Title: Planning conflicts and social proximity: a reassessment

Authors: Arnaud Lecourt, Guy Baudelle

Addresses: UMR CNRS Espaces Geographiques et Societes, Universite de Rennes 2, Rennes, France. ' UMR CNRS Espaces Geographiques et Societes, Universite de Rennes 2, Rennes, France

Abstract: The term ||proximity|| has long been absent from the geographical vocabulary. This term is currently re-emerging among researchers in social geography who are questioning the relationship between spatial and social proximity. This paper analyses how a conflict linked to a planning project can generate social proximity, notably by evaluating the conditions in which spatial proximity can bring together the participants opposed to the project. This analysis aims at re-assessing the correlation between social and spatial proximities. It gives evidence that, when the conflict occurs, it generates social proximity between the individuals sharing a common aim and that spatial proximity participates in the process as a necessary condition, but not sufficient enough, for its development

Keywords: planning conflict; land planning; geographical proximity; social interaction; territory; social geography; social proximity; spatial proximity; sustainable development; conflict management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2004.005961

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2004 Vol.7 No.3, pp.287 - 301

Published online: 06 Jan 2005 *

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