From mute to reflective: changing governmentality in St Petersburg and the priorities of Russian environmental planning |
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Authors: | Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen |
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Institution: | Department of Geosciences and Geography , University of Helsinki/The Academy of Finland , PO Box 64, 00014 , University of Helsinki , Finland |
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Abstract: | This paper analyses, by using a constructivist methodology, how sustainability is perceived by Russian urban and regional planners and how environmental planning is understood on a discursive level. The planning discourse, which was reconstructed primarily with the help of 14 thematic interviews undertaken in St Petersburg, is positioned on the axes of the triangle of planning contradictions. The analysis shows that the promoted planning paradigm – the interpretations about the priorities of environmental planning – stem from the expert-centred approach of the Soviet era, and poorly suits the changing governmentality of St Petersburg. Due to regime changes, a significant step from a mute to a reflective governmentality was taken in St Petersburg, but the professional planning discourse is in conflict with this context reality and prohibits a more sustainable planning standpoint from developing. |
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Keywords: | environmental planning sustainability governmentality conflicts in planning Russia |
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