A Situated Framework for Examining Quality of Urban Life in Post-Industrial Cities

Abstract

This study aims to develop a situated framework for examining Quality of Urban Life (QoUL) in post-industrial cities (PICs). The existing QoUL models are too generic to address the specific challenges in PICs derived from the ongoing transformations since the 1970s. The multi-dimensionality of the QoUL concept necessitates a context-sensitive approach grounded in these post-industrial challenges. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify gaps within QoUL discourse and characterise PICs. The review of 84 papers, identified through Web of Science and Scopus, revealed four theoretical approaches and eight QoUL models. Comparative analysis established seven key dimensions of QoUL utilised as assessment criteria, subsequently mapped to ten empirical studies to identify measurable indicators and key concerns in their operationalisation. Meanwhile, the review of 129 papers in PICs literature identified three overlapping concepts: post-industrialisation, post-Fordism, and post-modernism, to analyse the transformation from postwar industrial to post-industrial city. Eight themes and seventeen challenges were identified through conceptual analysis and verified through text-mining techniques. These were mapped against the measurable indicators to identify relevant QoUL indicators for PICs. The developed framework is context-sensitive, integrating relevant indicators while addressing operationalisation challenges through explicit categorisation based on scalar differences and objective-subjective classification. The framework is designed as a diagnostic tool to inform policymakers and planners about urban environments by integrating users’ interactions, perceptions, and lived experiences. Primarily situated within UK PICs, the framework offers potential transferability to Western European and North American contexts through adaptation, contributing to equitable and user-centric approaches to decision-making.