| 1. |
- Bengtsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Methods, models, and guidelines for practitioners to deliver health-promoting green space
- 2024
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Ingår i: Green and healthy Nordic cities : How to plan, design, and manage health-promoting urban green space. - 9789180010887 ; :2024:1, s. 106-133
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This chapter summarises the main methods, models, and guidelines— hereafter named as NORD tools—included in each component of the NORD framework (NUMBERING, OBSERVING, REGULATING, DESIGNING). The chapter provides further details on how to use these tools as well as how practitioners can combine them to deliver health-promoting green spaces.
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| 2. |
- Nordh, Helena
(författare)
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Adapting to 'one-size-fits-all': constructing appropriate Islamic burial spaces in Northwestern Europe
- 2023
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Ingår i: New Perspectives on Urban Deathscapes: Continuity, Change and Contestation. - : Edward Elgar Publishing. - 9781802202380 ; , s. 124-143
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this chapter, we use a comparative approach to explore the nuanced experiences of disposition in various Muslim communities in diverse social, cultural, and policy contexts. Through a sample of cases from different countries in Northwest Europe (Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden and Norway), we see how Muslim communities negotiate burial space in countries where Islamic burial is framed as a ‘minority’ practice. We first outline Islamic deathscapes in this region and locate this within literature on burial practices, identity, and belonging. We then explore three specific issues within this: the choice of whether migrant Muslims are buried in their country of origin or the town they are living in; the physical segregation and experience of Islamic burial spaces; and Islamic memorial and grave aesthetics. This reveals that current Islamic burial in Northwest Europe is not simply a blending of minority and majority norms, but a much more complex, fluid, and responsive field.
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| 3. |
- Nordh, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Co-creating and Co-producing Multicultural Cemeteries in Norway and Sweden: A Comparative Study with Insights from Drammen, Eskilstuna and Umeå
- 2023
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Ingår i: Mobilities in Life and Death : Negotiating Room for Migrants and Minorities in European Cemeteries. - 9783031282836 ; , s. 169-190
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aims to broaden the scope of attention paid to multicultural societies in existing migration and mobilities literature, through expanding on the topic of spatial design, planning and management of contemporary cemeteries in light of increasing multiculturalism. The chapter explores how national judicial acts and practices facilitate or hinder inclusion of minorities’ needs and the existing local level measures in three Scandinavian towns to safeguard the needs of minorities in cemeteries and crematoria. The empirical data consists of analysis of legislative acts and qualitative interviews with 28 stakeholders in three medium/large-sized towns. As will be shown, Swedish and Norwegian burial acts share many similarities – for example, both acknowledge the need to meet particular burial and cremation needs for people not belonging to the Christian church. Differences mainly relate to how religion and belief communities are involved in the development of cemeteries. Through the interviews, we extract a nuanced picture of how individual towns work with ‘multiculturalism’ by elaborating on the following components that emerged from the analysis: presence of diversity, accommodation of various needs, cooperation with minorities, and reflections over special grave areas or cemetery sections for minorities. This study’s comparative outlook informs current debates on migration and mobilities and further sheds light on the specific inputs for forming policies and practices aiming at facilitating a multicultural approach when designing, planning and managing cemeteries and crematoria.
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| 4. |
- Nordh, Helena
(författare)
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Developing a place-sensitive tool for park-safety management experiences from green-space managers and female park users in Oslo
- 2021
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Ingår i: Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. - : Elsevier BV. - 1618-8667 .- 1610-8167. ; 60
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fear of crime may restrict people’s use of urban green spaces and thus decrease those spaces’ potential public health benefits. Managerial measures in public green spaces that enhance perceived safety are therefore necessary. However, park managemnet in the Nordic countries seems to lack the knowledge and practice of assessing park users’ perceptions of safety. The objective of this paper was to develop a place-sensitive tool for park safety–management practice that combined park manager and user perspectives adapted to the Nordic context. Two empirical studies were conducted in Oslo to achieve this objective. Phase 1 included a focus-group interview with a team of municipal green-space managers to investigate challenges in their safety-related work. In phase 2 a multi-method field study was conducted in an urban park to assess female user's perceptions of safety in a place-sensitive manner and test methods to be included in a tool for managers. First, safety walks and interviews with ten female residents provided on-site information on how their local park was perceived in terms of safety. The walks also resulted in identification of problematic places. These places were then systematically assessed by twenty female non-residents using questionnaires exploring the relation between perceived environmental attributes and perceived safety. Based on the green-space managers’ experiences and addressed needs, as well as experinces from the field study, a place-sensitive method and accompanying tool—called SAFE—for assessing perceived safety in urban parks for managerial purposes is presented.
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| 5. |
- Nordh, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Disrespectful or socially acceptable?-A nordic case study of cemeteries as recreational landscapes
- 2023
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Ingår i: Landscape and Urban Planning. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-2046 .- 1872-6062. ; 231
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Across Scandinavia, we witness an increased interest in making provisions for urban cemeteries to evolve as recreational landscapes. However, this development comes with its own set of challenges when uniting its pri-mary function as a place for disposal of human remains with active and passive urban recreation. In this paper, we explore varying perspectives on recreational use of cemeteries to give a nuanced picture of the possibilities and limitations for recreation at cemeteries in a multicultural society, most often positioned within a context of densifying urban areas. The empirical data consists of interviews with cemetery users (N = 24) from various faiths and belief systems in three towns in Norway and Sweden. Findings reveal that passive recreational ac-tivities like strolling, having a cup of coffee on a bench in the cemetery etc. are in general perceived as acceptable behaviour. However, opinions differ on 'active' undertakings like running, biking and walking a dog. How people perceive or use cemeteries is partly dependent on beliefs and cultural traditions, but other factors such as the purpose of using the cemetery for recreation and the type or character of the cemetery also impact the extent to which activities are perceived as appropriate or not. Respect and intensity are two key aspects that emerged in our analysis. The study concludes that the existing peaceful atmosphere at cemeteries should be preserved and nurtured. With correct design and zoning, some recreational activities can be integrated at cemeteries, benefiting both mourners and recreational visitors.
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| 6. |
- Nordh, Helena
(författare)
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Greater perceived access to green spaces near homes: Safer and more satisfied residents
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Psychology. - 0272-4944 .- 1522-9610. ; 96
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Safe and green living environments are highly appreciated by people and, as stated by the United Nations, are a key priority for sustainable urban development. The current study explores whether perceived and objective indicators of access to green spaces in the living environment, as well as individual socio-demographic characteristics, affects perceived safety as well as municipal satisfaction. It also examined whether perceived safety moderates the relationship between perceived access to green spaces and municipal satisfaction. Five indicators of access to green spaces were used: Four were objectively derived using Geographical Information Systems (GIS), while one indicator was based on survey data on inhabitants' perceived access to green spaces. The same survey also revealed the variables of perceived safety and municipal satisfaction. Correlation, regression, and moderation analyses were applied. The results showed that objective and perceived indicators did not correlate. Furthermore, strong and positive associations were revealed between perceived access to green spaces and municipal satisfaction B=0.45 (95% CI = 0.41, 0.50) and perceived safety (B = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.32, 0.46). The more satisfied people were with their access to green spaces and safety outdoors in the evenings and nights, the more satisfied they were with their living environments. These associations were evident even after controlling for socio-demographic variables. These results provide evidence of the importance of green spaces and support planners' arguments for preserving current or developing new green spaces. The study also shows the importance of not only relying on objective indicators of access to green spaces and encourages planners and researchers to explore perceived indicators.
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| 7. |
- Nordh, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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‘It is the greenness, the nature, it looks as if someone has taken care of the place very well’ : Experiences from St Eskil cemetery in Sweden
- 2023
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Ingår i: Approaching religion. - : Approaching Religion. - 1799-3121. ; 13, s. 105-122
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article is about experiences of a cemetery landscape: a physical space that was chosen as a depository for human remains, and where different memorial and disposal practices have developed behavioural patterns that together form a cemetery culture. Through qualitative research at St Eskil’s, Eskilstuna, Sweden, encompassing field observations and interviews (N=14) with stakeholders and people from the general public, we aim to describe and discuss the cemetery as a place and environment experienced from a perspective of people of diverse backgrounds. The study reveals important characteristics that facilitate designing, caretaking, developing and using cemeteries more generally. Findings show that most interviewees, independent for example of cultural or religious adherence, describe the cemetery as a beautiful natural or garden-like place. The well-maintained landscape is emphasized as a self-evident or impressive quality. The cemetery is experienced as ‘typically Swedish’ and described in terms of order and sense of care. Diversity in both design and multi-cultural and individual expressions are observed, acknowledged and welcomed. We conclude that nature (including a garden approach), care and diversity are key concepts that should be considered in design and development of future cemeteries.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Nordh, Helena
(författare)
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Relationships between socio-demographic / socio-economic characteristics and neighborhood green space in four Nordic municipalities-results from NORDGREEN
- 2023
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Ingår i: Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. - : Elsevier BV. - 1618-8667 .- 1610-8167. ; 82
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Urban green space governs important ecosystem services including providing health promoting facilities. However, unequal distribution of green space among socio-demographic and socio-economic groups may create environmental injustice among inhabitants and between neighborhoods. This paper reports on access to different types of green space for residents in four Nordic cities. More precisely it explores relationships between socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics and access to green space at the neighbourhood level. We selected the following green space variables: distance between inhabitants' dwellings and parks, forest, and cemeteries; percentages and area per inhabitant of parks, forest, and cemeteries; and vegetation cover derived from satellite images and Urban Atlas. These were linked to income, education, age, and percentage of the population born outside their country of residence at a neighbourhood level. The results show that inhabitants in the four Nordic cities have great access to green space, but the percentage of different types of green space, such as forest and parks, varies between the cities and within the cities. We found that most inhabitants have less than 300 m to the nearest green space ranging from 92% in Stavanger (Norway) to 99.2% in Ta center dot by (Sweden). We also found differences in access depending on inhabitants' age, education, immigration status, and median income. Espoo (Finland) had the highest total green space coverage (45.3%), while Ta center dot by had the highest proportion of park coverage (2.3%). By compensating with green spaces in less affluent areas, and focusing on equal access to green space, planners can contribute to reduce health inequalities in the population.
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| 10. |
- Nordh, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Rules, Norms and Practices - A Comparative Study Exploring Disposal Practices and Facilities in Northern Europe
- 2021
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Ingår i: OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying. - : SAGE Publications. - 0030-2228 .- 1541-3764.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We identify and analyse practices and management regimes around burial and handling of ashes across eight case study towns within six Northern European countries. We analyse management of cemeteries and crematoria gardens, majority practices and provision for minority communities, including various burial types, cremated remains, the re-use of graves, and costs for interments. Comparative data is drawn from analysis of national and local regulations, interviews with stakeholders, and observations at cemeteries and crematoria gardens. The findings show significant variation in national and local regulations and practices for burial and cremation particularly around the re-use of graves, handling of ashes and costs for grave space and cremation. We identify the opportunities and constraints of these variations in terms of accessibility, diversity and equality; and argue for national directions to avoid unequal treatment within nations. Furthermore, we stress the importance of a liberal and inclusive management of European cemeteries and crematoria gardens.
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