The views of the young generation of a city as a common good

Agnieszka SOBOL

Published: 2020-12-15

Vol. 16 No. 4 (40) (2016)

The views of the young generation of a city as a common good

Agnieszka SOBOL

Abstract

Alongside increasing urbanization, the city has become a particularly important subject of studies. Cities bear the brunt of the most intense indicators of civilization processes and social change. Simultaneously, the influence of the civilizing processes and the deepening of globalisation have both acted to reorient the approach towards local development. The aspiration of sustainable development requires us to resolve common problems and to recognize new perspectives. The trends of urban development determine the quality of life of an increasing number of city dwellers. Evolution of the paths of local development should be a response to the new needs of cities and their residents. Increasingly more attention is paid to such categories as the commons, social capital and the quality of life. Understanding the concept of a common good in relation to urban development appears to be a singularly topical issue. The aim of the article is to give an overview of the perception of the commons in the modern urban societies with an accent on the young generation. Do present-day young residents perceive the city as a common good? The article tries to give an answer for the above question based on theoretical review, worldwide surveys and an empirical studies conducted by the author among high-school students. It is a voice in an important debate on the commons showing the role of an education and the young in transformation of cities towards sustainability. Although the paper provides some insights for researchers and practitioners, some limitations of the findings should be mentioned. During the study, the judgmental sampling method was adopted, thus, the results cannot be generalized to the general youth population. Also the complex subject is not exhaustively described.

Keywords:

common good, sustainable development, young generation, city

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Arnold BERNACIAK, Agnieszka RZEŃCA, Agnieszka SOBOL, Participatory Budgeting as a Tool of Environmental Improvements in Polish Cities , Economic and Environmental Studies: Vol. 17 No. 4 (44) (2017)

Download files

PDF

Citation rules

SOBOL, A. (2020). The views of the young generation of a city as a common good. Economic and Environmental Studies, 16(4 (40), 591–603. Retrieved from https://czasopisma.uni.opole.pl/index.php/ees/article/view/3059

Cited by / Share

References

‘My Generation’ project, the URBACT II Operational Programme. Available at: http://urbact.eu/my-generation. Accessed 15 April 2016.
Google Scholar

Barnett, C., Publics and markets What’s wrong with Neoliberalism? Available at: http://www.open.ac.uk/ socialsciences/emergentpublics/publications/barnett_publicsandmarkets.pdf. Accessed 10 April 2016.
Google Scholar

Bukowska, X.; Wnuk-Lipiński, A., (2009). Obywatelskość a la polonaise – czyli jakimi obywatelami są Polacy? Nauka 1.
Google Scholar

Coleman, J., (1990). Foundations of social theory. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Google Scholar

Czapiński, J.; Panek, T., (eds.) (2013). Social Diagnosis 2013: the objective and subjective quality of life in Poland report (2013). Warsaw. Available at: http://www.diagnoza.com/. Accessed 15 April 2016.
Google Scholar

Czapiński, J.; Panek, T., (eds.) (2015). Diagnoza społeczna 2015 warunki i jakość życia Polaków. Warszawa. Available at: http://www.diagnoza.com/. Accessed 15 April 2016.
Google Scholar

Delors, J. et al. (1996). Learning: The treasure within. Paris: UNESCO.
Google Scholar

Deneulin, S., Townsend, N. 2007. Public Goods, Global Public Goods and the Common Good. International Journal of Social Economics 34(1-2).
Google Scholar

Engaging Young Generations (2007). League of Minnesota Cities, Community Conversations: Minnesota’s Changing Demographics.
Google Scholar

European Social Survey. Available at: http://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/docs/methodology/core_ess_ questionnaire/ESS_core_questionnaire_political_issues.pdf. Accessed 10 April 2016.
Google Scholar

Golombek, S., (2002). What Works in Youth Participation: Case Studies from Around the World. Baltimore: International Youth Foundation, Available at: http://www.iyfnet.org/sites/default/files/WW_ Youth_Participation.pdf. Accessed 15 April 2016.
Google Scholar

Higgins, P. (2007). Old Habits, New Reasons. Missouri Valley Journal XI. Creighton University, Flagler College. Available at: https://www.creighton.edu/ccas/politicalscience/undergradstudents/missourivalleyjournal/ readthejournals/volumexi2007/. Accessed 15 April 2016.
Google Scholar

Huckle, J.; Sterling S. (1996). Education for sustainability. Abingdon & NY: Earthscan.
Google Scholar

Inglehart, R. F., (2008). Changing values among Western Publics from 1970 to 2006. West European Politics 31: 130146.
Google Scholar

Kacprzak, A.; Dziewanowska, K., (2015). Does a global young consumer exist? A comparative study of South Korea and Poland. Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets 1(1).
Google Scholar

Park, A.; Bryson, C.; Clery, E.; Curtice, J.; Phillips, M. (Eds.) (2013). British Social Attitudes 30. London: NatCen Social Research. Available at: http://www.bsa.natcen.ac.uk/media/38723/bsa30_full_report_final.pdf. Accessed 10 April 2016.
Google Scholar

Putnam, R. D, (2000). Bowling Alone. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Google Scholar

Schneider, B.; Stevenson, D. (1999). The Ambitious Generation. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Google Scholar

The Guardian 11.03.2013. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/mar/11/generation-self-whatyoung-care-about. Accessed 10 March 2016.
Google Scholar

UNESCO (2009). Review of Contexts and Structures for Education for Sustainable Development. United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Available at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001849/184944e.pdf. Accessed 10 March 2016.
Google Scholar

UNESCO (2015). Rethinking Education. Towards a global common good? Paris. Available at: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/FIELD/Cairo/images/RethinkingEducation.pdf. Accessed 10 March 2016. Vanderburg, W. H. (2000). The Labyrinth of Technology. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press.
Google Scholar