1. Prologue On the second anniversary of meltdown at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan, some focus fell on abandoned, radioactive ghost towns and around disaster exclusion zone from which remaining residents have been forced to evacuate. A series poignant images shows empty streets, collapsed houses, unused drinks rice vending machines, school bags hanging outside a class an abandoned (The Guardian, 11 March 2013).1 All are reminder sudden, brutal collapse absolute fragility...

Many recent studies on network technologies and cities share an alarmist view of the impact technological or regulatory change in utility sectors social spatial fabric cities, pointing to growing discrimination inequalities, alienation, enhanced exclusion urban “splintering” a universal scale. A science technology study (STS) perspective these matters is helpful moving beyond this “universal alarmism” by emphasizing ambivalence inherent all technologies, significant potential contestation...

Abstract This paper contributes to an emerging literature focused on cities and regions as strategic sites for systemic sustainability transformation processes. We analyse how aspiration ambition of the energy system in Paris–Ile-de-France region France translates more vividly into transversal spatial planning policy arena than sector. The intensity inter-actor tensions here suggests that these are key contested issues future orientations systems any level. Some contradictions competing...

Over the last few years, nexus-thinking has become a buzzword in urban research and practice. This also applies to recent claims of greater integration or coordination infrastructures that have traditionally been managed separately unbundled. The idea is better address their growing sociotechnical complexity, externalities operation within an system systems. article introduces collection case studies aimed at critically appraising how concepts nexus infrastructure guiding visions for...

Les articles rassembles dans ce dossier etudient les tenants et aboutissants du developpement des techniques « alternatives » ou decentralisees de fourniture services urbains. Dans cette introduction, nous voudrions tenter resituer ces contributions le contexte historique ideologique qui conduit a faire l'hypothese que, si nombre ne sont pas proprement parler innovations, la periode actuelle se caracterise par un certain phenomenes susceptibles conduire une remise en cause profonde modele...

The practice of rainwater harvesting (RWH) is spreading rapidly in urban areas. This article studies the impact a possible generalization this for municipalities by proposing new method to quantify potential potable water savings (PPWS) using at level. proposed based on adaptation an already validated model assessing PPWS single buildings and use databases. Two concepts are introduced: (1) “building type” that allows gathering all sharing common features; (2) “equivalent building,” which...

Les resultats d'une recherche qualitative sur les pratiques spatiales des menages pauvres dans quatre espaces regions urbaines de Paris et Londres mettent en lumiere deux modeles territoriaux la pauvrete, un modele francais dependance locale s'opposant a anglais automobile. Meme si, pour concernes France, cette situation n'est generalement pas vecue maniere stigmatisante comme une relegation s'avere moins contraignante le plan financier, semble fragilise par ensemble facteurs qui rendent au...

Abstract Public aid programs to subsidize the automobility of poor households are at heart a trade‐off between three different types concern: economic (promoting access employment for active members these households), environmental (cutting greenhouse gas emissions from cars) and social (ensuring that policies control car usage do not penalize poorer disproportionately). This article analyzes comparative research into origins development such in countries characterized by levels dependence...

This paper is a response to some of the arguments developed by Stephen Graham in an article published IJURR March 2000. In that article, argues contemporary conditions development infrastructure networks worldwide are particularly favourable ‘secessionary tendencies’ and lead deliberate creation premium network(ed) spaces, i.e. ‘new or retrofitted transport, telecommunications, power water infrastructures customized precisely needs powerful users whilst bypassing less spaces’. this response,...

This short commentary starts from the observation that, until recently, most research addressing infrastructures within urban studies has largely downplayed crucial environmental resource issues. While and broader inequalities in through distribution of flows have been examined, especially an political ecology perspective, other issues, fundamentally associated with qualitative quantitative limitations, not. We therefore argue this paper that broadly construed, can indeed should be...

This paper is based on a prospective scenario of development rainwater harvesting (RWH) given large urban area (such as metropolitan or region). In such perspective, new method proposed to quantify the related potential potable water savings (PPWS) indicator this type by adapting reference model usually used building level. The four setting-up principles: gathering (definition buildings-types and municipalities-types), progressing (use an intermediate level), increasing (choice upper...

6 Dossier Les reseaux d’eau, d’assainissement des eaux usees et pluviales, de fourniture d’energie, collecte traitement dechets sont sinon « services a l’environnement », selon la formule adoptee par un grand groupe urbains, du moins dispositifs sociotechniques maitrise (ressources, milieux) afin satisfaire les besoins exigences activites humaines. Et transformations peuvent etre vues comme mise en œuvre modalites successives — que l’on songe exemple aux trois phases » service public l’eau,...

Based on a comparative study of the mobility poor in and around Paris London, backed by statistics qualitative surveys, this paper exposes greater car dependency UK than France. Aside from sociological factors (family mutual support networks), differing urban planning transport policies are part reason why. (A)

Current debates on the reconfiguration of utility industries make extensive use a series oppositions: customer vs user, public private ownership, competition monopoly, market incentives...