Urbanization and urban planning at the European semi-periphery: Unintended gender consequences

Abstract

This paper aims to answer two main questions: 1. what is the relation between urbanization, gender regimes and everyday lives of women at the European semiperiphery and 2. what is the role of urban planning in shaping gender relevant social changes? The authors present an historical overview of intersections between urbanization, planning and gender regimes, from socialist to present neoliberal conditions, the overview of gender aspects of everyday urban life and also engage with analysis of challenges of gender sensitive planning and development at the European semiperiphery. The analysis is mostly based on the case of Serbia and ex-Yugoslav region and has three main objectives: to define key challenges for engendering urban development and planning in the semiperiphery, to map out the ?knowledge gaps?, and to suggest guidelines for further research. In conclusion the authors state that urbanization at the semiperiphery on the one hand opens new opportunities for women, but also poses new challenges that make gender sensitive to urban planning very relevant for the quality of life of both genders. The ?gender and social double blindness? of urban planning and neoliberal urban development model at the European semiperiphery, are seen both as one of the key challenges to gender equality, as well as one of the consequences of their semiperipherial position.