In between fiction and reality; weaving narratives of care and anticipation

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore the processes of translating community dialogues into spatial conjectures within the setting of Tynnered in Gothenburg city. The project particularly emphasizes community-engaged placemaking and placekeeping in the neighborhood to counterbalance broader top-down planning initiatives. Amid a neoliberal restructuring of the welfare state, Swedish cities are witnessing a rise in spatialized social disparities. While Gothenburg is considered one of Sweden’s financially prosperous cities, it is also acknowledged as one of the most segregated urban areas. Despite various development initiatives aimed at addressing specific area vulnerabilities, the lack of authentic community engagement perpetuates a top-down approach, contradicting the prevailing discourse of “planning for all.” This paradoxical situation hinders efforts to reduce systemic inequalities and envision more equitable futures. In the context of the dominant stigmatized representation of Million Programme areas and communities, the voices and experiences of residents in these areas are often sidelined. Furthermore, citizen participation in neighborhood-level planning is often reduced to mere formalities, perpetuating a systemic pattern of exclusion. Labelled as one of the risk areas in the city, Tynnered has been the focus of various development programs aimed at promoting sustainable change. This project tests the potential of merging community narratives with speculative thinking to envision other futures in the context of Tynnered, with specific attention to co-creating meaningful meeting places. While following a creative, participatory, and ethnographic research methodology, this project examines proactive local initiatives and uses storytelling and a fictocritical approach to speculate future scenarios of spatial practices. By developing ‘what if’ narratives of small actions, the project evokes collective imagination and anticipation.