Trajectory of thought and interventions in cities over time: from disciplinary approach to interdisciplinary necessity

Abstract

This paper aims to demonstrate the trajectory of thought and interventions in cities over historical time. Through a literature review, it shows which fields of knowledge have addressed urban problems in Western society, spanning from the pre-Industrial Revolution period to the 20th century. At the end of the chronological path, the article presents elements and argues that contemporary society has reached such a level of complexity that its phenomena and demands cannot be fully understood or solved through a single field of knowledge, or by disconnected areas of expertise. Thus, the need for an interdisciplinary approach is presented, understanding that interdisciplinarity brings different perspectives into a mediated dialogue, but breaks the parallelism and fosters combination, which is useful for understanding broad objects of study, thus enabling a more comprehensive understanding of the subject. The article concludes with practical examples of public policies that involve and/or require the reconciliation of various fields of knowledge for an accurate and effective response.