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To Create the City from Below
October 26, 2022 @ 12:50 pm - 2:00 pm
The Role of Civic Initiatives in Post-socialist Urban Transformation, the Case of Prague
Václav Orcígr, Charles University, Prague and Fulbright Fellow at George Mason University
Anderson 21Urban growth and political decision-making vary by city, region, and country. In the case of post-socialist cities in East Central Europe, growth and decision-making have been deeply affected by the transformation process after 1989. This transformation, which entailed massive administrative changes and a neoliberal turn in economic policy, brought big changes in the institutions of urban governance. More than 30 years after the Velvet Revolution, Prague seeks a path of sustainable development following the model of cities in Western Europe; however, it also faces many obstacles — especially regarding climate change and affordable housing — and these are intensified by ongoing problems in urban governance institutions. What is the role of active citizens in the municipal policy-making? How has it changed since the 1990s? What is needed for successful, inclusive, and sustainable transformation? Besides trying to answer these questions, the lecture will describe the historical development of urban governance in post-social Prague and describe actual development cases from academic and activistic perspectives.
