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Background: Children's physical inactivity is a persisting international public health concern. While there is a large body of literature examining physical activity interventions for children, the unique physical activity context of low-density communities in rural areas and smaller urban centres remains largely underexplored. With an influx of families migrating to rural communities and small towns, evaluations of health promotion efforts that support physical activity are needed to ensure they are meeting the needs of the growing populations in these settings. The aim of this community-based research was to explore service providers' and parents' perspectives on physical activity opportunities available in their community and recommendations toward the development and implementation of efficacious physical activity programming for children in rural communities and smaller urban centres. Methods: Three in-person community forums with recreation service providers (n = 37 participants) and 1 online community forum with the parents of school-aged children (n = 9 participants) were hosted. An online survey and Mentimeter activity were conducted prior to the community forums to gather participants' views on the barriers and facilitators to physical activities and suggestions for activity-promoting programs. The service provider and parent discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed following a deductive approach guided by Hseih and Shannon's (2005) procedure for direct content analysis. A code list developed from the responses to the pre-forum survey and Mentimeter activity was used to guide the analysis and category development. Results: Seven distinct categories related to the existing physical activity opportunities and recommendations for programs in rural communities and smaller urban centres were identified during the analysis: (1) Recovery from Pandemic-Related Measures, (2) Knowledge and Access to Programs, (3) Availability, (4) Personnel Support, (5) Quality of Programs and Facilities, (6) Expenses and Subsidies, and (7) Inclusivity and Preferences. Conclusion: To improve the health and well-being of children who reside in low-density areas, the results of this study highlight service provider and parent recommendations when developing and implementing community-based physical activity programs and interventions in rural and smaller urban settings, including skill development programs, non-competitive activity options, maximizing existing spaces for activities, and financial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Children’s physical inactivity is a persisting international public health concern. While there is a large body of literature examining physical activity interventions for children, the unique physical activity context of low-density communities in rural areas and smaller urban centres remains largely underexplored. With an influx of families migrating to rural communities and small towns, evaluations of health promotion efforts that support physical activity are needed to ensure they are meeting the needs of the growing populations in these settings. The aim of this community-based research was to explore service providers’ and parents’ perspectives on physical activity opportunities available in their community and recommendations toward the development and implementation of efficacious physical activity programming for children in rural communities and smaller urban centres. Methods Three in-person community forums with recreation service providers (n = 37 participants) and 1 online community forum with the parents of school-aged children (n = 9 participants) were hosted. An online survey and Mentimeter activity were conducted prior to the community forums to gather participants’ views on the barriers and facilitators to physical activities and suggestions for activity-promoting programs. The service provider and parent discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed following a deductive approach guided by Hseih and Shannon’s (2005) procedure for direct content analysis. A code list developed from the responses to the pre-forum survey and Mentimeter activity was used to guide the analysis and category development. Results Seven distinct categories related to the existing physical activity opportunities and recommendations for programs in rural communities and smaller urban centres were identified during the analysis: (1) Recovery from Pandemic-Related Measures, (2) Knowledge and Access to Programs, (3) Availability, (4) Personnel Support, (5) Quality of Programs and Facilities, (6) Expenses and Subsidies, and (7) Inclusivity and Preferences. Conclusion To improve the health and well-being of children who reside in low-density areas, the results of this study highlight service provider and parent recommendations when developing and implementing community-based physical activity programs and interventions in rural and smaller urban settings, including skill development programs, non-competitive activity options, maximizing existing spaces for activities, and financial support.

