(WORK IN PROGRESS ---DO NOT QUOTE) The Dilemma of Programming and Mobilising in the Urban Cultural Landscape of the New Dutch Waterline

Abstract

This paper examines a central dilemma in governance-oriented planning: the tension between mobilising actors through visionary, communicative processes and programming concrete actions to achieve implementation. Drawing on the theories of Scharpf and Ostrom, it analyses how actors balance open, risk-taking mobilisation with the risk-averse demands of programming. The case study focuses on the National Project New Dutch Waterline, where over 30 actors cooperate to revitalise an 85 km former military defence line, preserving cultural heritage and enhancing landscape quality in a Zwischenstadt context. Findings indicate that the dilemma was addressed by separating mobilising and programming activities among different groups of actors and sequencing them, but this led to their disconnection. The study highlights the challenges of integrating both processes to achieve effective governance in complex, multi-actor planning environments.