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Open research questions in Latin American Urban Studies

128 gap statements mined from Latin American Urban Studies papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 2,211 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

Choosing where to publish on Latin American Urban Studies? See the ranked Social Science journals.

What the literature leaves open

  • The lack of integration between academic knowledge and public policies in the context of urban planning in Pastaza. The limited consideration of the cultural and ecological context of the Amazonian region in urban planning decisions.

    Incidencia de la Facultad de Arquitectura de la Universidad Estatal Amazónica en el desarrollo sostenible y la planificación urbana de Pastaza · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of understanding of the urban conditions that impact the quality of life of social interest housing inhabitants. The need to revise the legislation and incorporate urban design criteria centered on habitability and social well-being.

    Habitabilidad percibida en conjunto de viviendas de interés social: caso de estudio Aguascalientes, México · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to examine the relationships between cultural heritage, environmental conservation, and socio-economic development in the region.

    Tradición Chagra y toros bravos: identidad cultural, turismo rural y tensiones de conservación en las zonas altas andinas ecuatoriana · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should explore the application of the project's methodology to other contexts. Future research should investigate the impact of the project's findings on peace management policies in the territory. Future research should examine the challenges related to technological accessibility and social adaptation to change processes in more depth.

    Instrumentos de apropiación social como herramientas de paz para la transferencia de conocimiento en el Corredor de Vida del Cesar, Colombia · 2026 · DOI

  • The project addressed a gap in the literature on the Social Appropriation of Knowledge and participatory methodologies in the context of the Cesar Life Corridor. The project highlighted the need for further research on the challenges related to technological accessibility and social adaptation to change processes.

    Instrumentos de apropiación social como herramientas de paz para la transferencia de conocimiento en el Corredor de Vida del Cesar, Colombia · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper highlights the challenges of working in a context of limited statehood and high levels of violence.

    Violencia cotidiana y estatalidad limitada. Estudio de caso extendido en un margen urbano de Culiacán, Sinaloa · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the existing literature on the relationship between ontological security and limited statehood. The study highlights the need for more research on the topic.

    Violencia cotidiana y estatalidad limitada. Estudio de caso extendido en un margen urbano de Culiacán, Sinaloa · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of armonización and interoperabilidad between the Seguridad Social and the Sistema Público Valenciano de Servicios Sociales is a gap. The existence of prestaciones with similar objetivos but dispuestas by different administraciones generates problemas.

    El derecho a la inclusión social en las rentas mínimas de inserción: la coexistencia entre la Renta Valenciana de Inclusión y el Ingreso Mínimo Vital · 2026 · DOI

  • One challenge is the lack of understanding of how ordinary citizens develop and use legal knowledge in urban planning. Another challenge is the dominance of expert and elite knowledge in urban planning decisions.

    Planeadores ciudadanos autodidactas: incidencia en la planeación a partir del conocimiento legal autogestionado · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a gap in understanding how ordinary citizens develop and use legal knowledge to influence urban planning. Prior work has focused on the use of legal knowledge by experts and elites. This paper aims to fill this gap by studying the phenomenon of 'autodidact citizen planners'.

    Planeadores ciudadanos autodidactas: incidencia en la planeación a partir del conocimiento legal autogestionado · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper suggests that future research should continue to explore the relationship between emotions, bodies, and territories. The study highlights the need for further research on the use of cartografías, or maps, as a tool for understanding the ways in which people interact with their environment.

    Aproximaciones a algunas cartografías de las emociones en el Bajo Atrato, Colombia · 2026 · DOI

  • The study highlights the need for a new methodology for exploring the relationship between emotions, bodies, and territories.

    Aproximaciones a algunas cartografías de las emociones en el Bajo Atrato, Colombia · 2026 · DOI

  • The program has not always benefited low-income families. The study does not provide a detailed analysis of the program's impact on other socioeconomic factors. The analysis is limited to the Región Metropolitana de Santiago.

    Mejoramiento de vivienda plurifamiliar y equidad territorial. El impacto del programa D.S. N° 27 en Santiago de Chile, 2019-2023 · 2026 · DOI

  • The program's redistributive capacity is limited. The study identifies a gap in the program's implementation, particularly in terms of benefiting low-income families.

