Why Study the Seasons? Reflections on the Question of Urban Temporalities

Abstract

This article will conclude the collection of essays for this special issue on urban seasonality, but rather than offering a summary, it will point toward future directions in the study of urban seasonality. Why should we more closely consider the impact of seasonal variation in the study of urban history? How do the seasons help us understand the concept of temporality in the analysis of urban environments, sociocultural landscapes, as well as institutional and infrastructural layouts? This contribution will also suggest how the seasons might help us bridge local specificities, transnational, global, and planetary concerns.