Community power for liveable cities

With the majority of the world’s population now living in urban environments, the city has started to be representative of a lifestyle that is detached from nature and geared towards a high level of consumption. This paper argues that putting community development first is a key to the move towards...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marinova, Dora, Hossain, Md Amzad
Format: Journal Article
Published: Henry Stewart Publications 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/18917
Description
Summary:With the majority of the world’s population now living in urban environments, the city has started to be representative of a lifestyle that is detached from nature and geared towards a high level of consumption. This paper argues that putting community development first is a key to the move towards a liveable city. A city represents the knowledge, ethics, values and spirituality of its people, and making better communities is a way to make better cities. The focus of the paper is on how to sustain community in the city. It explores the concepts of: (1) self-reliant living; (2) sustainability self-education; (3) self-governance; and (4) community self-organisation as principles underpinning successful communities in urban environments. They not only help to create a sense of place, but also influence the choice of technologies adopted in the city, including transport and infrastructure.