This study provides an insight into the visual information (colours, symbols) of waste classification based on the three principles of closure, similarity and continuation of Gestalt theory. A field survey of Xiamen University Town in China and a survey of 1,000 local and international university students in the area were used to understand the level of awareness of visual information on waste recycling and segregation. The study found that the current level of awareness of visual classification information (colours, symbols) in the Xiamen University Town urban area and among students is low. Visual messages must convey accurate and standardised information such as colours and symbols. In addition, the purpose of this study was to illustrate the need for accuracy in visual information. This study concludes the need for uniform colour and symbol standards for waste recycling and segregation under the Gestalt theory to help achieve SDG goal 12, responsible consumption and production, as this study highlights the potential ripple effect on future stakeholders, especially considering the international mobility of university students, who epitomise global diversity. As users travelled across countries, ambiguous visual messages about waste classification became a key issue in responding to UN advocacy for a sustainable future. Addressing and correcting these visual discrepancies is critical to effective waste management strategies on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The policy of converting rural areas to towns despite their small populations has been a significant concern in the residential system of the country over the past three decades. This has resulted in the formation of the Premature cities class, situated at the base of the urban network pyramid. The objective of this study is to investigate the standing and composition of these cities within the municipal network of Semnan province. Additionally, it seeks to identify the determinants of their growth and determine the most effective model for the transformation of a village into a city. The present study employs a descriptive-analytical methodology and possesses a practical nature in terms of its type. The research findings indicate that premature cities are the most populous in Semnan province, accounting for only 3–4% of the urban classes, despite having the largest population. Furthermore, the transformation of district centers into cities through political intervention has significantly impacted the growth of the province’s premature cities. In order to achieve the same result with villages, the optimal strategy is to consider the settlement’s regional significance and ensure that it possesses the requisite potential to develop into a city. This study’s findings validate the notion that political interventions have contributed to the emergence of a substandard category of cities known as “premature cities” at the periphery of the provincial urban network. These cities failed to fulfill the essential function of fostering progress; rather, in order to elevate a village to the status of a city, one must take into account the region's potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With more than 75% of the European Union’s population living in urban areas covering 21.5% of the EU territory, the importance of climate-resilient cities, towns and suburbs has increased dramatically. However, the rising impact of human-induced land-use changes on ecosystem services (ES) poses a major challenge to the urban environment. This study focuses on scenario development for nature-based solutions (NbS) in a European town with its intense development area. The concept is exemplified in a town in Croatia, Grad Velika Gorica (GVG), that like many others cities undergoes urbanisation processes with limited resources. It serves as a showpiece for the influence of NbS, in particular street trees along various paths.Using spatial analysis and modelling, the approach explores NbS for future urbanisation. The results, supported by quantitative analysis, show that 49% of cycle lanes and footpaths in GVG can be shaded by strategically planted street trees. The shading scenario analysis provides a nuanced perspective on the potential of NbS, offering insights into the key tasks for a climate-resilient city and opportunities towards equitable, green and healthy urban areas.In the context of urbanisation processes and climate adaptation, the study is in line with the overarching objectives of the European Commission which emphasises the need for sustainable NbS alternatives to address environmental challenges. The findings contribute to the framework of informed decision-making towards urban climate resilience. It also supports the pursuit of a sustainable local governance for climate-adjusted environmental quality in urban planning. As towns and cities grapple with the imperative of balancing urban development with environmental protection, this research highlights the central role of NbS, particularly street trees, in shaping climate-resilient and more sustainable urban environments for human well-being in cities.

This article provides information about the brightest representative of American literature of the 20 s-30 s of the XX century, short story master, Sherwood Anderson and his invaluable contribution to the development of the novella genre in the US literature. The given article is based on the short stories from the collection "Winesburg, Ohio". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Comunicación is the property of Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The analysis of strengths and weaknesses is very important in the strategic management of an enterprise. The article uses TOWS/SWOT analysis in one of the manufacturing companies. Based on the analysis, it was proposed to adopt an aggressive strategy (maxi-maxi). Design/methodology/approach: The aim of the article was to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of an industrial enterprise. As part of the research, a TOWS/SWOT analysis was carried out, based on which the company's strengths and weaknesses were presented. In the next stage, survey research was carried out. Findings: Based on the TOWNS/SWOT analysis, it was found that the most desirable option for the company is to adopt an aggressive strategy (maxi-maxi). Research limitations/implications: The major limitation of the paper is that it is based on one case of an organization. In the future, it will be necessary to conduct studies in more organizations so as to find out if the same result can be achieved. Practical implications: The analysis shows that the basic strengths on which the company's strategic advantage should be built are the leading position on the market of aluminium profiles (51%) and flexible packaging (21%) and the company's constant development. Investing in the development of the company through the development of activities in segments (investments in modern technologies, elimination of costs) and obtaining their shares in the country and on the foreign market. Originality/value: The examined company has not yet conducted a TOWN/SWOT analysis that would indicate what strategy should be implemented to improve company management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimates of resident satisfaction with public education have great utility in public administration, especially among decision makers in shrinking small communities. But such estimates are typically obtained via surveys, which are costly and often unreliable at high spatial resolutions given low response rates. Our study found that satisfaction with public schools among residents of small communities can be reasonably estimated at the community level using public data. Several models generalized adequately to unseen data—these models typically included the following covariates: state student assessment scores, school reorganizations, net open enrollment, and the cost of educational outcomes relative to neighboring districts. Our findings thus amount to a cost‐effective survey alternative for gauging satisfaction with public schools in small Iowa communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through long-term interactions with the natural environment, the ethnic groups in the mid-Himalayas have formed unique urban environmental characteristics. Effectively identifying urban environmental characteristics is a prerequisite for implementing sustainable urban management strategies. This study took 194 towns in the mid-Himalayan as the research objects. GIS was used to statistically analyze the terrain, climate, soil, and other environmental characteristics of the towns. The SOM (Self-organizing map) method was used to classify the comprehensive environmental characteristics of the towns. The results show that the main urban environmental characteristics in this area are low-altitude towns account for a large proportion, gentle-slope towns account for a small proportion, rainfall is mainly 125–265 mm, vegetation cover is dominated by high-coverage towns, mainly distributed in central and southern parts, the soil is dominated by embryonic soil and alluvial soil. The SOM method overcomes the subjectivity and low degree of automation in traditional research on urban environmental characteristics using threshold indicator methods or feature interpretation methods. Based on environmental characteristics, the towns were divided into six categories, and the classification results showed a distinct north–south zonal distribution pattern. There were significant differences in the environmental characteristics of towns in different clusters, such as the towns in cluster 5 had high altitudes, low rainfall, and low vegetation coverage, while the towns in cluster 2 had low altitudes, high rainfall, and high vegetation coverage. Finally, based on the SOM clustering results, governance strategies were proposed for towns in different clusters to cope with climate and environmental changes and promote sustainable development in the mid-Himalayan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Folklor / Edebiyat is the property of Cyprus International University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Children and youth benefit from outdoor play; however, environments and policies to support outdoor play are often limited. The purpose of this paper is to describe a case study of the development of a municipal outdoor play policy in Nova Scotia, Canada. The outdoor play policy was developed by the Town of Truro with support from the UpLift Partnership, a School-Community-University Partnership in Nova Scotia, Canada. UpLift supports the health and well-being of school-aged children and youth using a Health Promoting Schools approach which identifies the important role of municipal government in creating healthy school communities. The UpLift Partnership and the municipality hosted online workshops for municipal staff, community leaders and partners that included content about the importance of outdoor play, barriers and facilitators to outdoor play, best practices for youth engagement, the policy development process, and how policy actions can support outdoor play. Workshop participants developed policy actions for their community of Truro, Nova Scotia to increase opportunities for outdoor play for children and youth. Following the workshops, a small team from the municipality and UpLift drafted an outdoor play policy and submitted it to Truro town council for approval. The outdoor play policy was adopted in Fall 2021 and has since informed recreation and municipal planning decisions. By presenting a case study of the development of this outdoor play policy, we hope other communities may be inspired to develop and adopt their own outdoor play policies to benefit children and youth in their communities.

