Planetary Gentrification

by Loretta Lees, Hyun Bang Shin, Ernesto López-Morales

This is the first book in Polity's new 'Urban Futures' series.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, proclamations rang out that gentrification had gone global. But what do we mean by 'gentrification' today? How can we compare 'gentrification' in New York and London with that in Shanghai, Johannesburg, Mumbai and Rio de Janeiro? This book argues that gentrification is one of the most significant and socially unjust processes affecting cities worldwide today, and one that demands renewed critical assessment.

Drawing on the 'new' comparative urbanism and writings on planetary urbanization, the authors undertake a much-needed transurban analysis underpinned by a critical political economy approach. Looking beyond the usual gentrification suspects in Europe and North America to non-Western cases, from slum gentrification to mega-displacement, they show that gentrification has unfolded at a planetary scale, but it has not assumed a North to South or West to East trajectory – the story is much more complex than that.
 
Rich with empirical detail, yet wide-ranging, Planetary Gentrification unhinges, unsettles and provincializes Western notions of urban development. It will be invaluable to students and scholars interested in the future of cities and the production of a truly global urban studies, and equally importantly to all those committed to social justice in cities.

Genres: Nonfiction, Urban Planning

248 pages, Hardcover

First published March 21, 2016

Reviews

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is about carving a niche. Nobody should buy, sell or more precisely nobody should pass gas in a city without a stamped approval from the City Central Committee. And the authors would be the esteemed and conveniently corruptible judges, or at least the high paying experts called to examine the gas and the gas emitter if any of them are worthy of the city.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lees provides a prejudicial summary of this book at the conclusion: "gentrification is the appropriation of land to serve the interests of the wealthy". To reach this statement, we are shown many examples, both in scale and scope, of changes to city and urban land uses both in the global Noth (developed) and global South (developing). And so, it is hard to argue with that conclusion.
However, I was most concerned at the lack of balance within this thesis. Certainly there is enough evidence to show increased capital flows to real-estate and urban land, through private means or as is prevalent today, with the assistance and active promotion of government policies. But no mention is made of the need for gentrification, if it fulfills an essential function, or any positives that may result from its (as described by this book) seemingly harsh implementations.
Overall though, an intersting topic, this book is thought provoking and clearly there is much more to this subject that can be explored.

[Siti · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a very comprehensive book which covers many aspects of gentrification with the use of very good examples. However at some points I got a little lost in the technical jargon used.

[Alia Salleh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Necessary reading on the topic.

[Nicholas Hong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A critical and comprehensive take on processes of gentrification, displacement and critical urban theory. Lots of interesting examples from non-western contexts.

[David Carrasquillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most complete on gentrification that I've seen. Great compendium.