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Tales of the Suburbs?—The Social Sustainability Agenda in Sweden through Literary Accounts

Author

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  • Martine Buser

    (Construction Management, Chalmers University of Technology, Sven Hultins Gatan 8, 41296 Gothenburg, Sweden)

  • Christian Koch

    (Construction Management, Chalmers University of Technology, Sven Hultins Gatan 8, 41296 Gothenburg, Sweden)

Abstract

Sustainable development has become increasingly influential. In light of environmental concerns, the social dimension of sustainability is now encompassing a growing number of concerns. Together with more traditional hard concepts, including basic needs, equity, and employment, soft themes, such as greater wellbeing, are becoming significant. The present paper compares qualitatively these theoretical themes with the concrete, lived experiences of inhabitants within deprived suburbs. To do so, a framework for understanding social sustainability is proposed, and then applied to analyze three literary accounts of residents within Swedish suburbs. The three accounts are analyzed through the lens of critical discourse analysis. The results indicate that employment and functional infrastructures did not prevent the stigmatization of these residential areas. Important social and cultural segregations are occurring, supported by the physical organization of urban space. Using biographical accounts incorporates subjective and emotional perspectives usually left aside in the context of urban development. These allow a better understanding of the complex realities of these suburbs and could therefore help urban developers to better grasp the complex and predominantly culturally oriented set of challenges confronting the establishment of socially sustainable communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Martine Buser & Christian Koch, 2014. "Tales of the Suburbs?—The Social Sustainability Agenda in Sweden through Literary Accounts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-22, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:6:y:2014:i:2:p:913-934:d:33196
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Lewis & Dennis Rodgers & Michael Woolcock, 2008. "The Fiction of Development: Literary Representation as a Source of Authoritative Knowledge," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 198-216.
    2. Paul Cozens, 2011. "Urban Planning and Environmental Criminology: Towards a New Perspective for Safer Cities," Planning Practice & Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 481-508.
    3. John Ferguson, 2007. "Analysing accounting discourse: avoiding the “fallacy of internalism”," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(6), pages 912-934, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniella Troje & Pernilla Gluch, 2020. "Beyond Policies and Social Washing: How Social Procurement Unfolds in Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-19, June.
    2. Usama Awan & Andrzej Kraslawski & Janne Huiskonen, 2018. "Governing Interfirm Relationships for Social Sustainability: The Relationship between Governance Mechanisms, Sustainable Collaboration, and Cultural Intelligence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-20, November.

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