The article revolves around the revitalization of Medan Merdeka Square (MMS) in Medan, Indonesia, an important study of the city's early history that has never been researched before. MMS, essentially is a historic inner-city area, symbolizing the early growth of the city and the parallel development with the success of plantations since 1863. Today, through an adaptive revitalization approach, the integration of existing heritage with modern elements creates Merdeka Walk, an effort to enhance the quality of the physical and non-physical environment, creates a livable city, attracts investment, stimulates the economy, and generates employment opportunities. Merdeka Walk is a dazzling night vision, the pinnacle of achievement is a lively infrastructure for pleasure and pleasurescapes that stimulate the preservation of the urban heritage.

The work detailed here seeks to recognise features by which areas that can be deemed peri-urban differ from both city and countryside, to the extent that a separate specific identity for them can be discerned. The recognised features made it possible to identify the extent of the peri-urban area. The wealth of relevant literature is first considered, and this is seen to relate to the spatial side and to definition on the one hand, and to ongoing socio-economic processes on the other. Several Polish cities are then selected as the authors seek to discuss indicators useful in determining the spatial scope of the said peri-urban zones. The work proceeds on the assumption that these represent a real component of an urban-rural continuum characterised by reduced diversity and intensity of social and economic phenomena with steadily-increasing distance from the limits of a city in the direction of “traditional” rural areas.

Kalāntars were the high officials of Şafavid, Afshārid and Qājār administration of towns, who managed the affairs referring to handicraft production and trade there. During the predominance of the Iranian states of the period the towns of Transcaucasia had kalāntars, and more often Armenian kalāntars were at the head of the towns, where Armenians formed the majority of the urban population. Armenian kalāntars were usually the representatives of local elite families of eminent melik‘s and merchants. The research on the topic has helped reveal the names of a few Armenian kalāntars in Agulis, Zagam, Loři, Erevan, Barda and Tiflis, also trace some peculiarities in the functions of this official in the region. The kalāntars of the mentioned towns usually managed the affairs of not only the town, but also those of the surrounding villages, since handicrafts and trade were among the main occupations of the inhabitants of many Armenian villages. The next peculiarity of office in the regions is the frequent cases of transmission of the post from father to son.

The article considers the possibility and limits of reconstructing the memorial landscape of the Ural town-factory based on the materials of student folklore practical studies in the late Soviet era. The author reveals the stable motifs of the legends connected with the history of the founding of the industrial settlement of Kaslee, as well as with the specifics of the ethnic interaction between Russian settlers and the local population. The article also defines the “places of memory” in folklore materials. The study shows how the scientific and methodological attitudes of folklorists and the methods of interaction between collectors and informants are reflected in the collection of field archival materials from a particular area. The memorial landscape reconstructed according to folklore data tells both about the past of Kaslee and the present, as the perspective of such a description of the past is determined by the present. Archival folklore materials are an example of a combination of practices of communicative and cultural memories. In this aspect, the place of “songs about the city” is also determined in the article. The authors believe that “empty cells” – lacunae of archival memory, about which the informants did not tell and/or the collectors did not ask, are significant elements of this memorative landscape. The stories related to the accident at the Mayak chemical plant in 1957 and the environmental agenda in general become such subjects of silence. The article will be useful to folklorists and anyone interested in the problems of memory in folklore materials, as an attempt to apply the methods of folklore and anthropology to the practice of memory studies.

