The role of regional identity in urban agriculture

Urban Farm DB summary

This paper applies collective-action theory to urban gardens, arguing that in developed countries in particular they emerge less from economic competitiveness or a desire for regional food than from a lack of participation in city development and limited opportunities for democratic use of public space and socializing. It presents criteria for describing this development and for distinguishing degrees of collectively used resources across gardens, and demonstrates the criteria's applicability using three pilot case studies, showing that urban garden movements can offer participants the chance to build new regional identities through sharing time, knowledge and participation in public decisions.