Developing places for human capabilities

This dissertation develops an understanding towards governing social sustainability goals into area-based urban development projects. It draws on Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach to construct a capability-centered evaluation of how institutionalized governance processes around these projects ultim...

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Main Author: Céline Janssen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Delft University of Technology 2024-01-01
Series:A+BE: Architecture and the Built Environment
Online Access:https://aplusbe.eu/index.php/p/article/view/301
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author Céline Janssen
author_facet Céline Janssen
author_sort Céline Janssen
collection DOAJ
description This dissertation develops an understanding towards governing social sustainability goals into area-based urban development projects. It draws on Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach to construct a capability-centered evaluation of how institutionalized governance processes around these projects ultimately affect people’s freedoms to do the things they value in their urban living environment. Presenting case studies from the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria, the approach adopted in this dissertation reveals the unique ways in which different individuals interpret urban social sustainability and convert spatial resources into personal capabilities. The research uncovers the governance elements and institutional conditions around urban development projects that enable or constrain resource-to-capability conversions. It shows that governing social sustainability goals into urban development projects is a balancing act between reflexive governance action on the one hand, and an institutionalization of principles, actor responsibilities, and funding provision on the other hand. Ultimately, this dissertation argues that, to steer towards urban social sustainability, urban development practices can be improved by adopting an approach that is not merely focused on spatial improvements, but takes the equal expansion of human capabilities as its point of departure.
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spelling doaj-art-3345bdf3b271492a9eb4ae3cf8d848c82025-08-26T11:31:17ZengDelft University of TechnologyA+BE: Architecture and the Built Environment2212-32022214-72332024-01-011401Developing places for human capabilitiesCéline Janssen0Delft University of Technology This dissertation develops an understanding towards governing social sustainability goals into area-based urban development projects. It draws on Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach to construct a capability-centered evaluation of how institutionalized governance processes around these projects ultimately affect people’s freedoms to do the things they value in their urban living environment. Presenting case studies from the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria, the approach adopted in this dissertation reveals the unique ways in which different individuals interpret urban social sustainability and convert spatial resources into personal capabilities. The research uncovers the governance elements and institutional conditions around urban development projects that enable or constrain resource-to-capability conversions. It shows that governing social sustainability goals into urban development projects is a balancing act between reflexive governance action on the one hand, and an institutionalization of principles, actor responsibilities, and funding provision on the other hand. Ultimately, this dissertation argues that, to steer towards urban social sustainability, urban development practices can be improved by adopting an approach that is not merely focused on spatial improvements, but takes the equal expansion of human capabilities as its point of departure. https://aplusbe.eu/index.php/p/article/view/301
spellingShingle Céline Janssen
Developing places for human capabilities
A+BE: Architecture and the Built Environment
title Developing places for human capabilities
title_full Developing places for human capabilities
title_fullStr Developing places for human capabilities
title_full_unstemmed Developing places for human capabilities
title_short Developing places for human capabilities
title_sort developing places for human capabilities
url https://aplusbe.eu/index.php/p/article/view/301
work_keys_str_mv AT celinejanssen developingplacesforhumancapabilities