EUKN - Finland - Residents and urban living environment

Residents and urban living environment

Introduction

How do urban residents react to problems in their living environment in Helsinki, Finland ?

Description

The study analyses the reaction of urban residents to problems, i.e. disturbing factors, in their living environment, and also their ways of doing something about these problems. It is based on urban-sociological theory on everyday life in a modern metropolis. On this theoretical basis, problems in the urban living environment are analysed in terms of a policy of everyday interference: when urban citizens become aware of a problem in their environment, they face a pattern of behaviour where the norm is polite indifference and negative solidarity. They may feel they ought to do something about the problem, but at the same time, an implicit rule of urban life is not to interfere with other people’s lives – so they won’t interfere with yours. For example, it is not that easy for someone disturbed by littering to complain directly to those who litter the streets. Or if you complain about tobacco smoke from the neighbour’s balcony, your neighbours might get cross.

Direct interference with a problem in the environment usually implies an encounter with a hitherto unknown counterpart and their possible counter-reaction. The risk is either to lose face or get into downright conflict. Therefore, an easier way may be to complain to the city authorities. The Helsinki City Environment Centre is currently working on solutions for all the various kinds of problems that occur in a dense urban structure.

Methodology

Various ways of conceptualising the problems in the living environment are analysed empirically using theme interviews made with citizens having contacted Helsinki City Environment Centre. A phenomenographic approach and a theory-based categorisation are applied on the analysis of the theme interviews.

The study combines an urban-sociological approach with the theoretical tradition of urban research and with research on municipal environmental policy.

Knowledge dissemination

Risto Haverinen:
Kaupunkilaisen elinympäristöongelma – Käsitteellistämistavat ja puuttumisen mallit.
Helsingin kaupungin tietokeskus, tutkimuksia 2006:11.

Conclusions

On the grounds of the analysis, the ways of conceptualising are determined by

the difficulty of interfering and convincing other people, which in practice means meddling in other people’s business,
a territorial struggle for space and a place in a dense urban structure,
breaches of rules and norms for social routines in urban life, and
a crumbling of the urban identity and all that goes along with that.

The analysis of the ways of conceptualisation is deepened using a cultural risk theory. The final outcome of the analysis is four types of behaviour among urban residents with regard to interference with everyday problems in the living environment. They have been called “yard police”, “fence builder”, “park warden” and “environmental caretaker”.

Publication date

26/01/2007

Project finished

Researcher

Risto Haverinen

Links

The title page of the publication

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Urban environment

Keywords

Environmental sustainability