Feminist Urbanism: Reimagining the City Through Care Work
Urbanismo feminista: reimaginando la ciudad desde los cuidados
Keywords:
Feminist urbanism, Care work, Gender-sensitive planning, Inclusive cities, Urban designAbstract
This article explores feminist urbanism as a transformative framework for rethinking urban design and policy through the lens of care work and gendered spatial needs. While conventional urban planning often prioritizes economic productivity and car-centric infrastructure, this research centers the daily experiences of women, particularly those engaged in caregiving roles, to reveal how cities can be redesigned to support social reproduction and collective well-being. Drawing from feminist theory, participatory design practices, and case studies from Latin American cities, the study proposes a care-centered urbanism that integrates accessibility, safety, proximity, and temporal flexibility. The novelty of this research lies in operationalizing care as a central urban planning principle, rather than a peripheral social function. By foregrounding care work in the urban agenda, this article contributes to critical urban theory and offers practical pathways for inclusive, equitable, and gender-sensitive city-making.
Este artículo examina el urbanismo feminista como un marco transformador para repensar el diseño urbano y las políticas públicas desde la perspectiva del trabajo de cuidados y las necesidades espaciales de las mujeres. Mientras la planificación urbana convencional prioriza la productividad económica y la infraestructura orientada al automóvil, esta investigación se enfoca en las experiencias cotidianas de las mujeres —especialmente aquellas involucradas en tareas de cuidado— para mostrar cómo las ciudades pueden rediseñarse en favor de la reproducción social y el bienestar colectivo. Basándose en teorías feministas, prácticas de diseño participativo y estudios de caso en ciudades latinoamericanas, el estudio propone un urbanismo centrado en los cuidados que incorpora accesibilidad, seguridad, proximidad y flexibilidad temporal. La originalidad de este trabajo radica en conceptualizar el cuidado como un principio central de planificación urbana, y no como una función social marginal. Al situar el trabajo de cuidados en el centro de la agenda urbana, el artículo contribuye a la teoría urbana crítica y ofrece rutas prácticas hacia ciudades más inclusivas, equitativas y sensibles al género.
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