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Longing for Wikitopia: The study and politics of self-organisation

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  • Justus Uitermark

Abstract

Self-organisation is an idea whose time has come. As an explanatory concept, self-organisation is central to complexity theory, which is quickly becoming a powerful and perhaps even dominant paradigm in both the natural and social sciences. As a political ideal, self-organisation is filling the void that is opening up as both the state and market are increasingly perceived as undemocratic, unjust and inefficient. Drawing on observations from the Dutch city of Rotterdam, this paper argues that self-organisation indeed is an inspiring ideal but that it is often misunderstood and may produce adverse consequences when used as a policy guide. While self-organisation is too inspiring to abandon, its harsh realities need to be accounted for if we want to think and work with it.

Suggested Citation

  • Justus Uitermark, 2015. "Longing for Wikitopia: The study and politics of self-organisation," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 52(13), pages 2301-2312, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:52:y:2015:i:13:p:2301-2312
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098015577334
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chen, Katherine K., 2009. "Enabling Creative Chaos," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226102375, October.
    2. Justus Uitermark, 2014. "Integration and Control: The Governing of Urban Marginality in Western Europe," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 1418-1436, July.
    3. Xiao Mei Li & Linda Yueh, 2011. "Does Incorporation Improve Firm Performance?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 73, pages 753-770, December.
    4. Gwen Van Eijk, 2010. "Exclusionary Policies are Not Just about the ‘Neoliberal City’: A Critique of Theories of Urban Revanchism and the Case of Rotterdam," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(4), pages 820-834, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mustafa Hasanov & Christian Zuidema & Lummina G. Horlings, 2019. "Exploring the Role of Community Self-Organisation in the Creation and Creative Dissolution of a Community Food Initiative," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, June.
    2. Reinout Kleinhans & Maarten Van Ham, 2017. "The support paradox in community enterprise experiments in the Netherlands," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 31(4), pages 570-589.
    3. Loris Servillo & Rob Atkinson & Abdelillah Hamdouch & Fennie M. Van Straalen & Patrick Witte & Edwin Buitelaar, 2017. "Self-Organisation in Oosterwold, Almere: Challenges with Public Goods and Externalities," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 108(4), pages 503-511, September.
    4. Salemink, Koen & Strijker, Dirk, 2018. "The participation society and its inability to correct the failure of market players to deliver adequate service levels in rural areas," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(9), pages 757-765.
    5. Darinka Czischke & Carla J. Huisman, 2018. "Integration through Collaborative Housing? Dutch Starters and Refugees Forming Self-Managing Communities in Amsterdam," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 3(4), pages 156-165.
    6. Federico Savini, 2016. "Self-Organization and Urban Development: Disaggregating the City-Region, Deconstructing Urbanity in Amsterdam," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(6), pages 1152-1169, November.

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