clerical leadership, recognizing the multifaceted composition of Shi‘a society, with its urban poor, tribal roots, and growing intelligentsia. His Fiqh al-ʿAshāʾir, harmonized Islamic principles with tribal customs, facilitating dialogue with this traditional element, deeply entrenched within Iraqi society. Ṣādiq al-Ṣadr believed that the tribes and their leadership, with their growing alienation from the state, were ready to return to Islam, seeking spiritual comfort and a sense of belonging. While tribalism as a sub-national construct has the potential to undermine the unity of a nation or a larger supra-national entity, in Iraq, tribalism also encompassed a shared Arab ethnic identity, offering a prospect for bridging divides between the Sunni and Shi‘i population. Nevertheless, for Saddam Hussein, tribalism was a tool instrumental in consolidating his power. Consequently, Ṣādiq al-Ṣadr’s endeavour to influence tribal behaviour and inculcate an ethno-religious notion of tribalism presented a direct challenge to Saddam’s autocratic rule and his manipulation of state ideology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article looks into the implications of urban informality in Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Slum (2012) as represented in slum life and urban poverty. It aims to investigate the impact of urban poverty on the everyday practices of slum dwellers and their endeavors to escape the trap of poverty in an attempt to highlight the human dimension of the slum. The article seeks to unravel multi-layers of the interaction between people and poverty and the differing models of resistance to poverty and social exclusion depicted in the nonfiction narrative. The article examines slum life from a descriptive sociological perspective with a detailed description of how people survive in poverty. The study of the culture of slums entails an analysis of the survival techniques and everyday practices of slum dwellers, the relations and patterns of behavior among the different categories of people inhabiting a slum, and the outcomes of the interplay between place, culture, and power relations in such communities. This is implemented through an eclectic sociological approach that comprises theories of space, culture, and resistance as proposed by James Scott, Theodore W. Schultz, and Henri Lefebvre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional food markets in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are pivotal urban spaces, especially for vulnerable populations. These markets are vibrant hubs for commerce, cultural exchange, and social interaction, yet they face challenges such as food safety issues, inadequate infrastructure, and regulation that is a complex mix of informal mechanisms in need of a balanced degree of formalization. Rapid urbanization in SSA and the vulnerabilities of informal settlements underline their enduring importance. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted their crucial role in promoting food access, supporting local economies, and preserving social connections during crises. However, a comprehensive understanding of their multifaceted impact on urban life remains limited. This study provides a systematic narrative literature review with the aims of mapping the existing literature and evaluating their complex impact on vulnerable communities. The review employed a systematic search strategy, encompassing research studies and gray literature. It highlights the geographic distribution of studies across SSA, with a concentration in East and Southern Africa. Nutrition is the most explored theme, followed by governance, with economics and social aspects relatively under examined. Traditional food markets are vital sources of affordable food for the urban poor and serve as pillars of economic mobility, providing livelihoods and employment opportunities, especially for women, and act as hubs for diverse groups to interact. Market governance is complex, often marked by policy misalignments due to insuficient collaboration among stakeholders. Policy initiatives to support traditional foodmarkets in SSA should focus on formalization and context-aware regulations to enhance effciency and vendor security, investment in market- related infrastructure, and nutrition-focused policies and economic support for vendors. Further research is needed to bridge thematic and regional gaps, and to inform evidence-based policy measures to support these vital urban institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research employed the Anker and Anker (2017) methodology to measure the living wage and assess the socioeconomic reproduction capacity of workers at the lowest wage level. This measurement compares the contractual wage with the minimum wage, the extreme urban poverty and the urban poverty wage and calculates the percentage increase needed to come close to a living wage. The results reveal that the contractual wage is 47% above the minimum wage, 48% above the extreme urban poverty wage, but 4% below the urban poverty wage. And it is significantly below the living wage, with a deficit of 49%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing food in upper- and lower-income countries commands different connotations and dimensions. Urban agriculture (UA) is increasingly an essential urban fabric and a critical enabler of sustainable development goals (SDGs) 1 and 2. However, this study analyses the practice of UA in open spaces within the Ilorin metropolis. The study employed the use of primary and secondary data. Questionnaire administration, interview