A Manifesto for the Just City

A Manifesto for the Just City
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CAROLINE NEWTON, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SPATIAL PLANNING & STRATEGY, TU DELFT.
VAN EESTEREN FELLOW.
The summer of 2020 was one of the warmest
summers ever recorded in Belgium and
the 12-day heatwave the longest ever. And
precisely during this time, the province’s
governor took extra measures to fight the rising
corona numbers. On my way to the supermarket,
driving on one of Flanders infamous approach roads,
I saw a young mother sitting outside her house. Next
to her was a toddler having fun in a paddling pool.
The cars passed near them, maybe only half a meter
away. This scene reminded
me of how different people’s
possibilities and chances
are. I was thinking of my
own children: also enjoying
a refreshing dip in our very
own paddling pool. The
difference is that they were
doing this in our enclosed
private garden, far away
from the passing cars noise
and pollution.
GLIMPSES
OF THE
FUTURE
As Soja (2010, p. 56) pointed
out, geographically uneven development has always
existed. And indeed, looking at history, we know
that cities were built along rivers or emerged at the
intersection of roads. A castle on the mountainside
overlooking the valley gave the lord of the land
an incredible advantage because he could see the
enemy approaching miles away. Humans started to
occupy space in different ways, consolidating the
unequal relationships between them. These unequal
relations exist on several scales, from the very local to
the global level, whereby the unequal appreciation of
areas is emphasised by the terminology used. The socalled
‘Global North’ is referred to as the developed
world. It is characterised by having world-class cities
full of innovation. In contrast, the Global South is
framed as the developing world. Its numerous megacities
filled with chaos and informality....
to a further handing over of the organisation of urban
life to the market. To illustrate, the refugee crisis
in the US has caused the entire refugee detention
organisation to be managed by private companies.
A perverse effect arises as these companies earn
money by keeping people in detention for as long
as possible and under [in] “humane” circumstances.
All incentives for rapid qualitative integration into
society are removed.
Unfortunately, spatial
planning also seems to have
evolved into a neo-liberal
practice, focused exclusively
on enabling development
and investment instead
of empowering citizens.
Cities use large scale
redevelopments,
neighbourhood upgrading
and iconic architecture to
compete with other cities
to attract international
companies, more investors
and high-income residents. Our space has become
nothing more than a commodity. The value of which
is influenced by location and expressed in money,
determining the possibilities for investments and
further developments.
Other characteristics, such as air quality, noise, or
smell, are intrinsically linked to location in the city
and often enforce the attached value. Those living
in the more affluent urban neighbourhoods often
enjoy less nuisance from noise or smell or better air
quality and better access to services. The fragile and
vulnerable groups of homeless or urban poor have
to settle in unhealthy areas that suffer from health
disadvantages. These conditions affect the physical
and mental health of already vulnerable population
groups.
But when we look closer, we see that in reality,
inequality is growing in the Global North, while we
can find more and more social innovations in the
Global South.
On the local level, social inequalities are increasingly
anchored in space, making change difficult and
emancipation challenging.
More than ever, our cities’ historical diversity and
inclusiveness are under pressure. Moreover, the
crises we are facing today are conducive to further
segregation and oppression. Rather than being a
wake-up call to review the current state of affairs
in civil society, crises today seem to encourage a
conservative attitude, whereby claims for austerity
and reducing the state’s role gain acceptance, leading
As Soja has argued (2010, p. 73) being differently
located in space can have “deeply oppressive and
exploitative effects, especially when maintained over
long time periods and rooted in persistent divisions
in society such as those based on race, class, and
gender.” The additional effects of these unjust
embodied experiences impact vulnerable groups’
possible emancipation. Also, they influence the city’s
liveability and the attractiveness of urban life as a
whole. In this era, where cities are considered as the
panacea of all ills caused by climate change, we can
no longer allow that the urban organisation limits the
enjoyment of urban life for some, while it supports to
full use and pleasure of others. As a global society,
we can only move forward if we move forward with
everyone and leave no one behind. Thus, what we
need is a Just City that creates opportunities for all