Of Cities, and Daydreams, and Everything so Far: Children's Creation of Fictional Cities from Crayons to Reimagining Urban Futures

This is a book in progress that explores the urban imaginaries of slum-dwelling children through the creation of four fictional cities, each alluding to the cultural, socio-economic, and political contexts of the Bundok slum neighborhood in San Jose del Monte, Philippines. The creation of fictional cities took place in a worldbuilding workshop with children aged 9-12 years old in the Bundok slum neighborhood, to show how they shape urban narratives and capture the multidimensionality of their spatialities.

Otherwising our way to the elsewhere: The place of imagination in urban geography

How can the otherwise enrich our understanding of the elsewhere in urban theory, critique, and practice? I refer to the otherwise as imaginations—the unreal, fictional, mythical, hypothetical, and fantastical. Imaginations or the capacity to create and envision possibilities, make way for imaginaries or the shared meanings that shape our understanding of cities. This matters for urban geography because like imaginative worlds, cities are collective illusions, shaped by the plural and often messy make-beliefs of their inhabitants (Grinsell 2020). This complexity warrants attention in urban geography because imaginations are drawn from the particular contexts of those who imagine, making imagination a lens to ground more questions around different understandings, angles, reworkings, and every possibility of urbanity. Imagination allows for playfulness and ambition, selecting the best or worst worth speculating about (Dunne and Raby 2013). The diversity of urban imaginaries is evident in examples like Dubai, envisioned as an urban wonderland and shopping mecca (Haines 2011), and cities like Bangalore and Surabaya, once envisioned as the next Singapore (Nair 2005; Idawati 2010).

While the fictional cities in this book contain culture bound parochial knowledge, the same imaginations do not take away the capacities of global analysis to make sense of the local scene, providing fertile grounds for global analysis. The otherwise circumvents binary between the local and global—acknowledging that theoretical frameworks, though rooted in a particular context, can transcend local boundaries to inform broader and global analysis through fiction. This echoes the cautionary note sounded by Banerjee, Nigam, and Pandey (2016, 46), who warn against theoretical frameworks succumbing to the “trap of either an unqualified universalism or a naive historicism”. In this light, fiction emerges as a means to transcend the confines of local-global distinctions, facilitating connections between diverse elsewheres, across different contexts and imaginations. This alludes to Doreen Massey’s (2005) note that what we understand about our spaces are at best, “stories-so-far” (p. 142) and they keep on evolving; and that we can rethink “how we might pursue an alternative imagination” (p. 13). The fictional cities embody urban spaces in-progress. The children’s fictional cities also reflect Massey’s concept of throwntogetherness in that these cities embody contradictions and coherence together.

Imagination unsettles, a disruptive force. Whereas producing fiction has been assumed as something of an adult’s prerogative, children are equally capable of imagining, even more so I reckon. It is only their circumstances that either sharpen or destroy their opportunities and abilities to do so (Holloway and Valentine 2000). Like their imaginations, children can provoke and inspire alternative futures and envision new possibilities. Of course, imaginaries do not always translate into actionable visions as neatly as we would like them to. But it is these imaginaries—sometimes relatable, sometimes strange—that can inspire us to navigate and try uncharted thoughts in real life. Whilst research on children employs data on their actual experience, world-building exudes the uniqueness of children’s thoughts as they make sense of what a city means to them. After all, humans reinvent reality, albeit in different ways; and children, too, can inspire rethinking what else is possible in a city, with a sprinkle of “what if”.

Note: The writing of the fictional cities in this book takes on a literary genre, promoting a creative process of writing as a counter-narrative against the hegemonic process of knowledge generation in geographic studies using the rigidities of “academic” writing.

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This also contributes to the knowledge of the following readers:

For readers of global Southern theories, the book project on the urban imaginaries of slum-dwelling children can provide insights into the ways in which children in the global South shape urban narratives. The book's focus on the creation of four fictional cities by children offers a unique perspective on how they imagine their living spaces and the communities they inhabit. By showcasing the agency of these children, the book challenges dominant narratives that portray them as passive victims of their environments. The book's emphasis on the voices and experiences of these children can also contribute to ongoing debates about the role of marginalized communities in shaping global discourses on development and urbanization.

For readers of urban geographies, this book offers a fresh perspective on the ways in which urban imaginaries are shaped. The book pays attention to the perspectives of slum-dwelling children and offers a unique vantage point on urban landscapes and the ways in which these landscapes are navigated and imagined by their inhabitants. The book's emphasis on the creation of four fictional cities can also contribute to debates about the role of imagination and creativity in shaping urban environments.

For readers of children's geographies, this book project provides thick descriptions of the children’s spaces as well as the insights on creative methodologies in conducting research. By emphasizing the voices and agency of these children, the book challenges dominant narratives that portray them as passive victims of their environments. The book's focus on the creation of four fictional cities can also contribute to debates about the role of play and imagination in shaping children's experiences of their surroundings.

For casual readers, this is just fun. Readers can explore fictional worlds, which offer an engaging and accessible exploration of the ways in which slum-dwelling children shape urban narratives. The book's focus on the creation of four fictional cities also offers an imaginative and creative lens through which to view urban landscapes. The book's emphasis on the voices and experiences of these children can provide a unique perspective on urban environments and the ways in which they are experienced and imagined.

For young readers, this book project can make a significant contribution by providing children with accessible academic work. The book will showcase to fellow children how slum-dwelling children shape urban imaginaries, highlighting their visions and experiences; needs, and desires. The child-friendly version of the book's appendix will be specifically designed to be accessible to younger audiences, encouraging them to engage with the book's concepts and ideas in a fun and engaging way.