A Systematic Review of the Global Literature on Gated Communities: A Temporal Perspective
JOURNAL OF PLANNING LITERATURE, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1177/08854122261433561
- Journal Name: JOURNAL OF PLANNING LITERATURE
- Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Geobase, Political Science Complete, Public Affairs Index, Political Science Abstract (IPSA), Urban Studies Abstracts, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Middle East Technical University Affiliated: No
Abstract
This study systematically reviews 336 peer-reviewed articles on gated communities (1997-2023) to examine thematic evolution and geographic diversification. Guided by a unified conceptual framework, it identifies six meta-themes and traces a transition from early defensive architecture to contemporary sustainable assemblages. The findings also reveal a significant "Southern turn" dominated by China and a conceptual shift where the gate has evolved from a physical barrier into a sophisticated filter for socio-political and ecological management. Transcending the state-retreat binary, this review advocates for assemblage theory and "negotiated urbanism" to address the urgent environmental and equity challenges posed by global gated urbanization.