CityLab reflections and evolutions: nurturing knowledge and learning for urban sustainability through co-production experimentation

Culwick, C., Washbourne, C.-L., Anderson, P. M. L., Cartwright, A., Patel, Z., & Smit, W. (2019). CityLab reflections and evolutions: nurturing knowledge and learning for urban sustainability through co-production experimentation. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 39, 9–16. doi:10.1016/j.cosust.2019.05.008

Platform
Cape Town
Publication type
Scientific article (peer-reviewed)
Projects
CityLab Programme
DOI Title
CityLab reflections and evolutions: nurturing knowledge and learning for urban sustainability through co-production experimentation
Journal
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability
ISSN/ISBN
1877-3435
DOI
10.1016/j.cosust.2019.05.008
Author(s)
Christina Culwick Carla-Leanne Washbourne Pippin M.L. Anderson Anton Cartwright Zarina Patel Warren Smit
Published year
Subject
General Social Sciences General Environmental Science

 

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Abstract

Applied research has evolved to play an important role in understanding and reorienting relationships between different knowledge partnerships in urban sustainability. This paper reflects on experiences from the global South on knowledge co-production experiments through ‘CityLabs’, which are forums for bringing together different knowledge brokers (particularly government and academia) to co-produce policy-relevant urban knowledge. Each CityLab experimented with different configurations to generate knowledge relevant for addressing urban sustainability challenges. This paper reflects on these experiences and identifies emerging common principles. These include: deliberate formulation of safe spaces, in which to engage, willingness for flexibility around the direction, focus and outputs, and carefully fostering trust and mutual understanding among participants. Urban experimentation, and CityLabs in particular, provide real opportunities for facilitating learning, reframing issues and shifting practices around urban sustainability between government and the academy.

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