scholarly journals CHALLENGES OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE (POST-SOCIALIST) TRANSITIONAL SOCIETY: EXPERIENCES FROM WATERFRONT URBAN AREAS MEZAPARK IN RIGA AND KALARAND IN TALLINN

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-121
Author(s):  
Viktorija Prilenska ◽  
Katrin Paadam ◽  
Roode Liias

Current case studies examine the shortcomings of civic engagement strategies during the design process and ratification of detailed plans for urban areas of strategic importance − Mezapark in Riga and Kalarand in Tallinn. Detailed plans caused public outcries and led to long-lasting and distressful negotiations between local communities, developers, designers and municipalities over the future development and use of these areas. The debates about detailed plans raised an increasing public interest in planning related issues and growing demands for greater civic engagement in decisions shaping the city. At the same time, the debates demonstrated the inability of local planning frameworks to meet public expectations. There appears a salient need for changing the planning culture. This paper studies the shortcomings of civic engagement strategies and the desirable changes through a series of semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders involved and the analysis of planning related documentation.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Biscan ◽  
Sergio Pérez Monforte ◽  
Lars Schöbitz ◽  
Anthony Kilbride

The Shit Flow Diagram (SFD) graphic is an advocacy tool that aims to assist technical and non-technical stakeholders to implement plans and programs related to urban sanitation. The SFD methodology is increasingly being used to analyze the extent of safely managed sanitation in urban areas, providing a valuable picture of the prevailing sanitation conditions, from containment to disposal. As such, it is a widely recognized advocacy and decision support tool that aims to understand, communicate, and visualize how wastewater and fecal sludge move within a city or town. As stated on the SuSanA website, the SFD methodology offers “a new and innovative way to engage sanitation experts, political leaders, and civil society in coordinated discussions about excreta management in their city”. The production and publication of an SFD report for Cap-Haitien (Haiti) would help to visualize the current sanitation situation in the city, resulting in a potential to shift current activities and efforts towards more efficient investments in the places along the sanitation chain that need more attention, improving the urban sanitation situation and the surrounding environment of the city. The structure of this SFD report consists of an executive summary and the SFD report. The latter includes: i) general city information describing its main characteristics; ii) sanitation service outcomes, with a thorough explanation of the SFD graphic outcome and the assumptions made; iii) the service delivery context analysis, which contains information on the regulatory framework of water and sanitation at country and city levels, and describes the city plans, budget and future projects to improve the sanitation situation and; iv) a detailed description of the surveys, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) conducted, as well as the key stakeholders involved, field visits carried out and references used to develop this SFD report.


