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New dynamics in citizen re-appropriation strategies of collective urban spaces. Case of Madrid
Abstract
L'impegno dei cittadini per riappropriarsi degli spazi collettivi ha significato, per lungo tempo, spazi utopici di resistenza, un rifugio, una comunità autonoma che opera indipendentemente dal sistema. Questa visione sembra sottendere un approccio co-produttivo, nella letteratura come nella prassi. Lo studio intende esplorare gli effetti sullo spazio urbano delle iniziative di coproduzione nello spazio collettivo e le trasformazioni intervenute nei rapporti fra i diversi attori. Prendiamo in esame due progetti profondamente diversi, avviati di recente nella periferia di Madrid, che rappresentano la nuova ondata di azioni partecipative nel contesto cittadino. I casi analizzati evidenziano come l'incentivazione alla partecipazione promossa dalle amministrazioni locali sia supportata da forme di attivismo locale esistenti e, al contempo, abbia permesso la riduzione degli aspetti politici delle pratiche. Lo studio traccia un quadro generale dell'attivismo urbano madrileno. Ne emerge, a nostro avviso, una rete spaziale fittamente ramificata ed eterogenea, in grado di sviluppare un lavoro congiunto e di costruire spazi collettivi. Nonostante le contraddizioni che hanno accompagnato il percorso, questo è un momento di transizione, in bilico fra speranze e incertezze. Citizen engagement in re-appropriation of collective spaces has long meant utopian spaces of resistance, a refuge or an autonomous community working aside of the system. This vision has allegedly geared towards a co-production approach both in literature and praxis. The aim of this study is to examine the effects on the urban space of co-production initiatives in the collective urban space and the changes of the relations among different actors. We examine two different recent projects in the outskirts of Madrid that represent a new wave of participative actions in the city. These cases show how the emphasis in participation from the administration partially rests on existing local activisms and at the same time, downplays the political aspect of the practices. The study reviews the background of Madrid urban activism. We find a dense heterogeneous spatial network acting together and producing collective space. Despite the contradictions that emerge during the process, the moment is one of transition with both hope and uncertainties. Parole Chiave: coproduzione; beni comuni urbani; spazio pubblico.
... In addition to scientifically demonstrating the invisible functions of these areas, citizen recognition could play a crucial role in reclaiming these spaces. Existing practices affirm how these spaces could induce a new sense of reappropriation by the population, creating a common space of coexistence between humans and non-humans [30,31]. ...
The present study reflects on spontaneous nature’s agency to reclaim abandoned urban areas in Italian urban brownfields, providing a focused analysis of the Metropolitan Area of Milan. These spaces are the products of phenomena, such as deindustrialization, demilitarization, and uncontrolled urban expansion, which have produced a compromised heritage and challenges to regeneration. Such abandonment sometimes produces new forms of urban nature, which suggests a possible path for ecological regeneration and coexistence, as affirmed by the multidisciplinary literature. The related informal urban biodiversity grows regardless of future planning provisions, triggering unexpected transformations of the urban environment and producing socio-ecological value, as demonstrated by citizens’ recognition of these places. The present study maps informal urban biodiversity in the Milan territory, identifying the presence of large contaminated sites, relevant urban voids, vacant lots, and former agricultural spaces. This study also reflects on possible paths for urban planning and policies to integrate informal urban biodiversity within the urban ecological structure by analyzing the main features and challenges of the corresponding regeneration processes.
At a first glance, the 15-M movement implies the irruption of the public sphere by emancipatory struggles that reify conceptual ideas of politics of place and provide radical changes of how public space is conceived – a public space that within the dominant neoliberal production of urban space was delegated towards a residual category, usually a stage for commercial activities. On this base, the following article will bring together two conceptual perspectives to discuss the geographies of the #spanishrevolution. It will first refer to John Holloway’s recent work, interpreting the resistance of the 15-M movement as a crack within hegemonic capitalist discourses. In a second step, concrete struggles will be conceptualised as acts of citizenship. Such acts oppose to hegemonic power relations and naturalised conducts of power abuse by state institutions such as, for example, the national police force. Both perspectives will be developed through claims within the movement that are expressed by specific acts against police raids of irregular migrants.
This paper will explore contemporary practices of urban commoning while attempting to construct a theoretical argument on the inherently emancipating potentialities of common space. Urban commoning will be considered as a set of spatial practices through which space is created both as a good to be shared and as a medium that can give form to institutions of sharing. In order for commoning to remain an open process that continuously expands without being contained in any form of enclosure, it has to invite newcomers. Shared spaces, open to newcomers, are spaces defined neither by a prevailing authority that supervises their use, nor by a closed community that controls them by excluding all ‘outsiders’. Common spaces are thus dependent upon their power to communicate and connect rather than separate. Common spaces are threshold spaces, connecting and comparing adjacent areas at the same time. In practices of common space creation, commoners create areas of encounter and collective self-management. Rules of use are also of a threshold character, constantly in the making. Likewise, subjects of use are threshold subjects: for commoning to remain open and ever expanding, commoners have to consider themselves open to transformative negotiations with newcomers.This paper will thus attempt to understand urban commoning as a multifaceted process which produces spaces, subjects of use (inhabitants) and rules of use (institutions) that share the same qualitative characteristics. In such a prospect, urban commoning can prefigure forms of social relations based on sharing, cooperation and solidarity. In this way, space becomes not simply a common product but also the means through which egalitarian social relations can potentially be shaped.
