Cities around Europe and beyond – through platforms, movements and international networks – are creating paths for citizens and local communities to directly participate in and influence politics. Our work with Rhizome Cities proposes how cities can deal with political uncertainty and provide new visions on issues such as climate, migration, social innovation or digital transformation.
Rhizome Cities node aims at building links between civil society and municipalities in view of the potential longer-term development of such links into a structured network, as well as links between representatives of social movements and activist groups. The discussions and projects around this node revolve questions of how key ideas of our time are developed, which interests are taken into account, which approaches are adopted, how budgets are distributed within municipalities, and what cooperation is established with civil society. This involves a critical reflection on the political contexts of cooperation that frame the practices and exchange with and within city administrations.