From the guest editors

Abstract

Human settlements are so much more than houses, public open spaces, infrastructure, municipal services, residents, as well as formal and informal settlements. It is indeed a dynamic complex organism or system with many sub-systems, constantly changing for better or for worse. Many of the lessons and experiences of the developed world are of a universal nature, while others are unique to the context of the developing and future developing world. It can also be argued that, historically, human settlements reflect an evolutionary phenomenon, and thus, while influencing the form and character of urban and rural fabric, they are equally impacted on by multi-layered social, economic, political, and technological changes. Climate change, war, conflict, poverty, global public health, and other pandemics have demonstrated an unimagined influence on the elusive nature of human settlements. Policy-makers, professionals, developers, and scholars alike should understand the task of development and management of human settlements as being context specific.