Abstract:
This paper contends that re-inventing the city involves a level of ‘social resilience’
that permits to face the challenges presented by urban development at moments
of growth as well as in times of adversity and crisis.
It is a conceptual exercise that largely draws on the distinction which the French
anthropologist Michel de Certeau between ‘tactics’ and ‘strategies’. He described
‘tactics’ as everyday practices through which large parts of the population
respond to power ‘strategies’ imposed on them from above. While tactics and
strategies may sometimes clash, synergy between them is crucial to build ‘social
resilience’ and make city life more sustainable.
To illustrate this claim, the paper ventures into a comparison between the urban
discourses that were circulating in Bangkok in the booming early-1990s and an
exploratory observation of similar trends in contemporary Colombo. Whilst two
decades and vastly diverging historical backgrounds separate these contexts, the
urban development strategies deployed in both situations are marked by strong
economic growth and a booming real estate sector. In spite of political turmoil,
social resilience in Bangkok has manifested itself in ‘tactical urbanisms’ that
range from dissatisfaction and confrontation to consensus-building and
cooperation. In view of Sri Lanka’s recent past of armed conflict, the paper
cannot offer such clear-cut insights on Colombo. Instead, it advances a series of
logical presumptions by way of final reflection and invitation for further
research.
