Public Spaces: Socioeconomic Challenges

Dear Colleagues,

This publication is the result of growing concern for happiness and social wellbeing. Using a multidisciplinary approach, it will build from the different contributions to physical and mental health (eventually, happiness) into the target goals of projecting the future based on meaningful public policies.

Although they have distinct scopes, the concepts of wellbeing and happiness intersect. The first is connected to healthier lifestyles, whereas the second is conscientious of inner balance, resulting mainly from the conditions that affect the individual.

Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of the socio-economic context and urban spaces in motivating people to connect their wellbeing, both directly and indirectly, to their happiness.

This publication intends to examine how public spaces can transform the urban (or rural) context to promote settings of interaction and mutual support, collaboration and sharing, or collective movements of exaltation. The impacts of these newly abstract or physical structures can represent social movements such as residence choices or new inflections in sporadic movements, such as newly induced forms of tourism.

The Special Issue will be organized into three parts. The first one will revisit the theoretical framework supporting our vision, while the second one will analyze the possible public policies directed to welfare solutions in an urban context. Finally, the last part will present multiple case studies to illustrate the topics discussed.

Prof. Dr. Teresa de Noronha
Guest Editor

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