Book Review: Critical reflections on territory and urban space

Abstract

Territory constitutes the spatial framework within which a series of social, political, economic, and cultural interactions take place, defining boundaries and forms of autonomy. From a geographical perspective, it is understood as the domain through which the State exercises its sovereignty, encompassing its natural resources. More importantly, however, territory provides the spatial framework that supports the analysis and understanding of social relationships linked to spatiality. Such relationships are dynamic rather than fixed in everyday life, making territory a complex phenomenon that requires the development of new knowledge and paradigms for its interpretation. The city, by contrast, embodies heterogeneous conceptions that converge in the concentration of human settlements where social practices unfold across diverse spaces, generating economic, political, cultural, and ideological impacts. It may be understood as an urban machine shaped by the decisions of those who inhabit it, influenced by demographic density and the interests of social groups and power structures. Yet, the city cannot be fully understood without considering the multiple factors that drive and challenge urban growth. Although an urban area is defined by the extent of its built environment, it also encompasses a network of urban and architectural elements that foster connections among spaces characterized by diverse physical, social, and cultural conditions.