Understanding Connectivity of Settlements: Implications of the Power Curve

Research on human settlements has traditionally focussed on one or a few descriptive or functional aspects, such as geographical characteristics of the locality, the economy, housing, transport, infrastructure, education or health, or created models with varying degrees of complexity that attempt to...

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Main Authors: Seeman, Kurt, Marinova, Dora
Other Authors: Anderssen, R.S.
Format: Conference Paper
Published: Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42744
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author Seeman, Kurt
Marinova, Dora
author2 Anderssen, R.S.
author_facet Anderssen, R.S.
Seeman, Kurt
Marinova, Dora
author_sort Seeman, Kurt
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Research on human settlements has traditionally focussed on one or a few descriptive or functional aspects, such as geographical characteristics of the locality, the economy, housing, transport, infrastructure, education or health, or created models with varying degrees of complexity that attempt to bring these elements together. This paper applies a different approach that is based in understanding connectivity within and between complex systems. It outlines a new growth area for settlement research and design which brings into play the concept of scale-free hierarchical networks with preferential tendencies, best described by the power curve. Using examples ranging from remote communities to developing countries, the concept helps explain among others, the economic connectivity within a globalised world. The paper also argues that understanding the implications of connectivity is a step towards predicting, evaluating and diagnosing the social, cultural and economic sustainability of settlements.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-427442022-12-09T07:12:34Z Understanding Connectivity of Settlements: Implications of the Power Curve Seeman, Kurt Marinova, Dora Anderssen, R.S. R.D. Braddock L.T.H. Newham migration human settlements free-scale networks sustainability small world desert Australia Research on human settlements has traditionally focussed on one or a few descriptive or functional aspects, such as geographical characteristics of the locality, the economy, housing, transport, infrastructure, education or health, or created models with varying degrees of complexity that attempt to bring these elements together. This paper applies a different approach that is based in understanding connectivity within and between complex systems. It outlines a new growth area for settlement research and design which brings into play the concept of scale-free hierarchical networks with preferential tendencies, best described by the power curve. Using examples ranging from remote communities to developing countries, the concept helps explain among others, the economic connectivity within a globalised world. The paper also argues that understanding the implications of connectivity is a step towards predicting, evaluating and diagnosing the social, cultural and economic sustainability of settlements. 2009 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42744 Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand fulltext
spellingShingle migration
human settlements
free-scale networks
sustainability
small world
desert Australia
Seeman, Kurt
Marinova, Dora
Understanding Connectivity of Settlements: Implications of the Power Curve
title Understanding Connectivity of Settlements: Implications of the Power Curve
title_full Understanding Connectivity of Settlements: Implications of the Power Curve
title_fullStr Understanding Connectivity of Settlements: Implications of the Power Curve
title_full_unstemmed Understanding Connectivity of Settlements: Implications of the Power Curve
title_short Understanding Connectivity of Settlements: Implications of the Power Curve
title_sort understanding connectivity of settlements: implications of the power curve
topic migration
human settlements
free-scale networks
sustainability
small world
desert Australia
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42744