In 2021, Act LXXVIII of 1997 on the Development and Protection of the Built Environment redefined the types of plans used in settlement development and planning. The Act introduced the so-called "settlement plan" as a comprehensive plan type that integrated both the settlement development strategy and the settlement regulation plan. Government Decree No. 419/2021. (VII. 15.) on the content, and the orders of preparation and approval of the settlement plans, and some specific legal institutions of settlement regulation declares which settlements are required to prepare a detailed settlement plan, and which settlements are allowed to prepare a "simplified" settlement plan. The legal provision considers a population threshold of 5,000 inhabitants to classify settlements into two groups, indirectly suggesting that settlements over 5,000 inhabitants have greater potential for development than smaller ones. However, this study questions the relevance of that population threshold and assumes that a settlement's development potential is rather impacted by its legal status and geographical position. Therefore, this study compares the development volume of 27 large villages and villages over 5,000 inhabitants with 27 towns having less than 5,000 inhabitants based on the number and total amount of EU-funded projects they implemented between 2004 and 2022. The author draws the conclusion that towns, primarily due to their complex institution systems, implemented 1.62 times more development projects from about 2.9 more funding than large villages and villages with higher population. However, villages that are located in the agglomeration of a large city and have good transportation connections were also successful in acquiring EU funding, primarily due to the suburbanization of economic functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the article is to highlight the specifics of local festivals in different types of communities, distinguished by the indicator of “place of residence” – capital, regional city, town and village, pointing out the common features and differences between them. For the realization of this goal, it is necessary to study such important features as: frequency of conduct, thematic focus, activities carried out during the festivals, the subjects that organize and conduct them, the participation of local authorities, institutions, NGOs, media and local people. The leading method in the study of festivals in the text is sociological and its choice is a consequence of the set goal. Object of study are local communities as a specific social construct and social group entity with characteristic social relations, functions, interactions, resources, values and identity. Local festivals are an important element of the lifestyle of local communities; depending on whether the latter are located and developed in an urban or rural environment, the peculiarities, similarities and differences between their festivals are determined. The article analyzes the results of a nationally representative empirical sociological survey conducted on the field in FebruaryMarch 2023 with 800 respondents throughout the country. It was realized within the project “Local Festivals: A Resource of Local Communities to Deal with Crises”. According to the empirical information received, festivals are more often organized and held in regional centers and cities than in Sofia and the villages. The analysis of the results shows that festivals in regional cities, towns and villages have a more diverse thematic focus and more varied activities are carried out during their conduct than in Sofia. The festivals in the regional centers in their thematic focus are closer to those organized in the towns and villages than to those in Sofia. Their main organizer in all types of local communities is the local government in the face of the municipality or the mayoralty. The chitalishte (literally “reading centers” are important cultural institutions in Bulgarian tradition and contemporary society) has a leading role in the organization of the festivals in the towns and villages, unlike the regional centers and Sofia, where their participation is unremarkable. A kind of “profiling” of the festivalization of contemporary lifestyle is formed according to the type of local communities – whether they are in the capital, in the regional centers, in the towns or in the villages. Residents of smaller settlements, such as towns and villages, are more actively involved in the organization and holding of festivals than those from regional centers, and in Sofia their participation is the weakest. In these local communities, local institutions and residents manifest themselves as enterprising social actors, their festivals are really local in nature, organization and holding, they carry the spirit, values, traditions, energy, atmosphere and identity of local people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the seventies, the city council of Vitoria-Gasteiz promoted a relocation policy aimed to eradicating the Gypsy slums, built on the outskirts of the city, due to the industrialization boom of the time. In this article is investigated the process of shaping the town of Gao Lacho Drom, through a timeline, where the failures that made this an architectural and urbanistic failure are revealed. On the other hand, the social virtues are manifested as the creation of the Gao Lacho Drom Association, where the social demands of the gypsy people are answered, through a network of educational support and labor reintegration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenology is the branch of biology that studies the influence of meteorological factors on plant development. The present paper proposed a review of the answers provided by the specialized literature regarding two aspects: (i) the importance of phenology and the connection with climate change, and (ii) phenology and the urban environment. Regarding the relationship between phenology and climate change, research has shown that phenological changes represent a large part of all the evidence that species respond to climate change. Due to the comprehensive biological record, plants have become a model group in detecting the impact of climate change, being faithful recorders of environmental conditions. Regarding the relationship between phenology and the urban environment, research shows that the urban climate generally generates climate differences compared to the climate in the rural area, which influences plant phenology. Studies of phenology are numerous, and monitoring and documenting phenological changes worldwide is important for assessing climate impacts on ecological functioning and possible complications for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The core–periphery model proposed and revised by Friedmann [Regional Development Policy; Urbanisation Planning and National Development] has influenced urban studies and urban planning for decades. Yet, the urban-rural dichotomy perhaps implied in that visionary model has been criticised for failing to take into account the complexities and blurred categories of contemporary urban aggregations. From another perspective, the critical issue has been what constitutes an urban setting and, connected to that issue, the question of where do small towns fit in a model associated with large industrial metropolitan areas. This paper explores the history and contemporary context of Sekadau, a small town in Indonesia's province of western Borneo. For centuries, Sekadau has been a link in international trade and has had to reinvent itself as political and economic structures shifted. How has it developed with no industry and no urban planning? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Economics, Business, Politics, & International Relations (JEBPIR) / Ekonomi Işletme Siyaset ve Uluslararsi Ilişkiler Dergisi (JEBPIR) is the property of Ekonomi Isletme Siyaset ve Uluslararsi Iliskiler Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archaeologia Historica is the property of Masaryk University, Faculty of Arts and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archaeologia Historica is the property of Masaryk University, Faculty of Arts and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Malnutrition and the overnutrition of children and adolescents is a severe problem in most countries. Aim of the study: Determination of fifteen-year changes in body height, and BMI in girls and boys living in towns and villages in eastern Polish voivodeships. In 2006, 2016, and 2021 a study was conducted on children and adolescents living in the Podlaskie, Lubelskie, and Podkarpackie voivodeships (7048 girls and 7686 boys aged 7–9 years). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated based on height and weight measurements. In the calendar age groups, arithmetic means and dissemination measures for body height and BMI were calculated on particular time periods of the study. The statistical significance of the differences between the groups was conducted using the ANOVA analysis of variance and the Newmann-Keuls test. From the research material, study participants exhibiting underweight, overweight and those falling within a normal range of weight-to-height proportions were selected taking into account places of residence (town, village). The statistical significance of the differences between the number of people classified into the above-described groups was determined using the χ² test. In the analysed period in groups of girls, a systematic increase in body height was observed. However, in boys, such tendency was found only in rural residents. In the period of 2006–2016, greater changes in BMI were found in girls from rural areas and boys from cities. The opposite observation was recorded in the 2016–2021 period. In the years between 2006 and 2021, the incidence of both underweight and normal BMI decreased, while the incidence of overweight and obesity increased. Our results indicate the need for conducting systematic research assessing the nutritional status of young people living in the Lubelskie and Podlaskie voivodships, as well as an in-depth analysis of the causes of malnutrition and undertaking educational activities.

