The Logics of Preschool Facilities-Making and “Self-Management” in Misato Danchi: A Critical Consideration of Narratives of “Lack of Facilities and Infrastructure”

Abstract

This paper analyzes the preschool facilities-making movements in Misato-Danchi, with the aim of revisiting the current analysis that explains resident social movements in suburban mass housing complexes (Danchi). From 1973 to 1976, residents of Misato-Danchi actively demanded the construction of a public kindergarten and organized childcare initiatives through mutual aid. Previous research has argued that these movements were a response to the lack of facilities resulting from rapid urbanization. This paper critically examines these narratives of “lack” and argues that the motivations of the participants, the local context of urban development, and the ongoing self-management of facilities play significant roles that cannot be fully explained by the narratives of “lack” alone. By examining the motives and logics of facilities-making, the paper provides a more nuanced and contextually rich understanding of the resident social movements in Danchi.