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Transdisciplinary Responses to Children’s Health Challenges in the Context of Rapid Urbanization

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  • Roderick Lawrence

    (Geneva School of Social Sciences (G3S), University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
    Institute for Environment & Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
    School of Architecture & the Built Environment, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia)

Abstract

Urban transformations are complex, dynamic, and systemic societal phenomena that have many positive and negative consequences, including irreversible changes to land-use and loss of soil permeability, deforestation and accelerating losses of biodiversity, energy consumption and increasing volumes of green-house gas emissions, demographics and greater socio-economic inequalities, and accelerating incidences of non-communicable diseases. These omnipresent diseases (e.g., asthma, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes) have no cultural, geographical, or socio-economic boundaries and they impact all age groups including children and young adults. Local and national authorities North and South of the Equator, and international organizations and networks, have rarely responded effectively to children’s health challenges in the context of rapid urban development. The purpose of this article is to describe and illustrate more effective approaches. It proposes new ideas, founded on collective thinking involving several disciplines and professions, and new working methods, founded on collaboration with community associations in civil society. Both promote shared understandings about the complex, dynamic, systemic, and emergent nature of urban health risks for children. The article explains why transdisciplinary contributions should be distinguished from multi- and inter-disciplinary contributions, and it presents examples of participatory action research in the WHO European region about children’s health.

Suggested Citation

  • Roderick Lawrence, 2019. "Transdisciplinary Responses to Children’s Health Challenges in the Context of Rapid Urbanization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-14, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:15:p:4097-:d:252745
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rotmans, J., 2005. "Societal Innovation: between dream and reality lies complexity," ERIM Inaugural Address Series Research in Management 7293, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam..
    2. Corburn, J., 2004. "Confronting the Challenges in Reconnecting Urban Planning and Public Health," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(4), pages 541-546.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wei Liu & Chenggu Li & Yao Tong & Jing Zhang & Zuopeng Ma, 2020. "The Places Children Go: Understanding Spatial Patterns and Formation Mechanism for Children’s Commercial Activity Space in Changchun City, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Tamara Al-Obaidi & Jason Prior & Erica McIntyre, 2022. "Conceptual Approaches of Health and Wellbeing at the Apartment Building Scale: A Review of Australian Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Roderick J. Lawrence, 2023. "Promoting and Sustaining Urban Health: Challenges and Responses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-13, August.
    4. Roderick J. Lawrence, 2022. "Co-Benefits of Transdisciplinary Planning for Healthy Cities," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(4), pages 61-74.

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