Citizen Participation: Towards a Framework for Policy Assessment

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the academic debate on participatory urban development in two ways: first, by proposing a methodological framework though which urban policies can be assessed; and second, through a case study that applies the framework, delivering an analysis of the policy intentions of the current Berlin administration. Design/methodology/approach The first section of this paper introduces the case study, placing it in the political context in Berlin and suggesting an initial reading of the relevant documents that frame policy in participatory urban development today. The second section includes an attempt at disambiguation, a conceptual and an analytical framework, followed by a preliminary assessment of the Berlin participatory policy. The final part of this paper draws conclusions and sets a possible future research agenda. Findings Participation is present in several passages of the Contract and refers to different possible readings of the term: participation as institutional framework, participation as rights, participation in the public sphere and participation as practice. Originality/value This paper contributes to the disambiguation of the concept of “citizen participation”, proposes a framework through which to assess policy and offers an initial analysis of the policy intentions of the current Berlin administration

Hobrecht, James

James Hobrecht (1825–1902) was a Prussian planner responsible for the 1862 development plan for the expanding city of Berlin and later for its new sewerage system. The “Hobrecht Plan” was based on a concept of large city blocks, which, combined with unleashed land speculation and the building regulations of the time, gave birth to an extremely dense, socially and functionally mixed city of often appalling living conditions. The sewerage system, on the other hand, was an innovative answer to the needs of the growing metropolis

Notes on Place identity

In the debate on the marketing of places, the question of their identity is often raised, usually in contrast to their image. It is unclear, however, what exactly this identity may mean when we do not refer to thinking beings who can think of themselves. This article first attempts to clarify the concept of place identity to show that it can be used to mean very different thing. In the second part, through an overview of the literature on the place and the space, an opening is made to alternative readings of the two concepts, while in the third part the article focuses again on one approach, that of Doreen Massey, linking place with space (and time). In the fourth part, I propose to see what the elements, which constitute place and space may be, and conclude with thoughts about the impact of such a perception on place marketing

Practices of solidarity in Athens: reconfigurations of public space and urban citizenship

The multi-faceted crisis that has hit Greece and other (southern) European countries has had severe consequences on people’s everyday lives. In an attempt to cope with, but also resist, dramatic changes in lifestyles, incomes and welfare, several initiatives have sprung up all over the country at many different scales, with diverse targets, varying actors and outcomes. Many people have abandoned their privacy to participate in public actions of solidarity, in initiatives that often involve new or alternative uses of urban space. It seems that practices of solidarity and claims around material spaces are becoming an important ‘laboratory’ for shaping a different public sphere. Drawing from relevant examples in Athens, the paper aims to reflect on the ways in which such practices and claims arise and develop; how different types of rights and forms of doing politics are enacted in situations of crisis and deprivation; and finally how such practices reconfigure public space and shape notions of belonging, which ultimately (re)define urban citizenshi

Shopping districts and centres, markets, neighbourhoods, public squares, and urban gardens: reflecting

The Study Trip to Berlin was the first of its kind to be organised by the Institute of Place Management. Sixteen delegates from eight countries (Australia, Brazil, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Singapore and UK) met in Berlin to participate in an intensive programme of lectures, visits and discussions. The idea behind this format, one of the educational courses of the IPM, is to offer new insights, but also to facilitate knowledge exchange between members. It is one of the guiding principles of the Institute that we investigate challenges and provide answers in the specificity of place and support people in places. Consequently, a series of visits were arranged to explore not just the management of different areas of Berlin, but also different types and approaches to place management

Identity and destination branding among residents: How does brand self-congruity influence brand attitude and ambassadorial behavior?

Residents of a particular destination are potentially the largest and most powerful stakeholders of destination brands. However, the basis of residents' attitudes toward destination branding is not widely understood. In this study, it is proposed that selfcongruity (the degree of match between the perceived self and perceived brand identity) is a possible antecedent of these attitudes. We empirically demonstrate that brand self‐congruity is a likely indicator of destination brand attitude and that subsequent ambassadorial behavior among residents is probable. Implications for practitioners and future research opportunities are finally suggested