Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Practitioners’ Perspectives On Preventing Environmental Gentrification In Chicago, Illinois, Usa, Tania Schusler, Amy Krings

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Pollution cleanup, green space creation, and other improvements to environmental quality in cities are important to urban sustainability. However, because they occur within a political economic context characterized by structural racism, urban greening initiatives can intentionally or unintentionally reproduce racial, economic, and social inequities through environmental gentrification. We explored possibilities for improving environmental quality without displacing or excluding long-term residents including people of color, the poor, and members of other marginalized groups. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with community organizers, environmental justice advocates, urban planners, housing specialists, and others who held deep expertise through their lived and professional experience in …

Community Members’ Perspectives On A Community-Engaged Process For Supporting Vibrant Greenspaces In Detroit, Alysha D. Matthews, Guilherme Hebling Costa, Karl Erickson, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Amber L. Pearson, Benjamin V. Dougherty

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Greenspaces provide several well-being (Dinnie et al., 2013) and psychosocial benefits (Addy et al., 2004). Community-engaged research affords community partners a voice in the project (Cushman et al., 2004). This study assessed Detroit community members’ perceived benefits of and suggestions for engaging with the community to support greenspaces. Through qualitative analysis, a three-step process for community-engaged planning was revealed. Findings highlight strategies that involve community members in this process to enhance community engagement and well-being.

Sustainable Tourism Behaviour Through Walking Tour: A Qualitative Study To Walking Tour Participants In Jakarta, Melisa Bunga Altamira, Khairunnisa Devani Aqtus Permana Putri

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

As urban tourism continues to rise, walking tours have emerged as a low-impact, environmentally friendly, and culturally immersive form of tourism. This study explores the relationship between walking tours and the development of sustainable tourism behaviour among participants in Jakarta, Indonesia. Using a qualitative research approach, this study elaborates the motivations, perceptions, and behavioural changes of individuals who have participated in walking tours across Jakarta’s historical and cultural sites. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and participant observations, focusing on themes such as environmental awareness, appreciation of local culture, and reduced dependency on motorized transport. The findings suggest that walking …

Elemental Analysis Of Sediments In Johnson County, Kansas: Applications In Fluvial Suspended Sediment Tracing, Kiena Campbell

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This exploratory study investigates whether bulk elemental analysis of sediment samples using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can reveal chemical signatures that identify anthropogenic contributions to sedimentation and increased fluvial suspended sediment loads, and whether these contribution sources can be identified. Human activity, urbanization, and changes in land use increase erosion, resulting in higher-than-natural suspended sediments (SS) in waterways and increasing sedimentation in reservoirs across the state of Kansas. These threats to freshwater storage capacity are especially urgent given the projected rise in freshwater demand in the Great Plains region driven by climate change. Understanding the origin of anthropogenic SS …

Building Urban Resilience, Winston T. L. Chow

Asian Management Insights

Cities can lead on services, resources, and partnerships.

The Industrial Hemp Supply Chain Solution, Honovi C. Trudell Sir

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Realistically solving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals utilizing an Industrial Hemp supply chain with economy to scale to replace petroleum based plastics and permanently offset carbon emissions produced from other continuously produced hazardous waste.

Integrating A Stakeholder-Centric Approach Into Dynamic Adaptation Policy Pathways For Equitable Coastal Flood Risk Management In East Boston, Shailee M. Desai

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This research aims to illustrate a methodology incorporating diverse stakeholder values in adaptation planning to promote equitable outcomes using a hypothetical case study of the Lower Border Street area in East Boston, using the Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP) framework for managing coastal flood risk. It offers three significant contributions to the field of adaptation planning: (i) It demonstrates how to integrate a stakeholder-specific assessment within the DAPP framework and illustrates individual impacts to a variety of stakeholders, including high- and low-income residents, commercial actors, government actors, and coastal landowners hoping that the planning process remains transparent and motivates local …

The Politics Of Being Heard: Communication And Power Struggles In Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Caroline Trejo

Master's Projects and Capstones

The environmental and public health challenges in Bayview-Hunters Point have catalyzed widespread community activism, as residents and advocates respond to the ongoing fallout from radiological contamination at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. Communication plays a vital role in bridging the gap between affected communities and government entities throughout the cleanup process. This research asks: how have the communication strategies of advocacy groups influenced government actions and policies during the Bayview-Hunters Point Shipyard cleanup? To explore this question, I conducted semi-structured interviews with three community advocates, two former members of a non-partisan civil jury, one independent researcher, and one government official. …

Passive Envelope Retrofits As Climate Justice Infrastructure Against Extreme Heat: A Gis-Guided Approach For Outdated Single-Family Homes In Urban California, Mert Oztekin Mr.

