| dc.description.abstract | Through historical and contemporary analyses combined with a theoretical foundation, this thesis examines activist planning and social movements in the city. Using Kirseberg as a case study, an old working-class neighbourhood in the Swedish city of Malmö, it explores how historical neglect, in combination with broader historical events, influenced the emergence of what became a social movement in the 1970s. Through archival research, interview, newspaper articles and published sources, the thesis explains how the movement managed to change the city plan, which called for the complete redevelopment of the neighbourhood, with the movement’s goal being the preservation of the old 19th century housing typical of the area. The movement applied a multitude of strategies, but as the thesis argues, their use of their own history of neglect in mobilizing and changing the official planners’ stance played a key role in their success. The movement’s work had lasting effects in changing the inside and outside perception of Kirseberg.
In the contemporary analysis, the thesis examines the ongoing redevelopment plans for the local prison, closed since 2015 after a century of operation. Through interviews and newspaper articles, it examines the ongoing efforts of a local group to purchase the prison, making a case for community power and the continued relevance of activist planning. The group, acting as advocacy planners, tries to mobilize the neighbourhood to realize their goal of developing the prison to and by the community.
Together, the two cases form a red thread through history, making an argument for using history as a strategy in planning and as an activist tool, as well as acknowledging and utilizing the resources found within a community. Furthermore, the thesis illustrate how neglect can affect a neighbourhood, and how citizens can counter it and foster community-led initiatives and development. | |
