With the “Hear, Here” series, we aim to facilitate conversations around new research in the humanities. Faculty fellows at the Institute for the Humanities will discuss a part of their current project in a short talk followed by a Q & A session.

About this talk: In urban planning and design, the concept of placemaking emphasizes community participation, diversity, and everyday residents’ role in producing place, often through artistic interventions in public spaces. This talk examines the emergence of placemaking as a field of expertise in Detroit and nationally. It argues that placemaking resolves a key tension in the professional practice of urban planning and within Detroit’s efforts to publicly engage communities in urban development. The urge to involve the community in decision-making comes at a time when urban inequities have gained prominence in public policy. Placemaking aims to resolve this tension by symbolically elevating the local histories and affective ties of longtime residents, while promoting market-aligned economic development.

Jacob Lederman is a 2024-25 Norman Freehling Visiting Fellow at the Institute for the Humanities and Associate Professor; Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice at U-M Flint.