University of Groningen Adaptations to the Neoliberal City Dias, Candice
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University of Groningen Adaptations to the neoliberal city Dias, Candice IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2013 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Dias, C. (2013). Adaptations to the neoliberal city: a comparative investigation of faith-based organisations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Philadelphia, USA. Groningen: s.n. Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum. Download date: 12-11-2019 Adaptations to the Neoliberal City A Comparative Investigation of Faith-based Organisations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Philadelphia, USA Candice Dias ISBN: 978-90-367-6288-5 Cover, layout and printing by Off Page, www.offpage.nl Cover photographs: Candice Dias © 2013 by Candice Dias. All rights reserved RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN Adaptations to the Neoliberal City A Comparative Investigation of Faith-based Organisations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Philadelphia, USA Proefschrift ter verkrijging van het doctoraat in de Ruimtelijke Wetenschappen aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen op gezag van de Rector Magnificus, dr. E. Sterken, in het openbaar te verdedigen op maandag 24 juni 2013 om 09.00 uur door Candice Dias geboren op 6 maart 1974 te Coimbatore, India Promotor : Prof. dr. I. Hutter Copromotor : Dr. J.R. Beaumont Beoordelingscommissie : Prof. dr. P.J. Cloke Prof. dr. R. Cnaan Prof. dr. A.L. Molendijk TABLE OF Contents Acknowledgements 7 Chapter 1 Introduction 13 Chapter 2 Theoretical Considerations: Making Sense of Localised Faith-based Organisations 23 Chapter 3 Methodology 49 Chapter 4 Filling in the gaps: Moulding Faith to Secular Needs in Rotterdam 73 Chapter 5 (Re)Making secular communities through the lens of religion in Philadelphia 103 Chapter 6 Adapting to Neoliberalism, (re)Placing Faith 129 Chapter 7 Conclusion 157 Samenvatting 169 References 181 Appendices 199 5 ACKnoWLEDGEMENTS Having lived in a few different countries and cultural contexts, a comparative lens is one that I often default to, so it was serendipity that I encountered a research project where those comparative instincts would be useful. My advisors, Prof. Dr. Inge Hutter and Dr. Justin Beaumont, have encouraged my comparative instincts throughout the research process, providing guidance and shaping the direction of the project. Each has made a distinctive contribution to my scholarly development. At the start of my dissertation, I had given methodological issues a cursory glance, unconvinced that I would find them interesting. At Inge’s encouragement, I delved further into methodology and found myself recognizing that questions of knowledge production were deeply entwined with one’s methodological choices. I have come to very much appreciate Inge’s enthusiasm for methodology, for without it, I would not have developed my own methodological engagement. Justin guided me into broadening my thinking from planning to geography. A passionate advocate for urban geography theory, he urged me to reconsider and complicate my ideas about space and place. Our shared curiosity about the meaning of faith-based organisations and the changing nature of the relationship between the secular and religious led to many conversations that have informed my thinking. At the Religion, Politics and the Postsecular City conference in Groningen, I was fortunate to meet other researchers examining secularism and religious initiatives and these conversations provided further stimulus for my research. In particular, I am grateful to Paul Cloke, Jason Hackworth, Chris Baker and Tanja Winkler for providing comments that helped sharpen my work. In the first year of my research, Prof. Dr. Paulus Huigen 9 offered much guidance that helped set the trajectory of this project. At the very end of the project, the Reading Committee provided careful and productive feedback and I am grateful to the Readers for their time and insight. Researching and writing this dissertation has brought many joys and challenges and so many people have sustained me through the process. One of the joys of having lived in so many different places is that I have met such a range of people who have been welcoming and supportive. One of the challenges has been making cultural adjustments and finding one’s way through new cities and contexts. Moving to the Netherlands inevitably resulted in some culture shock and the need to learn some new skills. I am very grateful to my sister, Sherry, whose own international move coincided with mine, for listening to my incredulity at the many surprises and cultural challenges that were encountered in those first months of moving. Sherry’s tolerance of what must have been endless whinging and her commiseration made the adjustment much smoother. My parents perhaps set a peripatetic example that allowed me to contemplate and relatively easily move across cultures; as broadening as these moves were, I am very glad that they chose to end our journey in Vancouver. In Groningen, others helped me navigate the town and the university. Although we shared an office only briefly, Sjoerd Zeelenberg was extraordinarily generous with his time and energy. Sjoerd helped me get settled in our office and to understand departmental and faculty policies. He shared his papers on geographical theory and was always willing to offer his interpretation on everything from the socio-spatial dialectic to why bicycles were able to remain upright! These last discussions led to what has become one of my favourite moments at the Faculty: where Sjoerd, Ivo, Chris and a few others attempted to help me learn to ride a bike. Since my helpers were all Dutch, they had learned to ride as very young children and it turned out that they were not able to remember much about how one actually learns to ride a bike - it was something that was so instinctual as to be unknown. The afternoon was both entertaining and perplexing as an adult woman attempted to find some sense of balance, putting her feet down every few centimetres while Sjoerd and company watched, at a loss to explain what I would need to do in order to progress more than a few centimetres at a time! I did eventually learn to ride a bike and it was not a tricycle as Sjoerd had feared. Helping me find my way around the city, Ajay often acted as an unofficial tour guide, showing me where I could buy spices, explaining Dutch language classes and giving me tips on where to buy a bike. Without him, I might not have found some of my favourite spots in Groningen. Since leaving Groningen, I’ve especially missed my late afternoon conversations with Chris where we drank probably too much coffee, thought through planning processes and imagined what the world would be like if we ran it (much better, of course!). We were lucky too that Sierdjan would stop by and offer a more practical perspective. Many others 10 in the Faculty including Mirjam, Rixt, Karen, Meredith and Tino added to an atmosphere that was both productive and fun. In the U.S, I am thankful for Marilyn’s generosity in lending me a car that she wasn’t using, so I could get around Philadelphia; it meant that travelling between research sites was not a half day ordeal on Septa, saving me an enormous amount of time. Other persistent friends from Ithaca, Heidi, Kathy, Gwen and Ted, all cheered me on with encouragement and kind reality checks; I’m lucky to have friends who will do both. And perhaps the most persistent friend of all, Gwendolyn, has always inspired, challenged, and supported me exceptionally well. I am particularly grateful to Nic for sharing her experience of Philadelphia and helping me see the city through the eyes of a longtime Philadelphian. She also generously let me use her phrase, “a hundred neighbourhoods in search of a city” – an incredibly creative and accurate characterization of Philly. Her generosity with her creativity, many dinners, conversation and other resources made writing this dissertation many times easier. In times of challenge, LouAnn and Terry provided much needed refuge and succor. It’s rare to find people willing to have vigorous discussions about the meaning of existence as mediated through BSG and who will watch Zizek for mere entertainment. When I faced a slight lull in my enthusiasm for Philly, Luci helped re-kindle my fondness for it, as I saw it through her eyes as a new Philadelphian, the city with all its possibility and exceptionalism. At the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, I appreciate all the logistical and practical assistance I have received from Alida Meerburg, Sarah Oude Brunink and Stiny Tiggelaar. My thanks also to Corien Kuipers for providing research assistance. The Cartographic Modelling Lab (CML) at the University of Pennsylvania provided a desk and collegiality during portions of my field research. I’m sure there are a few people who I have forgotten to list here and I hope they will accept apologies for my forgetfulness. This dissertation, of course, could not have been completed without the co-operation of the organizations and individuals whose words and actions form the basis of this study.