About
Urban Development Issues (UDI) is an online, open-access scientific journal published by the Institute of Urban and Regional Development (Instytut Rozwoju Miast i Regionów), one of Poland’s leading institutions in the fields of spatial planning and urban and regional studies.
The journal operates under a continuous publication model. Articles are published online throughout the year following completion of the editorial and peer-review process. Each annual volume is formally closed at the end of the calendar year.
UDI publishes scholarly articles in British English and Polish. Research articles undergo a double-blind peer-review process. The journal does not charge authors any submission fees, article processing charges or other publication fees.
Online ISSN: 2544-6258
Former print ISSN: 2544-624X
Aim
The aim of Urban Development Issues is to advance the understanding of the processes that shape cities, urbanised areas and regions.
The journal publishes research that identifies and explains urban phenomena, evaluates public policies and planning instruments, and contributes to the development of effective responses to contemporary urban challenges.
UDI seeks articles that move beyond the description of individual cases. Authors are expected to explain the broader theoretical, methodological or practical significance of their research and to show how their findings contribute to the study of urban and regional development.
The journal supports dialogue between academic research, spatial planning and professional practice. It welcomes contributions from different disciplines and methodological traditions, provided that they offer a clear and original contribution to urban studies.
Scope
UDI welcomes theoretical, empirical, comparative and methodological studies concerning cities, urbanised areas and regions. Its areas of interest include, but are not limited to:
Spatial planning and urban policy
The journal publishes studies concerning spatial planning systems, planning instruments, land-use regulation, urban governance and the implementation and evaluation of urban policies. Articles focused on individual plans, policies or projects should demonstrate their relevance to wider debates concerning planning theory, institutional change or the effectiveness of planning instruments.
Transportation and mobility
UDI welcomes research on urban and regional transport, accessibility, mobility behaviour, transport policy and the relationships between mobility, land use and urban development. The journal encourages studies that consider the social, economic, spatial and cultural factors influencing transport choices, as well as comparative research examining differences between cities, regions and countries.
Urban regeneration and gentrification
The journal publishes research on urban regeneration, neighbourhood change, housing, displacement, social inclusion and gentrification. UDI is particularly interested in studies that evaluate the long-term effects of regeneration policies, identify the conditions under which good practices can be transferred, and examine the relationship between regeneration, social change and displacement.
Urban sprawl, suburbanisation and urbanisation
UDI welcomes studies addressing urban sprawl, suburbanisation, metropolitan development, land consumption and changes in the spatial distribution of population and economic activity. Relevant contributions may examine the environmental, social, economic and infrastructural consequences of these processes or apply modelling and analytical tools to understand changes in land use and settlement patterns.
Urban environment and resilience
The journal publishes research on climate adaptation, environmental quality, urban ecosystems, green and blue infrastructure, energy transition, disaster risk reduction and the resilience of cities and regions.
Housing and local development
UDI welcomes studies concerning housing policy, housing markets, neighbourhood development, local public services, demographic change and socio-spatial inequalities.
Urban governance and participation
The journal is open to research on urban governance, public participation, institutional cooperation, local democracy, civic initiatives and relationships between public authorities, communities and other urban stakeholders.
Methods and data in urban studies
UDI publishes methodological contributions concerning spatial analysis, geographic information systems, urban modelling, remote sensing, qualitative and participatory methods, and the use of new data sources in urban and regional research.
Geographic and disciplinary scope
UDI does not limit submissions to a particular country, region or spatial scale. The journal welcomes local, metropolitan, regional, national and international studies. Case studies should explain whether the selected case is representative of a broader phenomenon or is significant because of its specific or exceptional characteristics. The journal encourages submissions from researchers representing geography, spatial planning, architecture, sociology, economics, public policy, environmental studies, transport studies and other disciplines contributing to the understanding of urban and regional development.
Types of content
UDI primarily publishes original research articles. The journal may also occasionally publish review articles, book reviews, project reports, commentaries and editorial notes. Materials that have not undergone external peer review are clearly identified as non-peer-reviewed.
Publisher and contact
Publisher:
Institute of Urban and Regional Development
ul. Targowa 45
03-728 Warsaw, Poland
Correspondence address:
ul. Cieszyńska 2
30-015 Kraków, Poland
Editorial Office:
[email protected]
Journal Urban Development Issues has evolved from a publication focused primarily on professional practice into a scientific journal contributing to contemporary urban and regional studies. The transformation and internationalisation of the journal, the preparation of its digital archive and the development of its publication ethics policy were supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland under grant no. 841/P-DUN/2016, implemented in 2016–2017.
