Unsettling planning theory

Recent political developments in many parts of the world seem likely to exacerbate rather than ameliorate the planetary-scale challenges of social polarization, inequality and environmental change societies face. In this unconventional multi-authored essay, we therefore seek to explore some of the ways in which planning theory might respond to the deeply unsettling times we live in. Taking the multiple, suggestive possibilities of the theme of unsettlement as a starting point, we aim to create space for reflection and debate about the state of the discipline and practice of planning theory, questioning what it means to produce knowledge capable of acting on the world today. Drawing on exchanges at a workshop attended by a group of emerging scholars in Portland, Oregon in late 2016, the essay begins with an introduction section exploring the contemporary resonances of ‘unsettling’ in, of and for planning theory. This is followed by four, individually authored responses which each connect the idea of unsettlement to key challenges and possible future directions. We end by calling for a reflective practice of theorizing that accepts unsettlement but seeks to act knowingly and compassionately on the uneven terrain that it creates

From exploitative to regenerative tourism: Tino rangatiratanga and tourism in Aotearoa New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand’s environmental management has long been considered short-sighted and focused on economic development over environmental, cultural or social imperatives. Tourism contributes to those pressures on our environments and communities. While Māori have always been involved in tourism, there is a concerted movement by many Māori towards engagement with tourism as a means of reconnecting with cultural traditions, protecting natural resources and providing employment for whānau. However, a definitive framework is lacking for establishing the limits of acceptable environmental change for different taonga from the effects of tourism. Such a framework is essential for bridging the implementation gap between the goals of national tourism and environmental strategies, and the actual outcomes on the ground. Here, we advance the Mauriora Systems Framework (MSF) (Matunga, 1993) as a conceptually robust and generic framework that is unique to Aotearoa New Zealand and provides a language and process centred on mauri for mana whenua to come together with management agencies in setting outcomes for places and taonga. We suggest the MSF is consistent with the aspiration for the emerging notion of regenerative tourism and that it can also contribute to a greater understanding and valuing of mātauranga and tikanga Māori within the tourism industry and its host communities

Habits of contributing citizenship : Self-help groups in rural Tanzania

The chapter examines self-help groups in rural Tanzania as practices in which citizenship habits are formed. Self-help groups are referred as locally organized groups established to address the needs and challenges of the members. From the point of view of pragmatism, self-help groups provide concrete examples of a specific form of associated life and of a general human activeness in addressing shared problems. Based on interviews and focus-group discussions conducted in Kondoa district with local self-help groups, the characteristics of these practices are analyzed through three themes: the kinds of shared problems the groups address, the governance of internal interaction of the groups, and the sorts of participants included. Based on our analysis, we suggest a habit of contributing citizenship emerging out of the participation in self-help groups.peerReviewe

Contextualizing citizenship in Tanzania

This chapter describes selected features of the contemporary Tanzania that form the context for learning of citizenship in civil society. The chapter grasps the contextual conditions and circumstances of citizenship in Tanzania by looking at historical evolvement of the notion of development, maendeleo, over the period from colonial eras to the postcolonial single-party system to the contemporary multiparty democracy. The chapter continues with analyses of the moments of donor enthusiasm for civil society and NGOs and the recent debates on the shrinking space of civil society. Essentially, different stages presents different idea of an ideal citizen and also different efforts in order to shape citizens by state and civil society organizations. It further reflects on how the traces of these developments might show in today’s citizenship habits including patterns of participation and citizenship identities, not only vis-á-vis the state but also other groups and forums where rights and responsibilities are negotiated, and thus, active citizenship is constructed.peerReviewe