Cities and their networks play an important role in spatial development. This is true for settlement systems in general, and there is no reason why this should be different in mountain contexts. However, research on this topic is scarce, and it remains a relatively niche topic.

In our latest article, we present a scoping review of settlement systems in mountain regions. We reflect on thematic foci, temporal developments, and regional differences in the global scientific debate. The paper is published in the MountainAgenda section of the journal Mountain Research and Development.

Our results show that the scientific discourse has been a rather Eurocentric debate of modest intensity for several decades. Debates have become more intense in the last decade due to a significant number of contributions on Asia.

The findings suggest that the current academic debate does not fully address the potential of settlement systems for sustainable spatial development in mountain areas. Recent articles have been predominantly based on improved data availability and methodological innovations, often in the form of case studies. We conclude that there is a significant research gap in terms of comparative perspectives on settlement systems in mountain regions.

To cite this article: Bertram, D., Lambracht, M., & Chilla, T. (2024). Settlement Systems in Mountain Regions: A Research Gap?. Mountain Research and Development, 44(2), A1-A9. https://doi.org/10.1659/mrd.2023.00021

For more research, have a look at our Lab at ResearchGate.