Limits to social innovation. Shifts in Flemish strategic projects towards market oriented approaches

Abstract

According to recent analyses, many strategic projects are part of a "New Urban Policy" favouring private developments and enhancing gentrification and social exclusion. Alternative projects should be more transformative, integrated and emancipatory. In order to test these claims for the Flemish region, I use Moulaert and Nussbaumer's model (2005a) on the concept of social innovation to evaluate the socio-spatial innovation capacity of two Flemish strategic projects. The analysis suggests that social innovation is possible but that Flemish strategic projects are strongly affected by market, property and management oriented approaches.