Master's Projects and Capstones

I examined the opportunities to enhance equity in energy performance, climate resilience, and environmental adaptation through climate-resilient envelope retrofitting and spatially guided implementation strategies (via mappings of the Urban Heat Island -UHI- and socio-economic vulnerability indicators). Passive envelope retrofits of attic insulation; high-performance windows; cool roofs; and green roofs / walls, are examined across multiple climate zones of California' aged single-family housing stock, focusing on the Disadvantaged Communities (DACs). Through spatial analysis, strong overlap between Urban Heat Island(UHI) exposure; pre-1980 housing; socioeconomic disadvantage, and thus the need for spatially-directed action is underlined. The policy landscape analysis provides confirmation of the …

Local Systems Change: Applied Research Methods For Sustainable Communities, Taylor Barrett Hill

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Religiosity And Violence Prevention Programs On Violence Amongst Adolescents In The U.S., Ngoc Nguyen, John Paulson, Quentin Maynard, Thu T. Ha

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Youth violence is a societal concern in the United States due to its negative consequences on individuals and communities. The current study aimed to examine the potential mitigating factors of violence prevention programs and religiosity in reducing youth violence among African American, White, Hispanic, and Asian American adolescents in the United States. It also tested the moderation effects of sex on religiosity and violence prevention programs with youth violence. Results of the main effects revealed that adolescents who attended violence prevention programs were generally less likely to engage in violence than those who did not; and that adolescents who were …

Statement From The Indiana Academy Of The Social Sciences And Board Of Directors

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Volume 27, Issue 2 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Editor-In-Chief's Note, Surekha Rao

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Mobilizing Discord On The United States’ Many Borders: Critical Social Science And Geopolitical Complexity, Margath Walker

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Attention to the political landscape connecting the United States, Mexico, and Central America has returned with glaring intensity, highlighting the visibly geostrategic elements of bordering practice. Scholars have focused on how state power materializes at multiple scales while at the same time being attentive to the contestable and mutable nature of myriad agentic forces. This talk operates similarly by considering prospects for a frictional and at times ambiguous spatial politics. I extend the notion of discord as a productive lens through which to consider securitization, mobility, and migration. I use two short examples—the border-industrial complex and migrant caravans—to illustrate my …

Mission And Editorial Policy

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Best Businesses For New Urbanist Communities: A Retake, Karl Besel, Tonya Thornton, Yusuf A. Nur, Kenneth Chilton

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Place defines the linkages between space and representation. Several theoretical concepts attempt to examine how people perceive a place and even their purpose as a part of it, including it being as a prescribed way of life, a public ideology to ascribe to, and as a set geographical residence. More often than not, this “sense” is simply categorized by a rural-urban continuum dictated by health and wealth. New Urbanism communities is an urban design movement that promotes a sense of community by designing walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods that are environmentally friendly and provide a wide range of housing and job types. …

Author Biographical Notes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Reviewers And Referees

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Editorial History

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

George C. Roberts Award Recipients

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

96th Annual Iass Conference Call For Papers

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Carbon Accountability Scores: A Process-Oriented Approach For Carbon Offsetting Using Ai Agents, Joshit Mohanty, Vaishali Vaishali

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

Conventional carbon offset programs rely on quantified emissions to determine balancing requirements. While this approach offers a standardized means of measuring carbon output, it often provides industries with a loophole—allowing them to offset their emissions by purchasing equivalent credits for activities such as tree planting rather than tackling inefficiencies at the source. This research proposes a process-based framework called Carbon Accountability Scores (CA scores) to offer a proactive strategy for assessing and reducing carbon footprints. Instead of focusing on the mere balancing of emitted and sequestered carbon, CA scores integrate an organization’s operational processes into the calculation, thereby offering the …