guide, digital cameras, UA survey form, and GPS all sufficed for the instrumentation of the study. The main findings showed that in Ilorin city, 14.34Ha (31.4 percent in the core) of land was dedicated to UA, which could at least help 1500 families escape poverty. Through Average Nearest Neighbour Analysis (ANNA), the spatial analysis revealed that UA sites were clustered and not randomly distributed. Secondly, this study affirmed through mean analysis that vegetables (3.09), maise (2.86), cassava (2.64), millet/sorghum (2.46), and yam (2.31) were the dominant food staples grown in Ilorin UA sites. Lastly, access to land, failed harvest due to pest/disease, price collapse, and adverse weather events were the leading challenges affecting the practice of UA in the Ilorin metropolis. The study then affirms the need for city-level integration of UA to recognise the rights of the urban poor and UA into the land-use plan within the Ilorin metropolis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serendipity, curiosity, and lived experience shaped my career as a social demographer and my interests in social policy. I transitioned from the humanities to sociology and demography as a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin, where I discovered my affinity for quantitative research. My interest in Latin American demography gave way to domestic concerns as new opportunities arose at each of the three institutions where I have had the privilege to work—the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Chicago, and Princeton University. That all three institutions hosted vibrant demography and policy programs facilitated my research about the Hispanic population, family structure, urban poverty, college access, and myriad aspects of socioeconomic inequality and immigrant integration. Superb colleagues and talented graduate student collaborators deserve major credit for my career accomplishments. I attribute numerous opportunities to serve on philanthropic and corporate boards to the strength of weak ties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to comprehensively examine the determinants of household poverty in Brazil, placing a specific emphasis on the heads of households as the primary unit of analysis. Household poverty is a critical and multifaceted issue in developing countries, a reality that holds true for Brazil as well. Understanding the intricate web of factors that contribute to household poverty is of paramount importance to policymakers, researchers, and advocates dedicated to poverty alleviation and socioeconomic development. Household poverty remains a persistent challenge in Brazil, with far-reaching social and economic consequences. To address this issue effectively, it is essential to identify the factors that contribute to poverty among households, particularly those led by individuals who are the primary income earners. These households often face unique economic and social challenges that demand targeted interventions. To analyze household poverty determinants, this study utilizes data from the 'Pesquisa Nacional por Amostras de Domicilios Continua' (Continuous National Household Sample Survey) (PNADC). The dataset provides comprehensive information on the individual characteristics of the household head and household-level attributes, offering a nuanced view of the factors at play. A probit model is employed to estimate the probability of a household head experiencing poverty, allowing for a examination of various factors. The research findings reveal several significant determinants of household poverty in Brazil. Firstly, households led by men are found to be less likely to be in a situation of poverty, shedding light on gender-related disparities in income and opportunities. Secondly, households with heads who have attained higher levels of education exhibit a lower probability of being in poverty, underscoring the importance of education as a pathway out of poverty. Moreover, urban households are found to be less prone to poverty compared to their rural counterparts, since households led by individuals who work in agricultural-related activities are more likely to experience poverty. This emphasizes the need for targeted rural development strategies. Additionally, households located in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil face a higher likelihood of poverty, possibly due to regional economic disparities that require specific policy attention. These findings have important policy implications for poverty alleviation efforts in Brazil. Policymakers should consider targeted interventions that focus on improving access to education, particularly in regions with higher poverty rates, as education is a powerful tool for poverty reduction. Efforts to promote gender equality and enhance economic opportunities in rural areas are also essential to address the diverse causes of poverty. Additionally, regional disparities in poverty should be addressed through comprehensive regional development initiatives that take into account the unique challenges faced by different areas of the country. Our results also highlight the importance of community-specific social programs, including conditional-cash transfers and incentives for childhood education, which can play a pivotal role in breaking the cycle of poverty in Brazil's diverse communities. JEL Classifications: R58, I32 and O54 Keywords: Deprivation, Feminization of poverty, Regional development, Microdata., INTRODUCTION Poverty is a phenomenon that occurs in all societies and, as such, there is great interest in understanding it by seeking to identify the determinants that condition individuals to [...]

