UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Master Thesis in Conflict Resolution and Governance BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU Understanding the interaction between the central government of Milan and the residents of the Giambellino neighborhood By: Alice Vesna Dena Pescetti | 11787856 Supervisor: Dr. David Laws Second Reader: Dr. Anne Loeber Date of Submission: 29th of June 2018 Word count: 32.143 Acknowledgements Writing this Thesis has been an intense, sometimes difficult, but very rewarding journey. I’d like to thank my supervisor, David Laws, for his support and guidance every step of the way. Thank you for challenging my thoughts and for inspiring me to use my Fingerspitzengefühl wisely. Un grazie va a tutti gli abitanti del Giambellino, che mi hanno accolta e guidata attraverso il loro quartiere, e che hanno condiviso le loro preziose esperienze con me senza esitazioni. Grazie a voi ho scoperto una Milano che non conoscevo e alla quale non possiamo rinunciare. Grazie a Beppe Sala, Sindaco di Milano, e a tutti i membri del Comune di Milano che si sono resi disponibili a partecipare alla mia ricerca, condividendo il loro sapere. Grazie per aver dedicato del tempo a raccontarmi la Vostra visione di Milano. Thank you to everyone in the CRG course – this journey wouldn’t have been the same without you. Thank you for being the best travel buddies I could have asked for. Thank you to all my friends, in Amsterdam, Milano and around the world, for their endless support and motivation. Wherever you are, know that you’re loved. Infine, grazie alla mia famiglia: Mamma, Papà, Giulio e Matteo. Il vostro sostegno è per me irrinunciabile, e fonte di continua ispirazione. E grazie a Tommaso, che mi ha seguito passo per passo con una tenacia che ammiro. Grazie, perché ogni volta che vacillo, mi fai ritrovare l’equilibrio. The picture on the cover page of this Thesis is by Marta Clinco (Clinco & Antoni, 2017). 1 Abstract In an attempt to foster a more cohesive development of the city, the central government of Milan has recently developed a number of policies specifically catered to redevelop ‘peripheral’ neighborhoods. These policies, however, appear to not be well received by the neighborhoods’ residents. Why is this happening? This Thesis looks at the issue through a case study of the redevelopment of the ‘peripheral’ neighborhood of Giambellino, which will be subjected to interventions that may significantly change the face of the neighborhood. It focuses on the interaction between the residents of Giambellino and the central government of Milan within the context provided by the redevelopment project. The study was developed through a multidimensional analysis. It looked at the practical aspects of the participation of citizens to the redevelopment project, as well as the emotions involved in it and the frames through which the actors make sense of their interaction. What emerged is that the mismatch between the perspectives on the redevelopment project cannot be explained by solely looking at how residents were given the opportunity to participate to the projects’ design and implementation. The point of view of the residents of Giambellino is deeper rooted than the point of view of the government of Milan. A number of factors come into play in shaping the residents’ perspective, such as the past experiences of interacting with the government, the potential emotions revolving around change in the neighborhood and the consequences of being treated as ‘peripheral’. To address the mismatch in the interaction between the government of Milan and the residents of Giambellino this complexity has to be taken into account, as only addressing its visible component may not prove effective in reshaping the interaction. 2 Table of Content Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................................... 1 Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Table of Content ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1. Research question and significance .................................................................................................... 7 1.2. Introducing Giambellino ......................................................................................................................... 8 1.3. Organization of thesis ............................................................................................................................11 2. Diagnosing issues in center-periphery relations ............................................................................... 13 2.1. Understanding key concepts ................................................................................................................15 2.1.1. Center and periphery – definitions and implications ........................................................ 15 2.1.2. Making sense of neighborhoods ................................................................................................. 18 2.2. Studying interactions between government and citizens .........................................................20 2.2.1. Assessing the quality of the interaction in terms of citizens’ participation .............. 22 2.2.2. Connecting definitions and people’s experience through frames and narratives .. 25 2.2.3. Policy making and emotions ........................................................................................................ 28 2.3. Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................30 3. Research Design .............................................................................................................................................. 33 3.1. The neighborhood as a case study .....................................................................................................33 3.2. Methods for fieldwork ............................................................................................................................35 3.2.1. Interviews ............................................................................................................................................ 36 3.2.2. Participant observation.................................................................................................................. 37 3.3. Challenges in the research process....................................................................................................39 3.4. Ethical concerns .......................................................................................................................................40 3 3.5. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................41 4. Why the feeding hand gets bitten ............................................................................................................. 42 4.1. The role of citizens in designing a Masterplan .............................................................................43 4.1.1. Brief history of the redevelopment plan and what it entails .......................................... 43 4.1.2. Translating the Masterplan into practice ............................................................................... 46 4.1.3. Mismatched questions and answers – the new library ..................................................... 50 4.1.4. Consequences of a divided neighborhood for the redevelopment project ............... 52 4.1.5. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 53 4.2. The impact of different perspectives ................................................................................................54 4.2.1. City-oriented vs neighborhood-oriented ................................................................................ 54 4.2.2. The influence of past interactions.............................................................................................. 58 4.2.3. Implications of defining a ‘periphery’ ...................................................................................... 62 4.2.4. Frame conflicts within Giambellino .......................................................................................... 65 4.2.5. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 66 4.3. Redevelopment as a process of change ............................................................................................69 4.3.1. Change as a controversial theme in policy making ............................................................. 69 4.3.2. Emotions around change for residents of Giambellino ..................................................... 71 4.3.3. Conclusion ..........................................................................................................................................