ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to debate to what extent the heterogeneity of European societies is represented in the prevalent aesthetics on urban planning and landscape designing. Starting from the idea that environmental issues should not be uncoupled from the concept of social justice, it argues that solidarity economy might contribute towards fairer cities by fostering the autonomy and active participation of minorities – the people who are most strongly affected by the way public policies on urban planning have been outlined. Its central argument draws inspiration from Lewis’ concept of representational justice and can be synthesised as the following ideas: (1) it is not possible to think of fair urban regeneration without challenging the underrepresentation of minorities in the urban space and (2) such a challenge cannot be made without bringing to the scene other aesthetic logics and ethics of organising the public space. Being focused on minority women – particularly Afro-European women – the chapter analyses to what extent solidarity economy can help to foster economic and environmental community-led solutions more attuned to a gender- and ethnic-sensitive approach in urban planning.
