Preface

Introduction: "Cities and cCommunities aAcross

Europe: gGovernance dDesign for a sSustainable
fFuture"

The volume that the author reader has has in his their hands representsis a unique
work. First of all,

Firstly, it has the particularity peculiarity of being the fruit result of the common effort
of different European institutions of higher education, grouped under the European
Campus of City Universities (EC2U) project (EC2U). The project, which integrates the
uUniversities of Coimbra in (Portugal), Iasi in (Romania), Jena in (Germany), Pavia (in
Italy), Poitiers in (France), Salamanca (in Spain,) and Turku in (Finland).

Secondly, because the participating authors of the volume, researchers of recognised

prestige from different academic institutions of reference across spread throughout
tthe European continent, contribute to the construction constructingof a
multidisciplinary and integrating integrated concept of sustainability from the
perspective of the social sciences. In this way, disciplines such as law, political science,
economics, geography and sociology are harmonisedcombined, in order to promote
contribute to the identification of the projection and meaning that the concept of
sustainability has across the whole range of social science studiesin the field of social
sciences.

Among the The eleventh of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the
number eleven corresponds to is the Sustainable Cities and Communities Goal, and it
which specifically refers to the need to make cities and human settlements inclusive,
safe, resilient and sustainable.

TThroughout this book, some of the key factorss and key aspects for achieving these
objectives are discussed from the perspective of the human and social sciences are
presented.

Thus, the Spanish Miguel Ángel Andrés (University of Salamanca) deals discusses with
the energy transition in the European Union, with the goal of increasing towards
sustainable energy sourcesies., the Portuguese Alexandra Aragão (University of
Coimbra) analyses the concept of the right to habitat as an evolution of the right to
housing,. the Romanian Ioana Maria Costea and Maria Laiu (University of Iași) address
the relevant issue of sustainable European agriculture from a legal perspective., Italy's
Roberto DeLotto (University of Pavia) analyses the trend towards flexibility and
urbanism in the exercise of urban planning powers,. Germany's Klaus Dörre (University
of Jena) Klaus Dorrë provides a sociological view on what a phenomenon that he
identifies as the economic-ecological pincer crisis of modern society,. Brazil's Anny
Falcão Schwendler (University of São Paulo) addresses the need to preserve heritage
as a key element in the construction of the concept of sustainability, with a focus on
Italy., Spain's Agustíin E. Ferraro (University of Salamanca) takes on the analysis of
governance and legitimacy in the field of sustainable public policy
projectscommunities,. Finland's Martti Häkkänen (University of Turku) presents the
Finnish model as an example of the balance between sustainability and urban
development., France's Isabelle Savarit-Bourgeois (University of Poitiers) provides a
complete overview of the French city model based on the concept of sustainability,.
and Spain's Daniel Terrón (University of Salamanca) sheds light on the integration of
the concept of sustainability in the field of public procurement.

As a complement further development ofto previous work, the present editor and
author I develops, in two chapters, the concepts of green, just and productive cities,
(particularly in relation with the latter two aspects), based on the conceptualization in
the concept oof the Leipzig Charter.

The present is volume constitutesis, thereforein sum, a pioneering work of reference in

the field of European and International social sciences, both due to for its
interdisciplinary and continental approach to the concept of sustainability, and for tthe
quality and solvency of the texts it contains, and the authors who have written
contributedthem..

Salamanca, September 2023

Juan José Rastrollo

The present volume represents a unique contribution to its field. First of all, because it
is the result of a common research effort by members of different European
institutions of higher education, working together under the umbrella of the European
Campus of City Universities Project (EC2U). The project brings together, as an
integrated academic community, the Universities of Coimbra in Portugal, Iasi in
Romania, Jena in Germany, Pavia in Italy, Poitiers in France, Salamanca in Spain, and
Turku in Finland.

Secondly, the volume represents a special contribution because its authors, scholars of
renown from different academic institutions across the European continent, contribute
to the construction of a multidisciplinary and integrated concept of sustainability from
the perspective of the social sciences. In this way, disciplines such as law, political
science, economics, geography and sociology are combined, in order to develop the
projection and meaning that the concept of sustainability can embody across the
whole range of social science studies.
Among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, number eleven
corresponds to Sustainable Cities and Communities, and it specifically refers to the
need to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Throughout this book, some of the key factors for achieving these objectives are
discussed from the point of view of the human and social sciences, under a European
theoretical framework.