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“What’s the Problem Represented to be” in Lund Municipality's district program for Norra Fäladen

Mata Alvarez, Samaria LU (2026) STVK02 20252
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This analytical essay critically examines how social sustainability is constructed within Lund’s municipality district development program for Norra Fäladen. The existing research widely acknowledges that sustainable development and social sustainability are characterized by conceptual ambiguity and a lack of consensus regarding definition and measurement. Despite this, they are leading concepts for international and local development policies. Through a governmentality perspective this study conceptualizes policies and programs as governance practices aiming to regulate the conduct of the population in line with specific political objectives. By employing the post-structuralist analysis method “What is the Problem Represented to be?”... (More)
This analytical essay critically examines how social sustainability is constructed within Lund’s municipality district development program for Norra Fäladen. The existing research widely acknowledges that sustainable development and social sustainability are characterized by conceptual ambiguity and a lack of consensus regarding definition and measurement. Despite this, they are leading concepts for international and local development policies. Through a governmentality perspective this study conceptualizes policies and programs as governance practices aiming to regulate the conduct of the population in line with specific political objectives. By employing the post-structuralist analysis method “What is the Problem Represented to be?” (WPR) to examine how social sustainability is problematized in the district development program for Norra Fäladen. This essay's intent is to contribute to a broader understanding of how public administration governs through the use of abstract concepts. This study concludes that social sustainability is constructed as a desirable outcome of the district’s development, while the means to achieve it are predominantly framed in terms of physical planning, urban design, and spatial transformation. As a result, complex social challenges are rendered governable primarily through interventions in the built environment. (Less)
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author
Mata Alvarez, Samaria LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK02 20252
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Governmentality, WPR, social hållbarhet, Norra Fäladen, Lunds kommun.
language
Swedish
id
9217236
date added to LUP
2026-01-26 11:27:41
date last changed
2026-01-26 11:27:41
@misc{9217236,
  abstract     = {{This analytical essay critically examines how social sustainability is constructed within Lund’s municipality district development program for Norra Fäladen. The existing research widely acknowledges that sustainable development and social sustainability are characterized by conceptual ambiguity and a lack of consensus regarding definition and measurement. Despite this, they are leading concepts for international and local development policies. Through a governmentality perspective this study conceptualizes policies and programs as governance practices aiming to regulate the conduct of the population in line with specific political objectives. By employing the post-structuralist analysis method “What is the Problem Represented to be?” (WPR) to examine how social sustainability is problematized in the district development program for Norra Fäladen. This essay's intent is to contribute to a broader understanding of how public administration governs through the use of abstract concepts. This study concludes that social sustainability is constructed as a desirable outcome of the district’s development, while the means to achieve it are predominantly framed in terms of physical planning, urban design, and spatial transformation. As a result, complex social challenges are rendered governable primarily through interventions in the built environment.}},
  author       = {{Mata Alvarez, Samaria}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“What’s the Problem Represented to be” in Lund Municipality's district program for Norra Fäladen}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}