Challenging the rules of the game. A relational perspective on city center transformation in Nijmegen

Abstract

A lot of city centers are in a state of flux as a result of demographic, economic and technical changes. The effects are showing: large retail companies are going bankrupt and many independent retailers are struggling to survive. In this changing context, policy makers, retailers, owners and other stakeholders are trying to keep their city centers attractive and draw (new) visitors. In Nijmegen, more than a decade of city center policies have been aimed at combatting vacancies and the transformation of the city center from a ‘place to buy’ to a ‘place to meet’. The local government sees opportunities for new retail concepts, temporary uses and innovative and creative entrepreneurship to serve as catalysts for city center renewal. This thesis deals with the integration of new practices in the hegemonic city center system. The central question focuses on the shaping forces of city center transformation in Nijmegen and how these new retail concepts, temporary uses and creativity/craft-based entrepreneurship are being aligned within the city. Theoretical concepts from assemblage and actor-network theory have been used to study city center transformation from a relational perspective and highlight the co-existence of alternative and hegemonic forces and their capacities to adjust and enable change.