Urban transition. A socio-ecological and relational approach to cities and territory

Abstract

This paper critically analyzes the role of urbanism through socio-ecological and relational approaches as a pathway for the urban environmental transition. It explores the link with rurality and territory; it analyzes diverse global approaches, with a particular focus on Latin America and, in particular, Argentina. Over the past decades, an extensive debate has established a broad consensus on the centrality of the climate crisis in contemporary societies, where cities bear primary responsibility. To critically engage with this contemporary scenario, the study explores concepts such as the Anthropocene, Urbanocene, and Urban Normativity. It posits that certain relational practices persist in rural contexts and could be reclaimed as a pathway toward urban environmental transition. The metaphor of ruralizing cities is introduced as a framework for developing mediations, categories, and urban strategies that challenge the culture-nature dichotomy and foster the restoration of relationality and connections that extend beyond the human. That is, rather than centering humanity, this perspective considers a system of multiple relational nodes, where the vitality of these interdependent networks enables transitions aimed at improving everyday life.