Sustainable Cities Initiative: Current Research Theme 2015-2017 | UO

Framing Livability is the current SCI research theme for 2015-2017. Working with the UO School of Journalism and Communication’s (SoJC) faculty who specialize in strategic communication, a series of research projects, public presentations, and avenues of education have been created in order to delve into the concept of livability.

The concept of livability holds potential as a new means of framing and cultivating buy-in for complex development projects. It also presents a vague concept with multiple definitions that vary depending on the demographics of the audience and geographic location of the development project. Given its breadth, it is unclear what aspects of livability connect best with different populations, and which aspects would be most effective in eliciting public support.

By defining livability and establishing clear, concise metrics to explore new ways of communicating sustainable principles that emphasize public health and financial benefits in addition to environmental considerations, the work of SCI and SoJC seeks to answer how sustainability-focused community development efforts can be communicated in the most effective way to garner public support.

More information can be found here.

Originally published by Sustainable Cities Initiative, University of Oregon