Since the launch of the Rural Revitalization Strategy, China's rural construction in county seats and villages has made remarkable achievements. Meanwhile, towns have received insufficient attention as a traditionally important node connecting urban and rural areas. Based on historical literature and the most recent survey of Yangxi and Wengyuan counties in Guangdong Province, this study examines how the relationship between county, town, and village changes over time as the functions of towns change. Data from field investigations and villagers' questionnaires obtained from the evaluation of rural construction by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction in 2021 regarding the two case towns were employed. This study analyzes the function and role of towns in the county-town-village system and further discusses the transformation of the spatial pattern of county-town-village in two case counties. The town has been transformed into a comprehensive functional service space, providing basic services such as daily shopping, preschool education, compulsory education, and basic medical care, and has regained its importance in connecting urban and rural areas in the "hierarchical and open network" spatial structure of county-town-village. As a service center radiating through the entire county, the county seat plays an essential central role in satisfying the rural population with higher-quality modern services in addition to basic services and offering non-routine service functions such as access to medical care and house purchases. According to the differentiated functions of different scales and the contextual geographic conditions in the two case towns, the pattern of county-town-village has diverted into two different spatial structures: the classic "central place" hierarchical and the county-central one. Geographical conditions still matter; in plain areas, transportation links between counties, towns, and villages are more convenient. Therefore, the service needs of villagers are the major influencing factor while they choose where to go. Moreover, a county seat with a stronger comprehensive service capacity is preferred, and the spatial pattern has higher centrality. In hilly areas, topographic barriers, and inconvenient transportation limits public service options. Fewer villagers choose to go directly to county seats owing to the inconvenience, instead, town as a medium space has attracted some village residents. Thus, the spatial pattern of hilly areas is less central and more in the "central place" hierarchical structure. In summary, this study brings town, as a research unit, back to researchers' attention, and demonstrates the shifting roles of towns in the new era. In addition to pursuing the full coverage of facilities, to achieve the rational allocation of resources in the construction of town seats, the study suggests that the demand scale and service threshold of different types of functions should be considered. Meanwhile, the county should be viewed as an inclusive unit that can coordinate the allocation of resources to towns according to their basic conditions. Based on a complete configuration of necessary facilities, towns near urbanized areas can make full use of the radiation capacity of the county or city and reduce the construction of overly urbanized facilities; in areas where transportation within the county is less convenient, the service level of towns needs to be further improved.

The paper analyzes how the Byzantine law influenced The Town Law of Novo Brdo, which represents the second part of Despot Stefan Lazarević’s Novo Brdo Legal Code of 1412. A possible connection between the town law of Novo Brdo and certain provisions of The Syntagma of Matthew Blastares and one of the privileges that the town of Ioannina received from the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II in 1319 is suggested. Accordingly, it is assumed that certain provisions of the Town Law of Novo Brdo could have been formulated during the reign of Emperor Stefan Dušan.

The article discusses the main patterns of religious life of the Olonets diocese towns over a long and significant period of Church history. It was revealed that due to the difference in historical destinies, the towns of the Olonets diocese had significant specific features in religious terms. Along with towns with a long ecclesiastical history, there were settlements in which religious life had obvious similarities with the rural way of parish life. Petrozavodsk played a special role in the confessional history of the region having a relatively stable financial situation, and for a long time being the location of the Cathedral and the main spiritual educational institution of the diocese.

