This final chapter synthesizes the theoretical, methodological, and empirical insights developed throughout the study, reaffirming the central premise that sustainability is not merely a technical objective but a profoundly cultural and ethical process. Drawing on the biocultural approach, the chapter conceptualizes the city as a living system of interdependence in which culture operates as the connective medium linking social equity, ecological integrity, and participatory governance. The empirical findings from Ixelles illustrate that sustainable urban transformation emerges through practices of cooperation, creativity, and dialogue across cultural and institutional boundaries. By integrating Foucault’s notion of biopolitics with contemporary theories of governance and cultural resilience, the study advances a model of the biocultural city that reconceptualizes urban life as both a site of power and of possibility. The incorporation of Anderson’s (Do no harm: How aid can support peace—Or war. Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1999) Do No Harm principle extends this framework with a reflexive ethical dimension, emphasizing that no policy or intervention is neutral and that sustainable governance must actively avoid reinforcing inequalities or social divides. Ultimately, the biocultural city emerges as both a theoretical paradigm and a pragmatic vision for future urban development. It advocates for interdisciplinary, justice-oriented, and participatory approaches that align cultural meaning with ecological responsibility. In doing so, it provides a pathway toward cities that are not only environmentally resilient but also socially cohesive, ethically grounded, and creatively adaptive to the challenges of the twenty-first century.

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Final Overall Conclusions

  • Eugenia Bitsani,
  • Theodoros Tsekos,
  • Isidora Thymi,
  • Georgia Marava

摘要

This final chapter synthesizes the theoretical, methodological, and empirical insights developed throughout the study, reaffirming the central premise that sustainability is not merely a technical objective but a profoundly cultural and ethical process. Drawing on the biocultural approach, the chapter conceptualizes the city as a living system of interdependence in which culture operates as the connective medium linking social equity, ecological integrity, and participatory governance. The empirical findings from Ixelles illustrate that sustainable urban transformation emerges through practices of cooperation, creativity, and dialogue across cultural and institutional boundaries. By integrating Foucault’s notion of biopolitics with contemporary theories of governance and cultural resilience, the study advances a model of the biocultural city that reconceptualizes urban life as both a site of power and of possibility. The incorporation of Anderson’s (Do no harm: How aid can support peace—Or war. Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1999) Do No Harm principle extends this framework with a reflexive ethical dimension, emphasizing that no policy or intervention is neutral and that sustainable governance must actively avoid reinforcing inequalities or social divides. Ultimately, the biocultural city emerges as both a theoretical paradigm and a pragmatic vision for future urban development. It advocates for interdisciplinary, justice-oriented, and participatory approaches that align cultural meaning with ecological responsibility. In doing so, it provides a pathway toward cities that are not only environmentally resilient but also socially cohesive, ethically grounded, and creatively adaptive to the challenges of the twenty-first century.