Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

From A Shtetl House To An Urban Apartment: The Soviet Jewish Home Negotiated, Transformed, And Reimagined, Anna Kushkova

Jewish Folklore and Ethnology

This essay argues that despite the powerful forces of assimilation, official campaigns against Jewish religion/languages, and grassroots/state antisemitism, the “Jewish home” did not disappear, as is sometimes assumed, but continued to present a site of Jewish ethnic production and transmission, creativity, and resistance during the Soviet regime. In the Soviet Union, especially in the postwar period, Jewish ethnic culture was forced to leave the public sphere, where it became unwelcome and even dangerous, and withdrew into the less visible space of domestic interiors. The degree of Jewish public presence varied geographically: the situation was generally better in the Baltic Republics, …

Graffiti, Neoliberalismo, At Tunggalian Para Sa Espasyo Sa Lungsod Quezon (Graffiti, Neoliberalism, And Contestations For Space In Quezon City), Harvey James G. Castillo

Akda: The Asian Journal of Literature, Culture, Performance

Magmula nang umigting ang neoliberalismo bilang ekonomikong kaayusan noong dekada 1970, daan-daang bansa na ang maaapektuhan nito at libo-libong espasyo ang mahuhubog ng masidhing neoliberal na lohika. Tatawagin ng mga paham bilang neoliberal na urbanismo—ang ganitong diwa ng pagsasaayos sa mga lungsod, na nasa anyo ng pribatisasyon at hentripikasyon ng mga espasyo, ay magdudulot ng pag-unlad at lubos-at-labis na yaman para sa iilan, at kaaba-abang karalitaan at guho para sa nakararami. Sa ganitong konteksto ng neoliberal na urbanismo, isinusulong ng artikulo na ang mga graffiti ay umiiral bilang tekstong panlipunan na instrumental sa agawan ng espasyo sa pagitan ng …

Walk Portland: A Downtown Pedestrian Wayfinding Strategy And Pilot, Gena Gastaldi, Gwen Sullivan, Ryan Sullivan

PSU Transportation Seminars

Walk Portland, a partnership between the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Travel Portland, seeks to make it easier than ever for pedestrians to explore the city. In 2024, PBOT and Travel Portland, in partnership with sparks+sullivan, teamed up to develop a wayfinding strategic plan. In 2025, with grant funding from Travel Oregon, the team launched a short-term pilot wayfinding system to help people explore Portland as a pedestrian: the Downtown Portland Walking Route. The pilot, up from August-October 2025, is designed to see what works and what doesn’t in helping people navigate downtown. The long-term goal of this project …

Woman, Motherhood, And Home: Grappling With Gendered Dwelling, Pamela Joy M. Capistrano

Philosophy Department Faculty Publications

Though ostensibly gender neutral, the word “home” carries with it the baggage of gender, particularly womanhood and motherhood. In English, for instance, “homemaking” is synonymous with “housewifery;” in Filipino, the mother is described as ilaw ng tahanan (“light of the home”). Housing, as well, has a similar neutral connotation; yet, when we consider the impact of urban housing crises, women are disproportionately affected. In this paper, I want to grapple with the broader implications of the gendered baggage of the idea of “home,” its impact on individuals, on how we conceive of houses, homes, and dwellings, and ultimately its impact …

Costly Compliance: Stipulated Agreements In Oregon’S Nonpayment Eviction Cases, Colleen Carroll, Minji Cho, Lisa K. Bates

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

In Oregon, stipulated agreements are court-enforced agreements that dictate the terms and conditions under which an eviction case can be dismissed. Stipulated agreements are court-enforced agreements that landlords and tenants enter into during the course of the eviction process instead of going to trial. If all the terms of the agreement are not met, the landlord can seek a swift judgment of eviction against the tenant. These types of agreements are often touted as a successful form of post-filing eviction diversion; however, very little is known about the terms and outcomes of these cases.

Urban Political Ecology And Informal City: Using The Capabilities Approach In Co-Designing With Slum Communities, Patrick Vance S. Nogoy

Philosophy Department Faculty Publications

Slum communities which compose an informal city offer a serious challenge to urban metabolism approaches that promise to be inclusive in confronting environmental injustice. In particular, urban political ecology (UPE) frameworks critically examine power structures and relational dynamics in the environment where objectionable injustices are identified and corrected. However, Holifield (2009) finds UPE limiting as it excludes marginalized communities and other important factors. The main reason Holifield highlights is the dominance of Marxist UPE frameworks that interpret environmental injustices narrowly as results of uneven social power relations and dynamics driven primarily by neo-liberal capitalist behaviors, institutions, and activities. Alternatively, he …

Cleveland Financial Empowerment Neighborhoods Of Strategic Focus: Data Profile, Molly Schnoke, Ronnie A. Dunn, Jack Yochum

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This report primarily focuses on the data that supports the need for financial empowerment policies, programming, and planning in the City of Cleveland, with a specific focus on the target neighborhoods identified. Demographic and economic data alike show that residents in target neighborhoods face substantial challenges when it comes to economic stability and mobility. This is true citywide for minority populations, especially, and the target neighborhoods of this project face notable challenges beyond that.

