The just city : a critical discussion on Susan Fainstein's formulation

Through investigating the roots of unjust outcomes of a planning activity, several authors have tried to address social justice issues in order to revitalize the lives of many citizen, most importantly, the least advantaged and minorities. Since the discussion has been opened up specifically after the 60's, Henri Lefebvre introduced "The right to the city" and inspired many latter urban scholars in a discourse of social justice. Susan Fainstein, with her work - The just city (2010)- has provided a vast review on the existing literature of just city, by taking a critical stand point and by putting several contemporary planning approaches - such as communicative planning- in question about their functionality and outcome records. While no planning approach has been successful in addressing sufficiently the issues of equity, diversity and justice in the Developed Western states, it seems important to seek for a more practical perspective, in order to achieve more just societies. However, since Fainstein relies on the Western history of democratic governance to build her argument, yet there are some doubts if she has been enough cautious to credit the Western democracies as they are functioning today toward a just city. Going through a comparative study among New York, London and Amsterdam, Fainstein explores their tradition and tendency in dealing with urban issues and thus, put them into a ranking of just city based on her criteria; including Democracy, Diversity and Equity. According to her, Amsterdam offers the most egalitarian policies within its governance system and thus the label of the just city goes to this city; other cities are called to learn from Amsterdam. However, considering the city in a longer course of time, and in a wider scale of socio political analysis, it seems not all relevant scholars would agree with her neither in terms of concluding Amsterdam as the just city, nor about such an optimism about its future. Along with Fainstein suggested strategies and policies toward the just city; many of her colleagues such as Marcuse, Novy and Uitermark urge planners to study issues more radically and in a wider power/time perspective. This study will bring the related evidence in order to put Fainstein’s perspective into question and expand the discussion when possible. Many supporting articles have been presented as well as more critical views. It seems crucially important for planners to research and model several forms of reproducing injustice in today’s societies and thus, to fulfill the human capabilities as individuals, and as the most advanced societies.