A Critical Institutionalist Analysis of Youth Participation in Jordan's
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A Critical Institutionalist Analysis of Youth Participation in Jordan’s Spatial Planning The case of Amman 2025 Zayed F. Zeadat Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society September 2018 The copyright in this thesis is owned by the author. Any quotation from the thesis or use of any of the information contained in it must acknowledge this thesis as the source of the quotation or information I Critical Institutionalist Analysis of Youth Participation in Spatial Planning: Zayed F. Zeadat The case of Jordan – Abstract Abstract By 2050, it is estimated that 84% of the population in the Global South will be living in urban areas. As a country of the Global South, Jordan has experienced dramatic growth of urban areas over the past decades. Cities in Jordan contain 83% of the population, of which, it is estimated, 24% are in the age group 15–24. Youth input, effort and experience in the planning process are recognised by academic research and international aid donors as a significant element in catalysing positive social and economic change and ensuring sustainable development across the Global South. Consequently, this research aims to investigate whether young groups’ vision and aspirations for, and perspectives on the city of Amman were translated into strategies or projects in urban policy. In doing so, it aims to explore the wide range of institutional challenges and opportunities that either hinder or encourage youth participation in policymaking. To achieve this aim, this study followed the inductive–deductive cycle of knowledge. This research starts with a critical literature review of theories in planning, governance, youth participation and spatial planning in Jordan. Healey’s systemic institutional design for collaborative planning was employed to critically analyse the planning system (hard infrastructure) and planning practice (soft infrastructure) within the chosen case study of Amman 2025. Amman 2025 is a significant and unique strategic spatial planning project in Jordan designed to encourage public participation in the policymaking process regarding urban development in Amman. New primary data were collected through extensive qualitative research in the form of semi-structured interviews and focus groups to cover the period from the start of Amman 2025, in 2006, to the conducting of data collection in 2015. With the research objectives in mind, a thematic analysis was conducted to identify salient themes in order to address the research aims. The findings of this study show that youth participation in Jordan is neither inherent in the legal, political and administrative framework of the planning system nor in the embedded institutional settings within the planning practice of Jordan. Most importantly, cultural imperialism in Jordan weakens young people’s chances of being considered for any decision-making roles relevant to planning activities. Enhancing youth participation in spatial planning in Jordan requires the institutional capacity of urban governance to be built up to enable a more collaborative planning practice, in addition to applying principles of good governance in the planning system. ii Critical Institutionalist Analysis of Youth Participation in Spatial Planning: Zayed F. Zeadat The case of Jordan – Acknowledgements Acknowledgements The author wishes to acknowledge the many people and institutions who contributed to this research. In particular, the author would like to thank his mum, Swsan Mashal, and his dad, Freih Zeadat. Also, the author would like to thank his aunts Hila and Helda Zeadat for their continuous support. Also, the author acknowledges the support of both his supervisors, Dr Chris McWilliams and Dr Ryan Woolrych, for their cooperation and help and for providing the author with assistance during the course of this research. iii Declaration statement ACADEMIC REGISTRY Research Thesis Submission Name: ZAYED FREIH ZAYED ZEADAT School: School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS) Version: (i.e, First, Final Degree Sought: PhD in Urban Studies Resubmission, Final) Declaration In accordance with the appropriate regulations I hereby submit my thesis and I declare that: 1) the thesis embodies the results of my own work and has been composed by myself 2) where appropriate, I have made acknowledgement of the work of others and have made reference to work carried out in collaboration with other persons 3) the thesis is the correct version of the thesis for submission and is the same version as any electronic versions submitted*. 4) my thesis for the award referred to, deposited in the Heriot-Watt University Library, should be made available for loan or photocopying and be available via the Institutional Repository, subject to such conditions as the Librarian may require 5) I understand that as a student of the University I am required to abide by the Regulations of the University and to conform to its discipline. 6) I confirm that the thesis has been verified against plagiarism via an approved plagiarism detection application e.g. Turnitin. * Please note that it is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that the correct version of the thesis is submitted. Signature of Date: Candidate: Submission Submitted By (name in capitals): Signature of Individual Submitting: Date Submitted: For Completion in the Student Service Centre (SSC) Received in the SSC by (name in capitals): Method of Submission (Handed in to SSC; posted through internal/external mail): E-thesis Submitted (mandatory for final theses) Signature: Date: IV Critical Institutionalist Analysis of Youth Participation in Spatial Planning: Zayed F. Zeadat The case of Jordan – Table of contents Table of contents Abstract……………………………………………………………………………….ii Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... iii Declaration statement ................................................................................................IV Table of contents .......................................................................................................... v List of tables................................................................................................................. ix List of figures ................................................................................................................ x List of abbreviations ................................................................................................... xi List of appendices ...................................................................................................... xiv Chapter 1: Research overview ................................................................................. 1 1.1 Youth participation in spatial planning ........................................................... 2 1.1.1 The importance of youth participation in spatial planning ...................... 5 1.2 Research problem ............................................................................................ 6 1.3 Research importance ....................................................................................... 7 1.4 Research rationale ........................................................................................... 9 1.5 Research motivation ...................................................................................... 10 1.6 Scope of the study ......................................................................................... 11 1.7 Research objectives and key questions ......................................................... 12 1.8 Methodological framework ........................................................................... 14 1.9 Analytical framework .................................................................................... 15 1.10 Developing a theoretical model ..................................................................... 16 1.11 The layout of the thesis ................................................................................. 17 Chapter 2: Setting the theoretical framework for institutional analysis............ 19 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 20 2.2 Analytical models of planning ...................................................................... 21 2.3 An institutionalist approach to policy analysis ............................................. 30 2.3.1 Communicative rationality..................................................................... 39 2.3.2 Structuration theory ............................................................................... 41 2.3.3 Criticising the institutionalist and collaborative planning model .......... 42 2.4 Institutional analytical frameworks ............................................................... 43 2.4.1 Systemic institutional design for collaborative planning ....................... 46 2.5 Writing young people into planning theory .................................................. 54 2.6 Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 3: Research methodology and data collection methods ........................ 59 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 60 v Critical Institutionalist Analysis of Youth Participation in Spatial