Introduction: Geographies of the Night

Abstract

Academic research tends to overlook what happens when night falls. This special issue aims to bring thespace–time of the urban night to the fore by asking how nocturnal cities are produced, used, experiencedand regulated in different geographical contexts. Despite local variations and specificities important simila-rities and ongoing transformations are identified regarding the long-term trends in the formation of thespace–times of the urban night. We have structured this special issue on the basis of four important focalpoints of research for studying the night: (1) changing meanings and experiences of urban darkness andnights; (2) the evolution of the night-time economy; (3) the intensification of regulation; and (4) dynamicsin practices of going out. By bringing different sets of literature and theoretical perspectives together thisspecial issue provides a relational perspective on the urban night.