Slussen – Mine, yours, ours? : A case study on citizens’ engagement and emotions in the planning process

Abstract: The rebuilding of Slussen is in this thesis used as a case study on citizens’ emotionally engagement. The purpose is to investigate why people get emotionally engaged and whether it has any effect on the planning process. The aim is to contribute to a discussion on planning where emotions play a larger role than today. Two questions are asked and answered: 1) Why do citizens get emotionally engaged in the Slussenproject? 2) In what way have the citizens’ emotions and engagement been considered and used in the Slussen project? Interviews with “ordinary” citizens and “professionals” are conducted along with a supporting analysis of written material connected to the case. Theories of emotions and protests seen from different angles are used in order to uncover citizens’ motives for engagement. Sherry Arnstein’s Ladder of citizen participation is used in order to make clear what the significance of citizens’ engagement in the Slussen case has. The result shows emotionally engagement based on protests against someone or something where the dismissal of the others’ knowledge of Slussen play a big role. Citizens’ emotions and engagement are seen as something positive and the planning process is affected but only within certain limits decided by the municipality.