From conflict to crisis to resolution - An interpretive analysis of the Aalborg light rail planning process

Popescu, Ana-Marina

4. Term

Urban, Energy and Environmental Planning, Master

2016

2016-06-02

71

Interessen for letbaner vokser i Europa. Idéen spreder sig fra by til by; Aarhus, Odense og København er i gang. Aalborgs letbaneprojekt fik en lovende start, men blev mødt af flere ændringer. Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan "fortællingsspor" (storylines) – tilbagevendende måder at rammesætte og argumentere for letbanen – blev skabt og brugt i Aalborg, og hvordan de påvirkede planlægningsforløbet. Teoretisk tager afhandlingen afsæt i forskning om rejsende idéer (hvordan politik og løsninger vandrer mellem byer) og i planlægningsteori, der ser magt som noget, der udøves gennem fortællinger. Metodisk anvendes en fortolkende policyanalyse, som ser på betydninger, argumenter og rækkefølgen af formelle og uformelle processer. Empirien består af planlægnings- og politiske dokumenter samt seks semistrukturerede interviews med centrale aktører. Analysen gør to ting: (1) kortlægger de formelle og uformelle processer i kronologisk orden for at belyse rationalet bag Aalborgs letbane, og (2) identificerer fire centrale fortællingsspor og viser, hvordan hver af dem virker i praksis. Resultaterne peger på to hovedperspektiver: tilhængere (primært offentlige planlæggere og socialdemokrater) og modstandere (især trafikingeniører og liberale partier). Det diskuteres, hvad dette betyder for planlæggerens rolle: Den offentlige planlægger medvirker som fortaler for letbanen ved at legitimere og begrunde projektet gennem støttende fortællinger. Rollen rækker derfor ud over tekniske analyser og dokumenter til også at omfatte overbevisende formidling samt evnen til at forudse og håndtere skiftende politiske vilkår.

Interest in light rail is growing across Europe, with the idea spreading from city to city. Aarhus, Odense, and Copenhagen are implementing light rail, and Aalborg’s scheme started promisingly but faced several changes. This thesis examines how storylines—recurring ways of framing and arguing for light rail—were constructed and enacted in Aalborg, and how they shaped the planning process. It draws on research about travelling ideas (how policies move between cities) and planning theory that understands power as exercised through storytelling. Methodologically, it applies interpretive policy analysis, focusing on meanings, arguments, and the sequence of formal and informal processes. The study uses planning and policy documents and six semi-structured interviews with key actors. The analysis does two things: (1) maps formal and informal processes in chronological order to uncover the rationale behind Aalborg's light rail, and (2) identifies four core storylines and shows how each worked. Findings reveal two main perspectives: proponents (mainly public planners and social democrats) and opponents (principally traffic engineers and liberal parties). The thesis reflects on what this means for the planner's role: public planners acted as proponents by legitimizing and rationalizing the scheme through supportive narratives. Effective planning therefore extends beyond technical analysis and document production to persuasive communication and the ability to anticipate and adapt to a dynamic political environment.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

The Aalborg light rail scheme ; power and storytelling ; interpretive analysis ; the travelling idea ; the role of the public planner

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