Urban Crisis: The complexity of the term density. If we lose density, do we lose the city itself?

Abstract

The review by Selene Mattioda inquires into the complexity of the term density. It seeks to understand how density is a structural feature of the city and how it can be applied in different fields and aspects. The purpose of this essay is to see how urban density has been mobilized in explanations of the historical spread of infectious diseases, contributing to a better understanding of the concept and a more careful approach to its use. The essay includes academic literature that deals with density and the urban–disease relationship, as well as examples of different urban disease crises, especially the COVID-19 pandemic, in which density is an issue that is specifically addressed. The goal is to make the complexity of the concept explicit and visible.