this field is transdisciplinary because it uses theories from a variety of academic fields and places them within an urban context. a wide variety of academic fields refers to the urban environment as a location studied, such as environmental studies, economics, geography, public health, and sociology. however, scholars in this field research how specific elements contribute to how the city operates, such as how housing and transportation will change. in addition, researchers also study how residents interact within the city, such as how race and gender differences lead to social inequalities, or concentrated disadvantage in urban areas.