Healthy Urban Environments : More-than-Human Theories

Set in the human-environment interaction space, this book applies new theoretical insights to health in urban environments. It stems from increasing interest in the creation of healthy settings and liveable cities, which aim to improve equity and sustainability in urban environments, but do so with theoretically simplistic and unimaginative models. Conceptually and practically, the book is situated at the intersection of human geography, health promotion and design of urban environments. In particular the book turns its attention to socio-ecological models of health and expands and reframes these use ideas from more-than-human theory. As a practical contribution, it then directs these ideas towards reinvigorating health promotion and urban design.

Set in the ‘human–environment’ interaction space, this book applies new theoretical and practical insights to understanding what makes healthy urban environments. It stems from recognition that the world is rapidly urbanising and the international concern with how to create healthy settings and liveable cities in the context of a rapidly changing planet. A key argument is that usual attempts to make healthy cities are limited by human-centrism and bifurcated, western thinking about cities, health and nature. Drawing on the innovative ‘more-than-human’ scholarship from a range of disciplines, it presents a synthesis of the main contributions, and how they can be used to rethink what healthy urban environments are, and who they are for. In particular, the book turns its attention to urban biodiversity and the many non-human species that live in, make and share cities with humans.

The book will be of interest to scholars and students in human geography, health sociology, environmental humanities, public health, health promotion, planning and urban design, as well as policymakers and professionals working in these fields.