Introduction: Urban Public Spaces and Women’s Empowerment from the Middle East to Europe

Abstract

This introductory chapter lays the foundation for the book by addressing three key areas. Firstly, it presents a conceptual framework for an intercultural study of women’s empowerment in urban public spaces, viewing these spaces as socio-spatial arenas where power relations are constantly negotiated, and highlighting the gap in comparative research between the urban experiences of women in the Middle East and Europe. Secondly, it presents the methodological approach and a comparative case study of the experiences of Kurdish women in Sanandaj (Iran), Sulaimani (KRG), Vienna (Austria) and Cologne (Germany), supported by standardised surveys and statistical analyses. Thirdly, the chapter provides readers with a roadmap by summarising the scope and focus of subsequent chapters, contextualising the book within broader debates on gender, space, and empowerment. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.