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Urban activism and co-housing

Scheller, David and Larsen, Henrik Gutzon LU (2020) p.120-139
Abstract
This chapter looks at the interrelations and dynamics between urban activism and the politics of co-housing. Drawing on empirical material from Hamburg and Barcelona, it explores the socio-political context of co-housing in the interplay of bottom-up organizing and top-down governance. With particular attention to squatting and related questions of post-autonomous urban activism, this investigation is structured according to three issues: relations to the state; horizontal organizing; and direct actions. This includes questions around the legalization of squatted houses, and intersections with broader movements. On this basis, the chapter discusses what is termed the dialectics of the politics of co-housing. This dynamic relation between... (More)
This chapter looks at the interrelations and dynamics between urban activism and the politics of co-housing. Drawing on empirical material from Hamburg and Barcelona, it explores the socio-political context of co-housing in the interplay of bottom-up organizing and top-down governance. With particular attention to squatting and related questions of post-autonomous urban activism, this investigation is structured according to three issues: relations to the state; horizontal organizing; and direct actions. This includes questions around the legalization of squatted houses, and intersections with broader movements. On this basis, the chapter discusses what is termed the dialectics of the politics of co-housing. This dynamic relation between grassroots organizing and top-down governance intersects in different political aspirations for co-housing – and eventually in what is understood as sustainable urban development. On the one hand, squatting and urban activism follow a political logic of empowerment, self-management, mutual self-help and solidarity. On the other hand, local city governments impose a political logic of urban governance, often with the aim of regulation, control, marketization and co-optation. This dialectic plays out differently in Hamburg and Barcelona, but the underlying contradictory political logics remain similar. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Contemporary Co-housing in Europe : Towards Sustainable Cities? - Towards Sustainable Cities?
editor
Hagbert, Pernilla ; Larsen, Henrik Gutzon ; Thörn, Håkan and Wasshede, Cathrin
pages
120 - 139
publisher
Routledge
ISBN
978-1-138-32591-3
978-0-429-45017-4
DOI
10.4324/9780429450174-7
project
Cohousing and sustainable urban development: cases from Denmark, Germany, Spain and Sweden
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3ed04af2-a6e8-494d-8180-2f5172b4e620
date added to LUP
2019-11-19 23:17:14
date last changed
2020-03-26 09:34:52
@inbook{3ed04af2-a6e8-494d-8180-2f5172b4e620,
  abstract     = {{This chapter looks at the interrelations and dynamics between urban activism and the politics of co-housing. Drawing on empirical material from Hamburg and Barcelona, it explores the socio-political context of co-housing in the interplay of bottom-up organizing and top-down governance. With particular attention to squatting and related questions of post-autonomous urban activism, this investigation is structured according to three issues: relations to the state; horizontal organizing; and direct actions. This includes questions around the legalization of squatted houses, and intersections with broader movements. On this basis, the chapter discusses what is termed the dialectics of the politics of co-housing. This dynamic relation between grassroots organizing and top-down governance intersects in different political aspirations for co-housing – and eventually in what is understood as sustainable urban development. On the one hand, squatting and urban activism follow a political logic of empowerment, self-management, mutual self-help and solidarity. On the other hand, local city governments impose a political logic of urban governance, often with the aim of regulation, control, marketization and co-optation. This dialectic plays out differently in Hamburg and Barcelona, but the underlying contradictory political logics remain similar.}},
  author       = {{Scheller, David and Larsen, Henrik Gutzon}},
  booktitle    = {{Contemporary Co-housing in Europe : Towards Sustainable Cities?}},
  editor       = {{Hagbert, Pernilla and Larsen, Henrik Gutzon and Thörn, Håkan and Wasshede, Cathrin}},
  isbn         = {{978-1-138-32591-3}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{120--139}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  title        = {{Urban activism and co-housing}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780429450174-7}},
  doi          = {{10.4324/9780429450174-7}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}