COVID-19, Cities and Inequality

COVID-19 has changed our lives and will likely leave a lasting imprint on our cities. This paper reviews how the pandemic has altered the way people commute, work, collaborate, and consume, especially its reflection on urban space and spatial inequality. We conceptualize these urban changes as structural transformation, accelerated transition, and temporal change. First, we have seen more structural transformation far exceeding scholars' earlier predictions, especially remote working and global supply chain restructuring. Second, COVID-19 has accelerated the processes of digitalization and sustainable transition. While COVID-19 has contributed to suburbanization and urban sprawl, it has also raised the significance of green spaces and the environment. Third, COVID-19 reduced human impact on the environment, which might be temporary. Last, the pandemic has also amplified the pre-existing inequalities in urban areas, created a more fragmented and segregated urban landscape, and expanded the scope of urban inequality research by connecting health inequality with environmental and socio-injustice. We further discuss the emergence of post-pandemic urban theories and identify research questions for future research.