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AMARTYA SEN

“POVERTY IS NOT JUST A LACK OF MONEY; IT IS NOT HAVING THE CAPABILITY TO REALISE ONE’S FULL POTENTIAL AS A HUMAN BEING.” A. SEN.

TWEET @AMARTYASEN_ECON. FEB 26, 2016.

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INDIAN ECONOMIST AND PHILOSOPHER

MANIFESTO FOR THE JUST CITY

BUILD BACK BETTER

CHIARA ANDERSON ISA LAURENT AURELIA SCHWARZ ANNEKE VAN DER LINDE ANASTASIA VORONINA

ERASMUS UNIVERSITY ROTTERDAM THE NETHERLANDS

Build Back Better

Authors: Chiara Anderson, Isa Laurent, Aurelia Schwarz, Anneke Van Der Linde, Anastasia Voronina

S SubmissionDate: 16 Dec 2020 Erasmus University Rotterdam

The 2020 pandemic is a tipping point that has strained justice in European cities on many levels. The current crisis reinforces prevailing disparities in our cities and has turned tables on what each of us perceives as ‘ ‘Just’. However, this is not the time to wonder “could it get worse?” – it is our chance to build back better, start transforming our society and let go of outdated approaches to urban governance. The question is – what can you do to prepare for the challenges ahead? The future justice in and of our cities depends on the quality of decisions and actions that we take right now! Hold your representatives accountable and call with us for the following five points of action.

I. A Just City should… Be affordable to live in for all!

We believe living in a city, a hub of amenities and opportunities for employment and self-development, should be accessible for all. Therefore, it is important to provide affordable housing for everyone wishing to

move or stay in the city, regardless of your socio-

economic background. To ensure equal access to urban amenities and boost social mobility, we believe there should be fair housing options available in the city. The housing market dynamics in cities have shown a rapid increase of property and land value over the last years, which makes living in the city unattainable for many. It is our representatives’ responsibility to regulate factors, such as gentrification and the effects of foreign investment, which impact cities’ affordability. The current COVID-19 crisis is the opportunity for us to change the way we look at housing and protect people’s rights to live in the city! We believe that supporting local shops and businesses is key to a culturally sustainable urban development and regeneration. The COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns have demonstrated the vulnerabilities of small local businesses. We believe that a Just City should provide

the rights to the production and consumption of local

urban culture to its residents. Local entrepreneurship is paramount to inclusive economic innovation and the development of local skills and knowledge. It needs to be fostered through local policies that ensure fair competition in a globalized and digitized world. To strengthen the resilience of local economies, we need to not only invest in places but also in the capacity-building of residents by fostering vital connections between local entrepreneurs and industries. This way, local products and ideas can enrich the cultural diversity of today’s globalized cities. Let’s do justice to local communities by giving them back the agency to shape their surroundings!

II. A Just City should… Actively support local entrepreneurship!

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III. A Just City should… Have equity at the heart of its discussions!

Equality was a favourite word of our representatives for a long time. However, is equality what we need? We are different and this requires us to be treated distinctly. Not putting sticks in each other's wheels but lifting up the people who from the start find themselves a couple steps behind. In a Just City people should be treated equitably. Many measures are not designed with equity in mind. These measures need to be adjusted to the needs of the people. It is as essential to put up ramps to help physically disabled people to get places, as it is to invest more in education in places where parents do not have the means to help their children succeed. The COVID-19 crisis has shown us that some people need more support than others. Governments must, through a step-by-step approach, rethink our priorities. Together, we will be able to create equitable spaces and maybe someday we will be able to be proud of and celebrate our differences!

IV. A Just City should… Be inclusive, diverse & solidary!

Our diversifying cities should act against uneven urban growth, regeneration and access to opportunities. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the condition of those with deficient opportunities. Cities, especially in these times, should be at the forefront of progressive solidarity and battle discrimination, racism and sexism. We can

only move forward by taking equitable actions in favour of those in high need for support or suffering from

historical intolerances. All urban actors should foster their solidarity towards those who are misrepresented. We stand up for plans and policies which seriously reflect the diversity of a city’s inhabitants and adapt their initiatives to this diversity accordingly. Legal requirements should, for example, be introduced for inclusive and responsive participation processes involving the entire spectrum of socio-economic groups!

V. A Just City should… Have public space that feels public-friendly!

The reality of today's public spaces in cities is simple: scarcely any physical spaces perceived as "public" are people-based. Ambiguity over interpretations of user spaces gives way to confusion over the extent to which the citizens can claim to appropriate them. Cities should give a more active role to the members of their communities in the management and preservation of public spaces, particularly those that are designed for social interaction and movement, such as urban parks and railway stations. Currently, our shared spaces are at a risk of becoming overly homogenized to fit the mould of modern urban planning. In a Just City, public spaces should allow us to express the mix of cultural identities within our society. By providing the platform for different communities to interact and work together, we can contribute to a shared sense of identity that we believe to be a valuable asset in the creation of a Just and United City!

Each of us can play a role in making cities just. Let’s join our forces and let’s come together at the intersection of these different dimensions of Urban Justice!

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© 2020 illustrations © Anastasia Voronina

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