Speakers
Description
According to feminist theorists (Federici, 2017, 2019; Hollanda, 2018; Kern, 2019; Lugones, 2020) and scholars from urban disciplines (Col·lectiu Punt 6, 2019; Falú, 2020; Hayden, 1980; Horelli, 2017; Horelli and Damyanovic, 2019; Huning et al., 2019; Tavares, 2015), the structure and design of our cities exclude women due to highly unequal societal and non-representative power structures, as the social, political, and economic context that shape our urban planning reproduces hegemonic and hierarchical masculinities. The feminist perspective questions the placement of the male figure as the main paradigm of collective representation (Kern, 2019; Perez, 2019). The inequalities between males' and females' representativeness are perpetuated and legitimized through urban configuration, planning, and management (Muxí, 2019; Tavares, 2015). The feminist perspective on urban planning calls for a fundamental shift in values, challenging the universalist approach.
As bell hooks (2015, p.1) states, “feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression". Within this framework, a feminist and intersectional approach to urban planning adopts a critical stance, aiming to promote equal opportunities in accessing and experiencing urban spaces. Feminism requires a re-evaluation of urban priorities through diverse variables, perspectives, and lived experiences, and raises the question of how urban planning may benefit certain groups while harming others (Muxí, 2019).
Feminist urban planning studies imply improving access to the city for all, regardless of their socio-cultural characteristics and often argue that “planning that benefits women also benefits everyone” (e.g. Horelli, 2017; Kern, 2019; Muxí, 2022). This argument is frequently used to demonstrate the broader societal significance of feminist research and to emphasise the necessity of feminist urban planning. However, if feminist urban planning aims to achieve outcomes that benefit everyone, is it meaningful to pursue feminist research to identify universally beneficial planning strategies rather than directly researching planning that advantages all? When we talk about feminist urban planning, what exactly are we discussing? How does it differ from good urban planning? To answer these questions, we will review relevant research publications to identify the trends and findings in feminist urban planning studies. The results will be compared with the criteria and indicators for comprehensive urban planning and spatial development developed by Horelli and Damyanovic (2019) to highlight the unique contributions of feminist planning research.
A literature search was conducted on Scopus and Web of Science with the search string: (TITLE-ABS-KEY ("feminism" OR "feminist" OR "gender equality" OR "gender-sensitive" OR "gendered spaces" OR "intersectionality")) AND (TITLE-ABS-KEY ("urban planning" OR "city planning" OR "urban design" OR "urban development" OR "public space" OR "urban policy")). In total, 1677 documents were retrieved from the two platforms. After duplicate deletion and non-English literature exclusion, 1096 potential documents are retained. Later, we will screen, categorise, and analyse the selected ones. The analysis of the selected literature consists of two parts: quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis. First, the selected literature will be categorized based on publication time, geo-cultural context, research themes, methods, and formats. The coded data will then be utilized for quantitative analysis to identify historical trends in methodologies and research subjects within the field. For qualitative analysis, abductive coding based on the criteria and indicators proposed by Horelli and Damyanovic will be applied to the content of the literature to construct an epistemological model of feminist urban planning. By examining the selected literature, this study seeks to uncover the evolving narratives, frameworks, and analytical tools that shape discussions on feminist urban planning. The findings will highlight emerging trends, conceptual approaches, criteria, and indicators, offering insights into how feminist perspectives improve urban planning studies.
References
Col·lectiu Punt 6 (2019) Urbanismo Feminista: Por Una Transformación Radical de Los Espacios de Vida.
Falú A (2020) La vida de las mujeres en confinamiento en las ciudades fragmentadas: Un análisis feminista de los temas críticos.
Federici S (2017) Calibã e as Bruxas: Mulheres, Corpo e Acumulação Primitiva.
Federici S (2019) O Ponto Zero: Trabalho Doméstico, Reprodução e Luta Feminista.
Hayden D (1980) ‘What Would a non-sexist city be like? Speculations on housing, urban design and human work’.
Hollanda HB de (2018) Explosão Feminista: Arte, Cultura, Política e Universidade.
hooks b (2015) Feminism Is for Everybody.
Horelli L (2017) Engendering urban planning in different contexts: successes, constrains and consequences.
Horelli L and Damyanovic D (2019) Evaluation of spatial development from the gender+ perspective.
Huning S, Mölders T and Zibell B (2019) Gender, space and development: An introduction to concepts and debates.
Kern L (2019) Feminist City: A Field Guide.
Lugones M (2020) Colonialidade e Gênero.
Muxí ZM (2022) Por qué necesitamos ciudades feministas.
Muxí ZM (2019) Ahora es el momento.
Perez CC (2019) Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men.
Tavares RB (2015) Indiferença à diferença: Espaços urbanos de resistência na perspectiva das desigualdades de gênero.
| Keywords | Urban planning; Feminist urban planning; Feminist perspective |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
