key concepts Flashcards
(116 cards)
1
Q
essential urban characteristics
A
dense heterogenous population
infrastructure
spatial organisation
socio spatial inequality
public space
political and economic structures of control
2
Q
louis worth definition of a city
A
a large dense permanent settlement of socially heterogenous individuals
3
Q
dimensions of urbanism
A
social, political, cultural, spatial
4
Q
specialisation, segmentation and anonymity in urban life (wirth on urbanism)
A
highly specific roles and high division of labour
social interactions are compartmentalised to many contexts
surrounded by strangers and don’t personally know most people they encounter
different to traditional/rural communities
5
Q
substitution of secondary ties for primary ties
A
primary ties eg family, close friends, neighbourhoods (deep intimate personal relations)
vs coworkers, service workers, teachers etc (formal, goal oriented connections) often transactional and temporary
6
Q
contemporary urban condition
A
concentration of power, economy and culture
intensified urban processes
7
Q
three interacted perspectives of urbanism
A
- physical or built environments, the tangible measurable elements
- social organisations ie institutions and social roles
- cultural attitude ie beliefs, values, mass culture
8
Q
how physical, social and cultural aspects of urbanism intertwine
A
physical density affects the type of social organisation that exists,and the social roles and institutions influence dominant cultural attitudes. cultural attitudes also shape urban planning in turn
9
Q
conceptual dimensions of community
A
ontological, epistemological and empirical
what is it, how do we study it, what are its impacts and expressions in urban life
10
Q
mosaic of small worlds
A
robert park ie chicago school view of cities: a natural social laboratory. a complex patchwork of neighbourhoods, ethnic enclaves, class based groups etc.
11
Q
contested views of community
A
is community a practice? a natural inherent quality of places or socially constructed? based on geographic locality or shared/homogeneous identity? can it exist in difference
12
Q
community emerging in response to threats
A
demolition or displacement strengthens community
13
Q
community as a practice
A
it is not inherent but something we actively do and create. requires intention
14
Q
community as a rhetorical tool
A
different parties will evoke community depending on their aims eg a it visits or urban developers
used in struggles over space identity and belonging
15
Q
localism
A
devolving power to neighbourhood forums
viewing communities as formal political actors and agents
aims to decentralise power and give local residents a say in development and planning
raises concerns about representation, power asymmetry and inclusivity
16
Q
public space
A
areas accessible to all people regardless of ownership eg streets plazas parks sidewalks etc
17
Q
expanding view of public space
A
not just physical property, but socially produced, contested and symbolic
18
Q
three key features of public space
A
- multiplex, there are multiple forms, functions, meanings and locations
- essentially contested
- tied to visibility and collectivity, they are open, seen and involve collective interests
19
Q
political dimensions of public space
A
public space is deeply political, a site of speech protest assembly and opposition
the public is where we enact the public sphere: a place for collective reason and public will
20
Q
mitchell, arendt and young on public space
A
- where dissent becomes visible
- crucial for political life, deliberation and political agency
- politics depends on public space, democratic action needs public space
21
Q
iris marion young key public space idea
A
public spaces should not be designed to overprioritise neatness and order. this can unintentionally exclude difference and suppress real democratic engagement. diverse perspectives and conflicting views are essential
22
Q
pluralism
A
the coexistence of different identities, ideas and experiences which are essential for democracy in urban settings. allows for authentic participation
23
Q
contested functions of public space
A
leisure vs protest
commerce
politics
identity expression
24
Q
three main concerns of end of public space debate
A
- repression through surveillance, over policing and restrictions
- commodification as places become about profit not people
- exclusion as places are being redefined for elite groups
25
pseudo public spaces
places appear public but are actually privately owned allowing for exclusions and more restrictions to be placed on them. people aren’t aware of the rights and rules in a space, undermining democracy
26
is regulation necessary or repressive?
some level of regulation ensures safety and function but who decides what us excessive
is discomfort or tolerance a part of keeping a space public?
