Peri-Urbanization and Land Use Change

  • 4,898

    Total downloads

  • 30k

    Total views and downloads

About this Research Topic

Submission closed

Background

As big cities in developing countries urbanize, large areas of rural land are incorporated into the urban perimeter. This is generally acknowledged as the peri-urbanization process, where land is converted into different urban land uses such as housing development, transport routes, industrial and commercial zones, recreational areas, or city-oriented agricultural production spaces. However, this unequal metropolitan expansion leaves peripheral spaces in a disadvantaged position. It is evident that such peripheral development concentrates a large proportion of the poorer groups in the most precarious settlements, most of them in irregular conditions. They are also marginalized from the best qualities of life, efficient public services, and urban subcenters with goods and services.

To address the unequal development between the center and periphery, a new strategy is required for the development of metropolitan space – one that reaches a balance between these two zones with a more democratic and sustainable approach, socio-economic opportunities, and citizen participation. To progress in this direction, it is necessary to first understand all dimensions of the peri-urbanization process. Governance bodies need to manage these spaces as profound land-use changes are taking place with severe environmental deterioration due to its expansion. In essence, the urban periphery is a heterogenous space with various types of peripheries – rich, poor, traditional, and modern. It is a transition space where the city moves forward and rural areas disappear, a territory that gradually concentrates new development poles. There are two clear priorities for governments: to ensure that peri-urban spaces are no longer the most lagging areas of the metropolis; and to convert these spaces into sustainable areas in terms of urban forms, transport, energy alternative sources, and environmental services. In terms of governance, it is necessary to take an approach of participatory planning that incorporates the view of different actors: private capital, multiscale government bodies, environmental preservation, and local traditions. Each city should have one overarching city project, with very close interdependencies between peripheral and central zones. It is imperative to define a target vision in the long term for these spaces, and to model future scenarios to estimate future costs in terms of housing, infrastructure construction, energy consumption and environmental deterioration.

This Research Topic aims to emphasize the main characteristics of peri-urban zones, to highlight its dynamic development, and to identify the most fundamental challenges for its territorial management. Researchers are invited to contribute original research, policy and practice reviews, community case study, and conceptual analysis that exemplifies the profound manner of urban peripheries’ various forms of transformation in cities in developing countries. Such changes should be supported by evidence that reflects the realities of these spaces. The following is a list of specific themes we would like contributors to address:

· The delimitation of urban peripheries in different urban contexts for management, planning, and governance.
· Features of diffused urbanization in peripheral spaces such as expansion patterns and land uses.
· Urban expansion and urban-rural transitions; segregation, informal settlements, and poverty.
· Urban mobility and commuting patterns incorporating peripheral spaces.
· Peripheral expansion and the formation of new centralities, a polycentric periphery?
· Environmental deterioration, impacts, and conflicts in peripheral spaces.
· The production dimension of the urban periphery related to city and regional territory.
· Social actors and the pressure for land-use change; speculation and real estate developments.

Keywords: Peri-urbanization, disperse urbanization, informal settlements, poverty, environmental deterioration, urban governance

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Topic editors

Frequently asked questions

  • Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

    Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

  • The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

    Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

  • As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

    A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

  • Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

  • Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

    As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

    Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

     

  • Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

    Check available article types here 

  • Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

    Suggest your topic here 

  • A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

    The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

  • As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

     

    You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

  • As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

  • If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

  • Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

  • Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

  • As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

    Find out more about our Research Topics

  • Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

    Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

  • In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.

     

Impact

  • 30kTopic views
  • 23kArticle views
  • 4,898Article downloads
View impact