Performing a neoliberal city-regional imaginary: the case of Tampere tramway project

Abstract

Sub-national statecraft and scalecraft is touted as consequential antidote to the crisis of uneven development and democratic deficit. Interrogating this supposition with reference to cityregionalization in Finland, this paper explores how a neoliberal imaginary of city-regions has been institutionalized through entanglement of discursive practices of contractual planning and materiality of tramway construction in Tampere. We argue that Finland's 'city regionalism' is best understood in terms of rescaling of power from local municipalities to upper tiers of governance, lubricating of entrepreneurial development projects, and shrinking of democratic spaces of political contestations. We conclude by calling for geographically sensitive theorisations of city-regionalization.

From social engineering to neoliberal governance, and then what? Mapping a sustainability shift in urban planning in a medium-sized Swedish city

“…With strategic choices, we build on this position! (Sundsvall kommun, 2016, p. 4) Positioning cities as hubs and/or centers within a national or global context is, as previously mentioned, an established strategy for strengthening a city's identity or brand (see, e.g., Rodríguez-Pose, 2008;Davoudi et al, 2021;Serdar, 2021, p. 20-21). This strategy also mirrors the dual role that Sundsvall inhabits as a peripheral center, as it becomes a way to legitimize Sundsvall as an urban center.…”

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“…Myös uusliberaalilla strategisella seututason suunnittelulla, jossa kuntatason ja laajan osallisten joukon sijaan ovat mukana lähinnä kehittäjät, voidaan kiertää paikallistason päätöksentekoa aiheuttaen demokratiavajetta (Davoudi, Kallio & Häkli 2020). Toisaalta seudullistuminen myös rajaa valtiotason aluehallinnan diskursseja ja politiikkatoimia sekä poliittista keskustelua Suomessa esimerkiksi alistamalla poliittiset tavoitteet tiettyyn taloudelliseen rationaliteettiin (Luukkonen & Sirviö 2019).…”

Skatescape in the Making: Developing Sustainable Urban Pedagogies through Transdisciplinary Education

“…The plans describe a focus on circular economy, resource-efficiency, and smart and sustainable solutions to mobility, buildings, services, and infrastructure enabling "a sustainable lifestyle" for future residents [19]. The area will be traversed by the Tampere Tram, the flagship of the sustainable city-regional traffic plan, currently under construction and planned to be extended to Hiedanranta by 2024 [20].…”

“…The plans describe a focus on circular economy, resource-efficiency, and smart and sustainable solutions to mobility, buildings, services, and infrastructure enabling "a sustainable lifestyle" for future residents [19]. The area will be traversed by the Tampere Tram, the flagship of the sustainable city-regional traffic plan, currently under construction and planned to be extended to Hiedanranta by 2024 [20]. The Hiedanranta Development Programme involves all key elements included in the national strategy of urban development, stressing green transition in urban planning, The Hiedanranta Development Programme involves all key elements included in the national strategy of urban development, stressing green transition in urban planning, housing, transportation, and the organization of services, implemented through 'MAL agreements' in the major city-regions.…”

“…In her recent applied research, the first author has brought the principles of Positive Recognition to inform her co-creative research with urban planners and policy makers, to develop means for citizen participation in city-regional development processes [20,37,46]). Drawing from this long-standing methodological inquiry, she is currently bringing the cumulative understanding into environmental pedagogy with three specific foci: positive recognition in the pedagogies of climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability.…”