Contenido

Las teorías urbanas[1]​ constituyen un campo de estudio que busca comprender y explicar los procesos urbanos desde sus propias realidades históricas, sociales, económicas y culturales. A diferencia de las teorías urbanas desarrolladas en contextos europeos o norteamericanos, esta corriente propone construir marcos conceptuales que respondan a los desafíos particulares de la región.

Characteristics

They are intellectual approaches that attempt to understand and explain how cities develop, function and transform. They are a transdisciplinary topic that covers disciplines such as sociology, economics and geography.

Featured urban theories:.

A central characteristic of this approach is the search for conceptualizations in line with the social, political and spatial reality of Latin America. It aims to analyze cities from their origin and specific evolution, promoting both theoretical reflection and empirical research on their particular dynamics.

The production of urban thought in the region is developed in dialogue with international theories, in a process that combines recognition and criticism. Contributions from authors such as Christian Topalov"), Jean Lojkine"), Henri Lefebvre, Manuel Castells and Alan Gilbert, among others, are taken up, evaluating the relevance of their proposals from the Latin American context.

Likewise, a criticism is raised of the uncritical adoption of concepts originating in countries of the Global North. This criticism underlines the importance of considering the social, economic and cultural particularities of Latin America, promoting the development of its own theoretical frameworks that respond to local and regional conditions.[2]​.

Transdisciplinary and political character

This theory adopts a transdisciplinary approach,[3] integrating knowledge from sociology, geography, urban planning, economics and other disciplines. Furthermore, it rejects scientific neutrality, recognizing that all knowledge is ideologically mediated. In that sense, it is proposed as a tool for social transformation, aimed at satisfying the needs of the population.

Cognitive overshoot

Since the 1980s, Latin American urban studies have experienced a cognitive overshoot, that is, the emergence of new questions that cannot be adequately answered by existing theories. This phenomenon has driven the creation of more complex analytical frameworks appropriate to local realities.