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Accepted Paper:
Political Support as an Enabler and a Constraint: The Case of Aerial Gondolas in La Paz, Bolivia
Enrique Pelaez
(Georgetown University Global Cities Initiative)
Paper short abstract:
I explore the political economy of the implementation of the largest aerial gondola system in La Paz, Bolivia. I critically link theory and practice to discuss the trade-offs between political incentives and urban planning, analyzing their systemic effects on morphology and networked infrastructures
Paper long abstract:
Many variables harness and condition the implementation of urban infrastructure projects in cities in the Global South. Particularly, in contexts of low institutionalization and scarcity of resources, the implementation of transformative infrastructure is dependent on high-level political support. Analyzing the dynamics and incentives of political support is key to understanding which projects get prioritized and why, and why do they have particular impacts on the cities and populations they serve.
For this paper I conducted 20 interviews to key stakeholders and triangulate them with other secondary sources to explore the political economy of the implementation of Mi Teleferico, the largest aerial ropeway transit system in the world, in La Paz, Bolivia. Thirty years of unsuccessful or unimplemented transportation policies changed after the intervention of the Central Government, using its full political, financial, and bureaucratic resources to support the implementation of Mi Teleferico.
This paper explores the role of politics not only as an enabler but also as a constraint. I argue that the political support came at the expense of some of urban planning best practices. Tight electoral timelines and costly coordination resulted in a top-down, expeditive approach towards the design, bidding, and construction processes.
As a closing note, I argue that practitioners should work on a dual-level approach. Firstly, on a strategic level, push for greater institutionalization of urban infrastructure as a way to achieve greater and more efficient impact. Secondly, urban practitioners should anticipate and incorporate politics into the planning process, by using specific political economy tools.
Click the star to add/remove an item to/from your individual schedule.
You need to be logged in to avail of this functionality, and to see the links to virtual rooms. Log in
Accepted Paper:
Enrique Pelaez (Georgetown University Global Cities Initiative)
Paper short abstract:
Paper long abstract:
Many variables harness and condition the implementation of urban infrastructure projects in cities in the Global South. Particularly, in contexts of low institutionalization and scarcity of resources, the implementation of transformative infrastructure is dependent on high-level political support. Analyzing the dynamics and incentives of political support is key to understanding which projects get prioritized and why, and why do they have particular impacts on the cities and populations they serve.
For this paper I conducted 20 interviews to key stakeholders and triangulate them with other secondary sources to explore the political economy of the implementation of Mi Teleferico, the largest aerial ropeway transit system in the world, in La Paz, Bolivia. Thirty years of unsuccessful or unimplemented transportation policies changed after the intervention of the Central Government, using its full political, financial, and bureaucratic resources to support the implementation of Mi Teleferico.
This paper explores the role of politics not only as an enabler but also as a constraint. I argue that the political support came at the expense of some of urban planning best practices. Tight electoral timelines and costly coordination resulted in a top-down, expeditive approach towards the design, bidding, and construction processes.
As a closing note, I argue that practitioners should work on a dual-level approach. Firstly, on a strategic level, push for greater institutionalization of urban infrastructure as a way to achieve greater and more efficient impact. Secondly, urban practitioners should anticipate and incorporate politics into the planning process, by using specific political economy tools.
Cities, Urbanisation, and the Politics of Urban Infrastructure Systems
Session 1 Wednesday 6 July, 2022, -