Author(s):  
Fabiana Calçada de Lamare Leite ◽  
Aline Patrícia Henz

As recentes transformações econômicas, sociais e culturais produzem modificações no planejamento das áreas urbanas, principalmente a disposição de espaços de lazer, também caracterizados como atrativos turísticos. Sendo a cidade um ambiente de encontro, trocas e realizações, associando sua diversificação e possibilidades de apropriação ao dinamismo, a urbanidade torna-se um atributo importante para o estabelecimento e manutenção do convívio social. Na lógica da atividade turística, a cidade é entendida como um produto que deve ter seus atributos desenvolvidos e direcionados à satisfação dos turistas. Para despertar o interesse do visitante, o planejamento local deve utilizar parâmetros de configuração dos instrumentos e equipamentos da cidade. A temática da atratividade associada à visitação, esta estritamente relacionada ao consumo do espaço. Consumo, que pode ser entendido como alvo de conhecimento, interesse em vivenciar determinado espaço com suas particularidades que o identificam, despertando a motivação em usufruir de suas singularidades. O objetivo central deste artigo é qualificar os principais parques urbanos de Curitiba apresentados como atrativos turísticos, no entendimento de que esta disposição espacial somada a oferta de serviços e infraestrutura potencializam sua atratividade para a atividade turística. De acordo com a Prefeitura Municipal, Curitiba dispõe de 17 parques urbanos (PMC, 2007), no entanto, esse trabalho limita-se a apresentar oito parques que estão inseridos no roteiro realizado pela Linha Turismo. A escolha desse universo justifica-se pelo fato de que essas localidades são atendidas pela Linha Turismo, um serviço turístico já consolidado na cidade que atende a diversos pontos, agregando atratividade e valor turístico por sua funcionalidade. A metodologia é de abordagem qualitativa e como técnicas, a pesquisa utilizou-se de pesquisa bibliográfica e observação direta. Foi possível demonstrar que a lógica de organização da cidade, esta cada vez mais relacionada a lógica da atividade turística e que, é interesse de ambas a integração e a socialização de interesses. O planejamento da cidade ocorrendo de maneira articulada ao planejamento do turismo é a condição para a ocorrência de um turismo atrativo e competitivo para a localidade. Além disso, as duas práticas ocorrendo de maneira articulada podem beneficiar o desenvolvimento local, influenciando na qualidade de vida da população local e, consequentemente, beneficiando a atividade turística. Urban Parks at Curitiba (PR, Brazil): Spatiality, Planning and Tourism ABSTRACT Recent economical, social and cultural transformations are causing changes on the planning of urban areas, mainly those relative to the disposition of leisure spaces, also characterized as touristic attractions. As the city is an environment of encounter, exchange and fulfillments, with its diversity and appropriation possibilities being associated to dynamism, urbanism becomes an important asset for the establishment and maintenance of social cohabitation. Under the logics of touristic activity, cities are comprehended as a product that requires its attributes to be developed and directed towards the satisfaction of tourists. So as to stimulate the visitor’s interest, local planning must apply configuration parameters of the city´s instruments and equipment. The issue about attractiveness in relation to visits, is strictly linked to space consumption. Consumption can be understood as the aim for knowledge, the interest to enjoy certain space with the characteristics that make it particular, motivating towards the use of its singularities. The main objective of this article is to describe the main urban parks of Curitiba presented as tourist attractions, which are presented as touristic attractions, as it is considered that such a spatial disposition, added to a service and infrastructure offer, augment their attractiveness for touristic activities. According to the Municipal Mayor´s office, Curitiba has seventeen (17) urban parks (PMC, 2016), however this research is limited to eight parks that are included in the itinerary deigned by the Linha Turismo. The selection of this universe is justified by the fact that they are places attended by the Linha Turismo, a consolidated touristic service in the city, which attends different spots, adding attractiveness and touristic value due to its functionality. It was possible to demonstrate that the city´s configuration logic is increasingly related to touristic activity, and that both issues appreciate the integration and socialization of interests. City planning, when articulated to tourism planning, is the basic condition to accomplish a touristic attractiveness and competitiveness for such a place. Furthermore, when both practices are articulated in their evolution, they benefit local development, thus having an impact on the wealth of the local population, and also benefitting touristic activity. KEYWORDS: Tourism; Planning; Urban Parks; Curitiba (PR, Brazil).


Afrika Focus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-87
Author(s):  
Sariette Batibonak

Once considered as a “rural” phenomenon, issues pertaining to the occult have, at the height of globalization, become an “urban” problem. Witchcraft is particularly invoked to designate success; to provide information on individual and collective misfortunes, justifying battles against fetishes, misfortune, bad genies and all kinds of evil spirits leading to poverty, unemployment, bad luck or (a state of) being possessed. Increasingly since the nineties, the city has become the stage for Pentecostal effervescence. Preacher-healers have settled predominately in urban areas and play a crucial role in the reconstruction of sorcery’s collective imagery, updating magical-religious systems of reference; rehabilitating exorcism and devotion in matters of deliverance. Religious and magical justifications have become regular features of urban acts and behaviours. In this context, witchcraft distinguishes itself as a response to urban life and could even be one of its founding elements. What are its urban markers? How does it express itself in contemporary urban life? Using an in situ approach, active observation and semi-structured interviews – this research examines, from an ethnographical perspective, urban witchcraft as amplified by a Pentecostal discourse vector of anti-witchcraft violence.


Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josep Pinyol Alberich ◽  
Farhad Mukhtarov ◽  
Carel Dieperink ◽  
Peter Driessen ◽  
Annelies Broekman

Cleaning wastewater and using it again for secondary purposes is a measure to address water scarcity in urban areas. However, upscaling of recycled water schemes is challenging, and little is known about the governance conditions which are required for this. This paper addresses this knowledge gap. Based on a review of governance literature we suggest that five governance conditions are necessary for a successful upscaling of recycled water schemes: (1) policy leadership, (2) policy coordination, (3) availability of financial resources, (4) awareness of a problem, and (5) the presence of a public forum. We applied these concepts in a case study on the upscaling of a recycled water scheme in Sabadell, Spain. We reviewed policy documents, conducted a set of 21 semi-structured interviews, and attended two policy meetings about the subject. Our results suggest that Sabadell meets the required conditions for upscaling reused water to a certain extent. However, a public forum is not well-developed. We discuss the implications of this and conclude with some suggestions for future research and some lessons for other cities that plan to upscale their recycled water schemes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oghenekevwe Joy Arabomen ◽  
Folaranmi Dapo Babalola ◽  
Felix Oaikhena Idumah ◽  
Chinyere Salome Ofordu

