Politics and International Relations

This essay offers a critical reading of Japan’s attempt to craft a modern identity. Eschewing the conventions of most scholarly writings, however, the essay builds on a personal history of political and intellectual engagement with key figures in post-war Japan to outline a counter-narrative about the ethno-politics of contemporary Japan. In distinction to both Orientalist and Occidentalist versions of Japanese modernity, the essay draws attention to the invidious return of notions of ethnic supremacy in Abe Shinzo’s contemporary state project and the occlusion of a long-standing tradition in Japan of pluralistic co-existence among diverse communities. In drawing attention to the occlusions shaped by the entanglements of Japanese colonialism and state-building with American hegemony, this essay attempts to locate practices of exclusion within Japan (and vis-à-vis its Asian neighbors) in an account of what the essay contends is a civilizational project, best thought of as “Smart Occi...

With more than half the world’s population living in ever more economically productive cities, and urbanisation continuing apace, large-scale environmental problems resulting from unsustainable, excessively consumption-focussed life styles are doomed to happen. Meanwhile large amounts of equipment and infrastructure are barely used. The recently emerged Sharing City concept combines the benefits of Sharing Economy and Collaborative Consumption with urban development and community building, and promises to address at least some of those issues. This study seeks to gain a better understanding of the concept, and to offer an insight into its (partial) implementation. A literature analysis, qualitative interviews, and three case studies allow identifying major reasons for and enablers of the Sharing City’s emergence, driving forces, obstacles to implementation, and its potential. Structurally, the underlying changes in the global economy enabled it, as well as the recent economic crisis, changes in attitudes towards consumption and ownership, and the development and improvement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Driving forces behind the emergence of the Sharing City are identified in good access to ICT infrastructure, the presence of an energetic civil society and an accommodating city administration. Other drivers include a vibrant sharing business scene (as in San Francisco), an active municipality (like Seoul’s), and a sharing-enthusiastic population (as Berlin’s). Obstacles to the implementation and its dissemination are largely found in the legal frameworks governing four priority sectors for cities: food, transportation, housing, and jobs. Deficits are in both regulation that inhibits sharing but also a lack of regulation specifically for sharing. Sharing Cities can benefit the economic, environmental, social, and democratic dimensions of an urban community. One major criticism is levelled against the commercial expansion of sharing, which may be seen as an excessive marketisation of previously ‘private’ life spheres, subjecting ever-greater areas of life to the logic of commercial exchange.

The role of cities is changing from being places of material overconsumption to becoming enablers of sharing resources. The sharing economy is seen as one of potential answers to the unsustainable urban patterns and levels of production and consumption. Therefore, many cities develop online and physical platforms where inhabitants share, exchange and resell their possessions or hire and rent products. Such sharing cities combine benefits of the sharing economy and collaborative consumption with urban development and community building. However, knowledge is lacking on how city governments engage in sharing and what role they play in the institutionalisation of sharing and its sustainability. This article explores the research question: How do sharing practices become institutionalised in cities? by studying sharing organisations and institutionalisation processes in three cities: San Francisco, Berlin and Seoul. These cities boast a vibrant sharing landscape, offer a diversity of so...

The role of cities is changing from being places of material overconsumption to becoming enablers of sharing resources. The sharing economy is seen as one of potential answers to the unsustainable urban patterns and levels of production and consumption. Therefore, many cities develop online and physical platforms where inhabitants share, exchange and resell their possessions or hire and rent products. Such sharing cities combine benefits of the sharing economy and collaborative consumption with urban development and community building. However, knowledge is lacking on how city governments engage in sharing and what role they play in the institutionalisation of sharing and its sustainability. This article explores the research question: How do sharing practices become institutionalised in cities? by studying sharing organisations and institutionalisation processes in three cities: San Francisco, Berlin and Seoul. These cities boast a vibrant sharing landscape, offer a diversity of so...

In this report the reader is introduced to the vision for the Smart City Zabrze in Poland. This new city district in Zabrze - Nowe Miasto is a ca. 250ha large plot of mostly agricultural land and wetland vegetation. Smart City Zabrze will help pave the way for sustainable development of the Nowe Miasto area. The vision constitutes of three pillars: 1) the creation of a green network along the stream, 2) building a pilot community, a showcase of sustainable urban planning and 3) a golf course which respects the local environment. As the development of Nowe Miasto will be an integral part of Zabrze’s overall transition towards sustainability, we decided to expand our scope beyond the investment area itself and added further recommendations for the old city.