Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Across Sweden different initiatives are currently forming urban based local groups or networks, engage in local, sustainable development and transformation of their local community. Guerrilla and community gardening, culture and art projects, environmental transition initiatives and platforms for local democracy, are projects that all seem to indicate that a local community landscape is on the rise within the urban areas of Sweden. In the heart of Stockholm, I will investigate three local initiatives are currently involved in activities that can be seen as examples of this phenomenon They consist of two community gardens and one homestead association. This study investigates how these initiatives through every day practices are transforming or striving to transform their neighbourhood, creating a sense of community and platforms for political action. In addition to the initial aim, there is also a discussion on how these initiatives have the potential to become, a new social movement. In order to answer these questions a theoretical compound based the concepts community, practice and meaning and social movement have been used as analytical tools on a qualitative empirical study based on three cases.