A Sheffield Hallam University Thesis
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Exploring the potential of complexity theory in urban regeneration processes. MOOBELA, Cletus. Available from the Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive (SHURA) at: http://shura.shu.ac.uk/20078/ A Sheffield Hallam University thesis This thesis is protected by copyright which belongs to the author. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Please visit http://shura.shu.ac.uk/20078/ and http://shura.shu.ac.uk/information.html for further details about copyright and re-use permissions. Fines are charged at 50p per hour JMUQ06 V-l 0 9 MAR ?R06 tjpnO - -a. t REFERENCE ProQuest Number: 10697385 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10697385 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 Exploring the Potential of Complexity Theory in Urban Regeneration Processes Cletus Moobela A Thesis Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Sheffield Hallam University for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy July 2004 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The carrying out and completion of this research project was a stimulating experience for me in an area that I have come to develop an ever-increasing amount of personal interest. In the course of the execution of the project, I indubitably interacted with, and sought recourse to, many people’s time, material and connoisseur resources so much that I remain heavily indebted to all of them. I first and foremost would like to acknowledge and express my sincere gratitude to my Director of Studies, Professor llfryn Price, whose fathomless support during the time of my studies remains an unparalleled contribution. I would also like to thank the other members of my supervisory team - Mr. Steve Crocker, Professor Paul Syms, and Dr. Martin Loosemore - for their guidance, encouragement, and for providing the latitude that made it possible for me to chart an unequivocal focus for the study. I am also indebted to all the members of the Facilities Management Graduate Centre for providing the enabling environment for research students. I owe a debt of gratitude to Ms Barbara McLoughlin and her team at the Moss Side and Hulme (Regeneration) Partnership for “opening the gates” to the inner city area of Hulme and providing the much-needed data for the research. Similarly, I would like to thank all the community leaders and local authority officers in Hulme for giving me access to information with regard to their organisations. Sincere thanks to my wife Kalinda and our son Hachibi Kubantu who endured the innumerable hours and distractions which are inevitable in one’s pursuit of an academic endeavour of this enormity. I also thank my parents for being so inspirational, and brothers and sisters for their love and care. Thank you to a constellation of friends and relatives wherever they may be on the globe for the social networks of inestimable value that we shared together for common and individual benefits. Lastly, but by no means the least, I would like to express my thanks to the School of Environment and Development and the Facilities Management Graduate Centre at Sheffield Hallam University for co-sponsoring my studies. I also thank the Copperbelt University administration for granting the study leave I needed to pursue my studies. i Acknowledgements................................ ......................................................... i Table of contents .............................................................................................. ii List of figures .................................................................................................... v iii List of tables ..................................................................................................... x Abstract ............................................................................................................. xi Author’s declaration ....................................................................................... x iii Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................. ............ 1 1.2 Background: Origins of Britain’s urban problem ...................................... 2 1.3 Rationale for the research ........................................................................ 4 1.4 Introducing complexity theory ................................................................... 5 1.5 Research aim, objectives and hypothesis ....................................... 6 1.6 Research originality .................................................................................. 7 1.7 Research methodology ............................................................................. 8 1.8 Structure of the dissertation ..................................................................... 9 Chapter two: Epistemological Dimensions of Complexity Research 12 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 12 2.2 The complexity revolution ......................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Defining complexity theory ........................................................... 15 2.2.2 Characteristics of complex systems ............................................ 17 2.2.3 Life at the edge of chaos............................................................. 20 2.3 Early models of complexity ......................................... ............................. 21 2.3.1 John Holland’s Classifier Systems model ..................... 22 2.3.2 Stuart Kauffman’s NK Landscape model .................................... 22 2.3.3 John Von Neuman’s Cellular Automata ...................................... 24 2.4 Complexity and postmodernism ............................................................... 25 2.5 Complexity and connectionism ................................................................ 28 2.5.1 Language as a complex adaptive system .................................. 29 2.5.2 Connectionism in organisational settings ................................... 31 2.6 The realist account of complexity ............................................................ 33 ii 2.6.1 The demise of positivism ............................................................... 34 2.6.2 Kant’s transcendental idealism .................................................... 38 2.6.3 Roy Bhaskar’s transcendental realism ......................................... 40 2.7 Discussion: Realism in social complexity research.................................. 41 2.8 Conclusion ................................................................................................. 47 Chapter Three: Theoretical Foundations of Planning and Urban Change ............................................................................................................... 48 3.1 Introduction ................................................... 48 3.2 Approaches to urban planning ................................................................. 48 3.2.1 Pluralism ........................................................................................ 48 3.2.2 The power of public bureaucracy ................................................ 49 3.2.3 Reformism..................................................................................... 50 3.2.4 Marxism: The political economy of urbanism ........................... 50 3.3 Theories of planning and urban change .................................................. 51 3.3.1 The Garden City and the Radiant City ........................................ 52 3.3.2 von Thunen’s Isolated State ........................................................ 55 3.3.3 Location theory and spatial analysis .................. 57 3.3.4 Planning theory ............................................................................. 61 3.3.4 A systems view of planning ......................................................... 63 3.3.5 The concept and process of urban regeneration ....................... 65 3.4 Locating the planner’s dilemma .................................................. 68 3.5 The potential of self-organisation ............................................................ 70 3.6 Conclusion ...................................................................................... 71 Chapter Four: The Complexity of Urban Regeneration Initiatives in Britain ................................................................................................................. 73 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 73 4.2 Evolution of urban regeneration initiatives ............................................... 74 4.3 Early urban initiatives