Purpose: This study investigates how enhancing slum dwellers' capabilities influences their entrepreneurship development and contributes to urban poverty reduction, providing insights for social policy design. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research design is adopted applying structural equation modeling to survey data from 585 beneficiaries of social welfare schemes across Indian slums. Findings: Educational, economic and sociocultural capabilities positively impact quantitative and qualitative dimensions of slum entrepreneurship development, which reduces urban poverty, supporting the hypothesized relationships grounded in the Capability Approach. Research limitations/implications: The cross-sectional data limits causal inference. Wider sampling can improve generalizability. Capability antecedents of entrepreneurship merit further investigation across contexts. Practical implications: Integrated policy initiatives focused on education, skill building, access to finance and markets can leverage entrepreneurship for sustainable urban poverty alleviation. Social implications: Enhancing slum dweller capabilities fosters entrepreneurship and empowerment, enabling people to shape their own destinies and reduce deprivations. Originality/value: The research provides timely empirical validation of the Capability Approach and evidence-based insights to inform social policy aiming to alleviate urban poverty via entrepreneurship in developing countries. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-07-2023-0514. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Urban poor women face dual challenges regarding gender inequalities and urban poverty, which make them more likely to have health problems and affect their health-seeking behaviour. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of health-seeking behaviour during times of illness and predictors of sought care among urban poor women in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed among 340 randomly selected women residents from April to May 2023. Data was collected using a validated and reliable self-administered questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 28.0 software. The dependent variable in this study was health-seeking behaviour during times of illness, while the independent variables were sociodemographic characteristics, socioeconomic characteristics, medical conditions, women’s autonomy in decision-making, social support, perceived stigma, and attitude towards health. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of sought care during times of illness. Results Study response rate was 100%, where 72.4% sought care during times of illness. Being non-Malay (AOR = 4.33, 95% CI: 1.847, 10.161), having healthcare coverage (AOR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.466, 4.612), rating their health as good (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.119, 3.118), and having pre-existing chronic diseases (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.130, 3.271) were identified as predictors of sought care during times of illness. Conclusion The present study showed that health-seeking behaviour during times of illness among the participants was appropriate. Health promotion and education, with a focus on educating and raising awareness about the importance of seeking timely healthcare, are crucial to improving health-seeking behaviour among urban poor women. Collaboration with relevant stakeholders is needed to develop comprehensive strategies to improve access to healthcare facilities for these women.

Urban development of Khon Kaen Province based on the development direction towards modernization, has physically changed the city in terms of infrastructure development and economic development. It has also influenced public service delivery aimed to respond to urban people’s needs while there are imagination and expectation that population can access to the modernized city. This article aims to present the urban development context of Khon Kaen Province and the rights of the Isaan poor population to be involved in the context of urban development. A qualitative study method was used by reviewing academic papers, research papers and articles, together with relevant information from focus group discussions with the urban poor people. The study found that urban development of Khon Kaen Province involved government and capital groups in important roles through various forms of economic development, especially infrastructure development. Prosperity distribution according to development directions, as the main city in the Northeast, including the development of modern cities, causes economic changes, and physical changes in the city, the area is expensive and this can create value. This creates a disparity in the right to have a share in the city of urban people, especially urban poor people who have limited subsistence resources. Still, their livelihoods are in line with urban changes. The urban poor people view the right to the city of access to housing as urban citizens, access to the utilization of urban spaces and activities. This includes the right to know, the right to express opinions, the right to self-determination, and the right to enjoy the benefits of the city. However, if it is to make urban poor people have the right to participate in the city like all urban people. It is important to recognize that the urban poor are important actors in their own development and mobilization as they do not lose their connection and belonging to the city