    Mejoramiento de vivienda plurifamiliar y equidad territorial. El impacto del programa D.S. N° 27 en Santiago de Chile, 2019-2023 · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper highlights the need for a redistribution of power and a new organization of territorial and social structures. The paper suggests that existing urban planning approaches may not adequately address the experiences and needs of women and caregivers.

    Planificación urbana y redes de servicios en las Manzanas de Cuidado de Bogotá · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should explore the economic impacts of the Sistema Distrital de Cuidado. Future research should examine the generalizability of the paper's findings to other contexts. Future research should develop new methodologies for analyzing care networks in urban planning.

    Planificación urbana y redes de servicios en las Manzanas de Cuidado de Bogotá · 2026 · DOI

  • Prior research has focused primarily on wealthier countries, leaving a gap in understanding the relationship in lower-income contexts.

    Satisfacción residencial posrelocalización de asentamientos informales: estudio comparativo de viviendas sociales en Colombia y Chile · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of understanding of how marginalized groups negotiate and adapt to the effects of gentrification and displacement. The need for more research on the impact of urban regeneration strategies on public spaces.

    Renegociaciones cotidianas frente a la gentrificación y el desplazamiento en el espacio público: La vida urbana en la Alameda Central en el Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should examine the effectiveness of sustainable strategies for managing urban growth and improving quality of life. Studies should investigate the impact of technological advances on urban development in other cities. Research should explore the role of territorial planning in shaping urban evolution.

    Transformaciones urbanas: impacto del crecimiento poblacional, avances tecnológicos y ordenamiento territorial en Querétaro, México · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for a comprehensive study of the impact of population growth, technological advances, and territorial planning on Querétaro's urban development. Prior work has analyzed the city's development, but there is a gap in the understanding of the complex interaction between these factors.

    Transformaciones urbanas: impacto del crecimiento poblacional, avances tecnológicos y ordenamiento territorial en Querétaro, México · 2026 · DOI

  • The study highlights the need to consider the perspective of cultural subjects in the process of urban densification.

    Construir ciudad desde un pueblo otomí de Toluca: filiación agnaticia y cambio cultural por urbanización · 2026 · DOI

  • The sample size is limited, with 63 questionnaires and information from 240 household members.

    Producción social del hábitat en la periferia de la Zona Metropolitana de Cuautla, Morelos, México · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies can explore the dynamics of informal settlement formation in other contexts. Research can investigate the impact of local organization on the quality of life in informal settlements.

    Producción social del hábitat en la periferia de la Zona Metropolitana de Cuautla, Morelos, México · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective planning instruments to manage urban expansion. The need to balance urban growth with environmental and social concerns.

    Transformación del suelo rural en Ecuador: expansión urbana e instrumentos de planificación territorial · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the literature regarding the study of conflictos ambientales in the ciudades. The ciudades son alejadas de los conflictos ambientales en la agenda pública y académica.

    “Nosotros solo queremos respirar”: Conflictos ambientales y desigualdad en la cuenca Matanza Riachuelo en Buenos Aires · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Latin American Urban Studies

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) The lack of integration between academic knowledge and public policies in the context of urban planning in Pastaza (“Incidencia de la Facultad de Arquitectura de la Universidad Estatal Amazónica…”, 2026); (2) The lack of understanding of the urban conditions that impact the quality of life of social interest housing inhabitants (“Habitabilidad percibida en conjunto de viviendas de interés social: caso de…”, 2026); (3) There is a need to examine the relationships between cultural heritage, environmental conservation, and socio-economic development in the region (“Tradición Chagra y toros bravos: identidad cultural, turismo rural y tensiones…”, 2026); (4) Future research should explore the application of the project's methodology to other contexts (“Instrumentos de apropiación social como herramientas de paz para la…”, 2026); (5) The lack of armonización and interoperabilidad between the Seguridad Social and the Sistema Público Valenciano de Servicios Sociales is a gap (“El derecho a la inclusión social en las rentas mínimas de inserción: la…”, 2026). 128 gap statements have been mined from Latin American Urban Studies papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 2,211 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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