Zeinab N. Tag-Eldeen (PhD)Researcher at the Regional and Urban Studies Department

Zeinab.tageldeen@abe.kth.se

This work grew largely from practice-oriented research carried out in an Egyptian context.

It investigates the complex process of transferring the collaborative planning model to the Egyptian context, focusing on Zifta City as a case study

The appreciation of the history and the cultural values that characterise a new context, and the relevance of jointly developing knowledge that is of benefit to humankind, must be acknowledged.

What is ‘context’?◦ the institutional structure of a society and the

associated cultural values inherited from the history of that society and still guiding the function of its daily routine.

Planning has lent legitimacy to the development of society through the application of different theories and practices

With its embodied concepts and values, planning influences the direction of change that a society may achieve

consideration of the context specificity is particularity essential

Adopts a proactive approach, examining the practical and theoretical potential imbued in a new context

An exogenous planning model has to be re-contextualized and landed in a new context through its assimilation with that context’s history and cultural values

Dual role◦ practitioner and

action researcher

Plurality of Theory

Mixing Methodologies

Define ‘knowledge’ as a concept and investigate the epistemological questions surrounding knowledge in general◦ the way in which knowledge is acquired “possibility,

limits, origin, structure, methods and validity or truth of knowledge”

The role of ‘cultural awareness’ of the new place ◦ Knowing through dialogue◦ Knowing from experiences◦ Learning from local knowledge◦ Learning to read symbolic and non-verbal evidence◦ Learning through contemplative or appreciative

knowledge◦ Learning-by-doing, or action planning

HEALEY’S COLLABORATIVE PLANNING MODEL◦ Prerequisite Conditions of Collaborative Planning

Core Concepts of the Collaborative Planning Model

◦ Stakeholders, rights and duties Practical guide on how to lead in a shared-power environment Learning-by-doing generate local knowledge Appreciative inquiry

◦ Rules of communication – Habermasian ideas◦ Consensus building◦ The role of religion – A recent reflection from Habermas◦ Understanding the social system - Giddens’ theory◦ Building capacity for institutional change◦ The role of planner

Examine the planning thinking in the new context (historical overview)

Urban Conditions in the Egyptian Cities

Analytical Framework for the Practice of Collaborative Planning in Zifta

◦ As a researcher, I engaged in working with this analytical framework during the empirical case (which formed an essential part of my thesis).

◦ This engagement benefitted from my second role – being a practitioner and leading the Zifta Demonstration Project, designing the planning process, making good spaces to involve stakeholders, managing meetings, solving problems, and producing a strategic plan for Zifta.

◦ My dual roles – researcher and practitioner – overlapped and fed into each other through their reciprocal relationship,

Where is Zifta now?

Dec 05  Jan 06 Apr 06 May 06 Jun 06 Oct 06 Jan 07 May 07 

What does Zifta Want? 

Situational analysis Contextual mapping  

 Understanding features of the 

society   

Stakeholders 

 Consensus Building  

Zifta Vision  

 Formal Approval 

Governorate  

 Project Initiation Planning Team  

Identification   

Concretisation   

Mobilisation  

 Public 

approval Zifta  

Theme 1

Theme 4...

Theme 2

Theme 3

             Zifta 

discovers itself 

Asset Mapping 

Local/technical knowledge 

 Knowledge transfer in various directions 

How to get there? 

