290103 PS Practices and Policies in Neighbourhood Development: Vienna (2015S)

Inner-city neighbourhoods are often charged a double task; firstly nurturing creative socio-economic places yielding new practices of wealth creation and secondly, lessening social polarisation by constituting places of social and ethnic integration. Building on assemblage theory, Gentrification 2.0 adopts an thoroughly interdisciplinary approach to understanding how different social, economic and spatial processes (problems and potentials) come together in shaping neighbourhoods.

A core thesis is, that despite the many critiques, gentrification remains an important strategic concept. If well elaborated and supported, the concept of gentrification can contribute to new approaches towards neighbourhood development, improving vital social, economic and spatial qualities.

This seminar provides an overview on current urban renewal/gentrification/social mix theories and links to research questions and methodological design of an ongoing international research project (see http://jpi-urbaneurope.eu/project-gentrification-2-0/).

Based on the assemblage concept, students are asked to develop their own research questions in order to conduct data on practices and interpretations in the field. The case study analysis will be linked to the 15th district Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus in Vienna.