Analysis of the adherence of cities in the slow movement as a guideline for qualification and territorial innovation

Abstract

Small-town governments have sought to establish guidelines for implementing territorial qualification practices to differentiate themselves from other cities and attract investment for the deconcentrated development of metropolises. The Slow City Movement, the object of this study, has been one of these guidelines. Thus, the aim is to analyze the adherence of cities in the slow movement as a guideline for qualification territorial. In methodological terms, a case study was carried out in two cities that were involved with the slow movement in Ibero-American countries: Vizela (Portugal) and Rio Doce (Brazil). Data collection took place in loco through handling of internal documents and bibliographies as well as application of interviews with semi-structured scripts. The collected data were treated and analyzed using the Content Analysis (CA) technique of categorial type, based on premises, constructs and categories, formulated from the specialized literature on the object under study. The results indicated how the adherence of a city into an international movement contributes with new perspectives for the elaboration of actions, commitments and public policies at the local level. Limitations related to significant distances between the institutional discourse of the Slow City Movement and the reality experienced by its members were also evidenced. However, it was observed that community involvement for the co-production of the public good, urban planning and territorial innovation are elements inherent to development and sustainability, bringing new possibilities for public management at the local level, such as adherence to the United Nations’ 2030 Global Agenda.

Keywords: Slow City. Territorial Qualification. Urban Planning. Public Coproduction. Territorial Innovation.