This article addresses the relationship between the novel, the cinema and the city to reinterpret the imaginaries about the modernization of Mexico City between 1940 and 1970, through a methodology designed based on intertextual analysis and the Deep Hermeneutics Method. For this reason, three Mexican films are studied: El complot mongol, Mariana, Mariana, and Novia que te vea, and the novels from which they were adapted. In addition, the purpose is to analyze the modernization of this city during this period, where a sociohistorical context was consolidated with a tight control of the State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article consists of two parts. In the first one I present the causes and forms of conflict between municipalities in one urban centre in medieval Poland. It is a summary of and supplement to the material presented in my book about double and multiple cities in medieval Europe, limited here to Polish lands. In the second part, I engage in a debate with works published since then that question the existence of competition and conflict between municipalities: by Marcin Starzyński in relation to Kazimierz in Cracow and by Piotr Samól in the case of Jungstadt in Gdańsk. Direct proximity determined the intensity of contacts and mutual dependence, which led to tensions, and in some circumstances could lead to acts of violence and material destruction of weaker municipalities. The biggest area of tension was economic rights. Among them, the right to cut cloth, sell beer, rights to markets and fairs played a special role. The main centre usually aimed for a monopoly and sought to encompass the city's broadly defined environs. However, the essence of the dispute was not the economic or craft activity, but its removal from the control of the old town authorities and the functioning of an independent municipality. The older and usually stronger commune looked down on its neighbour, while the younger one felt humiliated and wronged. In addition, direct proximity often caused military problems: weaker fortifications of the new town or their absence became a cause or pretext for restricting or partially or even completely eliminating construction. Open violence against a neighbouring centre was contrary to the interests of the superior of these municipalities, so it happened rarely, usually during a war in the area. At the same time, tension and rivalry between municipalities did not exclude cooperation in many areas or pragmatic benefits from mutual proximity. It probably constituted a potentially significant factor stimulating the development of such complex urban structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Warsaw Pact armies invaded the state territory of the former Czechoslovakia in August 1968 in order to suppress liberalisation reforms. The event fundamentally transformed further political, democratising, economic, cultural and social processes in Czechoslovakia. The military presence of Soviet intervention troops resulted in the establishment of special garrisons that became de facto foreign and ‘invisible’ zones. Zvolen became one of such places where Soviet soldiers operated, worked and lived. The garrison as well as a purpose builtresidential district forthe members of the Soviet army and theirfamilies were situated in Zvolen. The objective of this study is to explain in detail whereabouts in the town their presence was (in)visible and to demonstrate examples of situations in which the soldiers, their families and local citizens came into official and unofficial contact. The study is based on archival materials, contemporary regional print and field research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being one of the biggest and best preserved archaeological sites in the western hinterland of Alexandria, ‘Marea’/Philoxenite is, therefore, one of the most important points of reference for studies of the Mareotis region. Despite the fact that the site has been investigated for many years, by various excavation teams, the nature and chronology of the different phases of settlement remain unclear. Since 2018, systematic stratigraphic excavations have been carried out at the site with the aim of investigating insufficiently studied parts of the settlement. In 2020 and 2021, this goal was achieved by opening and surveying 11 trenches in the southwestern part of the site. This led to the identification of hitherto unknown structures: two churches, two tombs, an irrigation system and numerous rubbish dumps associated with the Roman, Byzantine and early Islamic phases. The study also determined the extent and functional changes of various parts of this settlement, in different historical periods.

The article considers informative information about the cities and urban population of Eastern Siberia in the post-reform period based on the materials of the most comprehensive reports of the governors-general. The reports reflected the main problems of Eastern Siberian towns: small number of the population, budget deficit, underdevelopment of urban economy, poor medical care, unsatisfactory sanitary condition and a significant lag behind cities of Central Russia. The backwardness of Eastern Siberian towns was explained by the fact that they did not arise as commercial and industrial centers but administrative points necessary for the management of the region. Identifying the main causes of high mortality of the population, the governors-general made proposals for improvement of health care and urban residents’ quality. The inertia and underdevelopment of most of Eastern Siberian towns was explained by the slow development of the vast territory. The restoration of the urban economy was carried out by own forces with the support of charitable societies, patrons and the local administration. Almost all heads of the region showed concern about the negative role of criminal exile on ordinary people’s lives. Special attention in the reports was paid to the problem of accommodation and employment of exiles in towns. These reports became evidence of the loyal governors-general’s concern about the unsatisfactory state of health service and education in the region. The repeated appeals of the governors-general to the highest authorities on improving the health service and education system did not receive support. The most comprehensive reports are a valuable source for studying the history of cities in the era of modernization.

