ABSTRACT
The earthquakes that struck Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2010–11 ruptured both the material and sociocultural architectures of the city. Subsequent examinations of the landscape have explored the alternative imaginations and narrations of urban space that have taken hold during recovery. Focusing on the prolific presence of transitional organisations in the city-centre, some of these have argued that the alternative subjectivities and places that arose post-quake represent responses that challenge and contest state expectations of what constitutes ‘recovery’. This paper develops these ideas further, arguing that such practices and imaginaries can also be observed in other spaces of the ruptured city. Specifically it explores the relocation decisions made by citizens who were subjected to a globally unprecedented state-buyback scheme. Through a typological analysis I argue that, rather than representing submission to state recovery ideologies, the decisions made by movers invoked new kinds of identity, meaning and value amongst participants. In doing so this paper explores the multiple spaces through which ethical fidelity to the perceived transformational nature and potential of the disaster has been performed. Such analysis problematises narratives of what constitutes ‘recovery’ and raises questions about how the transformational potential of disasters pervade landscapes through multiple spaces and scales.
RÉSUMÉ
Les tremblements de terre qui ont frappé Christchurch en Nouvelle-Zélande en 2010–2011 ont fait exploser les architectures matérielles et socio-culturelles de la ville. Des examens ultérieurs du paysage ont exploré les imaginations et les récits alternatifs de l’espace urbain qui se sont établis pendant la reconstruction. Concentrés sur la présence abondante d’organisations transitives dans le centre-ville, certains d’entre eux ont soutenu que les subjectivités et les lieux alternatifs qui sont nés après le tremblement représentent des réactions qui défient et contestent les attentes de l’Etat par rapport à ce qui constitue une « reconstruction ». Cet article va plus loin dans le développement de ces idées, en soutenant que de telles pratiques et imaginaires peuvent aussi être observés dans d’autres lieux de la ville éclatée. En particulier, il explore les décisions de relocalisation faites par les citoyens qui ont été assujettis à un projet de rachat par l’Etat, sans précédent dans le monde. Au moyen d’une analyse typologique, je soutiens que plutôt que de représenter une soumission aux idéologies de reconstruction de l’Etat, les décisions prises par les gens d’influence ont invoqué de nouvelles sortes d’identité, de sens et de valeur parmi les participants. Ce faisant, cet article explore les nombreux espaces aux travers desquels la fidélité éthique à la nature transformationnelle perçue et au potentiel du désastre s’est effectuée. Une telle analyse met en évidence le problème des récits de ce qui constitue une « reconstruction » et soulève les questions de savoir comment le potentiel transformationnel des désastres s’infiltre dans les paysages à travers de nombreux espaces et à diverses échelles.
RESUMEN
Los terremotos que azotaron Christchurch, Nueva Zelanda, en 2010–11 rompieron las arquitecturas materiales y socioculturales de la ciudad. Los exámenes posteriores del paisaje han explorado las imaginaciones alternativas y las narraciones del espacio urbano que se han afianzado durante la recuperación. Centrándose en la prolífica presencia de organizaciones de transición en el centro de la ciudad, algunos de ellos han argumentado que las subjetividades y los lugares alternativos que surgieron después del terremoto representan respuestas que desafían y cuestionan las expectativas del estado de lo que constituye la ‘recuperación’. Este documento desarrolla estas ideas aún más, argumentando que tales prácticas e imaginarios también pueden observarse en otros espacios de la ciudad destrozada. Específicamente, explora las decisiones de reubicación tomadas por ciudadanos que fueron sometidos a un plan de recompra estatal sin precedentes a nivel mundial. A través de un análisis tipológico, se sostiene que, en lugar de representar la sumisión a las ideologías de recuperación del estado, las decisiones tomadas por aquellos que se reubicaron invocaron nuevos tipos de identidad, significado y valor entre los participantes. De esta forma, este documento explora los múltiples espacios a través de los cuales se ha representado la fidelidad ética a la naturaleza transformadora percibida y al potencial del desastre. Este análisis problematiza las narrativas de lo que constituye la ‘recuperación’ y plantea preguntas sobre cómo el potencial de transformación de los desastres invade los paisajes a través de múltiples espacios y escalas.
Acknowledgments
I acknowledge the contributions and extreme generosity of those involved in this study – all of whom opened their homes to me over a period of years. I also acknowledge the significant contributions of David Conradson (who supported/mentored me through this study and shaped my own ‘sense-making’ of the earthquakes as well) and the three anonymous reviewers (all of whom provided constructive feedback about how to better communicate my own embeddedness in the landscape in the context of an academic paper).
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. The focus of this study is on a suburb in Christchurch, a city situated in the larger district of Canterbury. Whilst this paper often refers to the ‘earthquakes in Christchurch’, the earthquake series is generally referred to the ‘Canterbury earthquakes’ – acknowledging that many of the more significant quakes were situated on fault lines outside of the city.
2. The state rationale for this red-zone process differed across the city. Much of the red-zoning in the Port Hills(south of the city) was to mitigate against current and future rock-fall. Meanwhile red-zoning in the eastern ‘flat’ suburbs was in response to required land repair that would be ‘prolonged and uneconomic’ to complete in the near future. The zoning decision was justified as a way of capping the state’s financial liability to future earthquakes. See Johnson & Mamula-Seadon (2014) for further detail.
3. The project relied heavily on community collaboration and resources in Southshore. Initial project aims were designed in collaboration with neighbourhood association leaders (who were interested in tracing how the zoning scheme would ‘disperse’ the community), and almost all interviews took place in a community-owned space/hall. These community relationships were also demanded in order to gain ethical approval from the University of Canterbury – particularly in response to concerns that Christchurch had quickly turned into a ‘research laboratory’ (see Dickinson, Citation2018 for further detail). Some participants were recruited through mailbox leaflets, although most responded to advertisements put out by the neighbourhood association. In addition to reports given back to the community, my position as a red-zoner from another neighbourhood meant that I often was asked to wear many ‘hats’ – sharing information about experiences from other red-zone neighbourhoods and passing on community news to those who had left the suburb early in the process. As noted by the Southshore organisation, bringing together information in this way was viewed as a valuable way of giving back to the community.
4. These narratives were expressed by many in the study, but can also be seen in part through local media coverage of the tensions between red-zoners and those ‘left behind’ (see Wright & Turner, Citation2012 for a piece documenting views that red-zoners, in their acceptance of the pay-out, could ‘leave and recover’ while others could not).
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