Urban research − understanding urban change in its diversity

Barbara Schröter, ILS researcher in the research group Spatial Planning and Urban Design, has published a paper in the journal Revista de Ciencas Ambientales – Tropical Journal of Environmental Sciences together with colleagues from the University of Costa Rica. They compare the institutional design of the river basin organisation of Costa Rica‘s two largest rivers, the Río Grande de Tárcoles and the Río Reventazón. Their strength and weaknesses are discussed and further implications for integrated water resources management in Costa Rica are discovered.
https://doi.org/10.15359/rca.59-2.8. Further current selected papers can be found here.

In collaboration with other colleagues, ILS researcher Thomas Weith has published a paper in the journal „Sustainable Development“. The paper synthesizes perspectives from multiple disciplines on the transition to sustainable and resillient agrifood systems (SARAS). It covers the consensus of the researchers, current research positions, and actionable measures compromising ecological, economic, social, and political dimensions. The authors plead for an holistic system approach to cover both global and local dimensions of agrifood systems, leverage synergies and mitigate unintended impacts on other countries and vulnerable groups. Unsolved issues, including matters of scaling, applicability of effective policy instruments, and securing the funding for the transformation are mentioned. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3468. Further current selected papers can be found here.

Isabel Ramos Lobato, ILS researcher in the research group „Urban Social Space“ has written a contribution to the „Handbuch Stadtsoziologie“. The article illustrates the extent of social segregation in German elementary schools, the potential consequences of de-mixing in schools and which factors contribute to school segregation. This includes residential segregation patterns, individual education choice and institutional factors, such as admission regulations and school profiling. It uncovers that mixed neighborhoods do not lead automatically to mixed elementary schools: Children with different socio-economic backgrounds are even stronger segregated in school than in the quarters they grow up in. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-42419-0_30-1. Further current selected papers can be found here.

Nina Hangebruch, researcher in the research group Spatial Planning and Urban Design, has published an article on the transformation of former department stores as a key task for inner city redevelopment. Therein, starting with current challenges in inner city centres and the conditions of municipalities as real estate market actors, the results of an empirical analysis of the role of municipalities in the repurposing of former department stores is described and reflected. The article was published in Issue 230 of the journal “RaumPlanung”. Further current selected papers can be found here.

A recent article in the journal „pnd – rethinking planning“ by ILS researcher Nina Hangebruch and a colleague from TU Dortmund covers vacant department stores as key buildings in the use change of inner city centres. Based on a theoretical model of transformation capacity, two current case studies from Lübeck and Hanau are used to illustrate how municipalities promote the transformation of inner city centres by reactivating former department stores. Therefore, the article presents key elements for the development of adequate utilization concepts and discusses stakeholder-related issues for municipal transformation capacities.
https://doi.org/10.18154/RWTH-2025-03382. Further current selected papers can be found here.