Urban Dynamics and Urban Sustainability: an Impossible Marriage or a Marriage of Convenience?

Urban Dynamics and Urban Sustainability: an Impossible Marriage or a Marriage of Convenience?

[SHS:GEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Geography

[SDE:ES] Environmental Sciences/Environmental and Society

[SHS:ENVIR] Humanities and Social Sciences/Environmental studies

sustainable cities

sustainable development

Dealing with both urban dynamics and urban sustainability can appear as a paradox insofar as these terms seem radically opposed. But, obviously, thanks to the dynamics they created and from which they gained advantage, cities have been sustainable since they first appeared. This paper will demonstrate that it is no use trying to oppose dynamics and sustainability inasmuch as sustainability appears as the contemporary form of dynamics. Taking this major evolution in urban history into consideration will first enlighten the present context which promotes such innovations, then define the new kind of cities that are about to be produce. Last, it will focus on an epistemological reflection upon the social sciences and their ability to provide tools to analyse and explain what currently occurs in cities.

Calberac, Yann

Center for the Study of Urban Dynamics, Kick Off Conference: “Urban Dynamics vs Urban Sustainability”

2009-05-20

ENG

conference, seminar, workshop communication

http://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00387239

http://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/38/72/39/PDF/calberac_shanghai.pdf

Shanghai

China