(POST)POLITICS


1. Introduction to (Post)Politics

  • Definition: (Post)Politics refers to the depoliticization of planning processes, where political conflicts and disagreements are transformed into technical or operational issues. It involves creating consensus and avoiding contentious debates, often at the expense of addressing underlying structural issues.

2. Key Readings and Theories

  • Metzger, J. (2018): "Postpolitics in Planning"

    • Post-Politics Definition: Reduction of debate and disagreement by creating "consensus" and transforming political problems into technical/operational issues.

    • Types of Political Power:

      • Structural Power: Influencing decisions and controlling access to resources.

      • Command Power: Controlling regulations and their enforcement.

      • Coalition Power: Influencing actors to create consensus.

  • Sager, T. (2016): "Activist Planning: A Response to the Woes of Neo-Liberalism"

    • Activist Planners:

      • Loyal to Group/Community: Focused on environmental issues (Green activism).

      • Committed to Cause or Origin: Driven by specific causes (NGOs or opposition coalitions).

      • Committed to Relational Issues: Addressing specific problems or conflicts (NIMBY conflicts).

3. Characteristics of (Post)Politics

  • Consensus Building:

    • Creating consensus instead of making decisions.

    • Citizens' participation is pursued to create this consensus.

  • Technical and Operational Solutions:

    • Consensual coalitions are built around technical and operational solutions to avoid structural issues that create disagreement.

    • Win-win ideology: Differences and conflicts that identify winners/losers are made invisible.

  • Depoliticization:

    • Forecloses debate on systemic injustices, such as democratic rights or economic systems.

    • Politics becomes a way to manage dissensus by making political problems "technical" or procedural.

4. Critique of (Post)Politics

  • Exclusion:

    • Who is excluded from the decision-making process?

    • Where is the conflict, and who disagrees?

  • Goals of Participation:

    • What are the goals of participation, and why are they set?

    • Who gains and who loses from the process?

  • Systemic Questioning:

    • Justice should be a prerequisite rather than a solution.

    • Questioning the necessity of the process and the institutional order.

5. Practical Uses of Post-Political Critique

  • Building Counter Coalitions:

    • Questioning consensus by giving voice to the voiceless.

    • Enabling excluded groups to voice and organize dissensus.

  • Targeting Institutions and Regulations:

    • Addressing the institutions and regulations that govern spatial interventions.

    • Promoting dissensus and disagreement to transform political problems into political agonisms.

6. Examples and Applications

  • Woonprotest Amsterdam: A protest movement in Amsterdam highlighting the exclusionary practices in housing policies and advocating for more inclusive planning processes.

  • Doughnut Coalition Amsterdam: A coalition promoting sustainable and equitable urban development based on the principles of the Doughnut Economics model.

  • Guest Lecture: Institutions, regulations, and land use in Israel and Palestine by Omar Jabari Salamanca, University of Gent

    • Discusses the role of institutions and regulations in shaping land use and planning policies in a complex political context.

7. Key Concepts in (Post)Politics

  • Agonism vs. Antagonism:

    • Antagonism: Direct conflict and opposition.

    • Agonism: Finding solutions through dialogue and promoting dissensus.

  • Political Power in Planning:

    • Structural Power: Capacity to influence decisions and organize resources.

    • Command Power: Capacity to establish regulations and make decisions.

    • Coalition Power: Capacity to create consensus and agreement among different interests.