Urban Futures and Mental Health
Prof. Dr. Joerg Fingerhut
Department of Philosophy | Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Urbanization is reshaping human life. By 2050, nearly 70% of the world’s population—about 6.7 billion people—will live in cities. While cities offer infrastructural, cultural, and economic opportunities, they also pose challenges for mental health. People in urban environments are more likely to experience stress, isolation, depression, and schizophrenia. Vulnerable groups are especially at risk, as the benefits of urban life are often unevenly distributed. In this session, we will examine the impact of urban living on mental health, well-being, and flourishing from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Framed within the emerging field of neurourbanism and the urban mind sciences, the discussion will focus on how the built environment interacts with psychological processes and how cities can be made more livable and equitable. The session consists of three presentations, flash talks from selected posters, and a general discussion:
- Introduction: Inter- and transdisciplinary neurourbanism as one answer to urban challenges (Fingerhut)
- Three Presentations
- Poster Flash Talks: Up to 7 selected posters, presented in 1-minute talks and displayed in a dedicated poster session
- General Discussion: 20 minutes
We invite talks and poster contributions that explore the complex interplay between urbanization, city planning, and mental health or well-being. We welcome submissions from diverse fields, including psychology, neuroscience, psychiatry, philosophy, urban studies, architecture, geography, and civil society initiatives. Topics of Interest
- Urban stressors (physical, social, psychological) and their impact on mental health and well-being
- Research on different concepts of urban density (built, social, etc.)
- Considerations of urban resilience factors (multispecies environments, social groups, cultural infrastructure, etc.)
- Philosophical reflections on mental health, eudaimonia, and equality in cities
- Embodied and enactive approaches to understanding the relation of environment, body, and mind
- Policy and intervention strategies for reducing mental health advancing mental well-being
- Definitions, limitations, and future potentials of neurourbanism
A review committee (composed of the RPN scientific directors and two postdoctoral researchers; will evaluate submissions. Papers should aim for 15-minute presentations and 5-minute discussions. Selected posters will be invited for a 1-minute flash talk in the session and displayed in the poster exhibition. Papers not selected for oral presentation might be considered for a poster. We especially encourage contributions offering new theoretical insights or practical approaches to addressing cultural differences and health disparities in times of rapid urban change.
Submit your abstract: