<title>Abstract</title>In this special issue, we start from the proposition that space, its uses and transformations are multi-significant and that their study requires an interdisciplinary approach. However, the elaborate division of labour in the sciences has also led to the compartmentalization of knowledge...

<title>Abstract</title>Spatial quality is a contested notion due mainly to its uneven conceptualization and methodological translation across fields in which space is a key concern. This article presents the building up of an inter- and transdisciplinary methodological meta-framework to analyse, assess and...

This paper attempts to provide a clear perspective on defining the social economy today. It addresses the question of the relevance of a unifying concept with its need to embrace the existing diversity of approaches and concepts. To this end, it surveys both historical and contemporary academic...

'Agglomeration economies' remains a powerful concept in spatial analysis. However, in order to keep its full relevance for contemporary urban and regional systems, it must be completed in two ways. First of all, its qualitative nature, consisting of specific and general assets offered by the...

This largely methodological paper focuses on how to define the social economy and its governance at the local and especially the urban neighbourhood level. A distinction is made between essentialist and holistic definitions. The second section appraises the potential contribution of various...

The goal of this paper is to contribute to the development of methods of social innovation in participatory urban design. Based on the 'Synoikos scenario Workshop', an adapted methodology was applied to and evaluated within the (participatory action) research context of the European 'Thought for...

This article focuses on the role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the governance of the fight against poverty in the Third World. Theories of social innovation and empowerment used in the analysis of strategies against poverty are mobilised to analyse governance dynamics of international...