27
how is public space socially constructed?
it reflects urban power structures, cultural values and political tensions
28
what is multiculture
the everyday lived experiences of cultural diversity in global cities. how people from different ethnic, religious, racial and cultural backgrounds like together and shape urban life
29
multiculture vs multiculturalism
- bottom up, everyday practices, spontaneous and ordinary mixing if people across race/ethnicity
- top down policy approach, state driven frameworks to manage diversity eg rights, legal protection , recognition of cultural differences
30
3 different dimensions of urban multiculture
- street level life like markets or neighbourhoods
- temporal expressions like festivals
- spatial dynamics eg inner city vs suburbs
31
conviviality
paul gilroys term for living together well with difference
how we negotiate diversity outside of formal institutions
32
paradoxical coexistence of multiculture and racism in urban conviviality
multiculture can exist in cities with discrimination and territorial stigmatisation
33
multiculture is not inherently harmonious
struggle, resistance and sometimes violence are a part of urban multiculture. it is often romanticised but in reality involves conflict and negation because social cohesion is not automatic
34
how is multiculture under threat
can be undermined by urban development, gentrification and commodification
eg urban restructuring can displace long established multicultural communities
35
why is there super diversity
describes how globalisation and migration creates global flows of people and capital which intensified urban plurality
36
what is super diversity
the complex layering of languages, class, nationalities etc. not just the presence of many cultures
37
why is multiculture distinct
not just the presence of different ethnic groups but the daily negotiation, interaction and production of shared urban life
38
segregation
not just racial or ethnic but the spatial, social and symbolic separation of groups by class, caste, status, religion, language etc
39
ancient segregation
based on religion/caste/class or royal status
enforced through design like walls, districts, access etc
40
modern segregation
urban segregation is about POWER AND HIERARCHY. linked to capitalist industrialisation as this created new types of social inequalities. modern cities relegate working class to slums, alleys and districts
spatial divisions are tied to visibility and power
41
colonial segregation / racial segregation
the spatial division of the coloniser and colonised eg fanon looks at how settler spaces in algiers are characterised by order, light and cleanliness while colonised spaces are characterised by dirt, disease, overcrowding etc
42
marcuse triad model of modern segregation
- ghetto: forced areas of relegation for dominated groups
- enclave: places of autonomy and self determination
- citadels: exclusionary places of elite secession, where elites separate themselves physically and symbolically
43
contemporary methods of segregation
- relegation, placing marginalised groups in peripheral areas/substandard housing
- secession, elites creating gated communities and private spaces
- necrotecture, empty housing for investment purposes and unused by residents while homelessness persists
44
london example
elite fortified enclaves in the centre while the marginalised are pushed to outskirts
centre periphery divide makes complex new patterns of class fragmentation
45
symbolic dimensions of segregation
wacquants concept of territorial stigmatisation which is when certain neighbourhoods are marked as morally, socially and economically inferior
46
advances marginality
exclusion from both resources and respect
47
2 engines of segregation
- capitalist industrialisation ,easing to class based spatial inequality
- colonialism leading to racialised spatial order
48
how is segregation maintained
planning, policy and everyday practice
49
denmark ghetto plan ie without parallel societies initiative
state led displacement. forced relocation and development of public housing into private market housing
targets muslim and immigrant communities explicitly, symbolic territorial stigma of labelling places as ghettos and framing residents as dangerous, pathological and unworthy
- dual process of relegation and secession
50
link of segregation and displacement
urban displacement is achieved through to relegation and secession
51
displacement
process where individuals or communities are forcibly moved or excluded from their homes, neighbourhoods or cultural spaces
52
causes of displacement
- war, famine, natural disasters
- political and economic drivers
- state projects and market forces
- HOUSING DISPLACEMENT is the central concern of urban sociology
53
causes of displacement
- war, famine, natural disasters
- HOUSING DISPLACEMENT is the central concern of urban sociology
54
direct displacement
households forced to move by conditions outside their control and making continued occupancy impossible due to hazards or being unaffordable
often despite meeting tenancy obligations
55
exclusionary displacement
households are excluded from accessing a neighbourhood they might have previously been able to afford due to gentrification
56
displacement pressure
neighbourhood changes create a psychological pressure for residents to move pre-emptively eg businesses, school, services etc. change to serve new more affluent residents
a sense of inevitability
57
political displacement
loss of agency in local politics and spatial control
58
cultural displacement
loss of cultural spaces, collective identity and social status
59
displace ability
the ongoing condition of being vulnerable to displacement multiple times
60
is displacement natural?
