Social sciences Human geography

SUTD researchers used mobile phone GPS traces, street view imagery, and open-source spatial data to show that pedestrian route choices in a rapidly developing city are shaped far more by street conditions and context than by distance alone.

Natural experiment along new railway reveals unexpected correlation between location and healthcare costs

Study reveals a gap between willingness and actual use among people with poor health

Tracking human behavioral patterns in cities can be used to determine urban delineations and urban land use, which has the potential to improve urban planning.

The Horizon Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (JHSSR) proudly announces the release of its Special ASAIHL Edition – Volume 7(S), August 2025, themed “University’s Role in Advancing Climate Crisis Reduction.” This commemorative edition captures the pioneering spirit of Southeast Asian academia in addressing one of the 21st century’s most urgent global challenges—climate change. Curated from the prestigious 2024 ASAIHL Conference, hosted by Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia (Nov 19–22, 2024), this issue brings together a diverse body of scholarly contributions from researchers, policymakers, and educators across ASEAN and beyond. It marks a significant milestone in the academic community’s mission to inspire sustainable education, ethical leadership, and climate-responsive innovation.

How mHealth app incentives drive health and transit in Japan’s Senboku New Town

Examining the effects of the ONIKURU multifunctional facility on daily walking time

A new framework formulated by SUTD researchers helps ensure digital citizen participation does not just end with feedback collection, but translates into real-world urban decisions.

Life-course perspective of households with children

Unveiling the acceptance of new public mobility services for older adults

A hedonic price model incorporating street view images processed by machine learning and existing property data achieves nearly 75% accuracy for rent prediction in Osaka City

Research suggests that urban areas could reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by optimizing their urban form. However, the relationship between urban form and emissions is highly context-dependent and generalizations cannot be made.

A study on factors that contribute to population changes based on city size

SUTD researchers delved into the lived experiences of Singaporeans including older adults to uncover key factors influencing their walking habits, which can guide urban planners in designing people-centric environments that promote active mobility.

Conversion to health care facilities shows correlation to population change

Fifteen years after Japan initiated efforts to attract younger people to rural areas, researchers assess its impact and the lessons it offers for global rural revitalization policies.

Time series data and causal impact algorithm reveal the effectiveness of a new transit station over a four-year period

At Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, four researchers in diverse fields of study – from urban planning to digital architecture – are working hard to reach sustainability goals.

Aids local governments in adapting to the threats of climate change

Adaption and mitigation efforts might be improved with inclusivity and transparency

The small-scale, community-led Shiosai art fair embodies a revitalizing tourism approach that has breathed new life into the aging island village of Mitarai.

A great deal of discussion is underway on what appears to be the latest wave of migration from Sri Lanka. While the exact scale and nature of youth migration remain unclear, the costs of brain drain dominate these discussions. The brain drain concern is valid, yet focusing on it alone can limit our understanding of the complex implications of migration. This blog argues that apart from its challenges, youth migration can also present some surprising opportunities for socio-economic development if strategically managed.

Accommodation for young people in Hong Kong has long been at the top of the policy agenda. Recent research conducted by Lingnan University in Hong Kong (LU) and the City University of Hong Kong on the younger generation’s housing opportunities finds that 26 per cent of parents who responded expect to subsidise their adult children when they buy a property. Findings also suggest reliance on the family is now increasingly frequent, and important to young adults who wish to live independently and have a choice.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased attention on links between public health and the planet’s health — areas traditionally addressed in separate science and policy circles. Now, an international research collaboration conducted the first comprehensive review of urban climate change responses and potential human health improvements.

A person who owns a car or who has a college education may be less vulnerable to COVID-19, according to an analysis of cases in Tehran, Iran, one of the early epicenters of the pandemic. While such variables do not inherently lower a person’s risk, they do indicate an infrastructure of protection that persists despite how densely populated a person’s district might be.

Debate over granting Malaysian citizenship to sea gypsies who have historically lived along the coast, long before Malaysia was a country, raises fundamental questions about citizenship.

Rowing club from South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) sweeps again at Chungju City Mayor’s Cup Rowing Competition.

The 24th Congregation held on the 28th October saw the conferment of Honorary Doctorates upon five prominent figures and doctoral degrees on 414 graduates.

A study by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has detected an extensive amount of sunscreen chemicals in seawater that could pose a risk to human health.

How and why human-unique characteristics such as highly social behavior, languages and complex culture have evolved is a long-standing question. A research team led by Tohoku University in Japan has revealed the evolution of a gene related to such human-unique psychiatric traits.