Listening to Women, Rethinking Universities and Cities: A Case Study of a Participatory Method in Spatial Planning at UnB.
Participatory planning; university cities; territorial planning; women; feminism
The dissertation "Listening to Women, Rethinking Universities and Cities: A Case Study of a Participatory Method in Spatial Planning at UnB" proposes a different approach to urban planning, centered on the active participation of women. Grounded in feminist theory, historical materialism, socioeconomic data, and topological semiotics, the research explores how women, historically rendered invisible in planning processes, can act as transformative agents of university spaces. Through the "(In)Security of Women on the Darcy Ribeiro Campus" Questionnaire, applied to 790 women from the UnB community, the dissertation seeks to understand not only the security and mobility issues women face but also how active participation can influence the creation of more inclusive spaces. The work identifies challenges such as poor lighting, unsafe bathrooms, and a lack of accessibility, which limit women’s movement and sense of safety on campus. However, the focus is on the participatory methodologies developed, which offer a new urban planning model based on women’s leadership. The proposed solutions go beyond physical interventions in space, emphasizing the importance of incorporating women’s voices at all stages of decisionmaking. By highlighting the centrality of female participation, the dissertation offers a path to transform the campus into a safer, more equitable, and inclusive environment.