The Antinomies of the Post political City: In Search of a Democratic Politics of Environmental Production
By. Erik Swyngedouw
Post politics planning occurs because scholars are worried about contemporary planning practice, particularly from a democracy perspective. These scholars are critical of planning practice that prioritizes partnership governance and participatory consensus-building to the extent that they fail to address fundamental governance problems. Decision-making processes in the cities often focus on consensus-building among various stakeholders, aiming to minimize conflict and opposition. In conclusion, modern urban planning might be more about looking good at the surface than actually fixing important problems.
Post politics can be understood as (anti)political mechanisms that continuously work to veil the possibility of a radically different society. Post political practices are actions or policies that create an illusion of addressing societal inequalities and conflicts, but in reality, they do not bring about meaningful change. Instead, they hide these deep-seated inequalities and divisions within society. We have a society with significant economic, racial, or social disparities, post political practices would be actions taken by governments or institutions that give the appearance of addressing these issues, such as launching symbolic programs or making superficial policy changes. These actions might temporarily soothe public concerns and create an illusion of progress. However, these practices do not fundamentally address the root causes of these inequalities or divisions. They "disavow" or deny the existence of these deep-seated problems. Instead of encouraging open and constructive dialogue and efforts to resolve these issues, post political practices tend to maintain the status quo and prevent real change. As a result, these practices "foreclose" or shut down the possibility of people engaging in meaningful struggles or movements for alternative political futures. In essence, post political practices act as a barrier to addressing the real challenges and creating a more equitable and just society.
They maintain the illusion of progress while perpetuating underlying inequalities.
The paper which title “The Antinomies of the Post political City: In Search of a Democratic Politics of Environmental Production” by Erik Swyngedouw discusses the concept of the post political condition, where politics is reduced to administration and consensus, leading to the absence of genuine political debate and decision-making. The post political condition is seen as a result of the consolidation of a post democratic arrangement, which replaces disagreement and dissensus with technologies of governing that revolve around consensus and agreement. The city environments are complex and always changing. They're affected by both people and nature, and not everyone gets the same benefits or problems from these changes.
Everything is connected, and we need to understand this to make cities better for everyone.
There is a need to emergence and consolidation of a post political condition in urban environments, where politics is reduced to administration and consensus, leading to the absence of genuine political debate and decision-making . The post political condition is characterized by the emphasis on technocratic approaches to governance and the naturalization of political issues, such as the environment. Depoliticized contradictions of post political environmentalism become evident when there are conflicts and social antagonisms related to
environmental issues, such as rising energy prices and their impact on urban environmental justice. There is needed to re-center the political in order to address questions of urban environmental justice and create more democratic and egalitarian socio-ecological urban assemblages.
The paper argues for the re-centering of the political as a necessary condition for addressing questions of urban environmental justice and creating egalitarian socio-ecological urban assemblages. It emphasizes the need for different stories and fictions to mobilize for the realization of different socio-environmental futures and to legitimize socio-environmental conflict as constitutive of a democratic order. The paper highlights the importance of recognizing and challenging the post political condition in order to create space for genuine political debate and decision-making in urban contexts. It emphasizes the need for different narratives and the recognition of socio-environmental conflict as essential components of a democratic order.
An example of post political planning in Indonesia can be observed in certain large-scale infrastructure projects. These projects often prioritize economic development and investor interests over democratic decision-making and the concerns of local communities. One such example is the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail project, which aims to connect the capital city, Jakarta, with the city of Bandung. While the project promises economic growth and improved transportation, it has faced criticism for its lack of transparency and meaningful public participation. Key decisions about the project, such as route selection and land acquisition, were made without adequate consultation with affected communities. In this case, the planning process appears to prioritize efficiency and economic interests over democratic deliberation and the concerns of local residents. It reflects a post political approach where fundamental political issues related to land use, environmental impact, and community well-being are downplayed in favor of consensus and stability, often at the expense of marginalized communities.