The worldwide financial crisis has sent shock-waves of accelerated economic restructuring, regulatory reorganization and sociopolitical conflict through cities around the world. It has also given new impetus to the struggles of urban social movements emphasizing the injustice, destructiveness and unsustainability of capitalist forms of urbanization. This book contributes analyses intended to be useful for efforts to roll back contemporary profit-based forms of urbanization, and to promote alternative, radically democratic and sustainable forms of urbanism.
The contributors provide cutting-edge analyses of contemporary urban restructuring, including the issues of neoliberalization, gentrification, colonization, "creative" cities, architecture and political power, sub-prime mortgage foreclosures and the ongoing struggles of "right to the city" movements. At the same time, the book explores the diverse interpretive frameworks - critical and otherwise - that are currently being used in academic discourse, in political struggles, and in everyday life to decipher contemporary urban transformations and contestations. The slogan, "cities for people, not for profit," sets into stark relief what the contributors view as a central political question involved in efforts, at once theoretical and practical, to address the global urban crises of our time.
Drawing upon European and North American scholarship in sociology, politics, geography, urban planning and urban design, the book provides useful insights and perspectives for citizens, activists and intellectuals interested in exploring alternatives to contemporary forms of capitalist urbanization.
The financial crisis has given new impetus to the struggles of oppositional urban social movements that have long emphasized the injustice, destructiveness and unsustainability of capitalist forms of urbanization. Through contributions by urban theorists, sociologists, geographers, political scientists, planners and activists, the volume explores the possibilities for, and constraints upon, critical urban theory and practice today. Ideas are linked by a common theme: the difficulties that are created for people by cities organized for profit, and the existing trends, struggles and movements that might change their course to construct alternative forms of urbanism. The slogan, "cities for people, not for profit," thus sets into stark relief what the authors view as a central political objective for ongoing efforts, at once theoretical and practical, to address the global urban crises of our time.
"From some of the most important urban scholars of our time comes a book that confronts the central political question of our time: can cities be for people?? Written against the backdrop of both the global financial crisis and intensifying social movements, this collection of essays is a wonderful example of why critical theory matters for social change." - Ananya Roy, Professor of City & Regional Planning and Co-Director, Global Metropolitan Studies, University of California, Berkeley, USA
'The contributors provide analyses of contemporary urban restructuring, including the issues of neoliberalization, gentrification, colonization, "creative" cities, architecture and political power, subprime mortgage foreclosures and the ongoing struggles of "right to the city" movements. The book also explores the diverse interpretive frameworks - critical and otherwise - that are currently being used in academic discourse, in political struggles, and in everyday life to decipher contemporary urban transformations and contestations.' - Lonaard Magazine, Issue 12, Vol. 2, November 2012
"Cities for people, not for profits came out at a time when such an edition was needed for critical urban theory. The chapters provide a holistic approach discussing both, theory and practise, looking at it on a global scale, putting emphasis on the housing market where injustice is most evident and providing an outlook on what is needed for overcoming the recent (urban) crises. The book is highly recommended to those seeking to get started with critical urban theory, looking for an adequate update on theories formulated in the 1970s and wanting to know how desirable social urbanization could be reached. Cities for people, not for profit is a book coming out just at the right time."- Johannes Riegler, Austrian Institute of Technology
