Conjunctural urban geographies: Modes, methods, and meso-level concepts.

This article examines the emerging use of conjunctural analysis within urban geography, focusing on its theoretical foundations, methodological approaches, and interpretive variations. It identifies a key distinction between normative (critical) and rationalist (empiricist) forms of conjunctural analysis, drawing on intellectual traditions from Gramscian social critique to Charles Tilly's relational realism and Karl Popper's situational analysis. The authors propose three meso-level concepts—plasticity (the malleability of social relations), composites (the heterogeneous assemblage of actors and institutions), and temporalities (the rhythms and durations of change)—to guide empirical research, illustrated through the example of U.S. municipal finance. This framework aims to advance conjunctural analysis beyond its nascent state by accommodating relational complexity while clarifying its epistemological and political commitments.