The Formation Process of “Incommensurable Publicness" in Urban Space:

Referring to the landscape conflict in Shimokitazawa district, Setagaya-city

Abstract

　There are still social movements against the commodification of urban space. This paper reconsiders such social movement’s grounds of justice. So far, this research task has been studied through the analytical framework of “publicness”. However, in recent years, this analytical framework has been criticized in that it tends to eliminate values of minorities by assuming single commensurable value. Therefore, “incommensurable publicness”, being composed of incommensurable values, is becoming important analytical framework.

　But, this new analytical framework is followed by troublesome research task: namely, we have to discuss the reason why specific values should be defended, because incommensurability needs to be differentiated from relativism. This paper pays attention to the discussions in thesis of liberalism that try to defend specific values on the grounds of “common values”. These “common values” are presumed as minimum moral bases that apply to incommensurable values.

　Focusing on “common values”, this paper examines the grounds of social movement in the case of landscape conflictin Shimokitazawa district. This conflicthas been caused by urban planning which newly founds road for “safety” and “accessibility” at the cost of lives of some merchants, visitors, and inhabitants. Facing “publicness” of the urban planning, movement has been evolving by respecting various values. In recent years, movement groups are constructing legal discourse of “common right” as norm. Furthermore they have tried to make alternative plans on land use and land management for years.

　Behind the background of these activities, there is cognition that recognizes various stakeholders as “co-owners of space”. In this cognition, we can findout “the considerations for others”, which can be grasped as “common values”. Therefore, this cognition is social movement’s ground of justice. Furthermore, on the basis of this cognition, there is a possibility that “incommensurable publicness” is forming.