Listening to “Generation Jacobs”

A Case Study in Participatory Engagement for a Child-Friendly City

Abstract

This paper reflects on the enduring value of Jane Jacobs’ The Death and Life of Great American Cities in the context of child-friendly cities. This is explored through a project in Belfast that has engaged primary school children in how they understand their local environment. The project has demonstrated that while children can effectively contribute to policy debates, children’s views need to be expressed in a way that can be effectively assimilated into planning debates. The paper suggests that “Generation Jacobs” could be used as a rhetorical device to frame children’s needs in a way that can be better understood by the planning profession.