Aesthetic democracy as the roots of sustainable cities and communities

Abstract

This article is a reflection on the crucial role that aesthetic democracy plays in generating and maintaining the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN), as summarised in goal 11, pertaining to the development of sustainable cities and communities. The article follows the structure of a three-step imaginary mechanism rooted in a radical perspective (Juguero, 2021). The first step relates to imaginary projection and addresses the concept of achieving the 17 SDGs. The second step relates to the roots of the situation and analyses the current global context and grounded concepts. The third step relates to an action plan, reflects on how to achieve the SDGs, and advocates for aesthetic democracy. The conclusion asserts that emotional evolution through aesthetic revolution is essential to the process. This article results from a postdoctoral research project developed at the University of Stavanger. Cover image: Drawing by Edér Rosa