Rethinking Relationships Between Public Institutions and Community Initiatives: The Cases of Astra (Gernika) and Karmela (Santutxu, Bilbao)

Abstract

In the Basque Country, popular movement and local community initiatives have precipitated interesting changes in the relationships and the form in which dialogue is conducted between social movements, public administrations, and politicians. Based on two of these initiatives, the objective of this chapter is to analyze alternative models of relationship between public administrations and social movement networks and initiatives. The chapter also draws attention to contributions that the university and the social sciences can make in terms of both facilitating the internal strengthening of community initiatives and increasing their legitimacy with respect to public administrations and other community agents. To this end, we highlight the epistemological importance of studying and increasing the visibility of instances of political creativity. These initiatives make important social contributions including the community management of disused spaces; free training, leisure, and culture activities; places for rehearsal and experimentation; barter, recycling, and responsible consumption; and material and emotional support for marginalized people. However, they also facilitate the democratization of political institutions, expanding the horizon of what is understood as possible and achievable. After contextualizing and briefly presenting the two case studies, we conclude that a careful dialogue between popular initiatives and public administrations facilitates a strengthening of both these spaces and grassroots participatory networks of political participation. These networks contribute to the coexistence of diverse groups and identities; to social cohesion and community connectedness; to social and institutional transformation; and to the de-commodification and de-bureaucratization of spaces for the exercise of civil rights and for the self-managed satisfaction of social and cultural needs.