Malnutrition and the overnutrition of children and adolescents is a severe problem in most countries. Aim of the study: Determination of fifteen-year changes in body height, and BMI in girls and boys living in towns and villages in eastern Polish voivodeships. In 2006, 2016, and 2021 a study was conducted on children and adolescents living in the Podlaskie, Lubelskie, and Podkarpackie voivodeships (7048 girls and 7686 boys aged 7-9 years). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated based on height and weight measurements. In the calendar age groups, arithmetic means and dissemination measures for body height and BMI were calculated on particular time periods of the study. The statistical significance of the differences between the groups was conducted using the ANOVA analysis of variance and the Newmann-Keuls test. From the research material, study participants exhibiting underweight, overweight and those falling within a normal range of weight-to-height proportions were selected taking into account places of residence (town, village). The statistical significance of the differences between the number of people classified into the above-described groups was determined using the χ² test. In the analysed period in groups of girls, a systematic increase in body height was observed. However, in boys, such tendency was found only in rural residents. In the period of 2006–2016, greater changes in BMI were found in girls from rural areas and boys from cities. The opposite observation was recorded in the 2016-2021 period. In the years between 2006 and 2021, the incidence of both underweight and normal BMI decreased, while the incidence of overweight and obesity increased. Our results indicate the need for conducting systematic research assessing the nutritional status of young people living in the Lubelskie and Podlaskie voivodships, as well as an in-depth analysis of the causes of malnutrition and undertaking educational activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the launch of the Rural Revitalization Strategy, China's rural construction in county seats and villages has made remarkable achievements. Meanwhile, towns have received insufficient attention as a traditionally important node connecting urban and rural areas. Based on historical literature and the most recent survey of Yangxi and Wengyuan counties in Guangdong Province, this study examines how the relationship between county, town, and village changes over time as the functions of towns change. Data from field investigations and villagers' questionnaires obtained from the evaluation of rural construction by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction in 2021 regarding the two case towns were employed. This study analyzes the function and role of towns in the county-town-village system and further discusses the transformation of the spatial pattern of county-town-village in two case counties. The town has been transformed into a comprehensive functional service space, providing basic services such as daily shopping, preschool education, compulsory education, and basic medical care, and has regained its importance in connecting urban and rural areas in the "hierarchical and open network" spatial structure of county-town-village. As a service center radiating through the entire county, the county seat plays an essential central role in satisfying the rural population with higher-quality modern services in addition to basic services and offering non-routine service functions such as access to medical care and house purchases. According to the differentiated functions of different scales and the contextual geographic conditions in the two case towns, the pattern of county-town-village has diverted into two different spatial structures: the classic "central place" hierarchical and the county-central one. Geographical conditions still matter; in plain areas, transportation links between counties, towns, and villages are more convenient. Therefore, the service needs of villagers are the major influencing factor while they choose where to go. Moreover, a county seat with a stronger comprehensive service capacity is preferred, and the spatial pattern has higher centrality. In hilly areas, topographic barriers, and inconvenient transportation limits public service options. Fewer villagers choose to go directly to county seats owing to the inconvenience, instead, town as a medium space has attracted some village residents. Thus, the spatial pattern of hilly areas is less central and more in the "central place" hierarchical structure. In summary, this study brings town, as a research unit, back to researchers' attention, and demonstrates the shifting roles of towns in the new era. In addition to pursuing the full coverage of facilities, to achieve the rational allocation of resources in the construction of town seats, the study suggests that the demand scale and service threshold of different types of functions should be considered. Meanwhile, the county should be viewed as an inclusive unit that can coordinate the allocation of resources to towns according to their basic conditions. Based on a complete configuration of necessary facilities, towns near urbanized areas can make full use of the radiation capacity of the county or city and reduce the construction of overly urbanized facilities; in areas where transportation within the county is less convenient, the service level of towns needs to be further improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid waste management represents a challenge for municipalities, particularly at the collection stage. The high costs involved in its operation make it difficult to provide the service in all its communities, which results in bad practices (burning, burying, or dumping into a river) and the proliferation of open dumps. Collection efficiency is aggravated by poor route planning, narrow road networks, and irregular scheduling. This research proposes and develops the following objectives: (1) an analysis of the technical and logistical conditions of a town, (2) an improved municipal route for waste collection, and (3) the practical implications identified in the optimization of the service (challenges, strategies, and perspectives). During the study period (2018, 2019 and 2021), the following steps were carried out: (1) field trips to monitor the formal and informal routes, georeferencing each stop with a global positioning system, (2) semi-structured interviews to route personnel to learn about technical and logistical aspects, (3) the downloading of cartographic data for digitization, and (4) a network analysis aimed at designing an optimal route for formal collection and the spatial scope of the informal routes. The current technical and logistical analysis detected inefficiency in collection due to weak municipal operational planning and the irregular frequency of visits to the locality. The locality produces an average of 2.8 tons per day and its largest volume is organic waste (68.3%), followed by non-recyclable inorganic waste (21.2%), and recyclable waste (10.5%). In terms of results for the optimization of the municipal collection route, it is estimated that there will be an improvement in the time of the day of approximately 2 h less, going through 95 points when its schedule is 60 collection points, while the distance factor does not suffer changes due to the fact that there are no alternate routes between the departure and destination route. Among the main challenges faced by the municipalities are the limited budgets for basic sanitation services, which is why technological strategies and trained human resources are required for better municipal solid waste management. From a technical perspective, geographic information systems are a current trend to model and optimize service routes, with which a better scenario can be proposed. From a social perspective, community participation works as a key factor to carry out activities focused on finding solutions to the problems related to municipal solid waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many rural areas in the United States and Europe have been changing from agricultural landscapes to a mix of farm and nonagricultural uses. The fragmentation of agricultural land reflects the higher value of nonagricultural uses but may pose a threat to agricultural operations. Vermont, a rural state, has tried to slow the loss and fragmentation of farmland. Agricultural census and land parcel data are analyzed to identify what are the supply and demand factors of fragmentation, what are the pros and cons of fragmentation, and have Vermont's efforts to regulate development and sustain farming slowed the conversion and fragmentation of farmland? The amount of Vermont farmland has declined sharply since 1959 and a considerable amount of rural land has been fragmented into lots that have limited value for dairy production, the state's primary agricultural industry. Vermont's farmland preservation programs appear to have had some success in slowing farmland loss after 2002. However, the economics of farming will continue to challenge the viability of agricultural operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Space-Society-Economy is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Lodzkiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Golden Horde State during its existence on the Crimean Peninsula origin two towns Solkhat – Krym (modern Stariy Krym) and Kirk-Yer (modern Chufut-Kale). At the time of its emergence in the mid-15th century, the Crimean Khanate "inherited" only these two towns on the peninsula. Coastal Genoese towns - Caffa (modern Feodosia), Soldaia (modern Sudak), Cembalo (modern Balaklava) and Vosporo (modern Kerch) were situated near as well as two towns of the Late Byzantine principality Theodoro: the capital of the principality – Theodoro (now Mangup) and the town Calamita (now Inkerman). As a result of the Ottoman conquest of 1475 the number of Ottoman Crimean towns remained the same, only their names were changed: Caffa became Kefe, Soldaia – Sudak, Cembalo – Balaklava, Vosporo – Kerch, Theodoro – Mangup, Calamita – Inkerman. The total number of the Ottoman Crimean towns remained virtually unchanged for three centuries. In contrast, in the territory of the Crimean Khanate in the last quarter of the 15th and early 16th centuries five new towns were founded. Bahchisaray, Karasubazar, Ak-Mechet, Gezlev and Or Kapu were added to two old Golden Horde cities – Solkhat and Kirk-Yer. It were new towns that got priority in development. The political and economic center of Golden Horde Solkhat in the second half of the 15th century would lose its administrative importance and economic influence. During the khan's period it would be called Eski Krym. The main conclusion of the study is that all new towns of the Crimean Khanate (Bahchisaray, Karasubazar, Ak-Mechet, Gezlew, Or Kapu) were not connected with the previous centuries-old urbanistic tradition of local Byzantine or Genoese cities, they appeared in previously unoccupied places, where at best there were Golden Horde settlements. The original urban planning foundations of these cities come from the Golden Horde (in the broad sense – the Eastern) urban planning tradition.

