ISOCARP Community of Practice Urban Health and Cities & Health journal are seeking contributions for a special issue: Planning for neighbourhoods that support the well-being of all communities
This special issue will explore emerging issues for cities affecting the health of people, planetary health and health equity through the lens of urban and territorial planning and design and spatial governance. Content from practitioners, policymakers and communities, in addition to or in collaboration with researchers, is especially welcome.
The development of this call has been supported through a pre-conference workshop at the 58th ISOCARP World Planning Congress ‘From wealthy to healthy cities’ 3-6 October 2022, Bruxelles.
Thematic challenges and key questions
Evidence shows us that, in towns and cities all over the world, ocal living environments frequently detract from population health and can exacerbate health inequities. Sadly, such situations are even found in neighbourhoods that have received recent investments - new build, renewal or renovation. Research may show us what to do, but not how to act and achieve the health and well-being outcomes we seek.
To achieve better on-the-ground outcomes, we need to open up cross-sectoral conversations from research to practice and back again; and between all the built environment professions and other local organisations who deliver place-making. Now more than ever, the public health profession must also be embraced and supported to join integrated place-making teams.
One aim of the ISOCARP Congress, and ISOCARP’s Community of Practice Urban Health, is to provide an opportunity to envision ways to start to ‘build better’ to support healthy people, healthy planet, healthy economy, and governance for health.
A participatory workshop at the congress discussed these issues. This call has been shaped by that workshop. Particpants formed a comprehensive international editorial team for this special issue. The named members each have specialist to play. As a team we want to support contributions that provide insights for ‘on the ground’ action; for research, practice and delivery; in pursuit of population well-being and good health through planning and design. The focus is urban neighbourhoods and local environments. We invite authors, from within and outside academia, to respond:
- How can we grow the lay, policy and professional communities for evidence-informed ‘on the ground’ work at the local level?
- What do case studies demonstrate in the way of moving from good intentions, to policy, implementation and robust outcomes?
- How can we ensure that vulnerable populations are empowered, included and benefit?
- What partnership models can deliver co-benefits and collective solutions across multiple agendas and achieve accelerated international learning?
- What methods and approaches are conceived as effective in generating knowledge, local understanding and change on the ground?
