Embodying the transformation: An exploration of the role of art-based approaches in achieving a just and sustainable city through citizen participation in Malmö

Sammanfattning: The exposure of societies to climate change requires cities to adequately respond to increasing environmental pressures while ensuring the well-being of citizens. Here, sustainable urban planning is an important tool. Malmö is an internationally praised pioneer of sustainable urban development; however, it is criticized for deficits in citizen participation. Hence, based on Critical Urban and Right to the City theories, the conceptualization of participatory parity and research on transformative qualities, I test the potential of art-based participation to enhance just, sustainable urban planning. The participatory format integrates photography, theatre, and critical collective mapping. The findings suggest that these serve to reveal the citizens’ definition of a more just, sustainable Malmö, benefit the participants’ feeling of agency and ensure enhanced procedural justice. Simultaneously, structural injustices and a translation to just practical outcomes remain a challenge. The conclusion suggests that art-based participation is a promising tool whose application should be further explored.