Introduction. The article presents insufficiently studied aspects of endeavors tackled by V. N. Tatishchev (1786–1750). His contribution to the study of antiquities in the Urals and Siberia is commonly accepted but his efforts on the research of Golden Horde monuments in the Lower Volga and North Caucasus were never decently appreciated. A prominent government official to have held different positions, he had been collecting materials for works on Russia’s history and geography since 1720. He made the preparation of maps (‘Landkarten’) and drawings to be a prerequisite for any historical research. Materials and methods. The study analyzes works by Vasily N. Tatishchev, his epistolary heritage, maps — both published and archival ones. The employed research methods include historical systemic, comparative and cartographic ones. Results. When holding the office of Astrakhan Governor from 1741 to 1745, he initiated a mapping of ruins of Golden Horde towns in the Lower Volga. In July of 1742, he arranged an expedition to Majar in the North Caucasus. The latter included engineering corps conductor A. Golokhvostov, painting apprentice M. Nekrasov, and twenty Cossacks. The participants made three drawings of Majar, several townscapes of Kizlyar and Braguny village which were sent by V. N. Tatishchev to Petersburg. In 1743, he requested the Senate to dispatch two land surveyors. S. Chichagov and S. Shchelkov arrived in the summer of 1744 to further prepare about seventy five maps including those of Greater and Minor Kabardia which were found and published in 2009 by E. Gusarova. The research materials of 1742 and 1744 were presented by Vasily N. Tatishchev in his Russian History that mentions the towns of Majar, Tatartup, and ‘Yulat’ (i.e. Julat located on the ancient site referred to as Nizhny Julat). Conclusions. The works of 1742 were pursuing purely scientific goals, while those of 1744 were to meet mainly operative needs. So, the available materials make it possible to recognize Vasily N. Tatishchev as an organizer of earliest explorations of Golden Horde monuments in the North Caucasus, such Majar, Nizhny Julat, and Verkhny Dzhulat (Tatartup). Vasily N. Tatishchev’s resignation from the office of Astrakhan Governor in 1745 suspended academic investigation of monuments in the Lower Volga and North Caucasus. It is necessary to continue the search of archival materials dealing with the topic.

In the recent past, the question of determining the optimal city size in relation to the quality of urban life (QoUL) was raised of city inhabitants. This article has evaluated the correlation of the QoUL index in cities in relation to the number of inhabitants. We also deal with selected variables for which we assume a relationship with QoUL. The authors who calculated the indices of the quality of urban life equated the quality of life with its objective dimension considered as the quality of the place. It turned out that growth in the number of inhabitants of Slovak cities did not correlate with improving quality of life. Our article examined QoUL in two different countries on a scale of 0–10 through questionnaires. The obtained values are a subjective assessment. From a global point of view, one city is small and the other is big. The small city achieved better results in international rankings of quality of life, and it was assumed that this fact would also be reflected in the quantification of the quality of urban life. One hypothesis was that a small city will achieve better urban life quality values than a large city. The paper presents the results of measurement and correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]