Urban research − understanding urban change in its diversity

ILS-researchers Dr. Kathrin Specht and Chiara Iodice, in collaboration with other colleagues, published a paper in the journal „Sustainable Cities and Society“. In this paper, they challenge claims about the presumed immeasurability of social impacts of City-region food system initiatives (CRFSIs). Through the review of 234 research papers, they retrieved social indicators and metrics that underline the proven and measurable impact of CRFSIs on social sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2025.106462. Further current selected papers can be found here.

Jonas Marschall aus der Forschungsgruppe „Raumbezogene Planung und Städtebau“ hat einen Aufsatz in der Zeitschrift für Umweltrecht veröffentlicht. Darin geht es um die räumliche Steuerung von Photovoltaik-Freiflächenanlagen. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748954552-43 Weitere aktuelle Fachpublikationen finden Sie hier.

The ILS researchers Lisa Garde and Cornelia Tippel have published an article in the special issue Multilocalism in the Fuori Luogo Journal of Sociology of Territory, Tourism, Technology. In it, they examined the company loyalty of employees with multiple residences. The aim was to analyse the company loyalty of multinational employees working in Stuttgart (Germany) and to find out how such ties influence multinational coexistence. https://doi.org/10.6093/2723-9608/9444. Further current selected papers can be found here.

Anna-Lena van der Vlugt, Janina Welsch, Noriko Otsuka – scientists from the research group “Mobility and Space” – have published an article in the journal “Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice”. It presents the results of one of the first transportation studies analysing the determinants of perceived walkability and how it affects walking behaviour. The results show that perceived walkability is mainly affected by walking attitudes and that perceived walkability has an impact on walking frequency, walking distance and walking duration. It is therefore important for policy makers and urban planners to increase perceived walkability levels to stimulate walking, thereby improving physical activity and the liveability of neighbourhoods. For further studies, it is also suggested to analyse the relationship between perceived and objectively measured walkability in greater detail and to investigate the applied SPWS (Short Perceived Walkability Scale; compact scale for measuring perceived walkability), its determinants and the results of walking in other contexts as well. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2025.104498. Further current selected papers can be found here.

ILS researchers Janina Welsch, Noriko Otsuka and Anna-Lena van der Vlugt have published an article in the “Journal of Urban Mobility”. The study examined and compared walking satisfaction in three case study cities in Europe: Dortmund, Genoa, and Gothenburg as part of the EU project „WalkUrban“. By analyzing household survey data, levels and determinants of walking satisfaction within and between the cities were explored, using the Satisfaction with Travel Scale to measure walking satisfaction. The results show that levels of walking satisfaction differ between the cities and also in terms of several sub-dimensions. However, the findings expand the existing body of knowledge about determinants of walking satisfaction in different urban settings and provides vital insights for urban planning and policies determined to foster walking-friendly and satisfactory local urban environments. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100109. Further current selected papers can be found here.