Urban Theory: A critical introduction to power, cities and urbanism in the 21st century

313 Pages·2014·9.884 MB·English

by  Alan Harding, Talja Blokland

Urban
Theor y
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Alan Harding & Talja Blokland
Urban
A critical introduction to
power, cities and urbanism
Theor y in the 21st century
‘Just when we need it most, urban theory seems to be failing us. This book
explains why we need it.’
Jamie Peck, University of British Columbia
‘Harding and Blokland address the vaunted “crisis” in urban theory with a
thoughtful assessment of extant theories in terms of performance, commensura-
bility, and critical engagement. In a conversational and lively tone, they view
theories of inequality, public space, identity, power, agency, and culture through
the lens of “relaxed urban theory.” Excellent overview for scholars and engaging
classroom material.’
Susan E. Clarke, University of Colorado
‘Inspired by Peter Saunders’s non-spatial urban thinking, Harding and Blokland’s
book provides a provocative, wide-ranging and comprehensive treatment of
concepts geared to understand cities, and is a compulsory addition to any urban
student’s intellectual arsenal in a period of renewed interest in urban theory.’
Roger Keil, York University
‘Urban theory is said to be in a mess. Proceeding with great analytical clarity,
this book introduces a relaxed definition of urban theory that enables the reader
to make sense of the non-linear, variegated world of urban theory as it has devel-
oped over time and through the application of different disciplines, methods and
epistemologies. In reviewing all the major conceptualisations of urban theory,
Harding and Blokland provide clear insights into recent developments and the
controversies and critiques they have provoked. The book is a pedagogical tour
de force for students and scholars alike.’
Patrick Le Galès, CNRS Research Professor at Sciences Po’s Centre d’Études
Européennes and Professor at Sciences Po, (Paris)
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Alan Harding & Talja Blokland
Urban
A critical introduction to
power, cities and urbanism
Theor y in the 21st century
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SAGE Publications Ltd  Alan Harding and Talja Blokland 2014
1 Oliver’s Yard
55 City Road First published 2014
London EC1Y 1SP
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or
SAGE Publications Inc. private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the
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SAGE Publications Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2013951657
Editor: Robert Rojek
Editorial assistant: Keri Dickens
British Library Cataloguing in Publication data
Production editor: Katherine Haw
Copyeditor: Richard Leigh
A catalogue record for this book is available from
Proofreader: Dick Davis
the British Library
Marketing manager: Michael Ainsley
Cover design: Francis Kenney
Typeset by: C&M Digitals (P) Ltd, Chennai, India
Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd,
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ISBN 978-1-4462-9451-2
ISBN 978-1-4462-9452-9 (pbk)
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For Jack, Jonah, Kim, Martha and Sam
And in memory of a wet Whalley Range
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Contents
About the authors xi
Foreword xii
1. WHAT IS URBAN THEORY? 1
Urban studies and urban theory 1
Urban subdisciplines 2
Metaphorical cities 3
The role of theory in urban studies 6
What is urban? 7
Rural and urban 10
What is theory? 12
Ontology and epistemology 12
And so what on earth is urban theory? 19
Questions for discussion 21
Further reading 21
2. URBAN THEORIES UNDER CONDITIONS OF MODERNITY 23
Introduction 23
The Chicago School and urban ecology 24
Burgess’ concentric zone model 25
Criticism 25
Wirth’s urbanism thesis 27
The Chicago School legacy 28
Urban geography and spatial analysis 29
The influence of neo-classical economics on geography 30
Criticism 31
The community power debate 32
Community power: elite theory versus pluralism 32
Moving urban theory forward: gains and criticisms 34
Humanistic (urban) geography 35
Post-positivist approaches 36
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viii Contents
Consequences for methods 37
‘Radical’ approaches 38
Neo-Marxism 39
Problems with neo-Marxist approaches 42
Neo-Weberian approaches 44
Radicalism reappraised 46
The legacy of previous theories and their challenges 47
Enduring tensions in urban theory 47
Assessing ‘relaxed’ urban theory 50
Key challenges for modern urban theory 50
Urban theory in a spiky world 52
Questions for discussion 53
Further reading 53
3. FROM THE URBAN CRISIS TO THE ‘TRIUMPH OF THE CITY’ 56
Cities as actors in a globalising economy 56
Urban decline and obsolescence 60
Economic change versus the city 60
Understanding globalisation 65
The much exaggerated death of the city 70
Urban economic renaissance 74
Post-Fordist urbanism 74
Global and world cities … and Los Angeles 77
The new economic geography versus urban neo-liberalism 82
Discussion 86
Questions for discussion 86
Further reading 87
4. CAN CITIES ACT? URBAN POLITICAL ECONOMY AND
THE QUESTION OF AGENCY 88
The rediscovery of agency within urban theory 88
Introducing American urban political economy 89
Against public choice 90
Urban regimes and growth machines 93
Refining elite theory 93
Use value and exchange value 94
Challenging growth machines 97
Urban regime theory 98
Growth machine and urban regime theory compared 102
Power in urban regime theory 105
The normative dimension 107
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Contents ix
Critiques and applications 109
Evaluating US urban political economy 109
Exporting theory 115
Difficulties of applying growth machine and urban regime theory 115
Questions for discussion 118
Further reading 118
5. SPATIAL EXPRESSIONS OF INTRA-URBAN INEQUALITIES 120
Introduction 120
Inequalities versus differentiations: vertical and
horizontal paradigms 124
Beyond either horizontal or vertical 125
Living in a world of difference 126
Cities as sites of resources: space and inequalities 127
The production of space 128
Bourdieu on social space 129
Segregation 131
Social segregation 133
Segregation indices 134
Immigration and segregation 134
Segregation and integration 137
Suburbanisation 140
Demand and supply 140
Commercial suburbanisation and sprawl 141
The relevance of suburbanisation for urban theory 143
Gentrification 145
Gentrification as a process 146
Production versus consumption 147
Displacement 149
Ghettoisation as a spatial process of marginalisation 150
‘Ghetto’ as a term in urban studies 151
Economic restructuring and marginalisation 153
Stigma, discrimination and racism 155
The culture of poverty 156
Ghetto and urban policy 159
Neighbourhood effects: spatial profit and disadvantage 160
The ‘why’ of neighbourhood effects 162
Neighbourhood effects and collective efficacy 164
The need for attention to institutions 165
Summary and conclusion 166
Questions for discussion 168
Further reading 169
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