Risk, Vulnerability, And Resilience In “Natural” Disasters: A Hurricane Katrina Case Study, Scarlett Oaks '25

Honor Scholar Theses

With the rapid rate of climate change, major weather events and natural disasters are predicted to become more commonplace. An understanding of the factors to a community’s economic and social rebuilding can foster resilience against future disasters, even with a changing climate and the slow implementation of climate policy. Hurricane Katrina caused billions of dollars in damages and nearly 2,000 casualties when the storm reached New Orleans in 2005. The lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina can inform resilience efforts and identify gaps in preparedness and protection. An investigation of the historical inequalities that persisted in New Orleans reveals that neoliberal …

Wrack Lines Spring-Summer 2025, Volume 25, Number 1, Megan Bard, Ronald Goldberg, Clayton Mcgoldrick, Judy Benson

Wrack Lines

Spring-Summer 2025 issue of CT Sea Grant's biannual magazine focuses on the theme of, "Finding their niche: Unique ways of serving people and the environment," with profiles of six standouts in various environmental fields.

The Strategy Of Local Economy Sustainability For Resilient Coastal Settlement: The Lessons Learned From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sri Aliah Ekawati, Mukti Ali, Gafar Lakatupa, Laode Muhammad Asfan Mujahid, Renaldy Renaldy, Andi Siti Faatimah Mauldini

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

Learning from experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aims to recommend strategies for local economic sustainability to achieve resilient coastal settlement goals. A literature review was conducted as a preliminary to obtain an overview of the economic strategies carried out by coastal communities during the pandemic, the variables of resilient coastal settlements, government programs in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, and research gaps related to local economic sustainability. This study used a questionnaire distribution method to collect data. The data were then analyzed using a triangulation method that compared the variables of coastal settlement’s resilience, government programs, and potential …

Volume 28, Issue 1 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Bridging The Green Divide: Sustainable Community Development And Climate Resilience In Altadena, Ca, Katie Brosnan

Pitzer Senior Theses

Sustainable Community Development (SCD) is widely debated as a climate mitigation strategy, with recognized benefits such as reducing carbon footprints, enhancing public health, and fostering economic resilience. However, a major critique is its limited accessibility to marginalized communities. In particular, the resilience embedded in rebuilding plans does not necessarily translate to real access for those whose insurance coverage may not be sufficient to afford conventional design services or reconstruction costs. This thesis argues that while SCD is an effective tool for climate mitigation, its success depends on equitable access—not just in principle, but in the material capacity to participate in …

Mapping The Tren Maya’S Mark On Mérida, Diego Tamayo

Pitzer Senior Theses

Mapping the Tren Maya’s Mark on Mérida investigates whether the Tren Maya railway is ushering in new sustainable development which provides economic and social benefits for the residents of Mérida, Mexico. The Mexican government has spearheaded the megaproject’s construction in a mere four years with the goal of boosting economic growth in an environmentally and socially conscious manner. The following investigation highlights where this vision, articulated in technocratically-constructed public documents and amplified in reporting, has been fulfilled in Mérida. Through geospatial, physical, and journalistic investigations and analysis, it is revealed the Tren Maya has brought a host of impacts upon …

Space For The Departed: Burial, Land Scarcity, And Bone-Ash Apartments In China, Xinyi Wu

Pitzer Senior Theses

The rise of bone ash apartments in China reflects a layered response to urban land scarcity, shifting funeral policies, and real estate speculation. As the state mandates cremation and restricts private cemetery development, traditional burial customs are increasingly reshaped by spatial limitations, economic pressures, and political regulation.

For some families, bone ash apartments function as modern ancestral halls—domestic spaces for remembrance and ritual continuity. For others, they represent a pragmatic investment strategy, offering long-term storage of ashes within assets that retain market value.

This thesis examines how urban planning, state funeral policy, real estate dynamics, and the disintegration of neighborhood …