IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/envira/v39y2007i11p2593-2611.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Making New Political Spaces: Mobilizing Spatial Imaginaries, Instrumentalizing Spatial Practices, and Strategically Using Spatial Tools

Author

Listed:
  • Julie-Anne Boudreau

    (Canada Research Chair on the City and Issues of Insecurity, Institut national de la recherche scientifique–Urbanisation, culture, société (INRS–UCS), Université du Québec, Montréal, Canada)

Abstract

This paper explores space as the object of mobilization (rather than focusing on space as resource or constraint, or on the spatial configuration of actors within the organizational structure of a movement). In the context of state-restructuring processes, it is argued that new political spaces result not only from social movement activities (as in the drive for ‘free spaces’), but also in a dynamic interaction between state and civil society actors. The author asks what it takes to create a new, effective, and significant political space. Three elements are explored empirically and theoretically: the production of allegiance and legitimacy through spatial imaginaries, the instrumentalization of spatial practices and of the political culture, and the strategic use of spatial tools. In light of the case of Toronto, where a new regional political space eased the normalization of neoliberalism, it is concluded that new political spaces create the conditions for political exchange, but do not guarantee emancipation, democracy, and justice. Overall, the author's aim is to discuss the concept of political space and the analytical advantages provided by its openness to fluidity, uncertainties, uninstitutionalized interactions, and various forms of rationalities (imaginaries, everyday practices, as well as strategic calculation) in the state-restructuring and rescaling debate.

