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

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  • 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
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    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.
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    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. 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.
    3. Elissa Waters & Jon Barnett, 2018. "Spatial imaginaries of adaptation governance: A public perspective," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 36(4), pages 708-725, June.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. Valeria Lingua, 2022. "Enhancing Spatial Imaginaries of Metropolitan Renaissance: A Regional Design Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. 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.
    10. Justin Beaumont & Walter Nicholls, 2007. "Investigating the Geographies of Justice Movements," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(11), pages 2549-2553, November.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. 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.

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