Exploring and Designing Urban Density. Neurourbanism as a Novel Approach in Global Mental Health

Urbanization is a global phenomenon and poses pressing health challenges as urban dwellers carry a high risk for mental ill-health. Social stress due to built or population density might play a major role here, yet interactions with other environmental and health risk factors are still poorly understood. At the same time infrastructural density is also an advantage as it offers better access to urban resources. Furthermore, stressors and positively valenced urban factors are unequally distributed between different socioeconomic, ethnic, and migrant groups; as well as within cities and between global regions.

The Research Platform Neurourbanism (RPN) aims to explore the psychological, neuro cognitive, social and environmental factors that moderate between urban density and mental health of city dwellers. In four trans- and interdisciplinary work packages (WP) we will (a) reorganize the current state of knowledge into an interdisciplinary approach and (b) co-create new knowledge by systematically integrating transdisciplinary perspectives into the research process. Our focus will be on two risk groups: young adults (< 35 yrs) and individuals from ethnic minorities or with migration backgrounds.