Guillermo Angel Velázquez – författare

The book is presented as an Atlas where the map plays a fundamental role in the study of quality of life, as it shows its progression in Argentina from the 19th to the 21st Century. In the book, it can be observed how the concept has evolved along with the dimensions and variables that better represent its spatial distribution. This is one of the original points of the book: the temporal study of the living conditions of the argentine population, empirically and spatially, emphasizing their territorial representation.

Although the book maintains the same socioeconomic dimensions (education, health and housing), the tour through the different chapters offers a historical window that allows the reader to know what the forms of information collection were like in different historical moments.

This book is written for geographers and members of the scientific community interested in the study of the well-being of the population. It also allows us to observe the evolution of the quality of life from the 19th century to the 21st, so it may be of interest to historians as well.

This book studies inequalities in the quality of life of the Argentine population at the regional level. It considers the six regions of the National Statistical System: Northwest, Northeast, Cuyo, Pampa, Metropolitan, and Patagonia. A series of thematic maps is provided and interpreted, which are related to: a. socioeconomic issues (education, health, housing) and b. environmental aspects (environmental problems and recreational resources). These dimensions (socioeconomic and environmental) are integrated into quality of life indexes that allow the comparison of the situation of the population residing in any region of the national territory.

This book introduces a quality of life index that compares the intra-urban particularities of 23 cities in the Argentine Republic. Integrating demographic size, functional specialization, and regional location, the chapters employ a standard set of variables to assess socioeconomic and environmental inequality and wellbeing.

A result of collaboration between 33 contributors from institutions around the country, the book provides a rich assessment of the mechanisms and processes by which the residential areas of Argentinian cities form, change, develop, and decline. Consistent measures of education, health, housing, and environmental wellbeing allow for deep examinations of each area and meaningful comparisons between them.

The book also explores patterns that recur in multiple cases. Redevelopment and renewal processes in central and old areas of cities can lead to the creation or reenergization of modern, high-density neighborhoods that, benefitting from new construction and integrated commercial and service areas, exhibit high quality of life indices. Urban expansion stands out as a process that often results in or reinforces socio-spatial segregation: New, exclusive, low-density residential neighborhoods with single-family homes and green areas tend to have a high level of quality of life, thanks to good education, health services, housing, and natural amenities. In contrast, low-income neighborhoods with precarious housing, limited access to health and education services, and unfavorable environments exhibit lower quality of life measures. Increasingly common gated communities—with private security, exclusive services, and (internally) shared recreational spaces—reinforce this pattern of segregation.

Analyzing the quality of life in different Argentinian cities is important to understanding the living conditions of the inhabitants, identifying areas for improvement, and supporting the development of inclusive and sustainable policies. These measurements can facilitate more just and prosperous environments for all citizens.