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Class and the City
RGS-IBG Annual Conference, July 3-5th 2012, Edinburgh
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Sponsored by the RGS-IBG Urban Geography Research Group (UGRG)
Session Conveners:
Alex Law: Sociology, University of Abertay Dundee
Gerry Mooney, Faculty of Social Sciences, The Open University
Tom Slater, Institute of Geography, University of Edinburgh
Description:
Class and the City are intertwined in many different ways: there are arguably few aspects
of city life that do not resonate in some sense with issues and questions of class and
class relations. However, with few exceptions, class has in recent times rarely been
central to the exploration of the city, to changing cities, and to changing city forms.
This proposed stream provides an opportunity for critically informed contributions to the
study of class and the city: drawing on insights not only from human geography, but from
sociology, social policy, criminology, economics and political science. Through such an
inter- and multi-disciplinary approach it is expected that some of the more recent key
issues and questions that are shaping the study of the city will be illuminated.
These sessions aim to be wide-ranging but also topical: in the context of a deep and
far-reaching economic and financial crisis, and the 'austerity' measures adopted by
different governments in response (in contrast to the redistributive path of increasing
taxation of the wealthy and of corporations), the unequal class relations that drive such
policy responses are impacting on working class and disadvantaged populations in many
cities across the world. However, in the context of a reinforced neoliberalism, state
responses are not only negatively and devastatingly impacting on the working class in the
city – but are also working to bolster the city of the rich, the city of capital. In
this respect, class inequality is supplemented by class antagonism. Following Harvey,
among others, neoliberalism and the policies to which it gives rise are class projects,
projecting and protecting particular class interests and consolidating class power.
We would welcome abstracts that explore the following themes:
Class and the city of capital
Class and the city of labour
Class struggle and the city (urban ‘disorders’, protest camps; the right to stay put, the
right to protest are significant features of the classed city).
Class-based practices of city regulation and management (especially class-informed
punitive policing, and other state responses to urban crises)
The classed underpinnings of urban ‘regeneration’ and housing programmes (including
analyses of gentrification, displacement and forced eviction).
Representations (in multiple forms) of urban inequalities, dereliction and disadvantage.
Classed securities and insecurities in urban contexts.
The conveners welcome abstracts of approximately 250 words, and these along with paper
titles and the full contact details of all participating authors, should be emailed by
Monday 23rd January 2012 to:
Alex (A.Law@tay.ac.uk) and
Gerry (G.C.Mooney@open.ac.uk) and
Tom (tom.slater@ed.ac.uk)
Session Conveners:
Alex Law: Sociology, University of Abertay Dundee
Gerry Mooney, Faculty of Social Sciences, The Open University
Tom Slater, Institute of Geography, University of Edinburgh
Description:
Class and the City are intertwined in many different ways: there are arguably few aspects
of city life that do not resonate in some sense with issues and questions of class and
class relations. However, with few exceptions, class has in recent times rarely been
central to the exploration of the city, to changing cities, and to changing city forms.
This proposed stream provides an opportunity for critically informed contributions to the
study of class and the city: drawing on insights not only from human geography, but from
sociology, social policy, criminology, economics and political science. Through such an
inter- and multi-disciplinary approach it is expected that some of the more recent key
issues and questions that are shaping the study of the city will be illuminated.
These sessions aim to be wide-ranging but also topical: in the context of a deep and
far-reaching economic and financial crisis, and the 'austerity' measures adopted by
different governments in response (in contrast to the redistributive path of increasing
taxation of the wealthy and of corporations), the unequal class relations that drive such
policy responses are impacting on working class and disadvantaged populations in many
cities across the world. However, in the context of a reinforced neoliberalism, state
responses are not only negatively and devastatingly impacting on the working class in the
city – but are also working to bolster the city of the rich, the city of capital. In
this respect, class inequality is supplemented by class antagonism. Following Harvey,
among others, neoliberalism and the policies to which it gives rise are class projects,
projecting and protecting particular class interests and consolidating class power.
We would welcome abstracts that explore the following themes:
Class and the city of capital
Class and the city of labour
Class struggle and the city (urban ‘disorders’, protest camps; the right to stay put, the
right to protest are significant features of the classed city).
Class-based practices of city regulation and management (especially class-informed
punitive policing, and other state responses to urban crises)
The classed underpinnings of urban ‘regeneration’ and housing programmes (including
analyses of gentrification, displacement and forced eviction).
Representations (in multiple forms) of urban inequalities, dereliction and disadvantage.
Classed securities and insecurities in urban contexts.
The conveners welcome abstracts of approximately 250 words, and these along with paper
titles and the full contact details of all participating authors, should be emailed by
Monday 23rd January 2012 to:
Alex (A.Law@tay.ac.uk) and
Gerry (G.C.Mooney@open.ac.uk) and
Tom (tom.slater@ed.ac.uk)