People living in poverty inhabit the outskirts of Mexican cities. They struggle and survive but cannot overcome poverty. The present article seeks to understand how the survival tactics of the urban poor keep them in poverty and, with this understanding, inform future interventions. A study based on qualitative grounded theory was conducted in 10 impoverished neighbourhoods in three main regions and cities in Mexico. Observational accounts and in-depth individual and group interviews were conducted with diverse social actors for 115 participants (75 women and 40 men) aged between 12 and 76 years. The data were analysed using an interpretative thematic analysis. Research findings revealed that the urban poor tackle adversities, such as a lack of basic services, health, education, environment, and nutrition. The strength, patience, and hard work employed by these individuals to survive were evident, but their actions to tackle these threats were costly. Ultimately, the urban poor remain in a cycle of poverty, or poverty traps. Interventions to fight poverty, improve life conditions, and general development must include integrated and participatory plans that consider the knowledge and strengths of the urban poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the multidimensional problem of energy poverty, focusing on its connections to climate change and its manifestation at rural and urban scales across selected European countries and Israel. The study examined 31 locations in eight countries with diverse geographical and economic backgrounds: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, North Macedonia, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, and Israel. The article aims to understand how winter energy vulnerability in rural and urban locations in these countries could be identified using selected energy poverty indicators and how it evolves under the influence of climate change. A set of sociodemographic, infrastructural, and economic variables, combined with climate analysis, were selected and assessed for their impact on energy poverty. We found that energy poverty in most countries depends significantly on location and regional development. Due to a combination of factors influencing energy poverty, rural households tend to be more vulnerable. Furthermore, climate change consequences will likely leave rural areas more likely to experience energy poverty in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urban poor women face dual challenges regarding gender inequalities and urban poverty, which make them more likely to have health problems and affect their health-seeking behaviour. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of health-seeking behaviour during times of illness and predictors of sought care among urban poor women in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed among 340 randomly selected women residents from April to May 2023. Data was collected using a validated and reliable self-administered questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 28.0 software. The dependent variable in this study was health-seeking behaviour during times of illness, while the independent variables were sociodemographic characteristics, socioeconomic characteristics, medical conditions, women's autonomy in decision-making, social support, perceived stigma, and attitude towards health. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of sought care during times of illness. Results: Study response rate was 100%, where 72.4% sought care during times of illness. Being non-Malay (AOR = 4.33, 95% CI: 1.847, 10.161), having healthcare coverage (AOR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.466, 4.612), rating their health as good (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.119, 3.118), and having pre-existing chronic diseases (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.130, 3.271) were identified as predictors of sought care during times of illness. Conclusion: The present study showed that health-seeking behaviour during times of illness among the participants was appropriate. Health promotion and education, with a focus on educating and raising awareness about the importance of seeking timely healthcare, are crucial to improving health-seeking behaviour among urban poor women. Collaboration with relevant stakeholders is needed to develop comprehensive strategies to improve access to healthcare facilities for these women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐employed individuals faced numerous challenges amid the global health and economic crisis that was the COVID‐19 pandemic. Similarly, rural and urban workers faced different challenges during the pandemic. This rural–urban disparity further complicates the impacts of self‐employment and exacerbates inequalities resulting from gender, race, ethnicity, or immigration status. This study examines the economic consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic across these categories in the United States using Current Population Survey data from May 2020 to May 2022. Comparing the wage and self‐employment sectors across rural and urban areas, I examine the effects of individual, business, and geographic characteristics on the probability of work stoppages due to the health crisis. The analysis reveals that recovery from the pandemic was delayed among the self‐employed, while additional education and full‐time employment status can reduce work interruptions for these workers, as does working in select