Themes for the Thesis: ‘Sustainability’ goes to the City

Sustainability is here seen as far from determined. That is, sustainability is seen as both a process and a goal, requiring reflection, contestation and clarification at all times. However, as sustainability relies on the commitment of people, a desirable definition of sustainability should incorporate notions of self determination and the rights of individuals to the means of their own existence. This includes the ability and right to make informed choices about relevant, appropriate processes and structures: further, this involves procedural and political transparency as well as access to information and freedom of expression. Hence, I will briefly examine what has happened to the language of ‘sustainability’ and interpretations of this within urban areas.

A foray into the realm of the ‘urban’ requires an examination of how we perceive these spaces and what ‘citizenship’ may entail. Much literature concerning urban spaces and society has focussed on the perceived isolation and dislocation of the urban realm, or on urban social movements and community action revolving around issues of identity or rights. Considerations of cities as food producing areas represent an epistemic break with such interpretations of the urban domain. Some contemporary efforts regarding urban sustainability reflect attempts to integrate these apparent rifts, such that identity, rights, community action and issues such as food production come together in the same processes. In light of the potential aspects of sustainability discussed above, such community action involves relevant, participatory, locally embedded decisions which are concurrently informed by wider bodies of knowledge and which are reliant upon access to this knowledge and its conduits.

Chapter1 consists of: