Dobson, J., Birch, J. orcid.org/0000-0003-0155-0242, Brindley, P. orcid.org/0000-0001-9989-9789 et al. (5 more authors) (2021) The magic of the mundane: The vulnerable web of connections between urban nature and wellbeing. Cities, 108. 102989. ISSN 0264-2751
Abstract
Cities are sites of human, ecological and institutional stress. The elements that make up the city – its people, landscapes and processes – are engaged in constant assemblage and disassembly, joining and pulling apart. Reporting the findings of a three-year multi-disciplinary deep case study, this paper examines the role of urban nature in mediating the relationship between stressed humans and stressed places. It applies assemblage theory to show how such relationships can be understood in contexts of multiple pressures. From empirical findings it shows how urban nature contributes to mental wellbeing, but also how institutional stresses linked to austerity policies shape efforts to reconnect humans and nature. Across five strands of research, this article foregrounds the importance of multiple everyday experiences of urban nature and practices of care and maintenance. It calls on researchers, policymakers, planners and practitioners to pay closer attention to the ‘magic of the mundane’ in supporting human wellbeing; in caring for spaces and places; and in providing the services that link people and the natural environment.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in Cities. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. Article available under the terms of the CC-BY-NC-ND licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). |
Keywords: | Urban nature; Green space; Wellbeing; Governance; Assemblage; Everyday |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Department of Landscape Architecture (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 05 Nov 2020 14:41 |
Last Modified: | 23 Apr 2022 00:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier BV |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.cities.2020.102989 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:167685 |