Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Ph.D. Candidate in Environmental Planning, Department of Environmental Planning, Management & HSE, Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Master Student in Environmental Planning, Department of Environmental Planning, Management & HSE, Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Amid the evolving discourses of urban political geography, the intersection of gender studies, family-oriented policymaking, and care infrastructures has prompted a critical rethinking of urban governance paradigms. This article adopts a typological approach, grounded in critical discourse analysis, to develop a multilayered framework of sixteen urban governance models. Drawing on gender-sensitive urban planning and the critical geography of the family, it revisits policy mechanisms, institutional formations, and spatial representations in relation to gendered and familial roles, positions, and needs. The findings distinguish between models grounded in gender justice—such as the Safe City for Women, Women’s Empowerment City, and Gender-Inclusive City—and those focused on intergenerational social reproduction, including the Care-Oriented City, Intergenerational-Friendly City, and Pronatalist City. Methodologically, the study is based on comparative analysis and draws from international case studies, allowing for a close examination of policy microstructures, spatial design strategies, and participatory mechanisms. These models are analyzed as diverse urban governance constructs shaped by overlapping yet distinct logics. Spatial, gendered, and institutional configurations are explored as complex networks of actors, institutions, and policies. The study concludes that transitioning from a one-dimensional model of urban management to a multidimensional urban governance paradigm requires the integration of gender-, family-, and generation-sensitive approaches. The paper ends with strategic and local-level recommendations for enhancing spatially responsive and intersectionally attuned governance capacities.
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