Purpose: Examine residents’ attitude towards urban trees from the perspective of funding or voluntarily contributing time for tree care programs. Majority of global populace live in cities, hence, the rise in public expectations for liveable, sustainable and greener communities and urban areas all over the world, Nigeria inclusive. With proper planning and management, cities may become more liveable, but the rapid loss of large urban green areas cause havoc, and has ushered in several problems such as adverse climatic condition, reduced water and air quality, amongst others. Metodology: A questionnaire survey was conducted to understand how residents rank and rate the benefits of urban trees as well as individual willingness to support conservation initiatives, using Benin metropolis, Nigeria as a case study. Findings: Using binary logit analysis, the study identified that residents who are aware of ecosystem services, had a profession and have spent at least 20 years in the city, had a significant relationship with personal willingness to volunteer time and/or donate money toward urban tree care programs and activities. Contribution to knowledge: Provided quantitative information to demonstrate the importance of conserving trees in development projects towards Global SDGs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (19) ◽  
pp. 202016
Author(s):  
Jovenildo Cardoso Rodrigues ◽  
Rodrigo Luciano Macedo Machado ◽  
Luciano Rocha da Penha ◽  
Adolfo Oliveira Neto

RURAL AND URBAN INTERFACES IN THE CITY OF BARCARENA, PARAENSE AMAZONINTERFACES RURALES ET URBAINES DANS LA VILLE DE BARCARENA, AMAZONIE PARAENSERESUMOAs cidades brasileiras vêm passando por transformações aceleradas como resultado de determinações vinculadas ao avanço dos processos de urbanização do território, estruturação de cidades, conformando um mosaico complexo, diverso e contraditório de múltiplos territórios e territorialidades urbano-rurais. Em escala local, a cidade de Barcarena revela-se como espaço de intensas metamorfoses socioespaciais, enquanto produto de ações do Estado e de novos agentes econômicos na constituição da urbanização extensiva do território paraense, com reverberações nas relações e interfaces do rural e do urbano na referida cidade. O presente artigo objetiva analisar as relações e interfaces do rural e do urbano no município e na cidade de Barcarena, Amazônia paraense, a partir dos anos 2000. Como procedimento metodológico, realizamos levantamento bibliográfico e documental, produção cartográfica, registros fotográficos e entrevistas semiestruturadas com agentes do poder público municipal e moradores de áreas rurais e urbanas. Defendemos a ideia de que o rural e o urbano em Barcarena encontram-se amalgamados enquanto processos que revelam coexistências, resistências, bem como, interfaces imbricadas da relação rural-urbano em Barcarena, conformando um mosaico articulado e conflituoso de espacialidades urbano-rurais.Palavras-chave: Rural-Urbano; Cidade; Amazônia; Barcarena.ABSTRACTBrazilian cities have been undergoing accelerated transformations as a result of determinations linked to the advance of the processes of urbanization of territory, structuring of cities, forming a complex, diverse and contradictory mosaic of multiple territories and urban-rural territorialities. On a local scale, the city of Barcarena reveals itself as a space of intense socio-spatial metamorphoses, as a product of state actions and new economic agents in the constitution of extensive urbanization of Pará territory, with reverberations in the relations and interfaces of rural and urban in that city. This article aims at analyzing the relations and interfaces of rural and urban in the municipality and city of Barcarena, in the Amazon region of Pará, starting in the 2000s. As a methodological procedure, we conducted bibliographic and documentary surveys, cartographic production, photographic records and semi-structured interviews with municipal government agents and residents of rural and urban areas. We defend the idea that the rural and the urban in Barcarena are amalgamated as processes that reveal coexistence, resistance, as well as, imbricated interfaces of the rural-urban relationship in Barcarena, forming an articulated and conflicting mosaic of urban-rural spatialities.Keywords: Rural-Urban; City; Amazon; Barcarena.RÉSUMÉLes villes brésiliennes ont connu des transformations accélérées suite à des déterminations liées à l'avancée des processus d'urbanisation, à la structuration des villes, formant une mosaïque complexe, diverse et contradictoire de multiples territoires et territorialités urbaines-rurales. À l'échelle locale, la ville de Barcarena se révèle être un espace d'intenses métamorphoses socio-spatiales, produit des actions de l'État et des nouveaux agents économiques dans la constitution d'une urbanisation extensive du territoire du Pará, avec des répercussions sur les relations et les interfaces entre le rural et l'urbain dans cette ville. Le présent article vise à analyser les relations et les interfaces entre le rural et l'urbain dans la municipalité et la ville de Barcarena, dans la région amazonienne du Pará, à partir des années 2000. Comme procédure méthodologique, nous avons mené des enquêtes bibliographiques et documentaires, des productions cartographiques, des enregistrements photographiques et des entretiens semi-structurés avec des agents de l'administration municipale et des résidents des zones rurales et urbaines. Nous défendons l'idée que le rural et l'urbain à Barcarena sont amalgamés en tant que processus qui révèlent la coexistence, la résistance, ainsi que les interfaces imbriquées de la relation rural-urbain à Barcarena, formant une mosaïque articulée et conflictuelle de spatialités urbaines-rurales.Mots-Clés: Rural-Urban; Ville; Amazone; Barcarena.


