Deflecting national ideologies: Exploring identity management trajectories of medium-sized cities

Abstract

This paper focuses on the agency exhibited by municipal governments in modifying or resisting neoliberal policies, by investigating their efforts to manufacture favorable competitive urban identities. In particular, this paper emphasizes how national ideologies are (re)articulated at a local level by medium-sized cities placed within different national contexts and, thus, exposed to different orientations toward neoliberal principles. By performing historical urban research in Leicester (UK) and Reims (France), this study identifies different expressions of local agency through which cities present their identities on a global scenario, by responding to similar pressure of deindustrialization and urban competition from mid-1970s. If the discursive strategies of both cities reproduce signs of respective national ideologies, findings highlight two trajectories whereby cities negotiate and rework the main narratives underpinning those national ideologies. The concepts of active and passive deflection are offered in order to capture the role of local agency and conceptualize how national ideologies are appropriated locally by medium-sized cities in the attempt to engage with perceived increasing world-level forces.

The Challenges in Understanding Urban Identity

“…In parallel, people's urban identity, the way individuals and communities perceive themselves in relation to the urban environment they inhabit, can shape urban management policies from a more grassroots perspective. Knowledge of the population's perception of their city can inform policies to align with residents' sense of self and belonging, leading to increased cooperation and policy success (Hassen and Giovanardi 2021). This perspective fosters policies catering to inhabitants' needs and aspirations, resulting in urban development that genuinely reflects its citizens (D'Ovidio 2021) (Hanitio and Perkins 2017).…”

“…This gap can result in policies that are insensitive to the lived experiences of city inhabitants, potentially leading to displacement, gentrification, and a loss of sense of belonging. For example, urban renewal projects, while intending to improve the physical environment, can inadvertently disrupt existing social networks and sense of place, leading to a loss of place identity (Hassen and Giovanardi 2021) (Fullilove 2016). There's a pressing need to incorporate the dynamics of place identity and urban identity into urban management policies more effectively.…”

“…Even with such expansive research, the critical intersection between urban identity and urban management policies remains largely unexplored. This oversight stands as a research gap, considering urban identity embodies subjective, symbolic, cultural, and political dimensions that influence, and are influenced by, urban management policies (Hassen and Giovanardi 2021). Simultaneously, the operationalization and application of urban identity in urban planning and management have received minimal attention despite the myriad conceptualizations of urban identity, such as 'Place Identity,' 'Sense of Place,' 'Genius Loci,' 'Character of Place,' and 'City Image.'…”