"We're not NIMBYs!" Contrasting local protest groups with idealised conceptions of sustainable communities

Katie Mcclymont, Paul O'Hare

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The term "NIMBY" is used prolifically in both academic literature and general public discourse to describe a locally based action group protesting against a proposed development. It is frequently used to dismiss groups as selfish or ill-informed, as is illustrated both by those who accuse opponents of possessing such characteristics and also by the attempts of many community groups to reject the label. This lies in sharp contrast to the much encouraged notions of public participation in planning and community life as proposed by the UK government's proclaimed vision of a "sustainable community". This paper argues that this dichotomy between "good" and "bad" participation can be misleading, by drawing on research from two case studies where locally based community groups opposed a specific, detailed development. The paper contributes to a burgeoning literature that reappraises conventional understandings of such groups by analysing often overlooked facets of protest groups, concluding that the conventional conceptualisations of them as NIMBY is inadequate and unhelpful in academic debate.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)321-335
Number of pages14
JournalLocal Environment
Volume13
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2008

Keywords

  • Active community
  • NIMBYism
  • Public participation
  • Public protest
  • Sustainable communities

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of '"We're not NIMBYs!" Contrasting local protest groups with idealised conceptions of sustainable communities'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this