Co-production towards just urban transformation Two different ways in Budapest, Hungary and in Sassari, Italy

Abstract

Innovative participatory processes, such as co-production is based on the creativity and the inclusion of participants. It is able to transform social relations, and can have significant positive impacts on urban transformations, therefore it is supported by local governments. Although through co-production citizens can have significant impact on decision-making and transformation, on the other hand, scholars argue that state-initiated processes can be the motors of institutionalization of inequalities. Taking spatial justice and its theoretical background, our paper offers a critical perspective toward co-production, as deployed in urban planning and policies, by focusing on two cases from different cities. Within the case of Budapest an urban regeneration programme is introduced in the most deprived neighbourhood of the city. In the other case we study the programme Crossing Cultures (Intrecciare Culture) in Sassari, Italy, that is a co-productive initiative is aimed to revitalize the historical centre of the city. The paper answers how/if co-production can contribute to spatial justice, to the fair distribution of socially valued resources in different places. first from while the second Budapest, The common characteristics in the cases are the aim of the initiatives and the co-productive methodology used. In both cases the principal aim of the public body was to find solutions that can counteract the urban decay, create better living conditions, and relations between residents, institutions and the space. For that, co-productive method was used, involving grassroots organizations and NGOs. The research examines how/if co-production can contribute to spatial justice in different environments, moreover, reflects on the deficiencies of co-production in the light of spatial justice.