City for Sale. Metropolisation in Peripheral Capitalism Cover Image

City for Sale. Metropolisation in Peripheral Capitalism
City for Sale. Metropolisation in Peripheral Capitalism

Author(s): Bohdan Jałowiecki
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: EUROREG - Uniwersytet Warszawski, Regional Studies Association - Sekcja Polska
Keywords: city space; metropolisation; globalisation; fragmentation of space

Summary/Abstract: Whose is the city? This question only superficially refers to the past when at least some cities were in fact law-making, autonomous communities of their citizens. Unlike in the past, the contemporary city is a random collection of individuals gathered in a space with no clear boundaries, who in their majority have a weak sense of identification with the place of their residence, whether longer or shorter. The residents of such a city are not citizens but merely users of space which has become a commodity. Taking Warsaw as an example, the paper shows the process of selling out the city space, which is driven by globalisation and metropolisation processes. The consequence of this is privatisation and fragmentation of space, leading to the evaporation of public space in the city.

  • Issue Year: 11/2010
  • Issue No: Spec.Iss
  • Page Range: 29-37
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: English