How do socio-economic inequalities within cities impact on capacities to participate in urban policy, governance and political mobilisation? This project forges a new research agenda on urban political participation, contributing to democratisation, urbanisation and development studies, focusing on Latin America which has both the highest levels of inequality and urbanisation in the world. The project will examine three strands of urban inequality in order to provide up-to-date analyses of key challenges facing the consolidation of democracy in Buenos Aires, indicating broader implications for cities elsewhere:
Strand 1: How does territorial inequality shape expectations of participation?
We examine how neighbourhoods provide impulses for participation, from a desire to change living conditions through to perceptions of what participation can offer (e.g. solidarity, community). Territorial inequality is examined between and within neighbourhoods, acknowledging their existence at multiple scales. In sum, we examine how the perceived value of participation is a geographically uneven process.
Strand 2:How does territorial inequality shape repertoires of participation?
We examine how protest (street-based and online public mobilisations), policy (participatory policymaking) and government (electoral/partisan activism) are produced as overlapping and relational repertoires. We consider how particular conflicts produced in/over neighbourhoods lead to different repertoires. For example, is participatory policymaking more conducive in certain territorial contexts?
Strand 3: How does territorial inequality inform the actors and coalitions of participation?
Who are the actors that participate and under what circumstances do they mobilise (informal or formal) coalitions? Specifically, how are participatory actors and coalitions related to their geographical context across different scales?
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