In the last years pressing topics such as the growing space competition, gentrification and segregation processes have increasingly dominated debates on the future of German cities. At the same time practices of sharing and commoning – challenging the neoliberal trends in urban development – are gaining momentum. Drawing on these, the research project “StadtTeilen” focuses on the relevance and potential of sharing in socially mixed neighbourhoods to counteract space competition. Building upon recent academic debates on urban commons governance and practices of sharing and urban commoning by diverse urban actors and innitiatives, the research project investigates the potential of sharing as a catalysator of urban transformation processes.
The project includes case studies of inner-city neighbourhoods in three German cities: Berlin, Kassel and Stuttgart. In addition to an urban sociological analysis, forms and possibilities of sharing are discussed and researched together with residents and other urban actors in ‘dialog-events’ and in an Urban Living Lab (ULL) in Berlin. The project results will be disseminated to different audiences, including the academic community via scientific publications and the participation in conferences, as well as to other urban stakeholders via handouts and design formats. Special emphasis is made to ensure that results are transferred back into the neighbourhoods.