The neighborhoods targeted for this project include Downtown, Central-Hough, Glenville-Collinwood, Buckeye-Woodhill, Broadway-Slavic Village, Clark Fulton, and Old Brooklyn. Together, these neighborhoods contain over 256,000 residents, which …

Can Singapore Be A City That Bounces Back And Gives Back?, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In a commentary, SMU President Professor Lily Kong called for a widened definition of sustainability in city-making. She proposed that cities must be resilient, regenerative and restorative (3Rs) — able to withstand shocks, replenish ecosystems, and restore human well-being. Prof Kong cited Singapore’s Draft Master Plan 2025 as an illustration of balancing technical innovation with inclusive engagement, stressing that trust is the “invisible infrastructure” of resilience. She also emphasised the role of universities as conveners of dialogue and innovation, spotlighting SMU’s co-convening of the City Dialogues in Vienna and its hosting of the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition, …

Fight, Flight, Freeze 2: An Update On Tenants’ Responses To Eviction Across Urban And Rural Oregon, Natalie J. Cholula, Lisa K. Bates, Alex Farrington, Marisa Zapata, Jacen Greene, Colleen Carroll

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the original "Fight, Flight, Freeze" (FFF) report, the Evicted in Oregon researchers reported on the experiences of tenants who faced eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic and their access to resources. This brief provides updated analysis, now including 121 tenants with eviction experiences in Oregon. The analysis includes 13 new focus groups with tenants in both rural and urban Oregon, focusing on the type of support they received while navigating eviction. These groups represent tenants from diverse backgrounds.

Using the fight-flight-freeze framework, we analyzed tenants' reactions to eviction. We also report the resources they accessed after being threatened with eviction …

Analyzing Sea Level Rise Scenarios Impact On The Mobility, Infrastructures, Environment Of Abu Dhabi And Defining Solutions By Creating A Digital Twin Using Gis And Game Engine, Justine Sylviane Lucie Sarrau

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the potential impact of future sea level rise (SLR) scenarios on the city of Abu Dhabi. With climate change, many coastal towns are at risk of experiencing this type of natural hazard. Currently, no precise scenario simulations have been developed, mainly due to the use of low spatial resolution elevation data. Additionally, the difficulty in understanding the real impacts persists when analyses rely solely on traditional cartography and GIS methods. This dissertation aims to advance the field by offering a new approach, which involves creating a comprehensive dynamic 3D simulation with dynamic flowing water. This model, defined …

Best Practices In Marketing And Creative Outreach For New Transportation Technologies, William Riggs, Caillou Dasalla, Cayden Rooney, Vaasu Bhartia

Mineta Transportation Institute

Emerging transportation technologies—including electric vehicles (EVs), micromobility solutions, autonomous vehicles (AVs), hyperloop systems, and mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) platforms—are rapidly reshaping mobility patterns and urban environments. As these innovations gain traction, it becomes increasingly important to address concerns, communicate advantages, and foster trust across communities. This project examines marketing best practices for promoting emerging mobility solutions, synthesizing insights from scholarly research, industry standards, and case studies of successful campaigns. Emphasis is placed on the shift toward “snackable,” visually engaging content delivered through widely used social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, which are increasingly central to reaching diverse audiences. The …

Roots Of Justice: A History Of Race And Racism In Nebraska, Kevin Abourezk, M. Dewayne Mays, Paul Olson, Gabriel Bruguier, Preston Love Jr., Adam Fletcher Sasse, Heather Fryer, J.S. Onésimo (Ness) Sándoval, Sharon Ishii-Jordan, Emira Ibrahimpašić, Julia Reilly

Zea E-Books Collection

There is much to understand about the history of Nebraska and how the past shapes the present. This book attempts to bring into clearer focus the triumphs and trials of five broad groups whose lives have often been overlooked when the state’s history is told. The authors know some of this history of racism firsthand: Most of them have lived as people of color in Nebraska. They’ve experienced “the good, the bad and the ugly” that makes up our state story. We encourage educators, scholars and family historians to continue to dig, to document and to tell these stories. And …

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 …

Preserving Cultural Identity In Multi-Function Real Estate Developments, Khloud Khalid Eldamshiry

Architectural Engineering

The proliferation of multi-function real-estate developments (MRD) frequently leads to the erosion of unique architectural identity (AI), threatening the historical and cultural character of urban areas. This research addresses a critical gap in understanding how new developments can effectively preserve and leverage local cultural heritage. Grounded in the theoretical understanding of heritage-led urban regeneration, this study aims First, to identify the specific architectural elements and design strategies crucial for preserving cultural sustainability (CS) in multi-function real estate projects; and second, to quantify the perceived impact of these strategies on local community engagement and economic viability. The hypothesis posits that multi-function …

No. 45: Internal Migration, Climate Adaptation, And Food System Resilience In Namibia, Lawrence N. Kazembe, Ndeyapo Nickanor

