A just city with spatial technology? How GIS supports social sustainability in Malmö – possibilities and challenges
(2025) SGEM08 20251Department of Human Geography
- Abstract
- Social sustainability remains the most diffuse and least developed of the three pillars of-sustainability, often overshadowed by its environmental and economic counterparts. As-Geographic Information System (GIS) continues to emerge as a powerful tool in urban-planning and policy-making, its potential to address social dimensions of sustainability-is increasingly recognized but still underexplored in practice. This thesis examines the-intersection of GIS and social sustainability through a case study of Malmö, a city that,-despite significant economic and technological transformation, continues to facepersistent challenges such as inequality, marginalization, and social exclusion. By-breaking down the concept of social sustainability into... (More)
- Social sustainability remains the most diffuse and least developed of the three pillars of-sustainability, often overshadowed by its environmental and economic counterparts. As-Geographic Information System (GIS) continues to emerge as a powerful tool in urban-planning and policy-making, its potential to address social dimensions of sustainability-is increasingly recognized but still underexplored in practice. This thesis examines the-intersection of GIS and social sustainability through a case study of Malmö, a city that,-despite significant economic and technological transformation, continues to facepersistent challenges such as inequality, marginalization, and social exclusion. By-breaking down the concept of social sustainability into more tangible dimensions, the-thesis analyzes how GIS can respond to and engage with these challenges. This is done-to evaluate the capacity of GIS to support socially sustainable urban development. The-study investigates how GIS is being used within the municipality and its limitations and-challenges in working for social sustainability. This is done by document analysis and-interviews of the identified central actors of GIS and social sustainability. The findings-highlight both the possibilities and challenges of GIS in supporting socially sustainable-planning. GIS offers possibilities for greater cooperation and governing in themunicipality as well as inclusivity and effectiveness. The thesis also presents challenges-related to the existing structure of the organization and data interpretation. The aim is to-contribute to a deeper understanding of how GIS is used and can be used by the local-government to support social sustainability. The thesis concludes that both possibilities-and challenges of GIS as a tool for promoting social sustainability exist within Malmö-Stad. While structural and operational challenges persist, strategic development of-methods, more GIS knowledge in staff and greater integration of social variables into GIS-practices could enhance its impact. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9193607
- author
- Ledung, Pontus LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SGEM08 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- GIS, Social sustainability, Malmö Stad, Municipality, Governance
- language
- English
- id
- 9193607
- date added to LUP
- 2025-07-31 11:15:28
- date last changed
- 2025-07-31 11:15:28
@misc{9193607,
abstract = {{Social sustainability remains the most diffuse and least developed of the three pillars of-sustainability, often overshadowed by its environmental and economic counterparts. As-Geographic Information System (GIS) continues to emerge as a powerful tool in urban-planning and policy-making, its potential to address social dimensions of sustainability-is increasingly recognized but still underexplored in practice. This thesis examines the-intersection of GIS and social sustainability through a case study of Malmö, a city that,-despite significant economic and technological transformation, continues to facepersistent challenges such as inequality, marginalization, and social exclusion. By-breaking down the concept of social sustainability into more tangible dimensions, the-thesis analyzes how GIS can respond to and engage with these challenges. This is done-to evaluate the capacity of GIS to support socially sustainable urban development. The-study investigates how GIS is being used within the municipality and its limitations and-challenges in working for social sustainability. This is done by document analysis and-interviews of the identified central actors of GIS and social sustainability. The findings-highlight both the possibilities and challenges of GIS in supporting socially sustainable-planning. GIS offers possibilities for greater cooperation and governing in themunicipality as well as inclusivity and effectiveness. The thesis also presents challenges-related to the existing structure of the organization and data interpretation. The aim is to-contribute to a deeper understanding of how GIS is used and can be used by the local-government to support social sustainability. The thesis concludes that both possibilities-and challenges of GIS as a tool for promoting social sustainability exist within Malmö-Stad. While structural and operational challenges persist, strategic development of-methods, more GIS knowledge in staff and greater integration of social variables into GIS-practices could enhance its impact.}},
author = {{Ledung, Pontus}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{A just city with spatial technology? How GIS supports social sustainability in Malmö – possibilities and challenges}},
year = {{2025}},
}