Alternative circulations? Situating policymaking, decoloniality, and urban models within Latin American cities.

In this guest post, Dr Ryan Anders Whitney, Dr Isabel Duque Franco, and Dr Guillermo Jajamovich describe their research on policy mobilities in Latin America, a project that was supported by a Seminar Series Awards grant from the USF.

Latin American cities are increasingly looking to other cities, both regionally and globally, for inspiration when developing their urban planning plans, policies, and projects. Simultaneously, Latin American cities are themselves becoming a reference for other cities regionally and internationally. From comprehensive neighbourhood upgrading (such as Medellín’s “social urbanism”) to placing care at the forefront of the urban planning process (“care cities” in Bogotá), best practices are emerging across the region and gaining attention in planning circuits around the world. However, some researchers have questioned the appropriateness of urban models and so-called “best practices” when applied in cities with different cultures, histories, and institutional contexts. This issue is especially important in Latin America where best practices, often adopted from the experience of cities in the Global North, have had mixed results.

It is within this context that Ryan Anders Whitney (Tecnológico de Monterrey), Isabel Duque Franco (Universidad Nacional de Colombia), and Guillermo Jajamovich (Universidad de Buenos Aires) won a Seminar Series Award from the Urban Studies Foundation in 2023 entitled “Alternative circulations? Situating policymaking, decoloniality, and urban models within Latin American cities”. The purpose of the seminars was to explore the actors, circuits, and geographies involved in the circulation and mobility of urban models in and from Latin America. Specifically, four seminars were held: “Circulations of social urbanism and integral neighbourhood improvement: between hegemonic and alternative urban models” (Mexico City, October 26-27th, 2023), “Gender and care: new agendas in the formation and circulation of urban policies in Latin America” (Bogotá, March 20-21st, 2024), “Circulation of alternative urban models or alternatives to the circulation of urban models” (Buenos Aires, May 9-10th, 2024), and “Theoretical and empirical approaches: advancing the debate on policy mobilities” (Virtual, September 26th, 2024). Together, the seminars provided a critical look at both emerging and established models that are impacting urban planning across the region and beyond.
The seminars attracted over 150 attendees from approximately 15 different countries, representing more than 40 institutions. Some key themes that emerged from the seminars include:

• Latin American cities (and beyond) are increasingly looking to the cities of Bogota and Medellin for urban planning inspiration. These cities represent a much larger emergence of urban models from Latin America. However, the fact that these models are created in Latin America does not signify that they are appropriate for all contexts across the region.

  

• History plays an important part in the circulation of urban models. Thinking about history, including decolonial perspectives, provides a starting point to understand the larger dynamics in the circulation of models from both the North and the South.
• There is a plurality of actors involved in the circulation of urban policies. Alongside international agencies, experts, politicians, and philanthropic organizations, there are actors that transcend the technical and political elites, including local activist groups and citizens.
• Both historically and in contemporary contexts, the increasing presence of South-South circulation circuits can be observed. However, two important points should be noted: first, the ongoing role of organizations from the Global North that mediate these circuits; and second, that these circuits do not necessarily ensure socially and spatially equitable policies.

Overall, the seminar series was an important moment to connect with colleagues from Latin America and beyond. The enthusiasm for the seminar series will continue to be reflected in two upcoming outputs. The first is a book (in Spanish) with the Argentine publisher Café de las Ciudades that will be composed of chapters from the authors who presented at the seminars. The second is a Special Issue (in English) that is currently under development. With these outputs, we look forward to furthering the understanding and theorization of the creation, contestation, and formation of urban models to, from, and within Latin America and beyond.