International and Interdisciplinary Conference, London UK June - July 2010

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Women and Cities of Difference:An Urban Politics of Possibility

Janet Siltanen, Fran Klodawsky, Caroline Andrew

Presentation to Beyond Citizenship: Feminism and theTransformation of Belonging, An International andInterdisciplinary Conference, London UK, June 30 ± July 3,

2010



CAG 2010 2

The focus of our paper is:

effective organizational strategies toenhance women¶s experiences of and

engagement with and within cities of difference

based on two exemplary case study

organizations ± one in Ottawa, theother a global network of city-basedprojects



CAG 2010 3

Paper outline

1. Case studies and research approach

2. Theoretical connections3. Identification of organizational

strategies

4. Organizational strategies in action ±project examples



CASE STUDY #1 - CAWI

City for All Women Initiative

Ottawa-based local initiative to

promote inclusive governance in theCity of Ottawa

Website:http://www.cawi-ivtf.org/EN/home.html

CAG 2010 4



CAWI/IVTFCAWI/IVTF



CAG 2010 6

CASE STUDY #2 ± WICI

Women and Cities International

Regional and global knowledge

network of city-based initiatives topromote improved quality of urbanlife for women across differences

Website:

http://womenincities.org/



WICI/FEVIWICI/FEVI



CAG 2010 8

Research approach Two researchers (CA and FK) are

founding members of bothorganizations, and continue to be active

on the Board/Steering Committee

Iterative relations of theory, practiceand research, with reflexive facilitation

Organization strategies identifiedthrough interviews and guided reflection



CAG 2010 9

Theoretical connectionsa) right to the city and links to

citizenship on the basis of inhabitance (Dikeç 2006; Holston 1999, 2001;

Isin 2000; Horlitz & Vogelpohl 2009; Buckingham 2010;Fenster 2010; Secor 2003; Amin 2006; Marcuse et al2009)

b)politics of possibility (Gibson-Graham 1996,

2006,2008; Escobar 2002; Harcourt & Escobar 2005)

c) organizational practices and socialchange (Conway 2004; Defilippis et al 2006; Purcell

2008; Wekerle 2005)



Six organizational characteristics identified for

CAWI and WICISolution focused

Inside/outside relations with state institutions

Multi-dimensional bridging

Organizationally self-conscious

Solidarity amidst differences

Embedding strategies



SolutionSolution--Focused OrganizationFocused Organizationproactive interactions with state institutions and other communitygroups to identify opportunities and strategies for engagement to

achieve goals



Inside/Outside State Relations Inside/Outside State Relationsworks with, and sometimes within, state institutions but retains

autonomy and links to grassroots



Multi Multi-- Dimensional BridgingDimensional Bridginglinking of scales, classes, institutions, places



Organizationally Self Organizationally Self-- ConsciousConscious

inclusive and reflexive interactions among staff and between staff

and other participants



Solidarity Amidst DifferencesSolidarity Amidst Differencesencourages µhabit of solidarity¶ (Amin 2006)



Embedding StrategiesEmbedding Strategieslooks for ways to embed positive gains so less susceptible to

claw backs



CAG 2010 17

CAWI: Equity and Inclusion Lens



CAG 2010 18

Communities of interest explicitlyacknowledged by the Equality and

Inclusion Lens Aboriginal populations

Visible minority

GBLT

Disability community People living in poverty

Rural

Seniors

Youth,

Immigrants Francophones

Women



CAG 2010 19

Solution focused ± CAWI¶s

Equity and Inclusion Lens

Aim to create useable tool for City of Ottawa, while honouring principles of

equity and inclusion

Commitment to work through differences in

perspectives to reach a resolution



CAG 2010 20

Inside/Outside State Institutions:

CAWI¶s Equity and Inclusion Lens

Established strategic partnerships to easethe concerns of diverse constituencies

Drew on networks and relationships in thecommunity

Devised a formal yet flexible relationshipwith City



CAG 2010 21

WICI:Gender and InclusiveCities Project

D i r e c t i o n

J a g o r i / W I C I

New De lh i

I n d i a

R o s a r i o

A r g e n t i n a

P o p : 1 m

Par tne r : C ISCSA

New De lh i

I n d i a

P o p : 1 4 m

P a r t n e r : J a g o r i

E v a l u a t i o n

A n a l y t i c a

H a m p s h i r e

U K

Dar-es -Sa laam

T a n z a n i a

P o p : 3 m

Par tne r : ICNIC

P e t r o z a v o d s k

R u s s i a

Pop : 0 .3m

Par tne r : IC IWF

C o o r d i n a t i o n

WICI

M on t rea l

C a n a d a



CAG 2010 22

Study sites and populations Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

New Delhi, India

Petrozavodsk, Russia Rosario, Argentina



Solution focused ± WICI¶s

Gender and Inclusive Cities ProjectAmbitious effort to document and gauge the

impact of interventions that reducewomen¶s experiences of public violence

Incorporates value of local expertise andperspective, comparative analysis and

use of rigorous evaluation measures toaddress the concerns of diversestakeholders

CAG 2010 23



Inside/Outside State Institutions -

WICI¶s Gender and Inclusive Cities ProjectProject required protracted negotiations

with both state and non-state actors atdifferent scales (international, regional,local)

Project involves both local andinternational advisory committees

WICI¶s role is pivotal, yet funds werededicated primarily to the four projectcities

CAG 2010 24



CAG 2010 25

Concluding Remarks There is value in bringing city-focus to

politics of possibility approach

Important to look at nitty gritty of howfeminist organizations are successful incities

Based on investigating two case studies, wehave identified six organizational strategiesthat reflect an urban politics of possibility inaction

Documents

International and Interdisciplinary Conference, London UK June - July 2010