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

As one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most arid countries, Namibia serves as a crucial example for studying the interactions between climate vulnerability, migration, and food systems. This study investigates how internal migration flows to Windhoek and northern towns (Oshakati, Ongwediva, Ondangwa) transform urban food networks while creating new patterns of risk and adaptation. Through household surveys, policy analysis, and stakeholder interviews, we uncover a paradox: despite escaping rural climate stressors, migrants often encounter new vulnerabilities such as precarious employment, inadequate housing, and unstable food access. However, they develop sophisticated adaptive strategies that span urban-rural divides: maintaining rural agricultural production through family …

A Spatial Multi-Criteria Decision-Support Model For Planning Land Use Allocation A Case Of Neighborhood Urban Park Site Selection, Mohamed M. Youssef Associate Professor, Ali Alshehhi Technical Director, Bahaa Alboshy Associate Professor

Journal of Engineering Research

- This paper examines the crucial role of GIS capabilities in spatial multi-criteria decision-making modeling for enhancing land use allocation in Ajman City, UAE, amidst the challenges posed by rapid population growth and unplanned urbanization. As urban areas face increasing pressure from informal housing and sprawl, GIS emerges as a critical tool for informed decision-making and sustainable development. By integrating GIS with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), this study aims to optimize the selection of neighborhood park sites, address spatial issues, and promote sustainable land use practices. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach that combines spatial data analysis and Expert-Based engagement, the …

Federal Funding In The Mountain West, 2021-2024, Isabelle G. Graham, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Elections & Governance

This fact sheet presents data on the number of federal funding awards granted to the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah between 2021 and 2024. These awards include investments authorized under major federal legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), CHIPS and Science Act, and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), among other programs tracked by Invest.gov. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will see funding for these programs sunsetted (terminated as the above legislation expires).

What Are The Limits To Smart Innovation? The Digital Underground Initiative And New Frontiers Of “Smartness” In Singapore, Prerona Das, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This paper argues that the emergence of new frontiers of smart transformation, such as underground spaces, can pose significant challenges to the implementation of “smart” technological solutions. Exploring the case of Singapore’s Digital Underground initiative, we show that elements such as material complexity, co-ordination between stakeholders, and the availability of appropriate regulatory and administrative frameworks can problematize the implementation of subterranean smart initiatives. By considering multistake-holder perspectives on these “more-than-technological” factors, this paper offers lessons for urban planners, policymakers, and developers in cities around the world that are keen to leverage technology to unlock the potential of underground space.

Pro-Choice Movement, Delondra Woods

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Children's Rights Movement, Cynthia Diaz

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

The Innocence Project, Charisma Beatty

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Reproductive Justice Movement, Alex Gunzer

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Black Women's Suffrage Movement, Quanisha Flynn

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Black Guns Matter, Shari Manning

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

The Graffiti And Street Art Movement, Deborah Geer-Gateley

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Defining Graffiti Art And Street Art As A Movement, Deborah Geer-Gateley

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

From The Editor: Cynthia George

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Integrating African American Veterans Into Church Life: The Impact Of Urban Neo-Tribalism At Olivet Church, Dennis Allen Rose Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African American veterans at Olivet Baptist Church attended worship services but did not participate in broader church activities. Many remained disconnected except during annual recognition events. This project was developed to address that gap. The Veteran Re-engagement Module (VRM) was delivered through six small group sessions. It focused on helping veterans talk through their past experiences, explore how those experiences affected their faith, and reconnect with the church. The approach centered around Scripture, group conversation, and spiritual storytelling. To evaluate its impact, data came through before-and-after surveys, individual interviews, and session notes. Twelve veterans participated. Some said this was the …

The Relations Between Online Communication, Social Capital, And Well-Being In Chinese Preadolescents, Xiaotong Li

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

In the digital era, preadolescents (aged 9–12 years) increasingly use social media platforms for communication and social interactions. However, research on whether online communication contributes positively or negatively to preadolescents’ well-being is inconclusive. Moreover, the underlying mechanism linking preadolescents’ online communication and well-being remains unclear. Hence, the research objectives are twofold. First, based on the concepts of social enhancement perspectives and self-determination theory, this study investigates the bidirectional relations and potential mechanisms between preadolescents’ online communication factors (including frequency, online self-disclosure, online perceived responsiveness) with four targets (family members, real-life friends, online friends, and online strangers) and well-being (including subjective …

Mapping Food Justice: Urban Farms And The Examination Of Equitable Food Access, Aaron Avila, Mark Ayiah, Jake Stavely, Marc T. Sager, Maximilian K. Sherard, Anthony J. Petrosino

SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research

In this project, we worked alongside members from an urban farm in South Dallas to learn about issues related to food justice, urban farming, and food deserts. Using participatory design research methods, we created data visualizations showing how society can reduce inequities relating to food access produced in historically underserved neighborhoods. The research goals guiding this study are: a) to identify food deserts and urban farms in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region (DFW) and b) to determine which urban farms service the needs of these food deserts. To identify food deserts, we took two steps: First, we used open-access data …