Society and the physical environment are two of three generic underpinnings of the holistic agenda of sustainability, the third one being the economy (McKenzie 2004; Forum for the future 2004; Sutton 2001; Western Australian Council of Social Services - WACOSS 2000). At the outset, this dialogue ventures to shed light on prevailing thought on the symbiotic interaction of the basic elements of an urban ecology, society & the environment. As such, it seeks understanding of the manner in which social cohesion influences quality of the environment in cities. It does so by integrating and summarising the pertinent information base available on contemporary research. It makes available knowledge that clarifies the use of certain procedures such as in the choice of environment and behaviour theories, their applicability individually or collectively to the study of urban deviance, the ecological models, and the dimensions and measurement of social distance through segregation, giving alternatives where necessary. It further reveals gaps in information, while also pinpointing areas where major questions are outstanding. Accordingly, it is here that the discourse familiarises itself with related local and international studies, an exercise that gives improved focus on the interaction of society and the physical environment in an urban setting. In this way it additionally facilitates interpretation of the results of this dialogue [Mugenda and Mugenda 1999]. Emerging from a need to comprehend the interactions of society and the urban environment in the urban ecology and the concern for urban sustainability, this discourse addresses three principal foci. It examines the configuration and nature of the urban social function, the status of resource use and refuse-management in the city, and the relationship between the urban social function and the quality of the urban environment. On the first score, Interest in the configuration of the urban social function and its nature helps outline as a priori necessity, the structure of the urban social space and its derivative urban spatial or residential structure. It delves into matters of segregation and social stratification by social status/social cohesion by social inclusion or social exclusion-inequality, and also on the basis of the three principle dimensions of the changing character of the larger containing society. These dimensions are change in range and intensity of relations (economic status), differentiation of function (family status), and the complexity of organisation (ethnic status). The second area of interest is on the internal relationships that inform environmental sustainability. Here, two constituent principle aspects represent environment sustainability. The first one is resource use (energy, and water use), while the second one is refuse-management (generation, collection, treatment and disposal of solid wastes/garbage and hazardous wastes/sanitation). The third area of interest is on the relationships between social and environmental sustainability. Dialogue here is essentially steered towards social cohesion and resource use, as well as refuse-management, the seminal aspects of social and environmental sustainability. It is here that choice by the urban society is most visible.
About the Author: Paul Mwangi Maringa (PhD) is an Associate Professor of Architecture and Planning. He has taught variously in diploma, degree, and graduate theory and portfolio courses in the department architecture at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Juja, Kenya for 14 years; and also in the department of civil and environmental engineering at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Kigali, Rwanda, for 2 years. His academic and professional career has seen him take up positions as head of department, Ag., Vice Rector and Ag., Rector; as well as Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor and referee for two, one and three peer reviewed academic journals respectively. He has also served variously as an Architect/Planner with the Nairobi Provincial office of the Ministry of Works, Githunguri & Collins International, and Ramani Consultants. He has considerable diverse consulting experience in TVET working diversely as a technical expert & master trainer in building construction, an infrastructural planning & development expert, an associate project team leader, and senior expert for planning & project management. He is a registered architect with the Board of registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors of Kenya (BORAQS); a corporate member of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK-Architects Chapter), a graduate member of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK-Town Planning Chapter), and a graduate member of the Kenya Institute of Planners (KIP). His professional and academic career, teaching in Universities that spans the last 28 years has covered Kenya, Uganda, The Kingdom of Swaziland, Tanzania and Rwanda. He pursues the growth of knowledge in the disciplines of architectural design and its behavioural underpinnings, urban growth management, sustainability as well as in TVET management reform.