Déclin et relance économique d’une agglomération métropolitaine. Le discours et les représentations des élites économiques à Montréal

Governing the GCR series: The greater Paris debate – reflections for the Gauteng City-Region

“…These questions are as relevant in Gauteng as they are in New York or Mumbai� Whilst professionals may long have thought of what is now called the Gauteng City-Region (GCR) as a unit (Mabin, 2013), do the people of Gauteng think of themselves as residents of a city-region of a dozen million or more? Since 1994, transitions to new provincial and metro forms of government have led to various wrangles, including over a city-region transport authority, the future of Rand Water, huge investment in and subsidy of the Gautrain, and the introduction of tolling on what had always been 'free' ways� By their nature, these significant public engagements have been controversial and have accordingly contributed to changes in approach� Yet such debates did not actually engage with the underlying conception and overall direction of the 'city-region', nor with the relationship of people to the whole and to its future� Such matters tend to remain in more arcane discussions among professionals and politicians� Internationally, there are 'tensions and uncertainties between the city-region as a concept and the experiences of local communities' (Brenner, 2004, p� 49)� Public participation in shaping the future of the GCR will not take place with any intensity in the absence of provocations that spark debate -and these might be intentionally designed to do so rather than occurring by accident� Conflict over governance in other city-regions has something to offer to thinking about the future of governance in Gauteng's city-region� To examine how wider debate, and perhaps direct engagement, at the scale of the city-region can come about, this Provocation explores one powerful example of how public recognition of the unity of a large city-region, and public debate about the conditions and future of that region, have been provoked over the past decade or more� Recent debate across the city-region of Paris and its surrounds 2 contrasts strikingly with the earlier, more technical contests among professionals and sometimes politicians� By exploring the 1 'City-regions' receive much attention in various literatures -for their polycentricity and complexity (Gugler, 2004;Mabin, 2005;Scott, 2001); their diversity (Jones et al, 2015;Sharpe, 1995); conflicts over the scale of authority (Hamel & Poitras, 2004;Hamilton, 2012;Keil et al, 2009); and research approaches (Booth & Jouve, 2005;Kübler, 2012;Lefevre et al, 2013;Mould, 2016;Phares, 2004;Storper, 2013). 2 The terms 'Greater Paris', 'Grand Paris', 'metropolitan Paris', 'Paris region', etc.…”

“…The present state of international discussion raises 'critical questions about how governance reform is reshaped' (Jones et al, 2015). It is still not clear why experiences of city-regions have differed so markedly (Sharpe, 1995) and the literatures continue to expand rapidly (Booth & Jouve, 2005;Hamel & Poitras, 2004;Hamilton, 2012;Keil et al, 2009;Kübler, 2012;Lefevre et al, 2013;Mould, 2016;Phares, 2004;Storper, 2013).…”