Medium Cities: Notes on the conceptual discussion

Abstract

The abstract must contain 100 to 200 words. Single spacing, Arial font size 10, justified alignment and no paragraphs used.

The debate regarding medium-sized cities is extensive and raises points ranging from conceptual questions to the divergent spatial realities they present within the urban network. Therefore, the presented article is of a theoretical nature and conducts a brief conceptual discussion based on the literature concerning medium-sized cities. Thus, the objective is to undertake a conceptual review, starting from the assumption that there is no single idea about what constitutes a medium-sized city. It is opportune to outline some of the differing conceptions on this matter. The article was constructed through exploratory studies of specialized authors' bibliographies, critical appraisal, and the selection of the most pertinent ideas. Through this study, it can be concluded that the conceptual debate surrounding medium-sized cities is complex and there is no universally employed definition, but rather several definitions, as pointed out by certain authors. In other words, the literature suggests that, more than aiming to establish a singular concept, it is relevant to understand that there exist multiple conceptions of medium-sized cities, formulated based on the socio-spatial plurality of the urban network. Therefore, researchers should seek theoretical references and empirical elements that best fit the socio-spatial realities of the areas they are analyzing.