Participatory and Spatial Approaches in Urban Infrastructuring — a Scoping Review

Abstract

Infrastructuring denotes the processual nature of infrastructure development and the dynamic relationship between infrastructures, actors, and the urban environment in specific local contexts. In this scoping review, we aim to map the existing academic literature on processes and practices of co-developing urban infrastructures through collaborative knowledge production and geospatial methods. Our main research question is: What trends and directions can be identified in research on the sociotechnical processes and relational system of urban infrastructuring, and how are methods of participation and knowledge building conceptualized and realized in infrastructuring processes? We are approaching these questions both qualitatively and quantitatively. We will show that there are three aspects where urban infrastructuring needs more attention. First, there is a lack in long-term or longitudinal research on infrastructuring processes. Secondly, while innovative work is being done in Majority World countries, there is scope for theory building that considers local context as well more interdisciplinary work. Thirdly,  a stronger focus on prototyping is needed in order to create links between conceptual and practical as well as processual aspects of infrastructuring. This review will help to better understand the complexities of urban infrastructuring and provide insights for future research.

Keywords: Infrastructuring, Participatory Planning, Geospatial Tools, Urban Infrastructures, Knowledge Co-Production