Afrika Focus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sariette Batibonak

Once considered as a "rural" phenomenon, issues pertaining to the occult have, at the height of globalization, become an "urban" problem. Witchcraft is particularly invoked to designate suc- cess; to provide information on individual and collective misfortunes, justifying battles against fetishes, misfortune, bad genies and all kinds of evil spirits leading to poverty, unemployment, bad luck or (a state of ) being possessed. Increasingly since the nineties, the city has become the stage for Pentecostal effervescence. Preacher-healers have settled predominately in urban areas and play a crucial role in the reconstruction of sorcery's collective imagery, updating magical- religious systems of reference; rehabilitating exorcism and devotion in matters of deliverance. Religious and magical justi cations have become regular features of urban acts and behaviours. In this context, witchcraft distinguishes itself as a response to urban life and could even be one of its founding elements. What are its urban markers? How does it express itself in contemporary urban life? Using an in situ approach, active observation and semi-structured interviews – this research examines, from an ethnographical perspective, urban witchcraft as ampli ed by a Pente- costal discourse vector of anti-witchcraft violence. Key words: witchcraft, Pentecostalism, urban, occultism, churches 


Author(s):  
Josep Pinyol Alberich ◽  
Farhad Mukhtarov ◽  
Carel Dieperink ◽  
Peter Driessen ◽  
Annelies Broekman

Cleaning wastewater and using it again for secondary purposes is a measure to address water scarcity in urban areas. However, upscaling of recycled water schemes is challenging due to the possible emergence of various barriers. Based on a review of the governance literature we suggest that a set of five governance conditions is necessary for a successful upscaling of recycled water schemes; (1) policy leadership, (2) policy coordination, (3) availability of financial resources, (4) awareness of a problem, and (5) the presence of a public forum. In order to elaborate on the practical relevance of these conditions we studied a recycled water scheme currently being upscaled in Sabadell, Spain. We reviewed policy documents, conducted a set of 21 semi-structured interviews, and attended two policy meetings about the subject. Our results suggest that Sabadell meets the required conditions for upscaling reused water to a certain extent. However, the presence of a public forum is lacking. We discuss the implications of the absence of the venue and procedures for public participation in Sabadell and how it could be strengthened. Following this discussion, we conclude with some lessons for other cities that plan to upscale their recycled water schemes.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Schippl ◽  
Annika Arnold

It is widely acknowledged that strategies to decarbonize energy systems cannot omit the mobility sector. For several decades, particularly in urban areas, a shift from car-based mobility to more environmental-friendly modes has been high on political agendas. Progress has been made in many urban areas, but so far only in small, rather incremental steps. The dominance of the car has remained largely stable in urban transport. For some time now, many experts have argued that processes of digitalization will co-evolve with societal trends and lead to multimodal urban mobility regimes in which private car usage will lose its dominance. In this paper, we examine if stakeholders active in the field believe that, despite digitalization, policy interventions are essential to achieve such a transition. The analysis draws on concepts from transition research and is based on 10 semi-structured interviews with providers of innovative mobility services that may contribute to more multimodal urban mobility systems. Geographical focus is on the City of Stuttgart (Germany). Results indicate broad agreement amongst the interviewees that digitalization alone is not sufficient for achieving a full-scale transition towards multimodal urban mobility. Policy measures that restrict car-based mobility would also be needed. However, many of the interviewed actors doubt that the essential policy mixes will find the necessary political and societal acceptance. Finally, the paper indicates ways to overcome this dilemma.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Avelino Barbosa

The fast urbanization in many regions of the world has generated a high competition between cities. In the race for investments and for international presence, some cities have increasingly resorting to the territorial marketing techniques like city branding. One of the strategies of recent years has been to use of creativity and / or labeling of creative city for the promotion of its destination. This phenomenon raises a question whether the city branding programs have worked in accordance with the cultural industries of the territory or if such labels influence the thought of tourists and locals. This paper begins by placing a consideration of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) and the strategies of the Territorial Marketing Program of the city of Lyon in France, Only Lyon. It also raises the question the perception of the target public to each of the current actions through semi-structured interviews which were applied between May and August 2015. Finally, I will try to open a discussion the brand positioning adopted by the city of Lyon


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