Best Congress Paper Award 2017

A selection of papers was presented by the Track co-Chairs, from which the following short list emerged:

  1. Emma R. Morales, From macro-level policies to micro-level practices: Changing global economic landscapes and proliferation of middle class gated communities in Mexico in Track 20/Territories under pressure (Paper #1596);
  2. Sezen Tarakci and Sevkiye Sence Turk, Flexibility in urban renewal practices: The case of Turkey in Track 15/Law and planning under societal changes (Paper #1595);
  3. Lorena Melgaco, Challenging peripherality through access to the internet? Socio-spatial practices of the connected rurban in Track 3/Spaces of dialogue for active, networked and responsible citizenship (Paper #1379);

    Out of this short list, the Best Congress Paper Award went to

    Emma R. Morales
    for the paper


From macro-level policies to micro-level practices: Changing global economic landscapes and proliferation of middle class gated communities in Mexico

in Track 20/Territories under pressure

According to the Best Congress Paper Award Committee 'This is a well-written paper on an extremely topical subject area. At a time when President Trump is seeking to build walls between the US and Mexico, this paper explores the ways in which residents in Mexico City are actively building their own walls to create ‘gated communities’ across the city. It is based on strong empirical evidence and draws out some of the conceptual links between the financialisation of public policy, urban development processes and the creation of fortified urban environments. It is, therefore, a paper that reaches beyond the details of the case study and illuminates the broader connections between planning processes and contemporary forms of urbanism.'

On behalf of the AESOP Community, we would like to congratulate the author and to express our thanks to Tuna Tasan-Kok (Chair) and the Award Committee for all their hard and skillful work.