From a historical perspective, a conceptualisation of grassroots initiatives in reference to new urban social movements has been progressively completed by the analysis of a new generation of local initiatives, which are understood as more pragmatic socio-economic responses to crises in employment and social exclusion, including urban regeneration and access to services in deprived areas. The first section of this paper describes the hybrid logic of local initiatives, such as the dual socio-economic and socio-political aspects, multi-stakeholder dynamics, the co-production public action, social entrepreneurship, the mixed economy of resource allocation. The second section questions the ability of local initiative to produce a virtuous urban circle that would meet unsatisfied needs and create local jobs, empowering the community through direct participation in local governance and strengthening urban social cohesion. The final section reconsiders the conditions of resistance and innovation of local initiatives in the city from a context and spatially sensitive perspectives.
This paper presents the theoretical background against which the relation between citizenship and governance can be explored in European cities. The article revisits the link between the social and political dimensions of citizenship and the public sphere, emphasising the participatory paradigm. Moreover, it examines some current citizenship and governance practices occurring in European cities and neighbourhoods. It argues that the practice of citizenship has been challenged in European cities not only by the globalising forces which have contributed to the increasing numbers of denizens, exploited immigrants and the poor, but also by the implicit changes in collective understanding of social justice. Finally, it critically discusses the term 'urban citizenship' as capturing local participation of citizens in the pursuit of welfare, recognition and against neo-liberal policies. Instead, the author proposes the term 'urban and regional forms of citizenship' substantiating the continuous relevance of territorial citizenship in the context of multilevel governance.
Despite its growing currency in academic and policy circles, social cohesion is a term in need of a clearer and more rigorous
definition. This article provides a critical review of the ways social cohesion has been conceptualized in the literature
in many cases, definitions are too loosely made, with a common confusion between the content and the causes or effects of
social cohesion. This motivates us to propose a refined definition that we hope is clearer and more rigorous. We will show
how our definition could be operationalized into a measurement scheme that facilitates empirical work on social cohesion.
Los vínculos que las personas establecen con los espacios han sido objeto de análisis desde múltiples perspectivas. El apego al lugar, la identidad de lugar, la identidad social urbana o el espacio simbólico urbano son algunos de los principales conceptos con que se abordan procesos que dan cuenta de la interacción de las personas con los entornos y sus principales efectos. El fenómeno de la apropiación del espacio supone una aproximación conceptual cuya naturaleza dialéctica permite concebir algunos de estos conceptos de manera integral. Este planteamiento teórico viene siendo útil, más allá de su incidencia en la comunidad científica, para el abordaje de cuestiones como la construcción social del espacio público, la ciudadanía, la sostenibilidad (ambiental, económico y social) y en suma para aportar elementos teóricos y empíricos que permitan investigar e intervenir modos de interacción social más eficaces, justos y adecuados a las demandas sociales actuales.
La profesion –formacion- docente es un tema crucial en los actuales debates educativos. La existencia de dos decretos y el desplazamiento del verdadero sentido del ser maestro reclaman de los analisis un ejercicio de comprension del orden discursivo oficial. La calidad es el sustrato de la sociedad de control. En este marco se agencia nuevas practicas de subjetivacion del maestro los cuales podriamos situar en la calidad, flexibilidad, adaptabilidad, eficiencia, eficacia. En cualquier caso, el esfuerzo por hacer del maestro un intelectual de la educacion fue borrado. La gran cuestion consiste en saber que discursos regula el saber del docente a la luz de la sociedad de control.
This paper examines the case of Madrid with examples of mobilisation and transformative actions in public spaces of the city. It discusses how virtualisation of networks and spaces through ICTs (information and communication technologies) has contributed to new patterns of mobilisation
and social networks among participants and supporters. Following sections will give an account of the transformation of political action in the real and virtual public space of Madrid and on the evolution of Spanish urban social movements in relation to these issues, and the role of new urban
activists in the governance patterns of the neoliberal city in crises.
The shift from government to governance in recent years has created significant new opportunities for people from disadvantaged communities to participate in the decisions that affect them. However, the weight of evidence over the years suggests that these communities have remained on the margins in partnerships and other initiatives. Governmentality theory helps to explain the ways in which state power persists even when governing is increasingly devolved; however, it also allows for the possibility of 'active subjects', who can shape and influence the new spaces into which they have been invited. This article draws on a range of evidence from the literature and from the author's own research in the UK to consider the challenges for communities of 'governing beyond the state'.
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