CMMM

The CMMM (Critical Mapping for Municipalist Movements) project is a practice-oriented research initiative that focuses on supporting civil society actors in their quest to create just societies and cities through political transformation. Launched by a team of researchers and activists during a Robert Bosch Stiftung event in December 2017, the project has been funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and received additional support from K LAB at TU Berlin. Key figures involved in this initiative include Julia Förster, Julita Skodra, Katleen De Flander, Natasha Aruri, and Andreas Brück. The project ran for 3.5 years, from 2019 to 2023, and was conducted in three cities: Barcelona, Belgrade, and Berlin.

Critical mapping is a central theme of the CMMM project, which emphasizes the democratization of mapping technologies that have traditionally been elitist. By making these tools accessible, the project aims to empower communities to visualize complex urban issues, allowing them to advocate for change effectively. The project highlights how critical mapping can reshape narratives and discourses around urban challenges, particularly in the context of housing.

Housing was selected as a focal point for the research due to its universal relevance and the pressing need for reform in all three cities. The project examines various issues, including housing affordability, evictions, and the financialization of real estate. By addressing these topics, the CMMM project underscores the significant role that housing plays in urban life and the necessity for reformative measures.

The project conducts a comparative analysis of different urban contexts, identifying both common challenges and unique local dynamics. For instance, while Barcelona has a robust municipalist movement that has influenced local governance, Belgrade is still in the process of developing its municipalist framework amidst post-socialist transitions. This comparative approach allows for a nuanced understanding of how municipalist movements can reshape local politics and respond to housing crises.

In Belgrade, the housing crisis is exacerbated by neoliberal policies and a high percentage of privately owned housing. The Ministry of Space collective is actively working to address these issues through critical mapping and advocacy efforts. This indicates a growing recognition of the need for community-driven solutions to urban challenges.

Berlin, characterized by a majority tenant population, faces challenges related to gentrification and affordable housing. Civic initiatives are advocating for Gemeinwohl-oriented governance to counteract neoliberal influences that threaten housing affordability. The city's dynamic political environment underscores the importance of grassroots movements in shaping housing policy.

Barcelona is known for its vibrant political atmosphere, where the housing crisis is closely linked to tourism-driven demand and inadequate tenant protections. Local movements are actively pushing for more comprehensive public housing policies to address these pressing issues.

The CMMM project employed collaborative workshops, mapping exercises, and the development of interactive tools to visualize urban data. Guided by principles of feminist data visualization, the project emphasizes pluralism, empowerment, and context sensitivity. This approach fosters international collaboration among activists and researchers, highlighting the potential of critical mapping in supporting municipalist movements.

Overall, the CMMM project serves as a model for how critical mapping can be utilized to address urban challenges related to housing and beyond, emphasizing the importance of local context and community empowerment in the pursuit of sustainable urban development.