Walking women: gender, planning and urban space in Glasgow

Abstract

Focussing on the relationship between gender and the city, this paper uses policy analysis, photography, and walking interviews to expose gender inequality in the built environment in Glasgow. It examines how an inattention to gender in planning leads to the reinforcement of patriarchal gender hierarchies through urban space by analysing physical characteristics of the built environment and the gendered construction of fear. This paper argues that the absence of gender equality policies in city planning combined with persisting social gender norms restrict equal access to the city. This is done by analysing the construction of a sense of belonging as well as the factors influencing its creation and relevant examples given by interviewees in relation to specific locations in Glasgow. The research then suggests possibilities for urban interventions to mitigate inequality in the built environment and promote the dissolution of gender hierarchies that systematically disadvantage women.