The use of the wasteland, ‘Nobelveldje’, in Wageningen in 2012 is an example of a public collective platform being established for the temporary use of a nearby vacant lot. A network analyses could be a useful tool to gain insight into the distribution of roles and responsibilities. But also to gain insight into how widely this initiative ultimately has been embraced by the neighbourhood. What has been the result of the temporary use in this neighbourhood? What can we learn from this and what this means for the established institutions regarding the use of space in the city?

Self-organization is a current trend. Justus Uitermark from Erasmus University Amsterdam describes new ways of cooperation in Public Collective platforms. These platforms represent a new ethic of cooperation acting alongside the discipline of market forces and the State. Uitermark states that self-organisation could stimulate asymmetric network structures and he elaborates a methodology to analyse network development.

Keywords: temporal use, mobile, involvement , expectations, responsibilities, divers, transition, civil-initiative, edible garden, self-organization, traveling garden (reizende tuin), quality of community, guerrilla gardening, social capital, DIY-care, social mobilisation, urban agriculture, citizenship, transition town, collaboration.

A thesis can be designed by the student with the above ideas. The process will be guided by the external commissioners who can provide support of ideas and access to people.

For more information: Jeroen Kruit, Alterra Wageningen UR, jeroen.kruit@wur.nl