Urbanization, urban sprawl, and urban agglomeration: a perspective about the middle-sized cities

This study focuses on the analysis of the configuration of urban agglomerations polarized by middle-sized cities, searching to understand if this configuration occurs due to the regional role played by these cities. From the empirical point of view, the spatial interactions established between the researched cities are referenced by the commuting displacements. The spatial interactions established among three middle-sized cities and their respective regional environments are analyzed: Itajaí, Londrina and São José do Rio Preto. The intent of this discussion is to contribute to the problematization of the discussion that deals with the territorial and spatial continuity, from the perspective of the urban sprawl and the agglomeration process.