industries. Findings suggest that rural and urban minorities are more likely to face pandemic‐related work disruptions, with key differences between formal and informal self‐employment sectors. Specifically, self‐employed Asians/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans were more adversely affected in rural areas. The study concludes with several policy and program recommendations to assist vulnerable workers, especially in the rural self‐employment sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates the place of root shock in the colonial and postcolonial history of Ireland and situates this series of Irish papers inspired by Mindy Fullilove’s seminal book. It explains why the practice of eviction has such a traumatic resonance within Irish society. This trauma was laid bare in the responses to a 2023 artwork by Spicebag that connected modern eviction with its historical precedents. In this paper the elements of Spicebag’s work are given their historical context with an account of dispossession and plantation, famine and exile, urban poverty, and neoliberal privatization of land and housing. In each case, a new form of root shock was added to the earlier legacies producing chronic place-based trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rural–urban poverty gap exists in most countries around the world, and this paper employs a novel approach to explain this difference, using logistic regression to examine the effects of rural–urban residence type, individual socio-economic and demographic characteristics, and changes in government policies on the likelihood of being poor in England. Unusually, rural areas in England have lower poverty rates than urban areas, so the direction of the typical rural–urban poverty gap is reversed, but the method employed here would be applicable in either direction. We disaggregate micro-data from the Understanding Society Survey (USS) into three residence types (predominantly rural; significantly rural and predominantly urban), and combine these USS data with information on changes in councils' spending power, in service spending and in per capita income lost from cuts to welfare benefits since 2010. The results demonstrate that rural residence provides a buffer against poverty in England, a so-called 'rural advantage effect', but this is reduced or becomes non-significant after controlling for individual socio-economic and demographic characteristics and changes in government policies. Furthermore, working-age poverty has increased more rapidly in rural areas than urban between 2010 and 2018. Our analysis also reveals how national policies have differential spatial impacts on local populations according to their diverse characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Self‐employed individuals faced numerous challenges amid the global health and economic crisis that was the COVID‐19 pandemic. Similarly, rural and urban workers faced different challenges during the pandemic. This rural–urban disparity further complicates the impacts of self‐employment and exacerbates inequalities resulting from gender, race, ethnicity, or immigration status. This study examines the economic consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic across these categories in the United States using Current Population Survey data from May 2020 to May 2022. Comparing the wage and self‐employment sectors across rural and urban areas, I examine the effects of individual, business, and geographic characteristics on the probability of work stoppages due to the health crisis. The analysis reveals that recovery from the pandemic was delayed among the self‐employed, while additional education and full‐time employment status can reduce work interruptions for these workers, as does working in select industries. Findings suggest that rural and urban minorities are more likely to face pandemic‐related work disruptions, with key differences between formal and informal self‐employment sectors. Specifically, self‐employed Asians/Pacific Islanders and Native Americans were more adversely affected in rural areas. The study concludes with several policy and program recommendations to assist vulnerable workers, especially in the rural self‐employment sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in an informal settlement in Dhaka, this article examines the relationships, contestations and negotiations of power and control between non-government organizations (NGO), community-based organizations (CBO) and local leaders in the context of community-driven development (CDD) interventions. Findings suggest a shift in informal settlement residents' perceptions and attitudes toward NGOs and CDD interventions where the previously documented distrust and lack of interest has changed to a more general interest to participate largely to draw on the power and influence in the community that CBO membership offers. Moreover, findings demonstrate how contestations and negotiations of power and control play out at various stages of engagement between NGOs, CBOs, and local leaders. These findings have important implications for international development practice, particularly for CDD, as they can contribute to addressing some of the current criticisms of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green infrastructure is recognized for its potential to combat biodiversity loss and enhance carbon sequestration in cities. While residential yards constitute a significant part of urban green infrastructure, their role in providing urban ecosystem services remains largely understated. There is a