Introduction: rethinking urban density

Abstract

In this piece, we introduce a special issue on “Rethinking Urban Density” which asks: what are the meanings and implications of density in cities today? How might we understand and research it? This collection offers a set of reflections on urban density in different parts of the world. Ranging from the urban forms, lived experiences, and perceptions, to the policy trends and politics of urban density, authors in this collection explore together the dynamics and implications of urban densities in cities of the global South, East, and North. Emerging from the 2019 Rethinking Density workshop in the Department of Geography at Durham University, this evolving dialogue on urban density identifies some key debates and critical reflections on wider urban processes and futures.