UvA Thesis
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
This thesis is about urban ideal images. It is about dreams - not fictitious beliefs, but dreams that humankind can realize tomorrow. It is about images from intellectuals, pastry cooks, urban planners and firemen. About people who deeply care about their cities, about their hopes, frustrations, anger and optimism. They describe their ideals in city debates to gain support, and try to eliminate those with different urban ideal images. They grouse, cuddle, quarrel, adore allies and blacken enemies. But are they successful? Do people change their urban ideal images because of these discussions? Does the local planning council change their plans because they conflict with ideals of citizens? The answers can be found in this book.
Cordula Rooijendijk (1973) studied urban geography and graduated in 2001 cum laude at the University of Amsterdam, with a thesis on ideal images of Amsterdam. She carried out her PhD research at the Amsterdam Institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies (AMIDSt), under the supervision of Len de Klerk en Paul van de Laar. Together with the historians Geert Mak and Michiel Wagenaar, she has been teaching international students about Amsterdam's history. She enjoys telling stories about the city, as she has done regularly in several newspapers, journals, and books.