City, Sweet City: A Study of the Implementation of New Urbanism and the Public Process

Date of Award

2009

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Brain, David

Keywords

New Urbanism, Actor-Network Theory, Sarasota Architecture, Urban Sociology, Sociology

Area of Concentration

Urban Studies

Abstract

In October of 2007 the city government of Sarasota, Florida embarked on a planning effort called the "Bayfront Connectivity Charrette." Employing New Urbanist design principles, the city employed a contractor to hold an intense four-day design studio. In those four days, hundreds of residents interacted with public officials, professionals, and other residents to come up with a plan for a more pedestrianfriendly US-41 corridor. Through direct observation, document analysis, and follow-up interviews, this thesis tracks the public decision-making process in downtown Sarasota, Florida and asks the general question, "What are the perceptions of individuals' roles in the process; and how does one's perception of the city's intended use, shape their opinions on how their city should look and act?" By utilizing Actor-Network Theory, as introduced by Michel Callon (1987), I come to the conclusion that individuals are embedded in actor-networks that define the elements of any given component of the city. Individuals who do not share over-lapping actor-networks do not value the same aspects of urban design, nor are they able to acknowledge when a particular technology can solve their problems because they regard these technologies as somehow flawed.

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