Getting out

Getting on Getting in 

Entry Point City Council 

Kick‐off Seminar  Urban situation Workshop 

Visioning Workshop 

Focus/thematic groups 

Asset Mapping Workshop 

Sept 07 

Expe

rt Kno

wledge  

Local K

nowledge  

Getting local commitment 

Local initiativesGreening Zifta  

Refurbishing a district ‐ pilot Participatory Budgeting 

Local initiativeVision Questionnaire Indigenous Knowledge   

Formalising the informal initiatives 

Zifta Strategic Plan Committee  

Getting Started 

time Line 

ThematicWorkshops 

Approval Popular Council  

Workshop  

Approval Governor/GOPP   

Seminar 

Figure 1 - Learning-oriented planning process elaborated for the purpose of the thesis

Kick‐off Seminar 

The formal interactions practiced by the city and popular councils (characterisedby inefficiency, non-implementable rules, reductions in welfare services provisions, limited resources and corruption); and,

The informal interactions practised by locally based organisations(characterised by collective economic activities such as the Friday Market, different charitable forms, family-based economic activities, and interdependence that provides mutual support among the actors of the informal sectors). The functioning mechanism of the informal is guided by the society’s cultural values, which determine the rules and the ways of distributing resources in charitable forms or basic welfare services as practised by the citizens.

Social Values Associated with Zifta’sInstitutional Structure ◦ The reciprocal and mutual role of the individual, the

family and the society; and, ◦ The social terms associated with communication

patterns, and their role in establishing and fostering dialogue between the members of the society.

Incorporating the Identified Values in the Process Helped to Build Consensus

Collective Memory Contributed to Building Consensus

Social Values Associated with city Institutional Structure Incorporating the Identified Values in the ProcessIdentification of characteristics of the city context

The vision should play an important role in guiding the formulation of Zifta’s strategic plan, allowing Zifta’s people to look positively upon and share a common view of their future so that they can work towards achieving it

Design learning‐

oriented planning process; 

Set conditions to balance existing power relation; 

analysis of stakeholders’ matrix 

Incorporating of social values in collaborative planning processes enables communication, fosters interactions & builds consensusConstruction of different types of knowledge that transferred in various directions – interaction with the new planning knowledge

Zifta Context Influences the Practice of Collaborative Planning

Actio

n Re

searcher ´s & Experts´ K

nowledg

e  

Joint d

evelop

men

t of local Kno

wledg

e  

Time Line

Informal system (economic, housing; welfare services, etc...) filled the gap left by the formal system. Local assets & associated values guide Zifta to plan for 

‘hope out of failure’ 

Identification of Potential focus areas for technical surveys 

Vision and Knowledge guide the formulation 

of thematic development

Important memories; live experiences 

created sense of Shared meaning 

Transformative dimensions 

demonstrated through different Local Initiatives Citizens discovered 

themselves 

Appreciative Inquiry, Zifta 

Asset mapping

Zifta Vision formulated by its citizens 

 Election of ‘Zifta Strategic Plan Committee’

Zifta socio‐economic relation with the 

surrounding villages  

Participants Integrate 

Personal roles

Questioning Planners´ role – Shadow Experts

Characters of reciprocal 

trustworthiness between citizens

City council from citizens´ views Non‐efficient formal system

Development priorities are questioned 

Financial Capital flow out of Zifta 

Planning challenges; Zifta is ‘better’ for ‘whom’; reset 

development priorities 

Social values shape the 

communicative patterns 

Building of local 

institutional capacity 

How things are done in the reality?   Assets Mapping   Zifta Vision   Integrate local/Expert knowledge in Zifta Strategic Plan   Getting Started Where is Zifta now? How to get there?

Mili

eu o

f Pra

ctic

e or

ien

ted

res

earc

h

Mutual role between the ‘individual’, 

‘family’ & the society’

Building institutional capacity – advantage of planner working at multilevel of rules   

Figure 1 - Typology of transfer of knowledge in various direction

What does Zifta Want?

Identify the characteristics of Zifta context; situational definition of lifeworld; structure of the society and the type of relation between

rules, sources and agency

Visualization techniques; Delphi 

method Visionning Process 

Urban situational analysis ‘SWOT’

Technical interpretation of Zifta Vision – Incorporate local knowledge in technical study 

Epistemological Concerns

Practical Concerns – An opportunity to develop knowledge

Theoretical Concerns – Egyptian social philosophy may contribute to planning knowledge