Suggested Citation

  • Julie-Anne Boudreau, 2007. "Making New Political Spaces: Mobilizing Spatial Imaginaries, Instrumentalizing Spatial Practices, and Strategically Using Spatial Tools," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(11), pages 2593-2611, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:39:y:2007:i:11:p:2593-2611
    DOI: 10.1068/a39228
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1068/a39228
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1068/a39228?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brenner, Neil, 2004. "New State Spaces: Urban Governance and the Rescaling of Statehood," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199270064.
    2. Justin Beaumont & Walter Nicholls, 2007. "Between Relationality and Territoriality: Investigating the Geographies of Justice Movements in the Netherlands and the United States," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(11), pages 2554-2574, November.
    3. Justin Beaumont & Walter Nicholls, 2007. "Investigating the Geographies of Justice Movements," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(11), pages 2549-2553, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Johan Miörner, 2019. "Contextualizing system agency in new path development: What factors shape regional reconfiguration capacity?," PEGIS geo-disc-2019_13, Institute for Economic Geography and GIScience, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    2. Mark Graham, 2015. "Contradictory Connectivity: Spatial Imaginaries and Technomediated Positionalities in Kenya's Outsourcing Sector," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 47(4), pages 867-883, April.
    3. Justin Beaumont & Walter Nicholls, 2007. "Investigating the Geographies of Justice Movements," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(11), pages 2549-2553, November.
    4. Rositsa T. Ilieva & Andreas Hernandez, 2018. "Scaling-Up Sustainable Development Initiatives: A Comparative Case Study of Agri-Food System Innovations in Brazil, New York, and Senegal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.
    5. Elissa Waters & Jon Barnett, 2018. "Spatial imaginaries of adaptation governance: A public perspective," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 36(4), pages 708-725, June.
    6. Heather E. McLean, 2014. "Cracks in the Creative City: The Contradictions of Community Arts Practice," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(6), pages 2156-2173, November.
    7. Tom Baker & Kristian Ruming, 2015. "Making ‘Global Sydney’: Spatial Imaginaries, Worlding and Strategic Plans," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(1), pages 62-78, January.
    8. Clive Barnett, 2014. "What Do Cities Have to Do with Democracy?," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5), pages 1625-1643, September.
    9. Valeria Lingua, 2022. "Enhancing Spatial Imaginaries of Metropolitan Renaissance: A Regional Design Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.
    10. Kees Terlouw & Bouke van Gorp, 2014. "Layering Spatial Identities: The Identity Discourses of New Regions," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 46(4), pages 852-866, April.
    11. Stephen Hincks & Iain Deas & Graham Haughton, 2017. "Real Geographies, Real Economies and Soft Spatial Imaginaries: Creating a ‘More than Manchester’ Region," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 642-657, July.
    12. Markus Hesse, 2018. "Approaching the Relational Nature of the Port‐City Interface in Europe: Ties and Tensions Between Seaports and the Urban," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 109(2), pages 210-223, April.
    13. Jean-Paul D. Addie, 2009. "Constructing Neoliberal Urban Democracy in the American Inner-city," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 24(6-7), pages 536-554, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Justin Beaumont, 2008. "Faith Action on Urban Social Issues," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(10), pages 2019-2034, September.
    2. Justin Beaumont, 2008. "Introduction: Faith-based Organisations and Urban Social Issues," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(10), pages 2011-2017, September.
    3. Geneviève Zembri-Mary & Virginie Engrand-Linder, 2023. "Urban planning law in the face of the Olympic challenge: Between innovation and criticism of exceptional urban regeneration," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 38(4), pages 369-388, June.
    4. Steven Tufts, 2007. "Emerging Labour Strategies in Toronto's Hotel Sector: Toward a Spatial Circuit of Union Renewal," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(10), pages 2383-2404, October.
    5. Navé Wald & Douglas P. Hill, 2016. "‘Rescaling’ alternative food systems: from food security to food sovereignty," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 33(1), pages 203-213, March.
    6. Kevin Fox Gotham, 2014. "Racialization and Rescaling: Post-Katrina Rebuilding and the Louisiana Road Home Program," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 773-790, May.
    7. Simin Yan & Anna Growe, 2022. "Regional Planning, Land-Use Management, and Governance in German Metropolitan Regions—The Case of Rhine–Neckar Metropolitan Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-24, November.
    8. Andrew Clarke & Lynda Cheshire, 2018. "The post-political state? The role of administrative reform in managing tensions between urban growth and liveability in Brisbane, Australia," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 55(16), pages 3545-3562, December.
    9. Federico Savini, 2013. "The Governability of National Spatial Planning: Light Instruments and Logics of Governmental Action in Strategic Urban Development," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(8), pages 1592-1607, June.
    10. Juliana Hurtado Rassi, 2020. "Gestión conjunta de ecosistemas transfronterizos: la importancia del trabajo articulado entre los Estados para la conservación de los recursos naturales. Análisis del caso particular de la “Reserva de," Books, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Facultad de Derecho, number 1241, October.
    11. Xiaobo Su, 2013. "From Frontier to Bridgehead: Cross-border Regions and the Experience of Yunnan, China," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 1213-1232, July.
    12. Bernard Jouve, 2007. "Urban Societies and Dominant Political Coalitions in the Internationalization of Cities," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 25(3), pages 374-390, June.
    13. Natalie Papanastasiou, 2017. "The practice of scalecraft: Scale, policy and the politics of the market in England’s academy schools," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 49(5), pages 1060-1079, May.
    14. Fricke, Carola, 2014. "Grenzüberschreitende Governance in der Raumplanung: Organisations- und Kooperationsformen in Basel und Lille," Arbeitsberichte der ARL: Aufsätze, in: Grotheer, Swantje & Schwöbel, Arne & Stepper, Martina (ed.), Nimm's sportlich - Planung als Hindernislauf, volume 10, pages 62-78, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
    15. Naomi Prachi Hazarika, 2020. "Spaces of Intermediation and Political Participation: a Study of KuSumpur pahadI redevelopment project," CSH-IFP Working Papers 0016, Centre de Sciences Humaines, New Delhi, revised Jul 2020.
    16. Cavicchia, Rebecca, 2023. "Housing accessibility in densifying cities: Entangled housing and land use policy limitations and insights from Oslo," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    17. Jacob Salder, 2020. "Spaces of regional governance: A periodisation approach," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 38(6), pages 1036-1054, September.
    18. Sjur Kasa & Anders Underthun, 2010. "Navigation in New Terrain with Familiar Maps: Masterminding Sociospatial Equality through Resource-Oriented Innovation Policy," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 42(6), pages 1328-1345, June.
    19. Justus Uitermark, 2014. "Integration and Control: The Governing of Urban Marginality in Western Europe," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 1418-1436, July.
    20. Zeynep Ceren Henriques Correia, 2018. "Air Maidans, Can It Be?," Societies, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-6, September.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:39:y:2007:i:11:p:2593-2611. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.