lack of systematic measures for effectively implementing urban vegetation to enhance ecosystem services. The aim of this study is to investigate how different vegetation types typically found in urban residential yards of apartment blocks can enhance carbon sequestration and biodiversity, and how these benefits can be supported through landscape design. The study encompasses an integrative literature review and qualitative analysis. Drawing from a review of previous research, this study identifies the drivers that indicate either carbon sink potential or biodiversity enhancement potential of urban vegetation types. The drivers are then cross-examined to identify the qualities of urban green that potentially strengthen carbon--biodiversity co-benefits. As the key findings we present versatile measures to enhance the potential co-benefits of carbon sinks and biodiversity within urban yards and summarize them in three main categories: plant diversity, provision of good growing conditions and maintenance. The study stresses that the several potential co-benefits of urban green can only be achieved through the selection and prioritization of solutions during the planning and design process. To exemplify this, we demonstrate how the findings from the literature review can be incorporated into the design and management of urban yards. We conclude that the main actions to be addressed in the future planning and design of urban residential yards are (i) establishing diverse planting areas with a mixture of woody and herbaceous plants to encourage species richness and complexity, (ii) optimizing the use of space and growth conditions, and, (iii) implementing maintenance practices that consider both carbon and biodiversity aspects. The study highlights that through enhancing carbon-biodiversity co-benefits urban yards can significantly contribute to major environmental challenges and provide vital ecosystem services within the built urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China eliminated rural poverty under current poverty standards in 2020. However, compared with rural poverty, urban poverty in China has been somewhat neglected. This paper aims to discover the changes and determinants of multidimensional urban poverty in Shandong Province, a representative province in Eastern China. Using a nationally representative panel dataset, the China Family Panel Studies, and the Dual Cutoff method, this study creates a multidimensional poverty index with four dimensions and 11 indicators to measure urban poverty in Shandong Province. This paper discovers that while the incidence of multidimensional urban poverty in Shandong Province decreased from 47.62% in 2010 to 36.45% in 2018, the intensity of multidimensional poverty only decreased from 41.27% to 37.25%, which indicates the inadequacy of urban anti-poverty efforts in Shandong Province. This paper also uses logistic regression to identify the determinants of multidimensional urban poverty. The findings suggest that income, health, drinking water, and durable goods are the main determinants of multidimensional urban poverty in Shandong Province. Based on these findings, this study provides targeted recommendations for future urban anti-poverty policies in Shandong Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crises spur reflection and re-evaluation of what matters and what is valued. The impacts of the 2008 global financial crisis, COVID-19 pandemic and climate emergency are reigniting debates about the nature of economic development approaches and what they aim to achieve in urban settings. Addressing a substantive gap in contemporary debates by helping to navigate a burgeoning and diverse field, this paper provides a critical and comparative assessment of five leading agendas that have been positioned as alternative and progressive policy responses to urban economic change: inclusive growth; the wellbeing economy; community wealth building; doughnut economics; and the foundational economy. Taking an international perspective, the paper provides a comparative review of their stated visions, mechanisms for change, and the spatial scales through which they are led and implemented. Our argument is that these alternative approaches to urban economic development are shaping creative, innovative and progressive responses to longstanding urban problems within policy and practice communities but require on-going scrutiny and evaluation to realise their potential to meaningfully achieve transformative change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite improvement over recent decades, childhood vaccination uptake remains a concern across countries. The World Health Organization observed that over 25 million children missed out on one or more vaccines in 2021, with urban poor and other marginalized groups being the most affected. Given the higher risk of disease transmission and vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) outbreaks across densely populated urban slums, identifying effective interventions to improve childhood vaccination in this vulnerable population is crucial. This study explored the behavioral and social factors influencing childhood vaccination uptake in urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. A grounded theory approach was employed to develop a theoretical account of the socio-behavioral determinants of childhood vaccination. Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with purposively sampled caregivers of children under five years of age residing in informal settlements. The Theory of Planned Behavior guided the structuring of the FGD questions. An iterative process was used to analyze and identify emerging themes. Thirty-nine caregivers (median age 29 years) participated in the FGDs. From the analysis, four main thematic categories were derived. These included attitude factors such as perceived vaccine benefits, cultural beliefs, and emotional factors including parental love. Additionally, subjective norms, like fear of social judgment, and perceived behavioral control factors, such as self-control and gender-based influences, were identified. Furthermore, a number of practical factors, including the cost of vaccines and healthcare providers attitude, also affected the uptake of vaccination. Various social, behavioral, cultural, and contextual factors influence caregiver vaccination decisions in urban poor settings. Community-derived and context-specific approaches that address the complex interaction between socio-behavioral and other contextual factors need to be tested and applied to improve the timely uptake of childhood vaccinations among marginalized populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital economy is an essential engine of the innovation-driven development strategy and plays a valuable role in promoting the high-quality development of the regional economy. Based on the panel data of 286 cities in mainland China with the help of the digital economy strategic plans issued by local governments as a quasi-natural experiment, we use the multi-temporal double-difference (DID) method to examine the impact of the digital economy on the urban innovation level. Findings show that the digital economy can significantly improve the urban innovation level. After a series of robustness tests, such as parallel trend test, updating sample and period, and repeated placebo test, the innovation-driving effect generated by the development of the digital economy remains significant. Results of the mechanism analysis indicate that the digital economy enhances the level of innovation through upgrading industrial structures. In addition, we find through the heterogeneity test that the digital economy has a stronger effect on improving the quality of innovation. Meanwhile, the innovation output in the Middle Eastern region is more significantly affected by the "Digital China" strategy than the Western region. Therefore, we should accelerate the implementation of the local digital economy development strategy to realize the high-quality development of the regional economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A qualitative content analysis was employed to examine what factors contributed to effective teachers' selection and retention in urban high poverty schools. First, the Star Teacher Interview was used to identify effective urban educators. Then, verbal interviews were conducted with star subjects to determine factors that contributed to their selection and decision to remain in urban high-poverty districts. An inductive analysis process revealed emerging and reoccurring themes. Four major factors were identified that influenced STAR teachers' decision to begin their career in an urban school district and/or Title I school: Giving back to the community, diversity, location, and autonomy. Three major factors were identified that influenced STAR teachers' decision to continue their career beyond 5 years in an urban school district and/or Title I school: Job satisfaction, effective with population, and perseverance. Implications of this study suggest that urban districts work closely with practicum and observation students from the universities who show promise in working with culturally diverse children. Providing teacher candidates with rich experiences in urban schools may positively impact their decision to work in urban settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its significance in informing inclusive political interventions in informal settlements in different political economic contexts, the urban informality literature falls short in exploring state intervention in or policy responses towards desire-based informal housing forms characterised by extralegal construction. This article uses Kaohsiung City in Taiwan as a case study to explore how the local government has collaborated with the private sector to govern the extralegal construction prevailing in community buildings. These interventions include the use of rooftop solar power systems aimed at remodelling existing buildings and green building design prototypes created to prevent future informalities. Using an urban political ecology lens, I analyse how the municipality appropriates the values and properties of solar power systems and green architecture to unite actors, relating extralegal construction to urban metabolism. I develop the concept of 'metabolic coordination' to show how the state coordinates actors, resources, technologies and capital to embed an internal circuit of funding flows governing extralegal construction in a larger external circuit of capital circulation consisting of growing solar photovoltaic and green housing markets. The adopted lens of urban political ecology interrogates three interrelated aspects of embedding informality in renewed urban space: municipal interventions remaking informalities, property-led greening of informalities and its negotiation, and inequality in accessing interventions. The city uses pragmatic and adaptive approaches to control extralegal construction. These approaches allow the city to leverage informality for growth and sustainability. However, the governing schemes create new