some scholars argue that displacement is a part of urban transformation eg through class structure shifts
61
accumulative dispossession (lees and white)
using london council estates as an example to demonstrate the ongoing, layered systemic removal of people from resources, spaces and rights over time
62
what are the cumulative effects of repeated losses
each dispossession weakens peoples economic, emotional and political power making them more vulnerable to exclusion
63
aesthetic logics of displacement
hygienisation logic is where ideas or cleanliness and order are used to justify racialised urban transformations
respectability discourse is where certain residents are framed as undesirable to justify their removal targeting migrant or racialised groups)
64
multi scale impacts of displacement
- individual eg emotional psychological trauma and loss of ontological security
- community eg fractured social ties and diminished local power
- city wide eg restructuring urban patterns and marginalisation of working class to the periphery
65
resistance to displacement
community responses like local campaigns, community land trusts, rent control, legal aid, mapping of at risk areas
asserting right to the city
66
measuring displacement
unit focused eg individual households and eviction statistics or collective scale looking at community transformations and cultural loss
67
ontological security
tithe ability to rely on a place as part of one’s identity and routine. loss of this can lead to psychic suffering and grief due to losing predictability, familiarity and identity
68
what is infrastructure
infra meaning below or within and structure referring to an enduring form or system
describes the social and technological systems that shape and support urban life
69
types of infrastructure
- physical or technical eg electricity, water, roads, transportation
- social eg libraries schools sparks etc supporting life and human interaction
- relational ie the meaning or function depends on the users ability/perspective eg disabled people
- visible or invisible ie things that aren’t seen until disruption reveals its importance
70
three forms of infrastructure
- formalised eg official state sanction and planned systems backed by regulations and standards
- improvised eg created in response to disruption or inadequacy of formal systems like in crisis
- informal which emerge organically through everyday practices often outside of state control in areas with weak governance or underdevelopment
71
why do improvised and informal infrastructure exist?
to fill the gaps left by formalised systems , highlighting inequality. resilience and creativity
72
7 key characteristics of infrastructure according to susan leigh star
- embeddedness ie integrated into other systems
- transparency ie operates without being seen
- reach or scope ie varies in scale and duration
- standards and modularity ie built on on standardised components
- membership ie who is excluded from access
- installed base ie builds on what came before
- fixed in modular increments ie cannot be radically transformed
73
aims of infrastructure
- homogenise experience
- stabilise power
- organise urban life by shaping routine, time and space
74
what does infrastructure do according to urban sociology
reinforce social hierarchies. it is designed with a default user in mind, who is excluded?
75
why is infrastructure political
it determines who gets what, when and how. therefore embodies social relations and priorities. infrastructures are also sites of domination and resistance
76
why is infrastructure a tool of empire
has been used to control imperial and colonial expansion
77
infrastructural violence
when the design, maintenance and governance of systems exclude marginalised groups
78
why is infrastructure social, political and relational
the same object/system serves multiple purposes for different users. it is a system that supports daily life while also structuring inequality. social relations are entrenched in what is built, and how people respond, adapt and resist it
79
what is informality
modes of urban living, organisation and space making that occur outside of formal, legal and codified systems. not a lack of rules but an alternative urban logic which is intertwined with formal systems. a way of structuring, inhabiting and contesting the city
80
conceptual shifts in urban informality
changing the framing from slums to informality avoids moral judgement and opens sociological analysis. using slums have the potential to justify stigmatisation and displacement and ignores that informality is a mode of bottom up city making not just lack/failure
81
7 dimensions of informality
- legality ie extra legal
- organisational ie lacking formal governance
- spatial ie peripheral or embedded
- sociopolitical ie marked by mural aid and social movements
- economic ie tied to precious labour and informal markets
- infrastructural ie self built or disconnected from formal infrastructure
- cultural ie rich in place making practices and local identity
82
politics of informality eg territorial stigma
stigma and representation: informal areas are often viewed as criminal, deviant or unsanitary which leads to state neglect or violent clearance like slum elimination acts
83
informality as urban logic
it is not a temporary condition or aberration but a core urban process and informs how housing, infrastructure and citizenship are produced. informality shapes cities as much as formal planning
84
informality connection to infrastructure
informal settlements build their own infrastructure
85
informality and segregation
informality is often spatially segregated by planning and governance
86
informality and displacement
informal residents often face forced evictions or are left out of development plans
87
informality and public space
informal areas often create their own public spaces or are excluded from formal ones
88
informality and community
informal neighbourhoods are often rich in mutual support and solidarity (strong primary ties)
89
what is urban political ecology
cities are socio natural assemblages, challenging the binary between urban and natural. we are entangled with ecological processes
90
cities as part of natural evolution
geddes sees cities as natural. chicago school puts nature at the centre of city development
91
swyngedouw perspective
natural processes are always socio natural. everything is shaped by human labour and politics
92
environmental racism
the disproportionate impacts of environmental injustice on communities of color
93
what does urban political ecology do
analyses the political, economic and social dynamics that produce urban ecological space. cities are sites where nature is transformed
94
what is metabolism in marxism
labour is the interface between human society and nature
95
why is urbanisation a planetary process?
it shaped ecosystems behind city boundaries
96
why is urbanisation socio natural
urban growth and processes affect climate change, biodiversity and pollution. it transforms the planet physically, ecologically and socially
97
racialised toxicity
communities of colour live closer to infrastructure hazards and environmental hampers
98
environmental displacement / eco gentrification
when greening initiatives lead to displacement of vulnerable populations eg eko atlantic, ny high line
99
socio natural disaster
when the frequency of disasters intensify and occur more often as shaped by human activity
100
consequences of urban ecological inequality
- emotional and physical suffering
- loss of ontological security
- cultural and political misrecognition (margin,asked residents blamed or misinformed about hazards)
101
the anthropocene
human activity is the dominant force that drives ecological processes in this era
102
what are urban social movements
social movements are not just in cities but ABOUT cities. they contest who has the right to control urban space and access the benefits of urban living
103
manuel castells on USM (pioneered study of urban social movements)
collective actions consciously aimed at fundamentally modifying the city’s role in society / redefining the meaning of urban
104
2 senses of urban in social movements
as the object of struggled and as the tool/resource for transformation
105
cities as a political space
- not just neutral containers but urban spaces reflect and enforce inequality.
- are shaped and shape social relations.
- offers resources like centrality, visibility, scale and infrastructure
106
city as a central actor in political life
urban social movements challenge how power shaped urban space
107
state entered vs space centred politics
traditional marxist view sees politics in the workplace or through the state, with the city as the background, not an actor or resource
108
right to the city concept
- a political claim to shape urban life.
- a demand for full participation in the economic, cultural, political and spatial aspects of urban living
109
scalar politics of social movements
- local ie neighbourhoods or housing estates
- national ie policies, law and government
- global ie climate, finance and migration
110
public space as a resource
streets etc become areas of resistance because cities are where institutions of power are concentrated. they become sites for disruption
111
social movements scale jumping
building trans local and trans national alliances
112
digital urbanism
urban movements bypass traditional media and now use up digital communication to facilitate coordination ,outreach, planning, and international solidarity
113
weakness of digital urbanism
doesn’t substitute offline resistance. cities are still vital material and symbolic sites of politics
114
municipalism
a strategy of using city level government as a vehicle for transformative politics. it aims for local democracy / democratising governance and planning. wants more inclusivity and participation in decision making and urban planning
115
what are the political demands of the right to the city
transformative access and participation in urban life
116
how do urban movements use cities
draw on dense networks, public visibility and scale to organise and mobilise
