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S.J.L.M. Humble

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Creating a just and sustainable future for caravan dwellers in the Netherlands

Master thesis (2024) - S.J.L.M. Humble, G. Bracken, V.E. Balz
Over the past 100 years, caravan dwellers in the Netherlands have been a subject of discussion. In the past, laws have banned them from travelling, placed them in big camps, decentralised these camps and even tried to force them into sedentary life through an extinction policy. After a verdict by the European Court for Human Rights, a new policy framework was created for caravan dweller accommodation, redirecting responsibility to municipalities. However, the stigmatised, spatially and socially segregated group is still not seeing improvement in meeting their human rights. Due to a lack of input and output legitimacy fuelled by a complex history with many discriminatory practices, they are distrusting of the government. The government admits fault and a knowledge gap in expertise on caravan dwellers. However, the group that could aid in filling the knowledge gap and improving the input legitimacy is hesitant to cooperate due to mutual distrust.

This research attempts to explore the interconnectedness of the themes of people, policies, spatial principles and governance &participation to create a new approach to the caravan dweller politics and decision-making process in the spatial planning context, by focusing on input and output legitimacy. Through different analytical and fieldwork methods ranging from media analysis to interviews, an approach is created that will advise on the current framework recommendations, who should be involved in which manner and how the process should be approached. A more central role for the national government and a participation roadmap that, together with the framework recommendations, will give insight into which mechanisms and tools can increase input and output legitimacy will pave the way to rebuild the trust between the different stakeholders and create a just and sustainable future for the caravan dwellers in the Netherlands.
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Using old principles in the current agricultural food system to create a sustainable and just future

For the past centuries, the agricultural sector in north western Europe underwent massive intensification to keep up with the great demand due to globalization and population growth. In this process, an excessive amount of nitrogen has been emitted into the environment, causing soil depletion and biodiversity loss. The efforts of national politics, like the Netherlands and Belgium, to tackle this crisis has brought conflict concerning social justice. This project aims to provide a socially just strategy that achieves a sustainable agricultural food system, which in turn solves the nitrogen crisis by the year 2075. This is done by literature research on past principles, the current context and future trends of both social and environmental concerns. By building on the concepts of decentralization and sustainable land use in scenario building, a vision is formed. A conceptual framework has been set up to connect all the elements considered important within this transition. Through research by and research for design, a strategy will be developed in which South Holland will be used as a case study.
The goal of the report is to showcase a transition from the current agricultural food system into a just and sustainable one. Essential to achieve this goal is to look at different parts of the agricultural chain. The strategy inducing this transition includes new policies, technologies, knowledge and practices that reduce the nitrogen emissions. Through policies and projects some components will be phased out while others are simultaneously accelerated to activate the transition. Based on environmental attributes, different options are offered to guide farmers to proactively switch to more sustainable forms of agriculture. At the same time, consumers and distribution companies, guided by all levels of government, move to shorter chains to support sustainable farmers. To demonstrate the strategy on a local scale, three areas within the province of South Holland have been selected as a case study. By implementing a multi-scaled and holistic approach on the agricultural food system, engaging stakeholders on different levels, the project has the potential to serve as a blueprint for creating a just and sustainable food system that no longer causes nitrogen pollution.
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