forms of injustice and inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global capital and highly-skilled international labour are sought by cities for economic growth. Much research has been about Western cities, but less is known about how pro-growth developmental Asian countries, which have become key global hubs, organise their urban planning and policy efforts to gain global capital and skilled labour in their cities. In Singapore, the state is active in reshaping the city into a 'cosmopolitan grid' by planning and developing new urban amenity spaces that can attract human capital to fuel the desired urban growth, such as international schools, private housing options, and access to a global selection of goods and services. Oftentimes, the socio-cultural and socio-spatial changes at the neighbourhood level are seemingly ignored, despite the significance of the neighbourhood as a critical social space for the daily practice and formation of social relations in demographically diverse cities. Drawing on cognitive mapping interviews with foreign-born and native-born residents in two upper-middle income suburban neighbourhoods in Singapore, which are recognised as the heartlands of the native-born but have become popular with highly-skilled foreign-born families (namely Western expatriates) in the last decade, this article shows how the top-down rational production of cosmopolitan space by the state framed in a formation of the 'cosmopolitan grid' has played out and shaped the everyday production of social space among the native and foreign-born residents which determines the experience and opportunities for integration in this city-state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After resettlement, refugees are situated to navigate new environments and social relationships with nonrefugee residents in the United States. This study focuses on the intergroup dynamics between refugees and native African American residents with whom refugees often share spatial boundaries in urban neighborhoods. Based on 30 in-depth interviews in Albany, NY and Clarkson, GA, our findings suggest that both groups share the experiences of social marginalization and disadvantageous neighborhood factors. On the other hand, each group differed in their views on the police and the type of poverty that they deal with. Although two groups rarely collaborated, solidarity was deemed possible and desirable. Several suggestions for community building were made, including cross-cultural activities for youth and neighborhood activism for adults. Future research can examine the space-making and rights-seeking processes of resettled refugees in the context of urban poverty and in their relation to other locals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Re-evaluating how urban and rural development can be integrated is a necessary step towards achieving the "dual-carbon" objective and facilitating a thorough transition towards a green and low-carbon economy and society. This study empirically investigates the geographical disparities, evolving patterns, and determinants of the effectiveness of urban–rural integration development in Sichuan and Chongqing. Results of the study indicate that (1) the effectiveness of urban–rural integration development in Sichuan and Chongqing is generally poor, and external environmental factors adversely affect the urban–rural integration of economically developed cities; (2) the urban–rural integration development efficiency in Sichuan and Chongqing does not show a more obvious polarization phenomenon, but the gap between the cities gradually widens; and (3) regarding influencing factors, market dynamics are favorable to overall urban–rural integration development in the Sichuan and Chongqing regions, while the development of the digital economy and the level of financial development can exacerbate the imbalance of regional urban–rural integration development. Based on this premise, pertinent policy suggestions are offered to facilitate the merger of urban and rural areas and foster efficient development in the regions of Sichuan and Chongqing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current approaches to the provision of shelter, largely driven by national governments and/or the commercial private sector, continue to fall short of what is needed to reduce housing deficits. The number of people without access to adequate housing continues to grow, especially in cities of the Global South. Increasing attention is being paid to alternative models for organizing land and housing delivery, such as those led by, or at least including, civil society. In this paper, we consider two national land and housing programs—the 20,000 Plots Project in Tanzania, and Basic Services for the Urban Poor (BSUP) in India—alongside community-led housing initiatives from each country. We explore the extent to which community participation in housing delivery can have social and environmental advantages when compared to 'business as usual' methods and find that, given appropriate state support, community-based, and civil society actors (including organizations of the urban poor) have significant potential to contribute to acquiring land, building homes and improving the quality of life of vulnerable segments of the population. This paper echoes calls for community-led housing to become a recognized part of formal housing policy whilst emphasizing the need for theoretical refinement of the process so as to prevent it from being captured by prevailing market-led narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]