The urban domination of the planet

A Rancièrian critique

Bibliographic Data

ID12710024
AuthorsKristina Grange (0000-0002-3596-9503, Chalmers University of Technology, corresponding author), Michael Gunder (The University of Auckland, New Zealand)
Year2018
Volume18
Issue4
Pages389-409
Publication date2018-11-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePlanning Theory (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1473-0952 • E-ISSN: 1741-3052
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1473095218811856
OpenAlexW2901021442
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited76

A competitive urbanisation discourse is dominating the world. So much so that, following Lefevbre’s later work, Brenner and Schmid, among others, have recently re-invigorated the term ‘planetary urbanisation’ to promote a new epistemology of the urban. This is an epistemology which re-conceptualises the world as constituted by an extended urban fabric that lacks global exteriority – all the world is now to be perceived as a part of a global condensed, extended or differential urbanisation. But this also begs the question: what of the other non-urban-dwelling population who inhabit the 97% of the landmass that currently is not developed as urban land? The article begins by considering contemporary debates about planetary urbanisation. Having introduced arguments of equality developed by the philosophy of Rancière, it then considers planetary urbanisation from the perspective of equity. The article argues that we currently are witnessing an urban domination of the planet that not only fails in recognising the non-urban outside, but perhaps more importantly, increasingly is creating ‘geographies of despair’. It concludes by arguing for planning theories that take rubrics other than just that of the urban as their starting point, in order to contribute to opening up both urban and non-urban places as potential stages where disruptive politics, including those pertinent to planning, may be both played out and appropriately understood

Anthropocene · Economic growth · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Population · Sociology · Urban planning · Urbanization · Critical Theory and Political Philosophy · Law · Philosophy · Urban Planning and Governance · Ecology